Last month, in
September, I did a $20 a week grocery challenge and for the most part I didn't
do too shabby, if I do say so myself. My
total spent came in at just $104.88. I
try to only spend around $150 each month on groceries and try really hard not
to go over $200. I'm usually pretty
close to the $150 mark most of the time. For three of us, one Mom and two
active teenagers that is really good.
This month I was
over the $150 mark, in fact I was over the $200 mark just a bit because I was
in winter stock up mode. And fortunately
the sales lined up perfectly for me to do so.
I was able to stock up the holiday portion of our pantry, fill in some
gaps on items we were low on and top off our freezer. I also treated myself to some root beer that was not on sale, but I really wanted it. It doesn't happen very often, that I do that,
but I'd been craving some root beer lately so I caved in.
Our non food items
this month included stocking up on three bags of cat litter that was on sale
plus I had two digital coupons loaded onto my store rewards card, stocking up
on canned cat food for the old man kitty and then stocking up on toilet
paper. I got 30 double rolls for
$9.99. I thought that was a pretty good
deal. I spent $33.02 this month where I
prefer to keep it under $25. Most months
I'm under so I accrue a surplus each month and roll that over. Right now I still have a surplus of $8.02!
I'm really excited
about everything I bought this month because I have most of what I need for
Thanksgiving and I even picked up the
meat for Christmas dinner. Plus now I
have pretty much all that I need for holiday baking as well as our Christmas
Eve supper with the exception of salad fixings.
Here is what I bought this month for food:
Groceries
|
$$$
|
||||
Mushrooms
|
1.79
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Carrots
|
1.69
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Celery
|
1.69
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Olive oil
|
6.99
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Almonds
|
6.99
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Smoke Almonds
|
7.99
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Peanuts
|
2.99
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Avocados - 6
|
3.49
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Bananas
|
0.57
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Taco seasoning
|
0.79
|
Trader Joes
|
|||
Powdered sugar
|
0.99
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Brown sugar
|
0.99
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Baking chips (2)
|
3.98
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Walnuts - 1#
|
4.99
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Eggs (2)
|
1.98
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Butter (2)
|
3.98
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Milk - gal
|
1.79
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Chicken breasts
|
5.81
|
Markdown
|
Albertsons
|
||
Coleslaw mix (2)
|
1.98
|
WinCo
|
|||
Onions
|
0.89
|
WinCo
|
|||
Bananas
|
0.98
|
WinCo
|
|||
Cream cheese (2)
|
2.44
|
WinCo
|
|||
Cheese sticks
|
2.38
|
WinCo
|
|||
Cream (2)
|
6.76
|
WinCo
|
|||
Whipped cream
|
2.56
|
WinCo
|
|||
Flour
|
2.24
|
WinCo
|
|||
Coconut flour
|
1.12
|
WinCo
|
|||
Baking chips
|
2.49
|
Sale
|
WinCo
|
||
Baking chips
|
1.74
|
WinCo
|
|||
Pudding (2)
|
1.00
|
WinCo
|
|||
Cheese (2)
|
5.26
|
Sale
|
WinCo
|
||
Mapeline
|
2.89
|
WinCo
|
|||
Salad Kit
|
1.50
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Albertsons
|
||
Apple cider (4)
|
3.96
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Cake mix (3)
|
FREE
|
Overcharge Refund
|
Albertsons
|
||
Frosting (2)
|
FREE
|
Overcharge Refund
|
Albertsons
|
||
Soup (4)
|
FREE
|
Overcharge Refund
|
Albertsons
|
||
Olives (4)
|
3.96
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Nutella
|
4.99
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Cheese
|
4.99
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Bacon (2)
|
5.98
|
Markdown
|
Albertsons
|
||
Lunchmeat
|
2.49
|
Markdown
|
Albertsons
|
||
Grapes
|
2.27
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Potatoes (6)
|
4.14
|
Sale
|
Albertsons
|
||
Coleslaw mix (2)
|
1.96
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Lettuce
|
0.98
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Stevia
|
2.98
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Marshmallows
|
0.98
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
SF baking chips
|
2.98
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Baking chips
|
1.98
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Almond bark
|
2.48
|
Wal-Mart
|
|||
Broccoli
|
3.99
|
Fred Meyer
|
|||
Lettuce (2)
|
1.33
|
Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Capri Sun
|
1.39
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Pasta sauce
|
FREE
|
Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Bananas
|
0.82
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Salad dressing - 2pk
|
1.99
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Ground turkey
|
1.80
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Ground pork
|
1.65
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Steaks
|
5.52
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Rice
|
FREE
|
Friday Freebie
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Tuna
|
FREE
|
Friday Freebie
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Beef wieners (3)
|
3.75
|
Markdown
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Cheese sticks (8)
|
1.52
|
Markdown
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Salad mix
|
1.29
|
Markdown
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Grapes
|
2.12
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Bananas
|
1.32
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Bread
|
1.50
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Bread
|
1.00
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Hotdog buns
|
1.00
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Orange juice (2)
|
1.18
|
Markdown
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Cottage cheese
|
1.25
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Cream cheese (4)
|
4.00
|
Sale
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Root beer
|
5.49
|
Fred Meyer
|
|||
Candy bar
|
FREE
|
Friday Freebie
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Steaks
|
13.15
|
Sale/Coupon
|
Fred Meyer
|
||
Pumpkin (5)
|
5.00
|
Dollar Tree
|
|||
Marshmallow crème (5)
|
5.00
|
Dollar Tree
|
|||
Baker's chocolate (2)
|
2.00
|
Dollar Tree
|
|||
Food coloring
|
1.00
|
Dollar Tree
|
|||
Vanilla
|
1.00
|
Dollar Tree
|
|||
Total
|
213.90
|
$213.90 ÷ 31 days ÷3 people = $2.30 per person per day!
Even though this
total comes in at a $2.30 per person per day, which you must admit is pretty
good in and of itself, but most of this food is actually earmarked for November
and December as well as the first part of January. Not bad, huh?
This budget month runs from October 1
through October 31
Not bad at all!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Stephanie. I was pretty happy with it. :)
DeleteAll that lovely food. We live in such a wonderful country with such great grocery stores filled with every good food imaginable! I hope never to forget the bounty that is ours. Thanksgiving will last all month long for most of us. Such blessings! Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteWe are indeed very blessed here in the states. I appreciate it so much. :)
DeleteSmart and awesome shopping!!! Enjoy, Janie
ReplyDeleteYou've already noticed the title of this post is mislabeled...right?
ReplyDeleteThank you Cindy, I can always count on you. ;)
DeleteWhat can I say... you can take the girl out of Editorial (sometimes), but you can't take the editor out of the girl! :)
DeleteGlad to know you have my back! :0)
DeleteYou are a tease...
DeleteStill loving your blog. It's on my daily list of things to do.
Just noticed -- Amazon's Warehouse Deals have a number of grocery items, marked-down bigtime, that would be good for stocking your pantry and/or holiday baking. I just got cranberries at 12 cents an ounce, and pecans for $5.70/lb, which is a STEAL in our neck of the woods. (Denver, CO area) In fact, I just got some bulk pecans at Sprouts for $7.95/lb, and thought I was doing good. (The Brick is North Carolina-born and bred, and loves 'pay-kan pah-i' for Thanksgiving.)
A lot of the items are 'last one,' but they're still in fresh, usable condition. Good for stocking stuffers and small gifts, too, and you don't have to go out to get them, or pay shipping if you get $25 worth.
Wow, those are some great deals. I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the heads up.
DeleteDo you use cash envelopes to do groceries or debit card? If debit card do you just write down what you spend?
ReplyDeleteI don't do cash because I'm to busy to take the time to go to the bank. I've always just used my card and track it all on a spreadsheet.
DeleteThanks
DeleteYou betcha! :0)
Delete