September Groceries - Part 2

September Groceries 9/14/26

I put in an order of groceries on Sunday night and they were delivered this Monday morning.  I wanted more half and half for my daughter as she mentioned that the previous container, bought last week, was starting to taste a bit off.  We also wanted more fruit and I wanted some meal replacement drinks and yogurt as I have another dental appointment coming up (next Monday).  The canned tuna was a stock up item and I can always do with another tray of chicken drumsticks and a loaf of bread!   I received everything I ordered with one substitution - the name brand yogurt because they didn't have the store brand (the shopper took some photos of the shelves and sent to me).

I didn't order any vegetables because the garden is still producing kale in abundance and lots of moringa pods.

Here's the receipt:

Order Summary

Original Item Total$49.48

Item Coupons/Sales-$6.02

Order Coupons-$1.00

Fulfillment Fee+$0.00

Other Fees+$0.20

Sales Tax$0.00

Order Total$42.66

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Item Details

14 Items

Cantaloupe, 1 ct$3.00

1 x $3.00 $3.99 each

Ensure Original Dark Chocolate Nutrition Shake | Small Meal Replacement Shake | 8 fl oz - 6 Pack, 6 bottles / 8 fl oz$10.99

1 x $10.99 $11.99 each

Fresh Bunch of Bananas – 5-7 Bananas, 1 bunch$1.50

2.17 lbs x $0.69 each (approx.)

Kroger® Half and Half Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$5.49

1 x $5.49 each

Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Mini Seedless Whole Watermelon, 1 ct$3.00

1 x $3.00 $4.99 each

Mountain High™ Plain Low Fat Yogurt Tub, 32 oz$4.99

1 x $4.99 each

Smart Way™ Fresh Uncooked Chicken Drumsticks, 4.5 lb$5.00

1 x $5.00 each

StarKist® Chunk Light Tuna in Water Can, 5 oz$7.50

6 x $1.25 $1.59 each

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Order Coupons

-$1.00

Store Coupon-$1.00

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Other Fees

$0.20

Bag Fee$0.20

2 x $0.10 each

I spent a total of $42.66 on this grocery order.  

My September grocery budget (for food items only) = $250

Spent to date = $56.50 + $42.66 = $99.16

Balance remaining in the September grocery budget = $250 - $99.16 = $150.84

Pondering the Grocery Budget:

When I first started this blog (July 2014), I budgeted $150/month for groceries (food, only) for my daughter and myself or $75 per person, per month.  When daughter went away to attend university, I budgeted $75/month for myself and set up a budget of $100 for my daughter as grocery prices in the Bay Area were a little higher.  My budget, at the time, included an additional $25/month for eating out/take out.

During the Covid pandemic, I chose to do curbside pick up of my groceries from a slightly more expensive supermarket which offered this service (free of charge with a minimum purchase), instead of shopping in person at the less expensive stores I used to shop at pre-Covid.  As a result, I found it difficult to keep to the $75 budget I had set for myself.  But, since I was not eating out or getting take out, I added the $25 from my eating out budget to my grocery budget and increased it to $100/mo. and that worked out quite nicely. 

Later, when my daughter came to stay with me for an extended period of time during the latter part of the Covid pandemic, I increased the budget to $200/mo. for the two of us and when she went back to the Bay Area, I decreased my budget to $100/mo., again.  It was still $100/mo. in October 2024.  Then, my daughter came home for another extended stay from November 2024 until end of March 2025 and I increased my grocery budget to $200/mo. for the two of us.  But, when she went back to the Bay Area after her trip to Japan in April, I went back to budgeting $100 /mo. for myself.  But, prices had gone up and I overspent in April (I used unspent money from my car fuel budget to cover what I overspent on groceries).  

Then, in May 2025, I increased the budget to $150/mo. because I was stocking up on coffee for my daughter.  Her favorite coffee was on sale for $7.99/12 oz. package and I bought a total of 10 packages during the month, using nearly $80 or over half of my grocery budget for the purpose!  I budgeted $150 again in June 2025, too, but, in July 2025, I set the grocery budget at $100, again.  

However, in August 2025, my daughter came to live at home, permanently and I increased the food budget to $250/month for the two of us.  I'm still keeping to that budget for the most part, adjusting what I buy as prices go up, in order to keep to that budget and carrying over any balance (positive or negative) into the next month.  I stayed under budget in January and February, went over by $3.70 in March, stayed under budget in April, went over the budget in May, stayed under budget in June, July, and August!  I had $1.30 left in the August grocery budget, but, I didn't carry it over to September and started September with a $250 budget.  

With grocery prices likely to increase in the upcoming months, sticking to this budget and still eating a fairly well balanced diet might be a challenge.  I am wondering if I will have to increase my grocery budget next year.  

In the meantime, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order groceries online
- Having the groceries delivered 
- The availability of groceries
- Garden produce
- Eggs from our own chickens 

Do you have a monthly (or annual) grocery budget?  If so, are you able to keep to your budget even with grocery prices increasing?

One Less Item?

 

Three Scarves Decluttered

Angela at Tracing Rainbows posted about the "One Less" method of decluttering with a video link that explains it.  Briefly, you ask yourself the question, "Can I live with one less?" every time you open a drawer (for a pair of socks for example) or a cabinet (for a mug or a towel, for example) or check your bookshelf.  If the answer is, "Yes", then, you remove one item, your least favorite is what is suggested, and dispose of it (preferably donate or recycle).  Then, the next time you open that drawer or cabinet or check the bookshelf, you do the same; ask yourself the same, "Can I live with one less?" question and, if the answer is, "Yes", declutter another item.  And, I presume, repeat as needed.

It seems like a relatively easy way to declutter, especially for someone like me who struggles to declutter.  I am always trying to declutter, with varying degrees of success, as I find it very difficult to let go of things.  

So, the past couple of days, I decided to try this method of decluttering while putting away laundry, starting with the items I put in the drawers of my dresser.

I have seven drawers in my dresser, four larger ones and three smaller ones.  I store clothing items in the four larger drawers and one of the smaller ones.  The remaining smaller ones hold accessories and other items.

The two bottom drawers have winter items and I didn't have anything needing to be put away in them, at this time, but, I opened them, anyway:

Sweatshirts & Sweatpants 

This drawer contains five of the seven sweatshirts and all four pairs of sweatpants I currently have.  I live in them during the colder months.  Could I live with one less sweatshirt or pair of sweatpants?  Yes, I probably could.  But, do I want to?  No!  Not unless I absolutely have to! In fact, I'd like to have one additional pair of sweatpants, but, four are all that will fit in this drawer and running out of clean sweatpants is my cue to do another load of laundry (I usually do a load of laundry once or twice a week).

Winter Sleepwear Drawer

The other bottom drawer holds my winter sleepwear - a set of flannel pyjamas (top and bottom) and two flannel nightdresses which I sewed - and the other two sweatshirts.   I don't think one set of pyjamas and two nightdresses are excessive, but, could I live with one less?  Maybe.  But, I'm not sure if I'd want to.  However, I could probably live with one less sweatshirt.  This might be something to ask myself in the winter, when I start to wear these items.  Until then, as long as I have room for them in my dresser drawers, I am going to keep them.  

Summer Sleepwear, T-Shirts, etc.

This drawer is where I keep my summer/early fall sleepwear (two sleeveless long cotton nightdresses that I sewed myself, a short nightdress and matching short robe, a pair of silky pyjamas, a long sleeved silky nightdress my mother sewed for me, a long silky robe), four t-shirts, two tank tops, a blouse I sewed, and one pair of shorts (I had a second pair of shorts which I gave to my daughter, earlier in the summer.  Could I live with one less summer nightdress?  Yes, but, I'd have to do laundry more often.  Could I live with one less t-shirt?  Yes, but, I am not sure if I want to!

The Socks/Leggings/Slips Drawer

This is the real problem drawer!  I don't know if anyone else wears slips these days and I know I don't wear them as often since I retired, but, I do have two full slips (one white, one black) to wear under dresses and half slips to wear under skirts.  I also have two pairs of leggings to wear under my slacks during winter.  And then, I have socks!  I wear socks all the time except on the very hottest days of summer.  I have three pairs of knitted socks, eight pairs of regular socks, a couple of pairs of fuzzy bed socks, and four pairs of non-slip ones.  I also have a pack of 10 pairs of new socks under the currently in use socks, because I like to have replacement socks on hand.  I use old shoe boxes to keep my socks contained.  Could I live with one less pair of socks?  Yes!  I decluttered four pairs of socks from this drawer (three pairs of stretched out fuzzy bed socks and a pair of worn out ankle socks that I hardly ever wore!)  They were tossed, I'm afraid.

Decluttered Socks

The last drawer with clothing items contains my compression socks (5 pairs), several pairs of knee-highs (about 8), a couple of pairs of tights, my bras, undies, and an unopened packet of new undies (another item I like to keep extras of).  I took a picture of the drawer, but, decided not to post it!  I  decluttered three scarves (top photo) I had kept in that drawer; the pink one is an infinity scarf I had sewn, back when infinity scarves were a thing.  The scarves were put in the donations bag I have started.  I decided that I didn't want to live with one less bra (I own a grand total of three; the third one was bought after living with only two bras for about one year) or one less undie (I have 10 pairs in use, plus the unopened package of 10).  

I am happy with the amount of decluttering I did with the items in my dresser drawers by asking the question if I could live with one less.  It will be harder to declutter the chest of drawers where I store my sweaters, though!  Many of my sweaters are what I have knitted and I am loath to part with them!  But, that's where I am headed next.  

How about you?  Do you find it easy to declutter?  Do you think that asking if you could live with one less would help you declutter?

Ten on the Tenth - September

Joining blog friend Joy with posting ten pictures taken on the 10th of the month.  These photos were taken on the 10th of September, although I am posting them a day or two late (started the post on the evening of September 11, then, got distracted watching some of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 specials on TV, and am publishing the post shortly after midnight on September 12!)

We have started letting the chickens out to roam the garden in the evenings; here are Niwatori and Henny Penny (with a glimpse or two of Mochi, one of the garden kitties):

Niwatori (Perched on Daughter's Neck)

She Sees Me!

Look the Other Way!

Henny Penny Notices Mochi

Mochi Says, "I See You!"

Henny Penny

A Welcome Drink of Water

Niwatori Wants Some Water, Too

Or a Bug in the Ground

Yummy Bug!

Thank you, Joy, for hosting the Ten on the 10th Photo Challenge.

September Grocery Shopping Part 1

September Groceries: Part 1

This post is a couple of days overdue because Blogger wouldn't let me upload my photo!  

I ordered groceries on Monday, September 7, and they were delivered on Tuesday, September 8.

I bought a few items we needed and some items we wanted, some of which were on sale and some of which weren't!  I received one substitution that I authorized (regular sliced bread instead of sandwich bread, although the receipt still states sandwich bread) and only one tray of meatballs instead of two, since that was all the store had, according to the shopper who notified me.

I also redeemed my "best customer" coupon for one pound of store brand butter free of charge.  Yes, I know that the store makes more money than the cost of a pound of butter by selling the information they track through their loyalty card/paid membership programs and my shopping habits, but, I'll take the free items and "personalized" discounts when I can get them.

Here's the receipt:

Order Summary

Original Item Total$82.39

Item Coupons/Sales-$26.63

Order Coupons-$1.00

Fulfillment Fee+$0.00

Other Fees+$0.40

Sales Tax+$1.34

Order Total$56.50

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Item Details

15 Items

CA Redem Val$0.60

1 x $0.60 each

Farmer John Maple Pork Sausage Links, 8 oz$0.98

2 x $0.49 $2.79 each

Fresh Atlantic Farm Raised Whole Salmon Fillet, 1 lb$17.54

1.95 lbs x $8.99 $14.99 each (approx.)

Fresh Bunch of Bananas – 5-7 Bananas, 1 bunch$1.46

2.11 lbs x $0.69 each (approx.)

Kroger® Half and Half Half Gallon, 1/2 gal$5.49

1 x $5.49 each

Kroger® Mild Italian Style Pork Meatballs, 16 oz$3.99

1 x $3.99 $7.49 each

Kroger® Soft Taco Size Flour Tortillas, 10 ct / 17.5 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 $2.49 each

Kroger® Unsalted Butter Sticks, 4 sticks / 16 oz$0.00

1 x $0.00 $4.29 each

Kroger® White Sandwich Bread, 20 oz$1.99

1 x $1.99 each

Kroger® Yellow Onion 3 lb Bag, 3 lb$3.24

1 x $3.24 $3.79 each

La Moderna® Shells, 7 oz$1.00

2 x $0.50 each

Private Selection® Double Vanilla Ice Cream Pint, 16 oz$3.49

1 x $3.49 $4.99 each

Sparkling Ice® Summer LTO Lemonade Variety Pack (Pack of 12), 12 ct / 17 fl oz$13.99

1 x $13.99 each

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Order Coupons

-$1.00

Store Coupon-$1.00

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Other Fees

$0.40

Bag Fee$0.40

I spent a total of $56.50

My September grocery budget (for food items only) = $250

Spent to date = $56.50

Balance remaining in the September grocery budget = $250 - $56.50 = $193.50

In addition to this regular grocery order, my daughter and I shopped at an ethnic grocery store specializing in Asian groceries on Monday and stocked up on various items we both wanted.  I am not including the cost of that grocery shopping trip (a little over $100) since my daughter paid for it.  My grocery budget covers our main groceries and the items (including treats) I buy at the Sri Lankan grocery store.  

September is also when I do one of my quarterly stocking up of pantry and household items.  But, I need to do a pantry stock check before I do that, so that's on the agenda.

I am grateful for:

- The availability of groceries
- Digital coupons and weekly sales (such as they are)
- Being able to order groceries online
- Being able to have groceries delivered with the paid membership daughter gifted me
- Being able to include a few treats in the monthly budget

Have you done any grocery shopping in September, yet?  Are you finding good bargains?

September Meal Plans - Week 1 Review and Week 2 Options

 

Ala Thel Dala (Spicy Sauteed Potatoes)

My September Week 1 meal plan options were as follows:

Brunches:  Fresh fruit; Milkrice and seeni sambol (September 1); Scrambled eggs and fried potatoes; Pancakes and syrup; French toast, Tortillas with scrambled eggs and lunu miris, Protein shakes

Dinners:  Rice with leftover beef curry and/or chicken curry and vegetables; Sauteed spicy potatoes; Macaroni and cheese (boxed mix) with tuna;  Pork chops with vegetables and rice or baked potatoes or a boxed pasta mix; leftovers

Snacks/Desserts:  Fruit, ice cream, protein drinks; peanut butter and bread; gelatin or pudding; fruit juice/ade.

Here's how that worked out:

Monday (August 31; dental appointment in the early afternoon):
Brunch: Protein drink (me); not sure what daughter had - a frozen burrito, maybe?
Dinner:  Ala thel dala (Spicy sauteed potatoes; me); rice and leftover curries (daughter)

Snacks/Dessert:  Slice of bread with peanut butter (me); bananas; hot cheetos (daughter)

Tuesday (September 1):
Brunch:  Milkrice and seeni sambol
Dinner: Tuna Mac & Cheese: boxed macaroni and cheese with a can of tuna, frozen green peas, chili powder, and ketchup  stirred into it

Snacks/Dessert: Protein drink (me); ice cream; tangerines

Omelet with Spicy Potato Filling

Wednesday:

Brunch:  Omelets with spicy potato filling

Omelet with Ala Thel Dala Filling

Dinner:  

Rice, Beef Curry, Sauteed Moringa Leaves, Cucumber

Snacks/Dessert: 

Thursday:

Brunch:  Pancakes and seeni sambol (me); pancakes and syrup (daughter)

Pancakes and Seeni Sambol

Dinner:  Leftover milkrice (me); rice and chicken curry (daughter)

Snacks/Dessert: Watermelon

Friday:
Brunch:  French toast
Dinner:  Pork chop and salad (daughter); ramen noodles with sliced pork chop added (me)

Homemade Potato Chips with Chili Powder & Salt

Snacks/Dessert: Homemade potato chips, chocolate cake and ice cream

Saturday:
Brunch:   Egg salad sandwich
Dinner:  More egg salad sandwiches, cheese, salami, & crackers (picnic meal at the park)

Snacks/Dessert:  Chocolate cake, calamondin-ade

Sunday:
Brunch:  Prayer gathering lunch at cousin's: Rice and an assortment of curries, salad; assorted desserts
Dinner:  Appa (hoppers) with chicken curry

Snacks/Dessert: Bread pudding, flan, jello, berries, watermelon

Appa/Hopper

I sort of followed my meal plan options during September Week 1 and it all worked out quite nicely.

Moving onto September Week 2, here are my meal plan options:

Brunches:  Eggs, sausages, and fried potatoes; French toast, Raisin buns with bananas, Tortillas with scrambled eggs and lunu miris, Fried rice, Tuna salad sandwiches, Congee

Sunday Afternoon Potluck (daughter & friends):  Pasta salad (daughter), whatever daughter's friends might bring!

Dinners:  Rice with sauteed salmon and cucumber salad; Rice with chicken curry, sauteed cabbage, beetroot curry, and eggplant curry; Pork chops with mashed potatoes and vegetables; Leftovers

Snacks/Desserts:  Fruit, ice cream, chocolate cake, smoothies, raisin buns

As always, I am grateful for the blessing of having plenty of food to eat, variety, and choice.

How about you?  Did you make a meal plan for the first week in September?  If so, did you follow the plan?  Are you making a meal plan for the second week in September?