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| September 26 Groceries |
I did a small grocery shopping, today, for bread, bananas, coffee creamer, and ice cream. I actually didn't need any of it, especially the ice cream, as I still have pita bread, regular milk, and other fruits (and two over-ripe bananas). But, I like the flavored creamer when I have coffee, I don't like over-ripe bananas, I was thinking some French toast will be nice but can't make them with pita bread, and I've been craving ice cream, so I decided to go ahead and buy these items. I bought just two bananas because when I buy more, they ripen too much before I can eat them all.
I spent:
Creamer = $2.59
1 loaf regular sandwich bread = $1
1 pint ice cream = $1.99
2 bananas @$.59/lb. = $.36
Total = $5.94
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| September 26 Receipt |
Since I didn't do any grocery shopping over the weekend, I guess this counts for both Weeks 3 and 4? I don't see myself doing any grocery shopping between now and the end of the month on Friday.
Total spent so far in September = $8.49 + $11.66 + $5.94 = $26.09
Since I had gone over the budget in August by over $70, I had wanted to keep my spending to under $40 for groceries in September. It looks like I will keep my spending to under $30. I have made up more than $45 of the $70+ I overspent in August. I just have to keep my grocery spending to $50, in October to make up the total amount. More than possible, because I have budgeted separately for the prayer gathering dinner.
How are you doing in your September grocery shopping?
You have done well this month and certainly on track for clawing back that over spending in August.
ReplyDeleteI have been very bad and not budgeting over the last 6 months, but I now feel that I can get back on the bandwagon, so October is a new start for me. Today I made an inventory of my cupboards and freezer, tomorrow or Friday I will make a shopping list for October, hopefully I will keep to it!
I think you had other things on your mind during the past 6 months. Budgeting wasn't a priority then. I was the same during the period I was undergoing chemo and my daughter was doing the grocery shopping for me. I didn't want to send her all over town hunting down the bargains, although she was willing to. I didn't worry about the expenses.
DeleteOctober will be a good month to start budgeting again. Well done on making the inventory! Good luck with making the shopping list; remember to keep a little wiggle room so that if you see some good bargains or need to make any substitutes, you can do so without worrying too much about it.
Wow you are doing really well with your budget this month Bless. I seem to be handing money over left, right and centre for food lately. Doesn't help that Thomas will only eat certain things of course and he's getting bigger and hungrier now, so we're getting through more than usual. Last night I asked him what he wanted for supper, cereal, toast or pancakes. He said "all of that and a biscuit as well"! xx
ReplyDeleteHa, ha, I've heard stories about growing boys and their appetites! Just wait until he becomes a teenager! :D
DeleteYou are amazing! I'm so far above budget this month that I haven't even bothered entering my receipts for last week in my spreadsheets because I'm afraid to look. The intent was to stock up on a lot of things that I buy at Aldi since our Aldi is now closed until November, so technically I should be reducing my October budget by that much, as you did this past month. But you know me and grocery shopping, you correctly diagnosed me as addicted to grocery shopping, I believe (ha!) so it's a losing battle. This week, I had hoped to only bread and maybe milk, but now I see that grapes are $0.99/lb at Save A Lot and on Friday they'll have split chicken breasts for $0.99/lb so I'll probably spend a little more than I strictly should.
ReplyDeleteI do hope it wasn't I who diagnosed you as being addicted to grocery shopping, Nathalie! But, if I did say that, then, I apologize! If you are addicted, then, so am I! I do enjoy strolling up and down the aisles looking at everything and picking out bargains!
DeleteAt one time, when my mother was in ill health, grocery shopping was my only "me-time" activity, as it was the only time I enjoyed being by myself without feeling guilty about it. Until the day I came home after grocery shopping and found the ambulance in front of our house because mother had suffered a stroke (daughter had called the paramedics and then, the neighbors, since I didn't have a cell phone, back then). After that, grocery shopping was something to be accomplished in the minimum amount of time, because, always, at the back of my mind, was the worry about my mother being alone (unless daughter was home, and even then, I worried about leaving her to deal with any emergency that might come up, as she was still just a child, a preteen).
It makes sense that you would want to stock up in preparation for your store being closed. And stocking up on items you'd normally use when they go on sale is a good strategy, anyway. :)
I will sometimes buy 2 bananas for eating right away and 2 green bananas for later. Just break off what you need and can use. Coffee creamer you like us essential in my book and I expect I would have gone for a larger size ice cream!
ReplyDeleteTrying to eat up what we have on hand before doing a big shop this week. Once we are low on bread I'll have to go. Not much on offer in the flyer thus week and more and more you need to buy 5 to get the lower price. Even with mix and match not. what I need. Not many offers in smaller sizes for the 1 or 2 household.
The cool front should be here by yours evening and because it is overcast and a good breese we have been able yo turn off the A/C - low tonight of 54F 😊
Sandy, I went off coffee once my chemo started and wanted only tea, and it has taken me this long to like coffee, again. But I only like it with a flavored creamer.
DeleteThe larger containers of ice cream were on sale if you bought 4. I couldn't tell from the label ("must buy 4"), if it meant 4 mix and match items or 4 containers of ice cream! I guess I could have asked the customer service for clarification, but I didn't want to. The smaller container is supposed to have 4 servings (1/2 cup servings), and I figured that was good enough! I've a doctor's appointment, next week, and she's going to lecture me because my weight has gone up since my last visit!
Don't you hate it when you have to buy x number of items to get the sales price? It's OK if you can find 4 or 5 items you need, but, sometimes, I don't always need or want the participating items and I really don't want to buy 4 or 5 of the one thing I do want! I have also found that smaller packages often cost more. Probably due to the packaging costs, and so forth. Sometimes, I'll buy the bigger package and portion it out, or cook and freeze things in smaller portions.
I'm glad to hear you are getting a break in your weather and it will be turning cooler. We are having higher than average temperatures, but you know I don't mind that. :)
Nice job Bless! Your ability to keep to a low budget is inspiring!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura. I really didn't need anything except for the bread, milk, and fresh produce I had meant to buy all month. In fact, I debated with myself over the ice cream - I had wanted some earlier in the month, too, but had resisted. This time, I allowed myself to buy some, although, I guess, I could have waited till the end of the week.
DeleteThe other item I bought, that was not in the plan, was the smoked sausage for the prayer gathering dinner. It was on sale and might not have been available at that price closer to the date.
Looks like Shelftember is really working for you. Are you going to do it next month also?
ReplyDeleteI might do a version of it, because I do have the prayer gathering dinner to host. I budget separately for it, but what I usually do is add that to the regular grocery budget, because I use some of what I have on hand (like the oil, curry powder, etc.,) for the prayer gathering dinner and leftovers from the dinner get incorporated into my regular meals. This year, I am keeping track of what I buy especially for the dinner, but I also know that I will be using some items, like two boxes of flan mix that I have in my cupboard, already, and maybe a package of the cashew curry I have in the freezer (bought and cooked for the almsgiving, last year). But, the prayer gathering isn't until the 3rd week in October, so, I can do Shelftober for the majority of the month. :)
DeleteI hauled home a load of groceries yesterday and now I realize that I still need to buy a cucumber and more Balkan yogurt for me and also the frozen vanilla yogurt that DH enjoys with fruit for dessert. I make a list but inevitably something is already running out under my nose and I haven't noticed!
ReplyDeleteDon't you hate that? When you come home and realize you forgot something or the other? I wondered if I should buy more milk, yesterday, and decided I didn't need to. Of course, after three cups of coffee, since the shopping trip, I realize that another half gallon of milk would have been a good idea! LOL.
DeleteGreat job on your grocery budget..
ReplyDeleteI too, only buy a couple bananas at a time.. I don't like them, when they get too ripe.. and you can only make so much banana bread..lol
Yes, especially when you are not supposed to eat too many sweet things and you don't much care for banana bread, anyway! I give away the banana bread I make - to my daughter, my neighbors, or take to the office for my colleagues to eat.
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