I put in an order for groceries, last night, and picked it up, this afternoon. This was my first grocery pick up in September.
I bought:
3 bananas (0.97 lbs. @ $0.65/lb.) = $0.63
5 mangos @$1.00 = $5.00
6 apples (2.09 lbs. @ $1.68/lb.) = $3.53
1 cucumber = $0.99
2 lb. bag carrots = $1.99
1 bag (12 oz.) frozen corn = $1.25
2 family packs (8 lb. total) chicken thighs @ $0.99/lb.*reg. price $2.49/lb.) = $7.99
6 cans (@ 5 oz.) tuna in water @ $.99 = $5.94
2 bottles (@10 fl. oz.) soy sauce @ $1.99 (reg. price. $3.49) = $3.98
1 bottle (5 oz.) Tajin (a seasoning blend); reg. price $3.49, on sale with coupon = $2.49
1 box (14 count, @ 4 oz.) frozen burritos = $6.99
($.50 each if bought in a box of 14; $0.69 each if bought individually)
1 box (16 oz.) saltine crackers = $2.59
1 loaf sandwich bread (20 oz.) = $1.89
2 containers (@48 fl. oz) ice cream (French Vanilla) @ $3.50 (with coupon; must buy 2 to get the discount; reg price $6.99, on sale for $4, plus $1 off purchase of 2 digital coupon) = $7.00
2 x 6-count cola bottles, reg. price $5.49; on sale for $2.79 with digital coupon + $.60 deposit = $6.18
Total = $58.44
My September grocery budget is $100; I have $41.56 left in the budget.
I really don't see myself doing another grocery shopping order next week, before the month is over, so, most probably I will be carrying the $41.56 over to October.
How is your September grocery shopping coming along? Are you able to keep to your budget?
It is proving very difficult to stick to any kind of budget just now. Every time I visit the supermarket, prices have risen drastically After a couple of weeks off, I definitely need to get back into meal planning. Something you do so well, Bless. Xx
ReplyDeleteI agree, Jules, it is very difficult to keep to a grocery budget, these days. I buy mostly items that are on sale and then, supplement with what I have in the freezer or the cupboards (also bought on sale) to make the meals.
DeleteAs far as meal planning is concerned, it's a bit hit or miss, but, again, the main meals are planned around what I have on hand or what is on sale that week. I think it is easier because there is only myself to please. :)
You've done well with your September budget and will carry some over into October. I don't budget as such but notice I'm spending more each week with the increased prices. So I'm going to fall back on the contents of my freezer for a week or two and get ready for re-stocking for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eileen. I am very pleased to be able to carry some funds over into October! It's funny how some months I tend to go over and other months, I have extra to carry over! Ah, yes, that festive time of the year is fast approaching, isn't it? Good idea to eat from the freezer so you can stock up for Christmas! :)
DeleteYou must be happy to have money to carry over for October. Then you will be able to take advantage of any pre-Christmas sales of special items, or maybe stock up from one of your favourite stores if you can get there.
ReplyDeleteI have been running down the freezer and fridge and not stocking up until we get back. Anything that won't keep will go with us to DS.
Yes, Bushlady, I am happy to have money to carry over to October! Or, I might hold on to it to get some treats for Thanksgiving when my daughter will come down. :)
DeleteSounds like a good plan to eat from your fridge and freezer and not stock up until you get back from your travels. I hope your travel plans will not be affected by this hurricane that is on tract to move up to Canada!
You've done well with your September budget and it looks like you made some good savings on this grocery order.
ReplyDeleteI was doing well with sorting out my meals but abandoned the batch cooking to watch all the TV coverage following the death of Queen Elizabeth ll. I need to get myself organised and get back to it.
You and Eileen mentioning Christmas has prompted me to think about my own plans - the smaller turkey crowns sell out really quickly so I need to make sure I leave enough room in the freezer for one. I wonder how much they'll cost this year?
Thank you, Eileen; I really didn't need much, this month, and I was able to stock up on a few things that were on sale.
DeleteI'm sure you will be able to get back to batch cooking, soon. I cooked one of the family packs of chicken thighs, last night (made a curry) and froze them in portions; I now have at least 10 portions of chicken curry! I plan to cook the other pack, today, and freeze that, too. It's my attempt at batch cooking! :D
Ah, yes! Christmas! And before that, Thanksgiving at the end of November, here in the US. M and I were wondering what the turkey prices will be this Thanksgiving. I think I will probably buy a whole chicken and roast it, instead of turkey, unless there is a very good sale on turkey. We might probably have rice and curry for Christmas. I hope you will be able to get your turkey crown in good time and the price will be reasonable.
I went to Aldi's today and my bill came to $81. That's the most I've spent at Aldi's in months or maybe years. They are, by far, the cheapest place around. Yes, prices are definitely going up.
ReplyDeleteThere is an Aldi's a few miles from my house, but, I have never been there. I did look at their weekly ad online, but, they only had one page with food items and the other two pages of the ad contained mostly household items. The store I use these days is a Kroger affiliate and their prices seem comparable. According to my friend R, even the ethnic stores have raised their prices.
DeleteMy grocery bill keeps going up and up. I find myself putting things back or going with alternatives. The rises prices are certainly making me think more about the meals and using products for several meals. It's frustrating when things are not just going up by a few cents but several dollars. I am kind of glad winter is coming as I find myself preparing more meals from scratch when I don't mind turning the oven on (it helps heat the house!). I am going to pull down my cookbooks and look for some cheap fixes.
ReplyDeleteRising costs of groceries are definitely a concern. I try to shop the sales as much as possible and plan my meals around what is on sale that week or what I have already bought on sale and frozen. It's easy because it is just myself to please. It is harder when you have a family to feed because they might want a certain item which might not be on sale that week.
DeleteSoups, stews, and casseroles are fairly inexpensive meals. Will your family eat them?
I was reading this yesterday and when you asked how we are doing with our budget, I stopped to finish adding some receipts to my monthly total and then never came back lol
ReplyDeleteI am over my budget but not by as much as I have been the last few months. I'm happy to see I am inching back closer to my budget.
With the way I cook, I can manage well keeping costs low creating meals with basic food items. For me I don't care about meat and most of our meals are vegetarian. My husband likes meat at least a couple times a week so we do have it.
But aside from the core foods, other things have doubled and tripled and the thing that catches me up are the little things we like. Capers are between $3 & $4 a little jar, a pomegranate juice my husband likes is $11 a bottle. Obviously I can live without capers and pomegranate juice (that's some combination hahaha) but you know what I mean.
Reading through, I see comments about the holidays. I was also wondering how much turkeys will be and, like you mentioned, I am thinking about roasting a small chicken. Not because of price but I think I might enjoy it more. Honestly last year I said to myself that I wasn't going to make a big turkey feast again. It's so much work and I spend all day doing that work. I'm not a holiday grinch and very much enjoy the holidays but am thinking I will change things up this year.
Well done with keeping the spending low and inching closer to the budget! :D Yes, the extras are what get us in trouble! But, that's why we choose to be frugal in certain areas, so we can afford those occasional splurges. We are blessed, you and I, that we have the option of doing so.
DeleteIf you grow nasturtiums (and I seem to recall you having some in your garden at one time), then, you probably know that the seeds can be harvested and pickled to make a more peppery capers substitute!
I only harvested 5 tiny pomegranates from my tree, this year (gave one to M) and all of them combined wouldn't have amounted to even 1/4 cup of juice! I just eat the arils as a treat (I used to buy the fruit at the Armenian grocery store when they were in season and available, pre-Covid).
My daughter and I prefer chicken to turkey, but, when turkey is on sale for less than chicken (per lb.), I will buy a turkey and use the meat instead of chicken (turkey curry, turkey pot pie, etc.) If you decide to have roast chicken and change things up, this year, remember my mother's famous saying: Change is good! :D Last year, if I recall correctly, my daughter and I had baked salmon for Thanksgiving. Might do that, again, this year, too. :)