I put in an order of groceries, today, and picked it up in the afternoon.
I bought:
1 quart half and half (32 fl. oz.) = $3.49
1 cantaloupe, on sale = $2.00
*(store was out of whole cantaloupe, so they substituted a bowl and cup of cut up cantaloupe)
4 bananas (1.73 lb. @ $0.68/lb.) = $1.19
3 lb. strawberries @ $1.99/lb. with coupon = $5.97
2 cucumbers @ $0.89 = $1.78
Green beans, 1.08 lb. @ $2.99/lb. = $3.23
Russet potatoes, 5 lb. bag, on sale with coupon = $1.99
Dinner rolls, 12 count, 16 oz. with coupon = $2.00
1 cranberry juice cocktail, 64 fl. oz., with coupon = $2.35 + $0.10 deposit = $2.45
Sugar, 3 bags 4 lbs. each, $2.49@ with coupon = $7.47
Original order total = $45.69
Coupons/sales discount = $14.12
Total paid = $31.57
March Grocery Budget = $100 + $17.59 carried over from February = $117.59
Spent to date = $83.92 + $31.57 = $115.49
Balance remaining = $2.10
I'm quite pleased with how the grocery budget worked out, this month, because I didn't increase it to accommodate my daughter being home for what will be two weeks during this month. I don't think I will need to buy more groceries during the rest of this month, but, if I do, I'll deduct it from the April budget.
I am not counting the eating out to celebrate daughter's birthday, the fruit tart I bought to take to my cousins, and a few other snacks we bought while out and about, in this month's grocery budget. They are special treats and one time expenses, and will be paid from the "miscellaneous" budget!
How is your March grocery shopping coming along? Will you be able to keep to your budget, do you think?
Nice! You are doing well with the grocery budget. I'm not doing too bad. I am finding things quite expensive though so I'm really trying to plan menus that use cheaper ingredients.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. Yes, the prices of certain items such as meat, fish, and eggs are going up. Whenever possible, I buy whatever is on sale/offer that week and cook and freeze for future meals. Not sure if your family eats ham, but, it goes on sale around Easter, and that would be a good time to buy one for the freezer, if you have space in the freezer, for a future meal or to add to casseroles, soups, etc.
DeleteYou've done well with your budget. I'm intrigued by the substitution for your cantaloupe. I ordered a honeydew melon on my last before one grocery order and it was huge. I only finished eating it yesterday and it was so good but had to eat it all myself as husband doesn't like melon!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eileen. The store clerk asked me if the substitution was okay with me and I was fine with it. The store definitely lost out on that substitution, though, because the bowl with 1.25 lb. cantaloupe was priced at $5.00 and the cup, with a little over 1 lb. cantaloupe at $2.99/lb. was priced at $3.73! I never buy the precut fruit because it costs so much more than regular fruit, but, it does save the bother of cutting, peeling, removing seeds, etc. I'm glad you enjoyed your honeydew melon; I like honeydew, too, but, the last time I ate some, I discovered that I experienced a tingling in my mouth and I looked it up on-line and discovered it meant I had developed a mild allergy to it! I haven't tried honeydew after that!
DeleteImpressive budgeting and shopping for groceries. You do this very well.
ReplyDeleteSo far, in March, I’ve spent $294 on groceries. There is one shopping trip left this month. For us, this is pretty good. I bought a big bag of the dogs’ food last weekend on sale, which I rarely see these days on the brand they like. We have a lot of meat in the freezer. I buy larger packages and then divide them and wrap them up to freeze. It’s hard to find packs small enough for 2 people and I like the less-per-pound prices of the bigger trays. We’ll probably have lamb for Easter and buy a ham for future meals (including a hambone for soup). I usually get them both at good sale prices before Easter.
All 4 dogs get along. My two are 17-years old. Both sleep a lot of the time and don’t particularly notice much around them. One of our dogs has trouble walking. One of my sister’s dogs had a stroke and also has walking challenges. My sister’s other dog is healthy and active so I like to take her outside for real walks since she’s the only one who actually wants to go out. When they were all younger, I occasionally walked all 4 at one time. Sometimes they “may-poled” (as my daughter called it) and I got tangled in the leashes. It was comical, but I really felt sympathy for professional dog walkers. 🐩 🐕 🐩🐕
Thank you, Taconix.
DeleteYou are doing well with your grocery shopping, too! I believe you mentioned you were aiming for a $400 a month budget? And, I believe your grocery budget includes everything - pet food, household products, toiletries, etc. - in addition to people food? I include only my own food in my grocery budget (with the occasional exception of a few cans of tuna to share with Dancer). But, I don't include things like Dancer's cat food, or paper towels, or dish washing detergent, etc. in my grocery budget.
It is definitely a good idea to buy the bigger packages of meat to divide and freeze (or to cook and freeze). Ham is on sale for $1.99/lb. this week, but, I was not tempted to buy. If it goes on sale for $0.99/lb., I might be tempted! But, then, I'd have to find room in the freezer!
That's good to know that the four dogs get along. :)
You have some good savings with coupons, and the prices seem more reasonable than here, even allowing that they are in USD. I was pleased to find a sale on butter yesterday and bought 2 one pound slabs. Also the out of town bakery had better prices on the rolls I bought which I will keep in the freezer for now.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy with the sales, although our current sale prices tend to be higher than the regular prices I paid a few years ago! Those old "price points" I had (the maximum I would pay for an item) have all flown out the window! I'm glad you found a sale on butter and a better price on the rolls. Store brand butter is selling for $4.49 right now and brand name butter is priced between $6.49 and $9.99 per pound depending on the brand. I stocked up on store brand butter when it was on sale for $3.00/lb. last year and froze it.
DeleteWith prices increasing all the time I think you did incredibly well to have no budget increase when your daughter was home. And I absolutely agree that special things come from a different budget.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. Budgeting and frugality has its place in my daily life, but, I've always set aside something extra to splurge on birthdays and other special occasions! And these days, I'm becoming more and more aware that it is important to celebrate those special occasions while we can!
DeleteAnother good grocery shopping trip for you and it seems you are headed for another month of staying under budget.
ReplyDeleteThe potato price was good. I got some potatoes at that price with the St.Patrick's Day sales but I will need some more soon.
In looking at things just now I am over budget and I still need to get the salmon and asparagus for Easter dinner. uh oh
( And whatever else plops into the cart lol)
I budget loosely for food and gas in that I have a monthly spending account for both of those items that is more than adequate. I always have a surplus then I decide where to "send it" at the end of the month. Silly money games I play but it keeps things tight and ship shape in my mind. Being over this month will mean less money to send to my designated spot. This month it will be towards some car repairs we had last week.
Thank you, Debra. Well, I didn't budget for my daughter staying on for another couple of weeks and us going to the dollar store and filling up on snacks! LOL. I might have gone over the budget, but, that is OK. I'm not going to stress about it and I am very grateful that I can afford to go over budget every so often.
DeleteI think your way of budgeting is just fine. It is better to over budget and have surplus to spend elsewhere than under budget and find you have unexpected expenses. :)