June Grocery Shopping - Week 1

On Thursday, I bought a loaf of French bread from the farmers market for $2.50.  But I did the first "proper" grocery shopping, today.

I spent a total of $58.60 after loyalty card discounts and coupons, but that included a bag of dry cat food ($9.99), 3 air fresheners ($.80 @ after coupon), and $1.18 taxes on the cat food and air fresheners (food items are not taxed). 

I purchased:

1 gal. milk ($2.55)
1 qt. half & half/creamer ($2.29)
1 doz. large eggs ($2.99)
5 lb. flour ($2.29 - $.40 coupon = $1.89)
1 bottle oil ($1.99)
1 17-oz. box cereal ($3.99; free with coupon!)
1 box saltine-type crackers; unsalted tops ($1.50)
1 2-liter bottle soda ($1.99; free with coupon! Paid only $.10 deposit)
1 bottle apple juice ($2.99 - $1.00 coupon = $1.99)
1 bag potato chips ($2.99)
2 cans peaches ($1.25@ - $.40 coupon on purchase of 2 cans = $1.05@)
2 12-oz. bags frozen corn ($1.00@)
1 12-oz. bag frozen green peas ($1.00)
1 4-pack fruit cups (mango; $1.99)
3 cans tuna ($.89@ - $.45 coupon on purchase of 3 cans = $.74@)
2.25 lb. red grapes (@$1/lb;= $2.23)
1 bag of 6 apples ($.99)
1.42 lb. bananas ($.69/lb; = $.98)
1 pkg. chuck steak ($3.99/lb; = $4.63)
1 pkg. ground sirloin ($3.99/lb; = $3.51)
1 loaf French bread ($1.59)
3 bars chocolate ($1.50@ - $1.00 coupon = $1.166@)

Total = $45.03
With the $2.50 for the French bread earlier in the week, June Week 1 grocery totals = $2.50 + $45.03 = 47.53

My grocery budget was set at $75 for myself.  I went over the May budget by $10.47 (partly because I bought some stuff for daughter when she visited).  I will be deducting that from my June budget, so my June grocery budget is $75 - $10.47 = $64.53.

Balance left in June grocery budget: $64.53 - $47.53 = $17!

This is going to be an interesting month!  I don't want to increase the grocery budget because I am making special treats for daughter, every month!  But I just might have to do that!   

Blurry Receipt!

The potato chips are a total indulgence, but I've been craving potato chips for well over two weeks, now.  The chocolates are an indulgence, too.  I am well aware that I could have saved almost $6.50 from the grocery bill if I hadn't given in and bought these two items.  On the other hand, these items are cheaper at the grocery store than at the convenience store near my office, where I sometimes buy them from my eating out/miscellaneous budget.  :p

The chuck steak is to make the spicy beef stir fry that daughter loves - I'm planning to make it this weekend when she comes home and will probably send the leftovers back with her.  The ground sirloin is to make more curry puffs, because, you guess it - daughter was craving curry puffs when she saw that I had made some for myself the other day!  LOL.  Regular ground beef (30% fat) was the same price as the on-sale ground sirloin (10% fat), so I bought the lower fat version, which is usually priced higher (ground sirloin, reg. price = $7.49/lb., per package)

For brunch, today, I had a sandwich made with some of the French bread, the last of the turkey cold cuts I had bought earlier, potato chips and grapes.  Haven't quite planned my dinner, yet, but it will probably be something with leftovers - rice, green beans, and some of the leftover curry puff filling from earlier.

Have you gone grocery shopping in June, yet?  How is your June grocery budget coming along?