October Grocery Shopping: Month End Totals

October's grocery shopping has been a bit confusing, with trying to keep track of two separate budgets, one for the prayer gathering and one for the regular household groceries,  Most year, I just lump the two together and that's easier.  But, this year, I tried to keep the two separate because of the Shelftober challenge and because I had gone over the grocery budget in August and was trying to make up for it in September and October. 

I normally budget $75 per month for grocery spending.  However, I spent almost $71at the Sri Lankan store in August. I made up almost $49 of that in September and needed to make up the balance $22 in October.  Therefore, my October regular grocery budget was $53 ($75-$22 = $53).

The prayer gathering budget was $300, since I budget $25/month for it.  As I explained in a previous post, the amount was arrived at by allocating $1 per person for the approximately 25 people who used to be in the rosary group.  Since last year, however, the group has shrunk a bit, although I invited 21 people this time (22 including me; some of the people I invited aren't in the regular rosary group, but they attend when I host).  However, I didn't spend half of what I budgeted, so will be reconsidering the amount I budget for next year.

But here are the totals:

Prayer Gathering - Budget: $300
Spent:
9/18:  $4.49 for smoked sausage
9/27: $1.29 for 2 cans of mixed nuts
10/4: $10.97 for 2 whole chickens
10/7: $2.06 for 1 dozen eggs and 2 boxes of mint chocolates
10/10: $21.75
10/20: $86.18
10/21: $26.73
Total Spent: $153.47
Balance to carry forward: $300 - $153.47 = $146.53

I spent a little over half what I had budgeted for the prayer gathering!  I am sure this was because I used some items I already had on hand (such as the cashews) and I didn't have to buy any alcohol (again, I used what I had bought earlier and cousins brought more wine). 

I am rather pleased with what I spent on the prayer gathering.  I will use some of the balance leftover to augment my holiday budget, especially for baking supplies, etc., to replenish a few items that were used up and to stock up, and for more treats from the Sri Lankan store!

October Regular Groceries - Budget: $53
Week 1: $4.13 + $1.98 + $.61 = $6.72
Week 2: $5.94 + $12.04 + $3.85 + $6.56 = $28.39
Week 3 = $3.49 (of which $1.99 was for raspberries, some of which was used for the rosary dinner)

As of Week 3, I had spent: $4.13 + $1.98 + $.61 + $5.94 + $12.04 + $3.85 + $6.56 + $3.49 = $38.60
Balance left in the budget at end of Week 3 = $53 - $38.60 = $14.40

October Week 4 groceries:

Oct. 29 Groceries

Today, I went grocery shopping for bread ($.99), flavored coffee creamer ($1.99), bananas ($.76 @ $.49/lb), cold cuts ($3.00), a box of mac&cheese ($1), and two sponge cakes (@$.50).  By buying the cold cuts, mac&cheese, and sponge cakes, I broke my Shelftober rule of buying only bread, dairy, and fresh produce!  But, I think it doesn't matter, this close to the end of the month.  Plus, I've been wanting mac&cheese for a few weeks now, and I want to take sandwiches to office for lunch one or two days, this week.  

Oct. 29 Receipt

The receipt total includes a bag of cat food ($8.99 and tax on the cat food $.85 =  $9.84)

My groceries came to $8.74.

October grocery spending: $4.13 + $1.98 + $.61 + $5.94 + $12.04 + $3.85 + $6.56 + $3.49 + $8.74 = $47.34

Balance left in the October grocery budget  = $53 - $47.34 = $5.66

I had one of the sponge cakes and a banana when I came home from grocery shopping.  Dinner was mac&cheese!

I have made up the $71 I overspent in August and I will be carrying forward $5.66 into November.

How did you do with your October grocery budget?