I think I need to 'rethink' even more how I am shopping. When I find a great deal on something, that will definitely last into the next several months I find it hard to calculate. So though my 'budget' for the month is $500, I am going to work harder to determine how much is definitely used within the month of said budget. We tend to do our big trips the first week of the month.
May 2nd Costco (I was still home recuperating but was going stir crazy, my first full day back to work was the 4th) Case of San Pellegrino water, sour cream, gallon milk, sirloin tips (this lasted for several meals plus a soup), Salmon (this lasted me over a week, and the men had some too), St Louis Ribs (huge 4 rack package for just 1.99 a pound) Full pork loin (DH cut it up into chops, and most of it is in meal sized packages in the freezer) which was also 1.99 a pound AND had 2.50 coupon. Pure Protein shakes, yogurt smoothies, case of my favorite coffee k kups (starbucks of course!) and a tub of Chocolate chunk cookies. These lasted til May 13th. $189.15
May 4th BJ's warehouse Argghh, I should learn NOT to take DH with me. Especially since he isn't working. Warehouse size of Drakes Devil Dogs, 6 pack of progresso broth (gastroenterology Dr wants me to have more sodium) 2 bags of Tortilla Chips, 3 lbs of Kosher salt, twin pack of very large Sriracha bottles, 4 pack of BM baked beans, Large Almond milk, 4 pack of Panera Broc/Ched soup (splurge for me!) twin pack of Pam, 4 cartons of Egglands Best Egg Whites (for me) and Bananas. 90.94
May 5th Shoprite. 4 pack of dannon light and fit protein shakes (trying to find ones that I love) an Oikos Crunch single (free with shoprite card) 80% ground beef for 1.99 a pound (only one pkg allowed), 4 dozen shoprite eggs .99 each. I wanted to go to Aldi for the .69 a dozen but DH said no. I think in the future I WILL get them and put them in a shoprite container. More broccoli, 4 family size boxes of Goya rice mixes and Goya dried giant white corn (this is planned for the broth and leftover rib meat I had frozen to make a pork and hominy stew). After coupons I paid $32.08 and I will get $5 back from Goya through savingstar
May 5th Stop and Shop (seems to be my store of choice lately for deals) Reduced bakery $1.74, Two 35 bottle packs of spring water, 10 lbs of potatoes, one avocado, 2 packages of Preemio Sweet/Hot Sausage (one package was frozen) and 2 bags of extra large shrimp. After coupons $33.85. Got .50 back from Ibotta and Savings star for the produce.
May 11th Stop and Shop. Two reduced bakery baguettes, A large container of reduced bakery donut holes and a round marble/rye also reduced bakery. All were marked down 50%. A 4 pack of Dannon light and fit coconut that was on sale 1.89 and I had a .75 cent coupon doubled (oop .39), two frozen Yasso yogurts (splurge for me), 2 containers of Breyers ice cream (splurge for DH) Hersheys chocolate sauce, squeeze natural grape jam, two boxes of cheerios, 12 cans of Starkist solid white tuna for $10 (didn't understand this deal, they WERE 10 for 10 (or I guess $1 each) but if you purchased 12 together it was still $10. Ok, thanks for the two free cans. 4 twelve packs of Sunkist Diet soda (.25 back from Ibotta) A large watermelon for $3.88 (flyer coupon) Total spent after coupons was $67.27
May 11th Stop and Shop (I split the order to make uploading receipts easier) 6 bottles of Kens salad dressings. We mainly use these for marinating, but DH does like Creamy Italian for dipping lots of things in. After coupons and Savingstar I should be only $5.94 oop. I also bought bananas, broccoli, a potato, an onion and one apple. After all Kens coupons and a SS $2.00 off produce I was oop $16.70. I uploaded receipt to Ibotta and received a dollar back for produce. Will get $4 back from Savings Star.
May 15 farmers market $25.09 My Sono english muffins are back in my life! I froze 4, ate one ( you do not even need to butter these, so good) and have one for tomorrow. Also more than a pound of the chicken kale sausage I love.
May 15 produce market one large tub of mixed fresh fruit, 2 lbs of Ronzoni pasta, 5 lbs of carrots, 1/4 lb of fresh mozz, sliced tomato, basil salad, 2.29 lbs of Broccoli Rabe and 1.82 lbs of Swiss chard. 2 lbs of celery and one large local bakery french baquette. $34.32
May 19 Shoprite 4 cases of water, 4 lbs. Oranges, Cocoapuffs, Bacon, 18 pk eggs, 2 Turkey Hill Icecream, Milk, Skippy PB bites, 1 can Starkist tuna and one Jif Peanut butter. 37.52
May 19 Stop and Shop, 70.79 4 Drakes Cakes ($5 back from Savingstar), Silk almond milk, Onion Dip, Dannon Light and Fit Protein shakes, Breakstone sour cream, 4 yocrunch yogurts, lays potato chips, ground beef, natures promise yogurt (free!), mccains frozen potatos, 4 green giant canned veggies, 4 Baked beans, Family Pack italian sausage, zucchini, tomatoes, cherries, 10 lbs of potatoes, tostitos tortilla chips.
May 21, this put a kink in the works. 40.95 DU (Uncle) requested sauce and meatballs for his birthday. I did not have enough ground beef left over from DH making meatloaf earlier in the week to satisfy what I knew we needed. To BJ's we went. Ground veal/pork/beef combo, Fruit Tray, Organic Garlic chopped (love this stuff, in produce section refrigerated in a squeeze bottle) 48 ounces organic frozen strawberries and a cheesecake.
May 22 16.91 Produce Market Blueberries, Fresh Strawberries, 2 loaves of Bread and Chocolate Bread, Spaghetti squash.
May 24th Big Y. $40.14 after coupons. I got a Friendly's Ice Cream (1.98 for what we consider a half gallon of ice cream but in reality it isn't), dozen eggs (on sale .99 and .25 back from Ibotta), Two Kozy Shack puddings (for me) Pumpkin ravioli, 3 packages of pierogies (never go shopping when hungry, this is evidence). Hamburger rolls (.25 back from Ibotta) Loaf of bread (.25 back from Ibotta) Marzetti Coleslaw dressing (.99 after the double coupon and dollar back from Ibotta) shredded coleslaw (.49 after coupon) Tetley Green Tea and DH requested pop chips.
Bought alot of what I consider junk, but it is all hidden away and I intend on making it last throughout the summer.
Total Spent for the Month before Ibotta/SavingStar 695.71 ARRGGHHH After rebates $680.21
Not good, not good at all. At least I'm being honest with myself.
Sandie-The $180 over budget is for items you are spreading out over not June/July/Aug, if not further, no? Aim then to reduce June/July/Aug by $60/month or $15/week and you are whole again. : )
ReplyDeleteWhen I buy so many good deals, I run out of money and must ignore the rest. I know all the things I did buy cheaply will last through many months, sometimes a year in the case of dirt cheap baking bags for turkey. CTMOM is absolutely correct!
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