Monday, August 23, 2021

August Grocery Shopping Part 3

Today, I picked up the groceries I had ordered, yesterday.  

I bought:

1/2 gal. half & half = $3.99

2 lb. packet ground beef = $8.98

1 lb. pork loin "country style boneless ribs" = $2.44 

2+ lb. bananas (4 bananas) @ $.65/lb = $1.40

2 lb. container strawberries = $3.99

1 mini seedless watermelon = $1.99

2 mangoes @ $1.00 = $2.00

2+ lb. nectarines @ $1.48/lb = $3.35 

2 bottles (64 fl.oz each) apple juice @ $.99 = $1.98

2 ears of corn @ $.40 = $.80

1 loaf sandwich bread = $1.50

12 pkts. ramen noodles = $2.99

1 frozen pizza (18.22 oz) = $3.99

1 container (26 oz.) iodized salt = $.99

1 hot cheetos = $2.50

1 bag tortilla chips = $1.66

2 packs coffee filters @ $1.59 = $3.18

1 container (1.5 qt.)ice cream = $2.99

Sales tax (on coffee filters) = $0.30

Total = $51.02

(According to the receipt, the original cost of the order was $71.41 and I saved $20.39 due to sales and coupons; or $27.34 with the waived pick up fee of $6.95)

My August grocery budget is $250.

Spent to date: 

8/2 = $48.52 
8/14 = $90.56
8/24 = $51.02

Total spent = $48.52 + $90.56 + $51.02 = $190.10
Balance left in the grocery budget = $250 - $190.10 = $59.90

I am on track to stay within my budget, this month!

On the way to the grocery store, I stopped to put gas to the car.  This was actually the first time I've put gas to the car myself since March of 2020!  Until today, first M and then, my daughter, have been putting the gas for me.  But, today, I put on my N95 mask and went into the gas station to pay for the gas!  Gas was $4.15/gal. for the lowest octane gas at the neighborhood gas station; the same gas (same company of gas stations) was $4.19/gal. at the gas station near the grocery store.  I had just over 1/4 tank of gas in the car and I put $40 worth of gas; it was enough to fill the tank.   According to my notes, I last put gas to the car on July 15 when we put $40 worth of gas.  I budget $50 per month for gas, so there's some wiggle room in the budget if needed.  There was a time when I had to budget $100 per week for gas!  But, these days, I don't drive that much and most of my journeys are short trips to pick up groceries, drop something off at friend R's, etc.

Daughter helped me put away the groceries and I baked the pizza I had bought for our lunch.  Followed by some of the strawberries for dessert.  

I called the doctor's office to confirm tomorrow's appointment, this morning.  I was stressing about that for some reason, yesterday.  

I also received a call from my financial planner who was checking to see how I was doing.  She had received both doses of Covid vaccinations and still came down with Covid; she had been hospitalized and been on a ventilator; she is recovering now (has been home for a week) and is still on oxygen, still short of breath, etc.  But, she is recovering and credits it to being vaccinated; she said she would not have made it through if she hadn't been vaccinated!  I'm glad she's feeling better, now.  I've known her for several years; ever since my previous financial planner was killed in a car accident in 2013, and she became my FP.  We chatted for a few minutes and I promised to call and check on her, soon.

Monday's To Do List:

- Call the doctor's office to confirm Tuesday's appointment - DONE
- Put gas to the car - DONE
- Pick up groceries - DONE
- Take the trash cans to the curb
- Water the garden  

I will take the trash cans to the curb and water the garden in the evening.

My other To Do List, the one that keeps running in my head and which I wrote down, last night, before I went to sleep, also has dust the living room and dining room, clean the fridge, alter one blouse, tidy the rest of the linen closet, and clean the litter box.  I suppose I should get off the computer and get started on those items, too!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to order groceries on line and free curbside pick up
- Availability of gas for the car
- N95 masks!
- My FP is recovering from her bout with Covid
- All the little every day blessings, like being alive, relatively healthy, being able to walk without pain, etc., that we tend to take for granted!

Today's joyful activity was enjoying some nice fresh strawberries after lunch.

I haven't decluttered anything, yet, today.  Maybe the linen closet will yield something!  

How is your August grocery shopping and grocery budget coming along?  

10 comments:

  1. My brother is also fully vaccinated, and now has the breakthrough delta Covid variant. He's very ill, for two weeks and undergoing treatment. Thankfully he's vaccinated or this would have killed him. This really is a nasty illness. You've done well in savings at the grocery, especially on the pork ribs! Best, Celie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Celie, I hope your brother will make a full recovery! How scary!

      Delete
  2. It's quite scary to hear the number of fully vaccinated people who are now getting the Delta variant. It really is a dreadful situation. I hope your FP and Celia's brother both make a full recovery.

    I hoping to go shopping in person tonight or tomorrow night - the store is open until midnight when I hope it will be quieter. I don't need to do a full shop but want fruit and veg and some bread. I like to look around for different meal ideas as well so I've left a couple of blanks in my meal plan and will try something new depending on what I see in store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is scary to hear about the so-called "break through" cases, isn't it? I recognize the fact that only a small percentage of the fully vaccinated are getting Covid, but, even so, it is worrying.

      I hope you have a successful and safe shopping trip. Stores here used to limit the first hour after opening to those aged 60 and older at the beginning of the pandemic - I don't know if that is still in effect. But, going later, just before the store closes might be a good idea, too; not only might it be less crowded, you might also find some marked down items. :)

      Delete
  3. I know, statistically, the number of serious breakthrough cases are very low, but they are still very scary. I hope Celie's brother and your FP are totally recovered soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I agree with you, June; breakthrough cases are few in numbers, but, even so, they are scary!

      Delete
  4. If only the anti-vaxxers would get vaccinated then there would be less chance of others catching the variant. I hope your FP and Celie's brother recover soon.

    We went on a long drive today enjoying the scenery and shopping at a Farm Store for some lovely fresh produce. It was a good excuse to get away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It would be nice if everyone who is able to get vaccinated do so. Now they are talking about not being able to get a handle on things until perhaps next spring!

      Glad you were able to go for a drive and get some fresh produce, as well. I miss the farmers' markets I used to go to when I was working and there was a weekly farmers' market held near my office!

      Delete
  5. That is really an upsetting story about your financial planner getting sick enough to require a ventilator. Thank goodness she is doing better. And then reading through the comments, I see a similar story from Celie about her brother - thankfully he is recovering as well.
    It really is concerning though.
    I guess because for a brief few weeks around the beginning of June it felt like we had possibly turned the corner.
    Now the news everyday is just so bad.

    You got a nice variety of food at the store. What flavor ice cream?

    $100 a week for gas! I bet you're glad those days are gone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is upsetting to hear that fully vaccinated people can still get sick, but, I guess there is no such thing as 100% immunity when the virus keeps mutating. We just can't let our guard down, I guess (daughter and I have been wearing our masks whenever we go out, but, there was a small window of time when we risked having people over and not wearing masks!)

      French vanilla flavor! One of my favorite flavors! :)

      Yes, back when I budgeted $100/week for gas, I was driving close to 100 miles a day. I'd drive my daughter to UCLA (she had a 2 1/2 hr. ride if she took public transit which entailed either 3 buses or 2 buses and a subway) then, drive to my office. The morning commute took me 2 hrs. Then, in the evening, I'd drive from my office to the campus, pick up my daughter, and we'd drive home - depending on traffic on the freeway, the evening commute would take at least 2 hrs. I used to tell people that I worked full time (8 hrs) and drove part time (4 hrs) each day! LOL. Some days, depending on my daughter's work schedule (she worked 3 part time jobs on campus), I'd either wait on campus for her or I'd come home for a couple of hours and go to pick her up. I had to fill up the car twice a week and gas prices were up during this time (over $4/gal.; each fill up came to $50). Even so, it was cheaper than having her stay on campus in a dorm. Room and board cost more than tuition!

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. Your comments are much appreciated. Please comment in English. Thank you.