well i walked out of kroger without my receipt a few weeks ago, which totally thew my running total off, and now i find i don't care that much. i haven't done good with recording anything since then, but i *have* been meal planning and keeping up with that.
i've mostly lost interest in recording this stuff, for a couple reasons i think. first, i suspect my savings amounts are inflated because they're based on retail prices i never used to pay for brands i never bought. that kind of makes them irrelevant. also, i've used the info thus far to come up with a grocery budget that seems reasonable and a system to make it happen. i only started the system last week, but it was simple and worked really well.
here's the budget for now:
$75/week, $300/month
(i can use the monthly budget to give me some play in case of stock-up sales on high-dollar items like dh's voila entrees or frozen pizzas.)
unfortunately, that's pretty dang close to what i was doing before.
i'm going to practice *using my system and *having a budget,
and then i'll work on *cutting the amount back a bit.
i don't think i spend as much as lots of families i know, but i'd like to slash it.
maybe *meal planning will help with that.
and here's the system:
i'll look at my calendar and the ads, and figure how much i need each week for groceries, gas ($30/wk at $2/gal), newspapers, activities, and events. then i'll withdraw that much cash, put away my debit card, and when it's gone, it's gone. simple, right?? well, i'll want to budget a bit for last-minute activities, but that's one more thing to work on.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
missing some receipts/ maybe this is all?
here's what i've got:
WEEK 11 (this is the week i think i might be missing receipts for..)
3/17 MEIJER (4 transactions, including meat)
spent 31.56
saved 17.29
WEEK 12 spent 142.10, saved 85.26
3/19 MEIJER
spent 41.77
saved 55.68
3/23 KROGER
(meat, frz vegs, eggs, cheese, shrimp/ all on sale, no q's)
spent 40.33
saved 23.31
3/25 MEIJER
spent 0.00
saved 6.27
free coffeemate, baby!! :)
sometime last week SAMS
spent $60
WEEK 13 spent 128.96, saved 191.64
3/29 KROGER
spent 33.83
saved 34.83
3/31 KROGER
(early AM run -- this was a good one -- all 4 of my pillsbury q's doubled, so i got 4 rolls of pizza dough for .80!)
spent 12.91
saved 27.08
3/31 MEIJER
(un-budgeted-for raincheck items)
spent 58.62
saved 93.09
3/31 KROGER
(PM run -- 4 transactions)
spent 5.60
saved 36.64
WEEK 11 (this is the week i think i might be missing receipts for..)
3/17 MEIJER (4 transactions, including meat)
spent 31.56
saved 17.29
WEEK 12 spent 142.10, saved 85.26
3/19 MEIJER
spent 41.77
saved 55.68
3/23 KROGER
(meat, frz vegs, eggs, cheese, shrimp/ all on sale, no q's)
spent 40.33
saved 23.31
3/25 MEIJER
spent 0.00
saved 6.27
free coffeemate, baby!! :)
sometime last week SAMS
spent $60
WEEK 13 spent 128.96, saved 191.64
3/29 KROGER
spent 33.83
saved 34.83
3/31 KROGER
(early AM run -- this was a good one -- all 4 of my pillsbury q's doubled, so i got 4 rolls of pizza dough for .80!)
spent 12.91
saved 27.08
3/31 MEIJER
(un-budgeted-for raincheck items)
spent 58.62
saved 93.09
3/31 KROGER
(PM run -- 4 transactions)
spent 5.60
saved 36.64
Thursday, March 26, 2009
have to hit all 3 this week?
MEIJER
produce is good
canteloupe, grapes, red potatoes, pears
and the voila entrees that dh likes to take in the truck are $3.50 which is the best price i've seen so far. too bad i don't have the budget to get many, but looks like his freezer is a thing of the past so he won't have the capacity for many anyway.
KROGER
frozen vegs are $1
5# bag grapefruit 2.50
if i'm going anyway i'll get some ground chuck at 1.67 to have in the freezer to make dh happy happy happy!
and possible coupon match-ups with bounty basic, hunt's, nesquik, scotchbrite, horizon milk, pillsbury, oreida, M&M mars. i don't think i'll mess w/ the pillsbury thing *except for* the pizza dough, which i *will* do.
MARSH has digiorno pizzas for 4.99 and i think there's a q. they seemed to have some other good things too.
produce is good
canteloupe, grapes, red potatoes, pears
and the voila entrees that dh likes to take in the truck are $3.50 which is the best price i've seen so far. too bad i don't have the budget to get many, but looks like his freezer is a thing of the past so he won't have the capacity for many anyway.
KROGER
frozen vegs are $1
5# bag grapefruit 2.50
if i'm going anyway i'll get some ground chuck at 1.67 to have in the freezer to make dh happy happy happy!
and possible coupon match-ups with bounty basic, hunt's, nesquik, scotchbrite, horizon milk, pillsbury, oreida, M&M mars. i don't think i'll mess w/ the pillsbury thing *except for* the pizza dough, which i *will* do.
MARSH has digiorno pizzas for 4.99 and i think there's a q. they seemed to have some other good things too.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
more shopping... tomorrow's payday
i wanted to go back to meijer when i have money, and i don't really remember why
will have to check the sales again
maybe $1.50 strawberries and $1 mushrooms.
oh, rice. i opened my last bag of white rice, and have those riceland q's, and last time i was at meijer they were price-dropped to 2.31.
i also want to pick up a can of cherry pie filling to make chocolate-cherry muffins with the betty crocker mix i have.
out of soy sauce and salad. my romaine is starting to come up!!
think there'll be a better shrimp sale this week?? we really want some.
oh! i know! i wanted eggs from kroger! we're totally out and they're .79/dozen. and the freschetta's pizzamores and the free country crock butters.
MEIJER NEXT WK: starting thursday looks like quaker granola bars, and check out the kellogs:
Purchase qualifying Kellogg's cereals 12oz or larger and get up to 3 Gallons of milk free on your next shopping trip. Good from 3/20 and 4/12. buy 3 boxes get 1 milk or buy 5 get 2 milks or buy 7 or more and get 3 gallons of milk. all free milk coupons good on any Brand, any flavor up to 4.69 per gallon.
maybe i need to buy some of those .70 kellog's q's, but gosh i just don't wanna mess w/ it.
will have to check the sales again
maybe $1.50 strawberries and $1 mushrooms.
oh, rice. i opened my last bag of white rice, and have those riceland q's, and last time i was at meijer they were price-dropped to 2.31.
i also want to pick up a can of cherry pie filling to make chocolate-cherry muffins with the betty crocker mix i have.
out of soy sauce and salad. my romaine is starting to come up!!
think there'll be a better shrimp sale this week?? we really want some.
oh! i know! i wanted eggs from kroger! we're totally out and they're .79/dozen. and the freschetta's pizzamores and the free country crock butters.
MEIJER NEXT WK: starting thursday looks like quaker granola bars, and check out the kellogs:
Purchase qualifying Kellogg's cereals 12oz or larger and get up to 3 Gallons of milk free on your next shopping trip. Good from 3/20 and 4/12. buy 3 boxes get 1 milk or buy 5 get 2 milks or buy 7 or more and get 3 gallons of milk. all free milk coupons good on any Brand, any flavor up to 4.69 per gallon.
maybe i need to buy some of those .70 kellog's q's, but gosh i just don't wanna mess w/ it.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
CVS last night
2 gallons milk
2 boxes bandaids
1 box trash bags
spent $14 ECB's that were about to expire;
.75 out of pocket
and got 3 ECB's back.
thank for the q's, tammy!
2 boxes bandaids
1 box trash bags
spent $14 ECB's that were about to expire;
.75 out of pocket
and got 3 ECB's back.
thank for the q's, tammy!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
how did i forget my receipt?
well i did my second mega-deal,
remembered to use my fund-raising card,
and got a bunch of cheap meat.
but i was so flummoxed about the pork
(i'll get to that in a sec)
that i walked out without my receipt!
the good news is, they can print a duplicate
tomorrow, when the head cashier is in.
i just need to tell them what register and the approx time.
yay!
(it was the first self-check you come to, when walking toward freezer wall. and i got into my car at 4:17. lest i forget!)
i put $60 on my card and spent $44:
about $25 on meat and $10 on pizzas; the rest was fritos, laundry soap & nature valley.
saved $7.70 on the chicken and $6 on the stew meat
no idea about the pork
miss my receipt :`(
oh i forgot about the pork loin!
still laughing about the difference btwn a butcher and a teacher :D
i asked him to slice half of it and ... well, i *meant* to cut the rest into cubes.
so i told him to cube it.
you know what it looks like now, don't you?
i almost didn't get it, but then i thought
i can find a recipe for stuffed pork chops
and kinda roll it up with the stuff inside
and bake it?
and it'll probably be really good
and quite different
i'm always up for different!
but now when i'm at meijer tonight
i need to get some cut into cubes
what do butchers call that?
remembered to use my fund-raising card,
and got a bunch of cheap meat.
but i was so flummoxed about the pork
(i'll get to that in a sec)
that i walked out without my receipt!
the good news is, they can print a duplicate
tomorrow, when the head cashier is in.
i just need to tell them what register and the approx time.
yay!
(it was the first self-check you come to, when walking toward freezer wall. and i got into my car at 4:17. lest i forget!)
i put $60 on my card and spent $44:
about $25 on meat and $10 on pizzas; the rest was fritos, laundry soap & nature valley.
saved $7.70 on the chicken and $6 on the stew meat
no idea about the pork
miss my receipt :`(
oh i forgot about the pork loin!
still laughing about the difference btwn a butcher and a teacher :D
i asked him to slice half of it and ... well, i *meant* to cut the rest into cubes.
so i told him to cube it.
you know what it looks like now, don't you?
i almost didn't get it, but then i thought
i can find a recipe for stuffed pork chops
and kinda roll it up with the stuff inside
and bake it?
and it'll probably be really good
and quite different
i'm always up for different!
but now when i'm at meijer tonight
i need to get some cut into cubes
what do butchers call that?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
One Kroger Mega Trip & Plan for the next
the toothbrush q's were about to expire
and i swear the kids hand 'em out at the corner when i'm gone!
4 colgate toothbrushes
1 box kellogs
2 box nature valley
2 dole fruit bowls
1 freschetta pizza
spent 9.21
saved 24.43
That leaves me with
2 purex
2 nature valley
1 dole fruit bowls
3 freschetta pizzas
and i suppose i can round it out w/ 2 bags of fritos!
and i swear the kids hand 'em out at the corner when i'm gone!
4 colgate toothbrushes
1 box kellogs
2 box nature valley
2 dole fruit bowls
1 freschetta pizza
spent 9.21
saved 24.43
That leaves me with
2 purex
2 nature valley
1 dole fruit bowls
3 freschetta pizzas
and i suppose i can round it out w/ 2 bags of fritos!
Meijer Preview: starts 3/19 in indy
Love Bargain Brianna!
Lots of good match-ups upcoming; here are the highlights:
Sargento shreds will be $1.50/bag after q
Coffeemates will be FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (you know i'll be there at 6am thursday...)
Lysol wipes will be $1 but i'm pretty stocked up so might skip it
Pizza Rolls -- i can use the q's that marsh wouldn't double haha
El Monterey Taquitos will be .50 after mgf AND mealbox q's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(i repeat: 6am baybeeee)
strawberries $1.50#
Meijer mushrooms $1
Lots of good match-ups upcoming; here are the highlights:
Sargento shreds will be $1.50/bag after q
Coffeemates will be FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (you know i'll be there at 6am thursday...)
Lysol wipes will be $1 but i'm pretty stocked up so might skip it
Pizza Rolls -- i can use the q's that marsh wouldn't double haha
El Monterey Taquitos will be .50 after mgf AND mealbox q's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(i repeat: 6am baybeeee)
strawberries $1.50#
Meijer mushrooms $1
Oh Awesome!! My ethics have been rewarded!! :)
There's been a change to the wording on the mealbox coupons that now lets even my picky self stack them with mgf q's !!!!! YAY i am so happy!!! i think i'll get taquitos for .50 on thursday!! 6am, baybay!! LOL
Saturday, March 7, 2009
printable cascadian farm & muir glen q's
sign up at www.eatbetteramerica.com
and you'll be able to print $1 q's for muir glen and cascadian farm
and a .50 on 8 yoplait (which works out to better than the standard newspaper q)
you can print each one twice! i had to start over from the home page, but it worked.
and i got some in the mail too when i signed up. i don't see that now but it might happen.
and you'll be able to print $1 q's for muir glen and cascadian farm
and a .50 on 8 yoplait (which works out to better than the standard newspaper q)
you can print each one twice! i had to start over from the home page, but it worked.
and i got some in the mail too when i signed up. i don't see that now but it might happen.
preview
the only coupons i'm thrilled about are
$2 goodlife recipe cat food -- that'll be free when k-mart doubles again
Hot Coupon World has a meijer preview -- starting sunday everywhere else and thursday here -- these are the things i'll put on my list
Sobe Life Water Money Maker 1.00
SALE: 10/10 get 11th Free
Coupons: .50/1 Tearpad
Ziploc Sandwich Bags 1.20/11
SALE: 10/10 get 11th free
Coupons: .40/1 1/11 SS
WHY DON'T I HAVE THESE? grrrr!
Taco Bell Dinner Kit .66
SALE: 1.66
Coupons: $1/1 Peelie
$1/4 mealbox
Fiber One bars.
2/$4. (price not in ad, so unsure...)
Buy 4 ($8)and get $5 back.
i think our q's are .50/1, which will double to $1 off, which will be $4 off of $3,
which is a money-maker! if i'm right... i have 4 coupons.
Wish we'd get free South Beach bars like The Coupon Goddess did this week!
Kahiki entrees are $2, we have a coupon for some amount, and there's a mealbox for $1/2.
Jose Ole is 20% off, we have q's, and there's a $2/2 mealbox.
Ore Ida is $2.50 and there's a $1/3 mealbox.. not so hot.
Also a $1/2 Voila mealbox.
Betty Crocker brownies are on sale again YUM
and it's a definitely springtime in meijer's produce section!
****************
KROGER --
**update on the kroger peek**
when i was at a kroger today, there was a cart full of tomorrow's circulars
and i asked for one
and the lady said yes!
so.... our sales are totally different.
boneless half pork loin $1.77 lb
mike sells 1.89 before q
box of mandarins is 4.99, might be cuties?
turkey hot dogs -- but the pic is oscar mayer & text says louis rich.. ?
the mega sale has
$2 goodlife recipe cat food -- that'll be free when k-mart doubles again
Hot Coupon World has a meijer preview -- starting sunday everywhere else and thursday here -- these are the things i'll put on my list
Sobe Life Water Money Maker 1.00
SALE: 10/10 get 11th Free
Coupons: .50/1 Tearpad
Ziploc Sandwich Bags 1.20/11
SALE: 10/10 get 11th free
Coupons: .40/1 1/11 SS
WHY DON'T I HAVE THESE? grrrr!
Taco Bell Dinner Kit .66
SALE: 1.66
Coupons: $1/1 Peelie
$1/4 mealbox
Fiber One bars.
2/$4. (price not in ad, so unsure...)
Buy 4 ($8)and get $5 back.
i think our q's are .50/1, which will double to $1 off, which will be $4 off of $3,
which is a money-maker! if i'm right... i have 4 coupons.
Wish we'd get free South Beach bars like The Coupon Goddess did this week!
Kahiki entrees are $2, we have a coupon for some amount, and there's a mealbox for $1/2.
Jose Ole is 20% off, we have q's, and there's a $2/2 mealbox.
Ore Ida is $2.50 and there's a $1/3 mealbox.. not so hot.
Also a $1/2 Voila mealbox.
Betty Crocker brownies are on sale again YUM
and it's a definitely springtime in meijer's produce section!
****************
KROGER --
**update on the kroger peek**
when i was at a kroger today, there was a cart full of tomorrow's circulars
and i asked for one
and the lady said yes!
so.... our sales are totally different.
boneless half pork loin $1.77 lb
mike sells 1.89 before q
box of mandarins is 4.99, might be cuties?
turkey hot dogs -- but the pic is oscar mayer & text says louis rich.. ?
the mega sale has
- 2 purex 2.49 which will be @ 1.80 after q's
- fritos 1.49
- nature valley will be $1 after my q's
- 4 colgate wave or total toothbrush @ .25 after my qs which expire 3/14
- 4 freschetta pizzas @ 2.99 after q
- 1 dole fruit bowls @ .89 after my cat q
- kellogs cereal @ 1.49 before q's: i have (2) $1 off 2 frosted flakes, which would be $1 each.
- and/or i have (1) .70 off any kellogs, which would be .80
i don't have much $$ but i bet i could plan one mega sale before payday and still have enough to see slumdog millionaire with my $5Club card and have a free roastburger w/ drink purchase at arby's! let's see...
4 toothbrushes $1
1 dole fruit bowls 1.89
2 nature valley: 7 items, 4.89
3 boxes cereal : 10 items, 7.69. that leaves me $12! yeah!
********************
oh yeah and MARSH will have Red Barons BOGO; we have a $1/2 q.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
10: Done for the week! Some computer hiccups..
hit 3 stores:
kroger for folgers, gorton's and butter.
meijer for bertolli pasta, free frosting, rice, milk, couple other things.
marsh for pizza rolls, walnuts and rubbermaids.
spent 49. something
saved 62. something
the damn computer wiped out all my notes
so i'm done now.
3/11/09 OK we went back to meijer for more spaghetti (.55 each)
spent 6.54, saved 8.94
and kroger for more coffee (4.49 each)
spent 8.98 x 2
saved 8.08 and 6.38
went to MARSH for more pizza rolls and
THEY WOULDN'T DOUBLE MY COUPONS
and the MANAGER WOULDN'T TELL ME WHY NOT
so i told them "that's ok, they'll be on sale somewhere else
and all the other stores double"
so i took my coupons and left.
Along the same lines, both times i was at meijer
and tried to use multiple, identical mealbox q's
the cashier was fine with it
but the computer scanned the additional ones at $0.00.
luckily the cashier likes me and fixed it, but i don't want to put her in that position all the time, so i'll be sure to stick w/ one per order from now on.
total spent: 73.50
total saved: 85.40
kroger for folgers, gorton's and butter.
meijer for bertolli pasta, free frosting, rice, milk, couple other things.
marsh for pizza rolls, walnuts and rubbermaids.
spent 49. something
saved 62. something
the damn computer wiped out all my notes
so i'm done now.
3/11/09 OK we went back to meijer for more spaghetti (.55 each)
spent 6.54, saved 8.94
and kroger for more coffee (4.49 each)
spent 8.98 x 2
saved 8.08 and 6.38
went to MARSH for more pizza rolls and
THEY WOULDN'T DOUBLE MY COUPONS
and the MANAGER WOULDN'T TELL ME WHY NOT
so i told them "that's ok, they'll be on sale somewhere else
and all the other stores double"
so i took my coupons and left.
Along the same lines, both times i was at meijer
and tried to use multiple, identical mealbox q's
the cashier was fine with it
but the computer scanned the additional ones at $0.00.
luckily the cashier likes me and fixed it, but i don't want to put her in that position all the time, so i'll be sure to stick w/ one per order from now on.
total spent: 73.50
total saved: 85.40
my lists for the week
kroger
folgers $4.99
kroger butter 1.99
gorton's 2.99 (i am NOT participating in the fiasco that is Mega Event)
marsh
pizza rolls
rubbermaid take-alongs
walnut meats
zone perfect bars
meijer
aunt millie's buns $1
2-liter coke
smart balance
milk $2
barilla pasta .88 and a coupon
grapes, plums, nectarines
folgers $4.99
kroger butter 1.99
gorton's 2.99 (i am NOT participating in the fiasco that is Mega Event)
marsh
pizza rolls
rubbermaid take-alongs
walnut meats
zone perfect bars
meijer
aunt millie's buns $1
2-liter coke
smart balance
milk $2
barilla pasta .88 and a coupon
grapes, plums, nectarines
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Spent $130, Saved $2100 !!!!!!!!!!!!
sound fun? check this out!
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/
i've been pouncing on the mailman every day,
but my seeds still haven't arrived yet!
maybe i'll go get some dirt today and get the little planting thingies ready :)
i read about starting peas inside
then transplanting them into a piece of guttering,
so they can be dragged into the sun during the day
and back under shelter at night
then slid right into a trench in the garden bed
once they're hardened off
and i even have the gutter
but i think it's late enough that i can put them right into the ground.
http://www.kitchengardeners.org/
i've been pouncing on the mailman every day,
but my seeds still haven't arrived yet!
maybe i'll go get some dirt today and get the little planting thingies ready :)
i read about starting peas inside
then transplanting them into a piece of guttering,
so they can be dragged into the sun during the day
and back under shelter at night
then slid right into a trench in the garden bed
once they're hardened off
and i even have the gutter
but i think it's late enough that i can put them right into the ground.
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