I thought I'd write a little bit about easy ways to save on groceries without using coupons. Some of this will repeat things I've said before, but I think it always helps to hear it again.
Don't waste time or energy feeling guilty
This I think applies to lots of areas in our lives and I, well I'm a Virgo, I'm kind of a pro at the guilt stuff. I'll spend tons of my valuable time and energy worrying about stuff and not actually do anything productive about it. So, if saving money on groceries is one of the things that you feel guilty about not working toward - just don't.
Here's my suggestion: Instead of worrying for 2-3 minutes use that time to open your fridge and check your pantry and plan 2 or 3 meals using what you have right now, or check your produce and see what you should go ahead and use or chop up and throw in the freezer to keep it from going into your trashcan rather than in your body, or send a quick email to a company letting them know how much you like their product (ok that's technically couponing, but it's easy couponing).
Then you'll have spent your 2-3 minutes actively saving your grocery money and you get to feel good not guilty.
Stretch out your grocery trips by a day or two
If you go to the store every week and generally spend about the same amount every week, see if you can wait a couple of extra days. Again, use what you have - check your freezer and your pantry. Then, when you do go to the store, spend what you usually spend going weekly. I doubt you'll even feel deprived, and you'll have saved a percentage of your monthly spending. If you're feeling really brave, try to skip a whole week.
If there is just one day that you can shop and you need to shop weekly, try dropping your spending by $5. When you're comfortable with that, drop it by $5 more.
You don't have to shop more than one store, as long as you know your store.
Although you will save more money if you have the time/ability/inclination to shop more than one store, you don't have to do that to save. You have tons of ways to save when shopping one store.
-Pay attention to prices. Is there a snack that your family loves? If you need it today, check the various package sizes, buy the one that gives you the best per ounce price. Even better, pay attention to the sales cycles. When it goes on sale for a great price, buy an extra one, or if there's room in your budget that week, buy 5 extra. (Of course, if it's a snack they really love, you might want to hide the extra boxes and bring them out periodically.)
-The fact that you're going to need laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, etc isn't a surprise or an emergency. Use the above pricing tip to know when to buy an extra or two of the items you know you'll need. Yes, you'd save more using coupons, but if you're saving off of the price you would normally spend, you're still saving.
-Lose brand loyalty. Try your store's brand on items. Many stores now have in-house organics lines. I've often found that I like the store brand better on some things. Again, pay attention to price per unit, to make sure that you're getting the best deal.
-Pay attention to your store's markdown areas. If you don't know where they are or if your store even does markdowns, then ask. Markdowns are usually done on soon to expire items, but often you'll find deals when your store is re-setting the aisles.
-If your store has a shopper's card, get it. You'll save on items in the store and will get on the mailing list for coupons.
-Pay attention to produce. Instead of absentmindedly chunking five apples into a bag, think about how many apples your family actually eats in a week. And I don't mean how many apples you dole out. When your kids have an apple, do they eat the whole thing? Or do they eat half of it and throw the rest away? Buy what you really think you'll eat and then portion it out effectively at home. If you run out before your next trip, it'll be ok. You'll just know to put one more apple in the bag next time.
-If your one store is a Costco, BJs, or Sam's - then look at what you can freeze as soon as you get home. Great deal on onions or bell peppers? Then take the time to chop some up, throw them in a ziploc ('cause you know you just bought 500 of them), and toss them in the freezer. Bust up big portions of things that can go stale (crackers, etc) into smaller portions, or even into snack size portions for the kids. Yes, it may take some time, but it also takes time to go back to the store 4 or 5 days before you really needed to.
Don't overfill your fridge
This is one that I've had to learn. I used to love looking at a stocked full fridge - oh, the choices! Of course, I'd throw away a good third of the the contents every week or so. Now, I like to keep our fridge only about a third to a half full. When I open the fridge, I can easily see what produce we have available, I know what leftovers we need to use up, and I actually had a spot to put said leftovers in. Also, I actually put together more varied meals. When there is an abundance of choices, I end up overwhelmed and reaching for the old standbys - and then I'm right back to throwing my grocery money into the trashcan.
Ok, I think I'll stop there. Hopefully at least some of it was new and helpful!
Showing posts with label budgeting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budgeting. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I haven't abandoned y'all!
We have just had a crazy few days. A quick wrap-up on my $500 challenge:
$3 - Jackson and I went to the movies
$2 - We were driving past a garage sale and I spotted a carboy - Derek was thrilled! It's for beer making and usually costs around $35.
.67 - CVS - I used a $4 ECB to get the lens cleaners I mentioned before, a 3-pack of Ivory soap for my homemade laundry detergent, and a travel pack of baby wipes. I earned another $10 ECB
Grand Totals!
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $201.39 ($184.23savings)
- (eating out $53.36)
gas: $110.74
clothing: 24.69
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $22.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $9.08
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $497.52
Remaining: $2.48!
So, we did it! It's back to the envelopes for me, though. I did not handle the big lump sum well. I still stuck with my envelope limits, for the most part. I just have to be firmer with myself on letting the amount in a designated envelope be IT. No more switching amounts around.
I'm going to take a little break and decide where I want this blog to head. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!
$3 - Jackson and I went to the movies
$2 - We were driving past a garage sale and I spotted a carboy - Derek was thrilled! It's for beer making and usually costs around $35.
.67 - CVS - I used a $4 ECB to get the lens cleaners I mentioned before, a 3-pack of Ivory soap for my homemade laundry detergent, and a travel pack of baby wipes. I earned another $10 ECB
Grand Totals!
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $201.39 ($184.23savings)
- (eating out $53.36)
gas: $110.74
clothing: 24.69
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $22.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $9.08
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $497.52
Remaining: $2.48!
So, we did it! It's back to the envelopes for me, though. I did not handle the big lump sum well. I still stuck with my envelope limits, for the most part. I just have to be firmer with myself on letting the amount in a designated envelope be IT. No more switching amounts around.
I'm going to take a little break and decide where I want this blog to head. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
getting started - the very beginning
Kim said: I have come to a crisis in my life with spending. We are just not making ends meet around here. I would love to know just exactly what you did when you first started couponing. I am a bit overwhelmed with everything and I have been reading your blog trying to figure things out but if you could give me some pointers on where to get started and what to do I would greatly appreciate it.
Kim is a mom in much the same situation I was when I started couponing. She's a SAHM who didn't necessarily plan on being one ahead of time. For me, the only place in the budget that had any wiggle room was on groceries, so slashing that amount was a necessity.
Since I stay home, I feel like my job is to make our money go as far as it can go. Our kids know that Daddy makes the money and Mommy makes it stretch 'til it screams.
If you're just getting started couponing, here are some things to remember:
1. Pick your number. Sit down with your spouse and make a budget. If you're in a place where you're running out of money before you run out of month, this won't be much fun. However, once you have it all down on paper, you have a plan. That plan is power - really.
When we started budgeting, I literally had to budget paycheck to paycheck. I may have had $250 to spend on groceries, but I certainly didn't have all of it at the beginning of the month.
Once you know how much you have to spend on groceries, decide if you want to break that down into weekly or bi-weekly amounts.
If you already budget and already know about how much you spend on groceries, decide how much lower you want that amount to be.
If you have the wiggle room - pick an amount that requires you to stretch a little, but not too much. Then gradually whittle it down.
We didn't have the wiggle room when I started. $250 a month was what I had - period. I had to work to learn how to make that amount buy the types of foods I wanted to feed my family. This may be where you are - and that's ok.
2. Shop your home. Before you hit the store, check your fridge and your pantry. See what meals you can put together from what you already have. Start a list of ingredients you might need to make other meals featuring what you already have.
Check your non-grocery items, too. If you only have $40 a week, you don't want to be in the store trying to remember if you need toilet paper or toothpaste. Make a list of things you'll absolutely need before your next shopping trip.
3. Grab the sales ads. If you don't get copies in the paper or in your mail, check the ads online. Plan your meals around what's on sale. Seasonal produce will be on sale. Some meats will be loss leaders. There may be great store coupons printed in the ad.
I'm not a weekly meal planner, but if you're just getting started - you may want to plan weekly. I usually plan our meals a day or two at a time based on what we have in the house. When you're making your meal plans, try to plan for a couple of meatless meals and/or meals where meat is just an ingredient and not the star of the show. Breakfast for dinner is also an option for a cheap weeknight meal.
When I peruse the ads, I'm usually looking for organic produce deals, meat prices at Whole Foods, and things for the kids to snack on. Snacks around here are usually fresh fruit or veggies, Cheerios, cheese cubes (that I cube myself), or trail mix type things that I make from nuts, raisins, etc.
If you have coupons, this is when you want to pay attention to what is on sale that you also have a coupon for. If the combination of the sale and coupon is a great price, try to add as many as you can to your list after you account for the things you need for meals while remaining within your budget.
Remember step #1 and keep your number in mind as you make your list. If your budget is $40 - then your budget is $40. I try to make my list with a little bit of extra room for marked down produce or dairy. So, you might try making a list that represents $30-$35 to leave yourself a little room for unexpected markdowns, or extra stockpiling. You can always roll money you don't spend to the next week, or save a little in case you need milk in the middle of the week.
I try to make my list in the order I shop the store. It keeps me from back-tracking and helps me to avoid extra spending. I use an envelope and write my list on the outside of it. I put any coupons I'm using in order inside of it. If I have any E-coupons loaded on my shopping card, I also have a piece of paper with those listed inside of my envelope. As I'm doing my shopping, I keep my eyes peeled for coupons - blinkies (the one's in the little red boxes with blinking lights), tearpads, and booklets. If I find any, I put them in the back of my envelope and sort them when I get home.
4. Hit the stores. If you're just getting started with shopping this way (with a budget, coupons, etc) then if at all possible, shop alone the first couple of trips. Kids and spouses have a way of increasing grocery spending if they're along for the ride. However, once you feel comfortable with this way of shopping, I think you should try to take kids along. Learning how to stick with a budget, looking for the best value for your money, and just plain old math are all valuable lessons for your kids to learn while they're young.
Go to the store with your list, your coupons, and a calculator. Really, a calculator. You'll feel like a nerd, but you'll be the nerd in control of her money. Take your budgeted amount in cash. Leave your debit card and your credit cards at home. Remember - you only have your number. If it's $40 - you don't want to realize you're over when the cashier tells you the total. If you only have your budgeted cash with you, you'll be forced to take something off. Use your calculator and know your total before you even get to the check-out.
In the store, I try to mainly shop the outer edges. Produce, meat, dairy - fresh, whole foods. These are generally where you get the most bang for your buck in quality nutritionally dense foods for your family. We make most of our food from scratch. That may or not be an option for you depending on your time constraints, but when possible try it for definite money saving.
I don't go up and down the aisles. I only go down the aisles for items that are on my list. If you've planned before you hit the store, you don't have to worry about forgetting something you might need.
Before you check-out, take a sec to look over your basket and get your coupons in order. I usually do one more quick total check, too.
After you check-out, look over your receipt before you leave the store. Make sure that produce prices and sale prices rang up correctly. Make sure that any promos (buy x amount to get y amount off of your total) have come off correctly. If you keep track of what your total should be before checking out, you'll usually know if there's an issue on your receipt. If anything is wrong, go to the service desk and have them fix it. Many stores have a ring right guarantee - if something rings up incorrectly, you get it free.
Once you get home - use what you bought. Use the produce that spoils more quickly first, incorporate leftovers into your next few meals, and freeze things for later.
I hope some of that helps. Please let me know if y'all have any questions or tips on how you got started saving $$ on groceries. We'll look at the actual getting started with couponing itself, tomorrow.
Kim is a mom in much the same situation I was when I started couponing. She's a SAHM who didn't necessarily plan on being one ahead of time. For me, the only place in the budget that had any wiggle room was on groceries, so slashing that amount was a necessity.
Since I stay home, I feel like my job is to make our money go as far as it can go. Our kids know that Daddy makes the money and Mommy makes it stretch 'til it screams.
If you're just getting started couponing, here are some things to remember:
- Nobody is watching you. Don't stress out about "getting it right." Saving any money at all over what you spend now is success.
- Don't feel like you have to turn into a couponing queen overnight. Just take things one step at a time.
- Don't feel like you have to run out and start a stockpile immediately. Gradually build to that point. (More on stockpiling later)
Couponing is really just a part of saving money on groceries. It's another way to stretch your dollars. So, let's start with your grocery budget and ways that anyone can save at anytime. We'll tackle the actual couponing part in a bit.
1. Pick your number. Sit down with your spouse and make a budget. If you're in a place where you're running out of money before you run out of month, this won't be much fun. However, once you have it all down on paper, you have a plan. That plan is power - really.
When we started budgeting, I literally had to budget paycheck to paycheck. I may have had $250 to spend on groceries, but I certainly didn't have all of it at the beginning of the month.
Once you know how much you have to spend on groceries, decide if you want to break that down into weekly or bi-weekly amounts.
If you already budget and already know about how much you spend on groceries, decide how much lower you want that amount to be.
If you have the wiggle room - pick an amount that requires you to stretch a little, but not too much. Then gradually whittle it down.
We didn't have the wiggle room when I started. $250 a month was what I had - period. I had to work to learn how to make that amount buy the types of foods I wanted to feed my family. This may be where you are - and that's ok.
2. Shop your home. Before you hit the store, check your fridge and your pantry. See what meals you can put together from what you already have. Start a list of ingredients you might need to make other meals featuring what you already have.
Check your non-grocery items, too. If you only have $40 a week, you don't want to be in the store trying to remember if you need toilet paper or toothpaste. Make a list of things you'll absolutely need before your next shopping trip.
3. Grab the sales ads. If you don't get copies in the paper or in your mail, check the ads online. Plan your meals around what's on sale. Seasonal produce will be on sale. Some meats will be loss leaders. There may be great store coupons printed in the ad.
I'm not a weekly meal planner, but if you're just getting started - you may want to plan weekly. I usually plan our meals a day or two at a time based on what we have in the house. When you're making your meal plans, try to plan for a couple of meatless meals and/or meals where meat is just an ingredient and not the star of the show. Breakfast for dinner is also an option for a cheap weeknight meal.
When I peruse the ads, I'm usually looking for organic produce deals, meat prices at Whole Foods, and things for the kids to snack on. Snacks around here are usually fresh fruit or veggies, Cheerios, cheese cubes (that I cube myself), or trail mix type things that I make from nuts, raisins, etc.
If you have coupons, this is when you want to pay attention to what is on sale that you also have a coupon for. If the combination of the sale and coupon is a great price, try to add as many as you can to your list after you account for the things you need for meals while remaining within your budget.
Remember step #1 and keep your number in mind as you make your list. If your budget is $40 - then your budget is $40. I try to make my list with a little bit of extra room for marked down produce or dairy. So, you might try making a list that represents $30-$35 to leave yourself a little room for unexpected markdowns, or extra stockpiling. You can always roll money you don't spend to the next week, or save a little in case you need milk in the middle of the week.
I try to make my list in the order I shop the store. It keeps me from back-tracking and helps me to avoid extra spending. I use an envelope and write my list on the outside of it. I put any coupons I'm using in order inside of it. If I have any E-coupons loaded on my shopping card, I also have a piece of paper with those listed inside of my envelope. As I'm doing my shopping, I keep my eyes peeled for coupons - blinkies (the one's in the little red boxes with blinking lights), tearpads, and booklets. If I find any, I put them in the back of my envelope and sort them when I get home.
4. Hit the stores. If you're just getting started with shopping this way (with a budget, coupons, etc) then if at all possible, shop alone the first couple of trips. Kids and spouses have a way of increasing grocery spending if they're along for the ride. However, once you feel comfortable with this way of shopping, I think you should try to take kids along. Learning how to stick with a budget, looking for the best value for your money, and just plain old math are all valuable lessons for your kids to learn while they're young.
Go to the store with your list, your coupons, and a calculator. Really, a calculator. You'll feel like a nerd, but you'll be the nerd in control of her money. Take your budgeted amount in cash. Leave your debit card and your credit cards at home. Remember - you only have your number. If it's $40 - you don't want to realize you're over when the cashier tells you the total. If you only have your budgeted cash with you, you'll be forced to take something off. Use your calculator and know your total before you even get to the check-out.
In the store, I try to mainly shop the outer edges. Produce, meat, dairy - fresh, whole foods. These are generally where you get the most bang for your buck in quality nutritionally dense foods for your family. We make most of our food from scratch. That may or not be an option for you depending on your time constraints, but when possible try it for definite money saving.
I don't go up and down the aisles. I only go down the aisles for items that are on my list. If you've planned before you hit the store, you don't have to worry about forgetting something you might need.
Before you check-out, take a sec to look over your basket and get your coupons in order. I usually do one more quick total check, too.
After you check-out, look over your receipt before you leave the store. Make sure that produce prices and sale prices rang up correctly. Make sure that any promos (buy x amount to get y amount off of your total) have come off correctly. If you keep track of what your total should be before checking out, you'll usually know if there's an issue on your receipt. If anything is wrong, go to the service desk and have them fix it. Many stores have a ring right guarantee - if something rings up incorrectly, you get it free.
Once you get home - use what you bought. Use the produce that spoils more quickly first, incorporate leftovers into your next few meals, and freeze things for later.
I hope some of that helps. Please let me know if y'all have any questions or tips on how you got started saving $$ on groceries. We'll look at the actual getting started with couponing itself, tomorrow.
Friday, June 5, 2009
$500 Challenge update - halfway there
An update and some observations.
Sonic - $3 - we went for free floats on Wed. We got there about 10 minutes early, so we went ahead and ordered some fries. The kids and I munched them while we waited for the free floats to start. I think we'll do that again next year, because at 8:00 on the dot that place went nuts!
Gas - filled up my car - $40.21
Pizza again - house arrest is kicking my rear - $21.64
Derek allowance - $5
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $177.75 ($131.37 savings)
- (eating out $53.36)
gas: $110.74
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $20.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $5
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $443.11
Remaining: $56.89
Now for some random rambling. I usually budget $250 a month for food/HBA (basically anything we consume). This month I've tried to stick with including eating out in that total - which leaves us with $20.20 for the next two weeks, if I include the coffee with it. I'm going to try to do that, so that means just milk and produce buys for the next two weeks. We have plenty of everything else, so that should be ok.
I think I don't like lumping everything together. I basically stuck with my original envelope breakdowns anyway.
Typically my cash envies went like this:
Food/HBA: $250
Derek allowance: $20
Wendy allowance: $20
Kids allowance: $30 (this month they're really low, but we've been stuck in the house!)
Gas: $100 (gas prices are rising for the summer, so I'll have to bump this up)
Coffee/Beer making supplies: $50-$60
Crafting supplies isn't a usual category. I'm considering homeschooling, so I think I'd like to add in a permanent crafting/school supply category.
I'm thinking I'd like to start budgeting Food/HBA, eating out, and the coffee/beer making supplies all together each month. I'm not sure if I want to push my budget out to $300 or leave it at $250.
Maybe I'll try that as my goal for next month, if anyone is interested in following it.
Breaking down that remaining $56.89 for the next two weeks:
Food: $20.20
Kids allowance (when we finally get to leave the house!): $15 (gym twice and a couple of cheap summer movies)
Other stuff: $21.69
That might seem scary, but that's the beauty of stockpiling. We have plenty of good, quality food in the house. $20.20 for just milk and produce is plenty. I'll definitely post our meals for the next two weeks, so you can see how we're eating.
In conclusion: Dave Ramsey is right and individual envies are the way to go for this girl. Letting myself have the lump sum made it way too easy to make a couple of uncharacteristically large purchases at the beginning of the month.
Sonic - $3 - we went for free floats on Wed. We got there about 10 minutes early, so we went ahead and ordered some fries. The kids and I munched them while we waited for the free floats to start. I think we'll do that again next year, because at 8:00 on the dot that place went nuts!
Gas - filled up my car - $40.21
Pizza again - house arrest is kicking my rear - $21.64
Derek allowance - $5
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $177.75 ($131.37 savings)
- (eating out $53.36)
gas: $110.74
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $20.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $5
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $443.11
Remaining: $56.89
Now for some random rambling. I usually budget $250 a month for food/HBA (basically anything we consume). This month I've tried to stick with including eating out in that total - which leaves us with $20.20 for the next two weeks, if I include the coffee with it. I'm going to try to do that, so that means just milk and produce buys for the next two weeks. We have plenty of everything else, so that should be ok.
I think I don't like lumping everything together. I basically stuck with my original envelope breakdowns anyway.
Typically my cash envies went like this:
Food/HBA: $250
Derek allowance: $20
Wendy allowance: $20
Kids allowance: $30 (this month they're really low, but we've been stuck in the house!)
Gas: $100 (gas prices are rising for the summer, so I'll have to bump this up)
Coffee/Beer making supplies: $50-$60
Crafting supplies isn't a usual category. I'm considering homeschooling, so I think I'd like to add in a permanent crafting/school supply category.
I'm thinking I'd like to start budgeting Food/HBA, eating out, and the coffee/beer making supplies all together each month. I'm not sure if I want to push my budget out to $300 or leave it at $250.
Maybe I'll try that as my goal for next month, if anyone is interested in following it.
Breaking down that remaining $56.89 for the next two weeks:
Food: $20.20
Kids allowance (when we finally get to leave the house!): $15 (gym twice and a couple of cheap summer movies)
Other stuff: $21.69
That might seem scary, but that's the beauty of stockpiling. We have plenty of good, quality food in the house. $20.20 for just milk and produce is plenty. I'll definitely post our meals for the next two weeks, so you can see how we're eating.
In conclusion: Dave Ramsey is right and individual envies are the way to go for this girl. Letting myself have the lump sum made it way too easy to make a couple of uncharacteristically large purchases at the beginning of the month.
Monday, June 1, 2009
$500 challenge - update
Crazy, crazy week for this family - cellulitis, wasp sting, stitches, possibly hand foot and mouth disease - woo!
So, I caved last night and ordered pizza. We always order from a local chicago style place. They have a pick-up special - 2 1-topping 16 inch pizzas and a 1 liter coke for $19.47. You get a card for each pizza you buy - 25 cards = any pizza free. We always order the pick-up special, so our pizzas are always $10 each. When we reach 25 cards, we call the giant everything on it pizza we order our $250 pizza.
Derek filled up is car: $35.52
Walgreens: fluids for my poor sick boy
bought:
Pedialyte $5.29 - used $2/1 insert coupon
2 ltr 7up $1 on sale
popcorn $1.99
paid with $5 RR and $1 RR from last weekend
spent: .28
saved: $8.89
Tom Thumb
The past couple of times I've gone to Tom Thumb they've given me catalinas of store coupons. (Catalina is the name of the company that makes those machines that print the coupons they give you with your receipt. So, those coupons are called catalinas. If you ever want to freak out a checker, ask them if their catalina machine is working. They'll think you're a secret shopper or from corporate or something.)
Anyway, the coupons have actually been pretty good. One was for $3 off of the 24 double roll pack of Cottonelle. It's a store coupon, so that means that I can "stack" it with a manufacturer coupon. (Most stores let you use one manu coupon and one store coupon per item. If you're not sure what you have, check the barcode. Manufacturer coupons always start with a 5 or a 9. Store coupons usually start with a 0.) So I had $4 off ($3 store and .50/1 doubled insert) - now I just needed a sale. The Sunday circular had purchase 2 large size items and get them for $9.99 each. Derek asked me for large trash bags for the yard, awhile back and I had a $1/1 Hefty insert q - so there was my second item.
I also had a $10/$50 coupon that my SIL gave me that I thought I might use. I rarely spend that much at Tom Thumb, but since I was already spending $15 (the Cottonelle and Hefty) and I knew I was going to check the dairy markdowns, I thought I'd see how close I was once I had the things I wanted.
Derek usually has a running list of things he wants me to keep an eye out for - I try to work them into deals whenever possible. He asked for wasp spray before I left and since one of those little &%^#'s stung me Sat morning, I was inclined to look for it.
One of the catalina coupons that I mentioned earlier was for $2 off a grande specialty Starbucks beverage in the store. I really, really wanted an iced coffee. It was a $1.95, and I figured it didn't count as "specialty." So, I was standing there trying to decide if I wanted a Mocha Frap. The barista asked me if I was looking for something in particular, and I told him that I really wanted the iced coffee but didn't think I could use the q. He said, "Well let's try it!" and it worked! I paid .11 for my grande iced coffee (the tax)! I tried to give him a tip, but he said they weren't allowed to accept them.
Armed with my .11 yummy bev, I hit the aisles and here's how I did:
2 - 27 oz Wallaby organic yogurt - marked down to $1.95 ea (and they don't expire until June 11!)
32 oz bag of shredded cheddar - marked down to $4.50 (again, June 11! The shredded cheese freezes really well - this went straight into the freezer.)
24 double roll pack of Cottonelle - $9.99 used $3 store and .50/1 doubled insert - so $5.99
55 bag Hefty large trash bags - $9.99 used $1 insert - so $8.99 (ok price - but worth it to get the toilet paper so cheaply and to check an item off my honey-get list)
1 gal organic whole milk - $5.49 (on sale but not marked down - Derek wants to make homemade ice cream)
1 carton organic heavy whipping cream - $3.79 (homemade ice cream)
1 10-pack Nestle lil' drums - $5.19 used $1/1 manu coupon I found in Family Fun magazine (outrageously expensive, but a treat for my lil sickie-sicks)
Are y'all still with me? So, at this point I've "spent" $36.85. The $10/$50 is AFTER all coupons have been subtracted - using it means I'll spend at least $40. I'm already planning on spending $36.85 - $3.15 away from $40. Spending that additional $3.15 and using the $10/$50 means I'll get an additional $10 in groceries. I thought it was worth it - so I added:
3-pk Huggies wipes refill (216 wipes) - $5.99 used .75/1 insert q
Food coloring - $4.49 - used .75/1 insert q (I ended up going over my $40 total, so I should have put this back. We're using it for homemade washable paint and play-doh, so I'm glad I didn't put it back.)
Wasp & Hornet killer - they actually had an organic kind made with essential oils! - $6.29
Grand total: $44.22
saved: $35.45
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $143.86 ($131.37 savings)
- (eating out $19.47)
gas: $70.53
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $15.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $5
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $364.01
Remaining: $135.99
Stocked up on toilet paper (2 months ish), trash bags (6 months or so), diapers (1 month), wipes (at least a month), ground beef (2 months), cheese for the rest of this budget month, coffee (2 months), coffee filters (3 months), brown rice (2 months)
Still needing a deal on canned organic tomatoes - I hate buying them one at a time and I'm three cans away from that point. If anyone notices a great sale at Whole Foods, please let me know. I'm also keeping an eye out for good chicken prices at WF - I'm starting to run low in the freezer.
We're still eating the produce from last week. I'll need to buy fresh produce next week. I have a coupon for 1 lb of chicken free when you spend $40 at Central Market (Texas store). Depending on their sales next week - I may just stock up on produce, canned tomatoes, and get chicken there.
I need to fill my car up in the next couple of days - that will be about $35.
I'm planning on 3 more gym trips ($6) and a couple of summer movies ($10ish) before my budget month ends on the 18th.
I have $6 in RR at Walgreens, $4 in ECB at CVS, and $1.38 on the Target gift card.
Other than illnesses and accidents, I think this month is going pretty well! And if you read this whole post - bless your punkin' heart and thank you.
So, I caved last night and ordered pizza. We always order from a local chicago style place. They have a pick-up special - 2 1-topping 16 inch pizzas and a 1 liter coke for $19.47. You get a card for each pizza you buy - 25 cards = any pizza free. We always order the pick-up special, so our pizzas are always $10 each. When we reach 25 cards, we call the giant everything on it pizza we order our $250 pizza.
Derek filled up is car: $35.52
Walgreens: fluids for my poor sick boy
bought:
Pedialyte $5.29 - used $2/1 insert coupon
2 ltr 7up $1 on sale
popcorn $1.99
paid with $5 RR and $1 RR from last weekend
spent: .28
saved: $8.89
Tom Thumb
The past couple of times I've gone to Tom Thumb they've given me catalinas of store coupons. (Catalina is the name of the company that makes those machines that print the coupons they give you with your receipt. So, those coupons are called catalinas. If you ever want to freak out a checker, ask them if their catalina machine is working. They'll think you're a secret shopper or from corporate or something.)
Anyway, the coupons have actually been pretty good. One was for $3 off of the 24 double roll pack of Cottonelle. It's a store coupon, so that means that I can "stack" it with a manufacturer coupon. (Most stores let you use one manu coupon and one store coupon per item. If you're not sure what you have, check the barcode. Manufacturer coupons always start with a 5 or a 9. Store coupons usually start with a 0.) So I had $4 off ($3 store and .50/1 doubled insert) - now I just needed a sale. The Sunday circular had purchase 2 large size items and get them for $9.99 each. Derek asked me for large trash bags for the yard, awhile back and I had a $1/1 Hefty insert q - so there was my second item.
I also had a $10/$50 coupon that my SIL gave me that I thought I might use. I rarely spend that much at Tom Thumb, but since I was already spending $15 (the Cottonelle and Hefty) and I knew I was going to check the dairy markdowns, I thought I'd see how close I was once I had the things I wanted.
Derek usually has a running list of things he wants me to keep an eye out for - I try to work them into deals whenever possible. He asked for wasp spray before I left and since one of those little &%^#'s stung me Sat morning, I was inclined to look for it.
One of the catalina coupons that I mentioned earlier was for $2 off a grande specialty Starbucks beverage in the store. I really, really wanted an iced coffee. It was a $1.95, and I figured it didn't count as "specialty." So, I was standing there trying to decide if I wanted a Mocha Frap. The barista asked me if I was looking for something in particular, and I told him that I really wanted the iced coffee but didn't think I could use the q. He said, "Well let's try it!" and it worked! I paid .11 for my grande iced coffee (the tax)! I tried to give him a tip, but he said they weren't allowed to accept them.
Armed with my .11 yummy bev, I hit the aisles and here's how I did:
2 - 27 oz Wallaby organic yogurt - marked down to $1.95 ea (and they don't expire until June 11!)
32 oz bag of shredded cheddar - marked down to $4.50 (again, June 11! The shredded cheese freezes really well - this went straight into the freezer.)
24 double roll pack of Cottonelle - $9.99 used $3 store and .50/1 doubled insert - so $5.99
55 bag Hefty large trash bags - $9.99 used $1 insert - so $8.99 (ok price - but worth it to get the toilet paper so cheaply and to check an item off my honey-get list)
1 gal organic whole milk - $5.49 (on sale but not marked down - Derek wants to make homemade ice cream)
1 carton organic heavy whipping cream - $3.79 (homemade ice cream)
1 10-pack Nestle lil' drums - $5.19 used $1/1 manu coupon I found in Family Fun magazine (outrageously expensive, but a treat for my lil sickie-sicks)
Are y'all still with me? So, at this point I've "spent" $36.85. The $10/$50 is AFTER all coupons have been subtracted - using it means I'll spend at least $40. I'm already planning on spending $36.85 - $3.15 away from $40. Spending that additional $3.15 and using the $10/$50 means I'll get an additional $10 in groceries. I thought it was worth it - so I added:
3-pk Huggies wipes refill (216 wipes) - $5.99 used .75/1 insert q
Food coloring - $4.49 - used .75/1 insert q (I ended up going over my $40 total, so I should have put this back. We're using it for homemade washable paint and play-doh, so I'm glad I didn't put it back.)
Wasp & Hornet killer - they actually had an organic kind made with essential oils! - $6.29
Grand total: $44.22
saved: $35.45
$500 Challenge Totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $143.86 ($131.37 savings)
- (eating out $19.47)
gas: $70.53
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $15.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $5
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
Total spent: $364.01
Remaining: $135.99
Stocked up on toilet paper (2 months ish), trash bags (6 months or so), diapers (1 month), wipes (at least a month), ground beef (2 months), cheese for the rest of this budget month, coffee (2 months), coffee filters (3 months), brown rice (2 months)
Still needing a deal on canned organic tomatoes - I hate buying them one at a time and I'm three cans away from that point. If anyone notices a great sale at Whole Foods, please let me know. I'm also keeping an eye out for good chicken prices at WF - I'm starting to run low in the freezer.
We're still eating the produce from last week. I'll need to buy fresh produce next week. I have a coupon for 1 lb of chicken free when you spend $40 at Central Market (Texas store). Depending on their sales next week - I may just stock up on produce, canned tomatoes, and get chicken there.
I need to fill my car up in the next couple of days - that will be about $35.
I'm planning on 3 more gym trips ($6) and a couple of summer movies ($10ish) before my budget month ends on the 18th.
I have $6 in RR at Walgreens, $4 in ECB at CVS, and $1.38 on the Target gift card.
Other than illnesses and accidents, I think this month is going pretty well! And if you read this whole post - bless your punkin' heart and thank you.
Monday, May 25, 2009
$500 challenge - update
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend! We spent the weekend with my in-laws and were treated to a wonderful meal and swimming with friends, today. As a result, I'm cramming the past three days' receipts into this post.
Y'all remember when I said that I was giving myself permission to adjust the amounts from week to week? Yes, well, that takes effect right now.
We apparently decided to enjoy this lovely holiday weekend by spending like crazy people. Let's see how my receipts break down. I'll list details when I think it's info that will be helpful - lmk if there's anything else you're wondering about. I'm not going into too much detail on the Walgreens and CVS deals, because Walgreens was last week and the CVS deals were only good yesterday and today (Sun-Mon).
First, the semi-normal spending:
Walgreens - I had several Walgreens runs throughout the day on Friday. I took advantage of the MM (moneymaker) that I mentioned in my last post. I was able to do it 4 times on Fri. I tried once more on Sat, but the deal was dead.
The deal was: buy one particular kind of Right Guard for $2.99 - I used a $1/1 coupon and paid $1.99 and received a $5 RR. So, basically I made $3 on each of the 4 that I was able to purchase on Friday.
I used one $5 RR to buy 3 packages of coffee filters, Skintimate shave gel, and a candy bar (because I was under) - I spent another .41 and received a $1 RR.
I used one $5RR to purchase saline spray that Kira needed while we were at my in-laws, another package of coffee filters, and another Skintimate - I spent .10 and received another $1 RR
Totals for Walgreens:
Spent $10.46
Saved $31.85
I have $12 in RR left - I'll either "roll" these on other RR deals this week, or use them to purchase baby wipes at the end of the month.
Kroger - I hit Kroger yesterday evening for the Huggies Pull-ups deal I mentioned in my previous post.
2 jumbo packages of Huggies Pull-ups - $9.99 ea - used 2 $2/1 manufacturers coupons, $2/1 shortcuts.com coupon (this is loaded on your shoppers card and comes off when you checkout) - $3 came off because I purchased $15 worth of Huggies
1 Mahatma Brown Rice - used .50/1 manu coupon (doubled)
1 Cheerios 14 oz - used FREE coupon - home mailer from Kroger
2.78 lbs of bananas
Kroger totals
Spent: 12.25
Saved: 17.36
I will send my receipt in to the Caregiver's Marketplace to get an additional .75 back on each package of Huggies.
Tom Thumb - just a quick check of the markdowns in the dairy dept.
1 dozen Eat Smart w/omega 3's eggs - marked down to .95
Tropicana OJ - marked down to $1.70
Spent: $2.65
Saved: $2.75
CVS - went on a fruitless hunt for this week's moneymakers. I had no ECB's to start with, but thought that the $3.99 tampons with $3 ECB back was a good way to get back in the game.
trip #1
18 ct Playtex tampons - $3.99 - used $1/1 manu coupon
spent: $3.23
saved: $2.30
rec'd: $3 ECB
trip #2 - again, a little high for me at CVS, but we use band-aids like crazy around here - .49 per box ain't bad.
2 boxes of band-aids: $2.99 ea - used 2 - $1/1 manu coupons
used previous $3 ECB
spent: $.98
saved: $8.00
rec'd: $4 ECB
Whole Foods - I hit Whole Foods on Friday to take advantage of the $2.49/lb ground beef (of course my friend, Kam, got a WAY better deal at a local natural foods grocery store - lucky!)
3 family packages of ground beef - about 7 lbs altogether
Agave Nectar - bulk foods - $1.36
Maple Syrup organic - bulk foods - $5.99
Southern Star Blonde Bombshell beer - for the weekend, of course! $7.49
cut watermelon for the kids to munch on in the store - $2.00
spent: $36.49
saved: $8.40 (based on the normal cost of the beef)
Gas: $35.01 - filled up for the weekend
Now for the unusual spending:
Dr. Jeckyll's - $8.58 - gift for Derek's dad
Half-Price Books - $27.06 - my book club book, books for the kids and Derek, and a gift for Derek's brother
Tom Thumb - $14.55 (saved $6.01) - grown-up bevs for today's cook-out - I'm breaking this down into 1/2 Derek allowance and 1/2 Wendy allowance in my totals below.
Joann's Fabrics - $45.38. I was really, really bummed about this trip. I spent almost $20 more than I had planned, because of some very poor signage that gave the impression that something was on sale that wasn't. I don't want to go into too much detail, because about 2/3 of my trip was for some gifts. I usually let this kind of thing roll right off my back, but this had me so upset that I actually emailed the company. We'll see how they respond.
So, for now, grand totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $66.06 ($70.66 savings)
gas: 35.01
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $15.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $3
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
yep. that's half the $500 already. But, we're set on diapers, coffee, coffee filters, and ground beef. We shouldn't need gas again until the end of next week. I'm not expecting to buy any more gifts this month. Y'all are about to see some crazy budgeting!
Sorry for the long post - please let me know if you have any questions!
Y'all remember when I said that I was giving myself permission to adjust the amounts from week to week? Yes, well, that takes effect right now.
We apparently decided to enjoy this lovely holiday weekend by spending like crazy people. Let's see how my receipts break down. I'll list details when I think it's info that will be helpful - lmk if there's anything else you're wondering about. I'm not going into too much detail on the Walgreens and CVS deals, because Walgreens was last week and the CVS deals were only good yesterday and today (Sun-Mon).
First, the semi-normal spending:
Walgreens - I had several Walgreens runs throughout the day on Friday. I took advantage of the MM (moneymaker) that I mentioned in my last post. I was able to do it 4 times on Fri. I tried once more on Sat, but the deal was dead.
The deal was: buy one particular kind of Right Guard for $2.99 - I used a $1/1 coupon and paid $1.99 and received a $5 RR. So, basically I made $3 on each of the 4 that I was able to purchase on Friday.
I used one $5 RR to buy 3 packages of coffee filters, Skintimate shave gel, and a candy bar (because I was under) - I spent another .41 and received a $1 RR.
I used one $5RR to purchase saline spray that Kira needed while we were at my in-laws, another package of coffee filters, and another Skintimate - I spent .10 and received another $1 RR
Totals for Walgreens:
Spent $10.46
Saved $31.85
I have $12 in RR left - I'll either "roll" these on other RR deals this week, or use them to purchase baby wipes at the end of the month.
Kroger - I hit Kroger yesterday evening for the Huggies Pull-ups deal I mentioned in my previous post.
2 jumbo packages of Huggies Pull-ups - $9.99 ea - used 2 $2/1 manufacturers coupons, $2/1 shortcuts.com coupon (this is loaded on your shoppers card and comes off when you checkout) - $3 came off because I purchased $15 worth of Huggies
1 Mahatma Brown Rice - used .50/1 manu coupon (doubled)
1 Cheerios 14 oz - used FREE coupon - home mailer from Kroger
2.78 lbs of bananas
Kroger totals
Spent: 12.25
Saved: 17.36
I will send my receipt in to the Caregiver's Marketplace to get an additional .75 back on each package of Huggies.
Tom Thumb - just a quick check of the markdowns in the dairy dept.
1 dozen Eat Smart w/omega 3's eggs - marked down to .95
Tropicana OJ - marked down to $1.70
Spent: $2.65
Saved: $2.75
CVS - went on a fruitless hunt for this week's moneymakers. I had no ECB's to start with, but thought that the $3.99 tampons with $3 ECB back was a good way to get back in the game.
trip #1
18 ct Playtex tampons - $3.99 - used $1/1 manu coupon
spent: $3.23
saved: $2.30
rec'd: $3 ECB
trip #2 - again, a little high for me at CVS, but we use band-aids like crazy around here - .49 per box ain't bad.
2 boxes of band-aids: $2.99 ea - used 2 - $1/1 manu coupons
used previous $3 ECB
spent: $.98
saved: $8.00
rec'd: $4 ECB
Whole Foods - I hit Whole Foods on Friday to take advantage of the $2.49/lb ground beef (of course my friend, Kam, got a WAY better deal at a local natural foods grocery store - lucky!)
3 family packages of ground beef - about 7 lbs altogether
Agave Nectar - bulk foods - $1.36
Maple Syrup organic - bulk foods - $5.99
Southern Star Blonde Bombshell beer - for the weekend, of course! $7.49
cut watermelon for the kids to munch on in the store - $2.00
spent: $36.49
saved: $8.40 (based on the normal cost of the beef)
Gas: $35.01 - filled up for the weekend
Now for the unusual spending:
Dr. Jeckyll's - $8.58 - gift for Derek's dad
Half-Price Books - $27.06 - my book club book, books for the kids and Derek, and a gift for Derek's brother
Tom Thumb - $14.55 (saved $6.01) - grown-up bevs for today's cook-out - I'm breaking this down into 1/2 Derek allowance and 1/2 Wendy allowance in my totals below.
Joann's Fabrics - $45.38. I was really, really bummed about this trip. I spent almost $20 more than I had planned, because of some very poor signage that gave the impression that something was on sale that wasn't. I don't want to go into too much detail, because about 2/3 of my trip was for some gifts. I usually let this kind of thing roll right off my back, but this had me so upset that I actually emailed the company. We'll see how they respond.
So, for now, grand totals:
food & eating out (includes HBA): $66.06 ($70.66 savings)
gas: 35.01
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies: $52.05
household necessities (like air filters, etc)
entertainment:
- Derek allowance: $15.46
- Wendy allowance: $18.85
- Kids' allowance: $3
crafting supplies: $45.38
gifts: $12.88
yep. that's half the $500 already. But, we're set on diapers, coffee, coffee filters, and ground beef. We shouldn't need gas again until the end of next week. I'm not expecting to buy any more gifts this month. Y'all are about to see some crazy budgeting!
Sorry for the long post - please let me know if you have any questions!
Friday, May 22, 2009
$500 challenge - on your mark
Pay check hit the account this morning, so here we go. I think I'm going to do stream-of-consciousness style posts, so you can see how I go about grocery shopping in a month. LMK if it gets confusing, or if you need more explanation.
A reminder - my $500 for the month includes:
food & eating out
gas
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies
household necessities
entertainment
crafting supplies
gifts
I've spent the past couple of days going over what we have currently. I need to restock diapers/pull-ups for Kira. Kroger has a deal this week on Huggies that I may take advantage of. I also have a back-up raincheck from a sale at Walgreens from a couple of months ago - for $4.50 per pack on the Walgreens' brand diapers. I had the cashier write the raincheck for 4 packs. Rainchecks are a great way to guarantee yourself a sale for later.
We've also used almost all of our canned organic tomatoes stash, so I'll be keeping an eye out for a chance to restock those.
We're good on pasta, but getting low on brown rice.
Whole Foods has ground beef for $2.49/lb this week - I need to get there by Wed.
Derek ordered coffee this morning - $52.05 for 10 lbs including shipping. We'll be drinking this and this this month, if you're interested.
There's a moneymaker at Walgreens right now that I may try to take advantage of. I'll do a separate post on that - if I end up making it over there today.
Just read back over this and realized that I should start at the beginning! Before I shop, I look at the current ads. I check for organic produce sales and any obvious freebies. I then check the blogs over in my blogroll for any deals they've mentioned. I check the individual forums at Hot Coupon World and then I click on "new posts" to see what people are talking about - that's how I found the moneymaker deal mentioned above. I usually do all of this checking in little bits of time a couple of days before I actually plan on shopping.
I have an envelope for each store. I note the sales I want to hit on the outside of the envelope and then put any relevant coupons inside. I try to list things in the aisle order of the store. It cuts down on my time in the store, since I rarely have to back track. I do take my coupon binder in the store, too, but I rarely use it.
Kind of a random post here, but hopefully you find a nugget of useful info!
Now for the math:
I'm taking the $52.05 from the coffee off the top and adjusting my weekly amounts. That leaves me $111 per week to work with.
$500 Challenge running totals.
$52.05 - coffee
And finally - I changed the format of the blog - I didn't like how the last template ran the top and bottom of each new post together. What do you think?
I'd love questions! Ask away!
A reminder - my $500 for the month includes:
food & eating out
gas
clothing
coffee & beer making supplies
household necessities
entertainment
crafting supplies
gifts
I've spent the past couple of days going over what we have currently. I need to restock diapers/pull-ups for Kira. Kroger has a deal this week on Huggies that I may take advantage of. I also have a back-up raincheck from a sale at Walgreens from a couple of months ago - for $4.50 per pack on the Walgreens' brand diapers. I had the cashier write the raincheck for 4 packs. Rainchecks are a great way to guarantee yourself a sale for later.
We've also used almost all of our canned organic tomatoes stash, so I'll be keeping an eye out for a chance to restock those.
We're good on pasta, but getting low on brown rice.
Whole Foods has ground beef for $2.49/lb this week - I need to get there by Wed.
Derek ordered coffee this morning - $52.05 for 10 lbs including shipping. We'll be drinking this and this this month, if you're interested.
There's a moneymaker at Walgreens right now that I may try to take advantage of. I'll do a separate post on that - if I end up making it over there today.
Just read back over this and realized that I should start at the beginning! Before I shop, I look at the current ads. I check for organic produce sales and any obvious freebies. I then check the blogs over in my blogroll for any deals they've mentioned. I check the individual forums at Hot Coupon World and then I click on "new posts" to see what people are talking about - that's how I found the moneymaker deal mentioned above. I usually do all of this checking in little bits of time a couple of days before I actually plan on shopping.
I have an envelope for each store. I note the sales I want to hit on the outside of the envelope and then put any relevant coupons inside. I try to list things in the aisle order of the store. It cuts down on my time in the store, since I rarely have to back track. I do take my coupon binder in the store, too, but I rarely use it.
Kind of a random post here, but hopefully you find a nugget of useful info!
Now for the math:
I'm taking the $52.05 from the coffee off the top and adjusting my weekly amounts. That leaves me $111 per week to work with.
$500 Challenge running totals.
$52.05 - coffee
And finally - I changed the format of the blog - I didn't like how the last template ran the top and bottom of each new post together. What do you think?
I'd love questions! Ask away!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
This Month - 5/22 - 6/18
I read this post about a Family No Spend Month the other day. Their goal is to limit their family spending to $250 for a month.
The $250 includes:
SO, here's what I'm planning. I need to get a handle on exactly where our non-grocery/HBA dollars are going. I don't want to cut my usual $250 for groceries/HBA (although I would like to try the $250 for everything challenge eventually). I'm going to give us a budget of $500 for a month and break it down into $125 per week.
$125 per week for:
The $250 includes:
- food & eating out
- gas
- clothing
- coffee
- household necessities
- entertainment
Not included:
- tithes and other gifts
- house payment, insurance, bills
- health expenses
- work expenses
- savings
- investment
SO, here's what I'm planning. I need to get a handle on exactly where our non-grocery/HBA dollars are going. I don't want to cut my usual $250 for groceries/HBA (although I would like to try the $250 for everything challenge eventually). I'm going to give us a budget of $500 for a month and break it down into $125 per week.
$125 per week for:
- food & eating out
- gas
- clothing
- coffee & beer making supplies
- household necessities
- entertainment
- crafting supplies
- gifts
My plan is to stick to that budget and track my spending in those categories. That way, I'll have a better idea of how to distribute our money in the envelope system. However, if this system works for us, I might just stick with this. Working = living comfortably within these limits while finding ways to cut expenses further.
I'm leaving myself the option of redistributing the amounts - rolling any extra forward to the next week. $500 is set in stone, though.
Here's where you come in. I'm going to track our spending here. In a perfect world, I'll update daily. At the very least, I'll update our spending once a week.
This is a great month to follow along if you're just getting started couponing. We've been hitting the stockpile hard this past month, so I'm in a rebuilding phase. I'm out of RRs and ECBS, so I'll be working on slowly building those back up.
I'm not a big menu planner, so I think I'll try to post "after the fact" menus every couple of days or so.
I'm having a garage sale next weekend. The garage sale money is going straight into savings. We have some upcoming expenses. Derek's in a wedding in June - I'm not sure what our expenses will be with that. I'd like to get a toddler bed for Kira - I'm thinking from Craigslist. I'm still deciding on what I'd like for the kids' schooling in the Fall - again, not sure exactly what our budget will be, yet.
So, what do you think? What am I missing? If anyone would like to join us in the $500 Challenge - I'd love to have you!
p.s. If you know me IRL (which I think is like 5 of my 7 readers), please don't think we're going into hermit mode. I can't track our entertainment budget if we don't get entertained!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Coffee & Beer
Random title - huh? My friend, Kam, is worried that y'all are going to think that we live a deprived life. So, this post will address two of Derek's hobbies and how they fit into our overall budget.
Derek home brews beer and home roasts our coffee (we order green coffee beans in bulk). Two hobbies that I am more than happy to support! Mama needs her coffee and life on a budget without alcohol is madness. (My apologies to any teetotalers out there.)
The beer has it's own line item in our budget every other month or so. I usually budget $50. Depending on what he's brewing, it usually works out to about $10 per 12 pack. And it's really, really good. I don't roll this into our food budget, because it is a treat. If we're having a tight month, it's obviously one of the first cuts. However, it's not just about beer - it is his hobby. And, I figure there's a ton of other hobbies he could have that wouldn't afford me nearly as much pleasure!
The coffee works out to about $5 a pound, because we buy in bulk. That is actually about half the price of buying whole coffee beans at the store. Derek likes to order from Sweet Maria's, if you're interested. He's used a hot air popcorn popper to roast for the past two years. We recently used some gift money to purchase a small home roaster. Again, an unnecessary expense, but one that keeps us willing to stay on the getting out of debt track for the long haul.
We spend around $30-$50 every other month for the green coffee beans. I usually try to roll the orders into months when I'm not trying to stockpile cat supplies, diapers, or other higher $ items. So, technically the coffee usually comes out of the grocery budget. There have been a couple of months that it bumped our grocery spending to $300 for the month. I can't live without high-quality caffeine. For real.
If anyone is interested in learning more about either the home brewing or the home roasting - I might be able to talk Derek into a guest post.
See, not deprived at all!! And after all that coffee talk - I now need a cup.
Derek home brews beer and home roasts our coffee (we order green coffee beans in bulk). Two hobbies that I am more than happy to support! Mama needs her coffee and life on a budget without alcohol is madness. (My apologies to any teetotalers out there.)
The beer has it's own line item in our budget every other month or so. I usually budget $50. Depending on what he's brewing, it usually works out to about $10 per 12 pack. And it's really, really good. I don't roll this into our food budget, because it is a treat. If we're having a tight month, it's obviously one of the first cuts. However, it's not just about beer - it is his hobby. And, I figure there's a ton of other hobbies he could have that wouldn't afford me nearly as much pleasure!
The coffee works out to about $5 a pound, because we buy in bulk. That is actually about half the price of buying whole coffee beans at the store. Derek likes to order from Sweet Maria's, if you're interested. He's used a hot air popcorn popper to roast for the past two years. We recently used some gift money to purchase a small home roaster. Again, an unnecessary expense, but one that keeps us willing to stay on the getting out of debt track for the long haul.
We spend around $30-$50 every other month for the green coffee beans. I usually try to roll the orders into months when I'm not trying to stockpile cat supplies, diapers, or other higher $ items. So, technically the coffee usually comes out of the grocery budget. There have been a couple of months that it bumped our grocery spending to $300 for the month. I can't live without high-quality caffeine. For real.
If anyone is interested in learning more about either the home brewing or the home roasting - I might be able to talk Derek into a guest post.
See, not deprived at all!! And after all that coffee talk - I now need a cup.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Q&A - Part 1
I have a handful of questions to answer. Most of these will end up as posts in themselves - they're really good questions!
Lacia asked: My biggest problem is that I buy mostly fresh stuff, and I find all the coupons are for boxed/pre-packaged food that I don't tend to ever buy. Plus our stores here (remember, I live in Canada), don't do coupons like they do in the U.S. I guess i have to get on some sort of mailing list with the companies I do buy from?
Yes - contacting companies is a GREAT way to get coupons for products you buy. You will often even receive coupons for FREE products. It doesn't take much, just a quick email letting the company know that you like their products and including your contact info.
I'd also suggest really getting to know the stores you shop most frequently. Do they have in-store coupons? Do they offer a bulk discount? If so, take advantage of it when a product you like goes on sale. With fresh food, like meat or produce, really pay attention to costs. I have a buy price and a stock-up price on meats - and stockpile in the freezer when I can. I check the on-line ads of the three stores I buy produce from before heading out - that way I know who has the best prices that week and buy accordingly.
Lourdes asked: I'd love to hear about how you have paid $10k of debt in about 2 years. Also, what does your "fun" budget look like (vacation, entertainment, etc.)?
Short answer on the debt repayment - Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, budgeting, and no new debt.
As far as "fun" money - we each get $20 a month for whatever. I use the kids' money to cover unexpected play date expenses, little treats here & there, etc. It's not much, but until we're totally out of debt, it'll do. We're blessed to have all of our family close by, so most of our family fun involves extended family get-togethers and events. If I know something's coming up (like the State Fair in October - woo-hoo!!), I budget that in for the month.
We also take full advantage of the library - we check out books, DVDs, CDs, even magazines.
Our downfall is eating out. We only eat out about 6 times a month, but that's still too much. I also have the hardest time actually budgeting for it. It's like I don't want to admit that we do it! Ah well...it's a work in progress.
Lourdes had a Walgreens issue: went to Walgreens today and they didn't let me use my MC because they said that RR wouldn't print out. THEN, they didn't let me use my RR to purchase a different item. I haven't read anything about this being a new policy. Did I just go to a crabby Walgreens?
More likely you had a poorly informed cashier. A manufacturer's coupon shouldn't have an effect on the RR printing. I have heard of one occasion where the coding on the coupon did prevent the RR from printing - but just that one time. I'll let you know if I read anything else, though.
The RR is "good on your next purchase." They absolutely should have let you use it to purchase another item. I would request a manager's assistance next time on both of these issues.
I have rarely had issues with cashiers, but when I do I just calmly smile, request the manager, and calmly explain the situation to the manager. Although I may be sweating bullets while my heart beats crazily, I just keep smiling. You can always say, "Thank you, I won't be needing this then."
Karly asked: What kind of storage system do you have for all your stockpiling? I feel like I need a deep freezer and maybe some shelving in my basement.
This one will most definitely be a future post with pictures. When I started couponing and was having so much fun getting freebies/money-makers I had HBA items coming out my ears and nowhere to store them all. Plus, I'm the only one in the house using a lot of those things - I don't buy products with phthalates for the kids to use and Derek's shaved head doesn't require much shampoo. So, I've scaled back my stockpile on those items.
I have a shelf in my linen closet for shampoos, bodywashes, the kids' Burts Bees wash, shaving cream, and lotions. I have two Sterlite carts with drawers that I use for make-up, soap, toothpaste/toothbrushes, razors, and pads/tampons. Toilet paper is stored in the top of my bathroom cabinet.
For food, I actually don't have the towering food stockpile you may have seen in the stockpile pics of others. We don't eat a lot of processed foods - most of our cooking is done from scratch. I over-stocked when I began couponing, and ended up having to throw things out that had expired. I try to be conscious of rotating my stock, now - and give things away as needed.
We have a laundry room off of the kitchen that I've added shelves to for a pantry. I have one shelf dedicated to pasta (it's often free or very cheap with coupons - Whole Foods actually has a Buy One Get One coupon out right now for their pasta). One shelf holds condiments (mustard, hot sauce, worcestershire, barbeque sauce). One shelf holds canned tomatoes.I have flour stored in rubbermaid containers - 5 bags per container. (I've never had a problem with bugs - but use the containers just in case). These are stacked next to the shelves. I have another container that holds bagged rice (brown and white). I'm actually re-stocking that one right now with the current Mahatma .50/1 insert coupon.
I do have a small upright freezer that I purchased at a garage sale for $50. I currently have meat, veggies, tortillas, and cheese stored in it. I'm gradually switching to keeping the majority of the meat in our small fridge freezer, though. The upright's door was accidentally left open one day - I'd much rather have the free/cheap veggies and cheese get ruined than the meat, next time!
I'd say that we could comfortably live on my current stockpile for 2 months, although some meals would have to be very creative. I'd like it to be enough for 3 months, but it ebbs and flows with our needs. It really is like a back-up emergency fund.
If you're interested in adding a freezer, I'd research whether an upright or chest would be better for your needs. There are pros and cons with both. If adding shelves is an option for you, I'd go for it. I'd love to eventually have built-ins in our laundry room.
Keep the questions coming! If I can't answer something, I'll do my best to find someone who can.
Lacia asked: My biggest problem is that I buy mostly fresh stuff, and I find all the coupons are for boxed/pre-packaged food that I don't tend to ever buy. Plus our stores here (remember, I live in Canada), don't do coupons like they do in the U.S. I guess i have to get on some sort of mailing list with the companies I do buy from?
Yes - contacting companies is a GREAT way to get coupons for products you buy. You will often even receive coupons for FREE products. It doesn't take much, just a quick email letting the company know that you like their products and including your contact info.
I'd also suggest really getting to know the stores you shop most frequently. Do they have in-store coupons? Do they offer a bulk discount? If so, take advantage of it when a product you like goes on sale. With fresh food, like meat or produce, really pay attention to costs. I have a buy price and a stock-up price on meats - and stockpile in the freezer when I can. I check the on-line ads of the three stores I buy produce from before heading out - that way I know who has the best prices that week and buy accordingly.
Lourdes asked: I'd love to hear about how you have paid $10k of debt in about 2 years. Also, what does your "fun" budget look like (vacation, entertainment, etc.)?
Short answer on the debt repayment - Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, budgeting, and no new debt.
As far as "fun" money - we each get $20 a month for whatever. I use the kids' money to cover unexpected play date expenses, little treats here & there, etc. It's not much, but until we're totally out of debt, it'll do. We're blessed to have all of our family close by, so most of our family fun involves extended family get-togethers and events. If I know something's coming up (like the State Fair in October - woo-hoo!!), I budget that in for the month.
We also take full advantage of the library - we check out books, DVDs, CDs, even magazines.
Our downfall is eating out. We only eat out about 6 times a month, but that's still too much. I also have the hardest time actually budgeting for it. It's like I don't want to admit that we do it! Ah well...it's a work in progress.
Lourdes had a Walgreens issue: went to Walgreens today and they didn't let me use my MC because they said that RR wouldn't print out. THEN, they didn't let me use my RR to purchase a different item. I haven't read anything about this being a new policy. Did I just go to a crabby Walgreens?
More likely you had a poorly informed cashier. A manufacturer's coupon shouldn't have an effect on the RR printing. I have heard of one occasion where the coding on the coupon did prevent the RR from printing - but just that one time. I'll let you know if I read anything else, though.
The RR is "good on your next purchase." They absolutely should have let you use it to purchase another item. I would request a manager's assistance next time on both of these issues.
I have rarely had issues with cashiers, but when I do I just calmly smile, request the manager, and calmly explain the situation to the manager. Although I may be sweating bullets while my heart beats crazily, I just keep smiling. You can always say, "Thank you, I won't be needing this then."
Karly asked: What kind of storage system do you have for all your stockpiling? I feel like I need a deep freezer and maybe some shelving in my basement.
This one will most definitely be a future post with pictures. When I started couponing and was having so much fun getting freebies/money-makers I had HBA items coming out my ears and nowhere to store them all. Plus, I'm the only one in the house using a lot of those things - I don't buy products with phthalates for the kids to use and Derek's shaved head doesn't require much shampoo. So, I've scaled back my stockpile on those items.
I have a shelf in my linen closet for shampoos, bodywashes, the kids' Burts Bees wash, shaving cream, and lotions. I have two Sterlite carts with drawers that I use for make-up, soap, toothpaste/toothbrushes, razors, and pads/tampons. Toilet paper is stored in the top of my bathroom cabinet.
For food, I actually don't have the towering food stockpile you may have seen in the stockpile pics of others. We don't eat a lot of processed foods - most of our cooking is done from scratch. I over-stocked when I began couponing, and ended up having to throw things out that had expired. I try to be conscious of rotating my stock, now - and give things away as needed.
We have a laundry room off of the kitchen that I've added shelves to for a pantry. I have one shelf dedicated to pasta (it's often free or very cheap with coupons - Whole Foods actually has a Buy One Get One coupon out right now for their pasta). One shelf holds condiments (mustard, hot sauce, worcestershire, barbeque sauce). One shelf holds canned tomatoes.I have flour stored in rubbermaid containers - 5 bags per container. (I've never had a problem with bugs - but use the containers just in case). These are stacked next to the shelves. I have another container that holds bagged rice (brown and white). I'm actually re-stocking that one right now with the current Mahatma .50/1 insert coupon.
I do have a small upright freezer that I purchased at a garage sale for $50. I currently have meat, veggies, tortillas, and cheese stored in it. I'm gradually switching to keeping the majority of the meat in our small fridge freezer, though. The upright's door was accidentally left open one day - I'd much rather have the free/cheap veggies and cheese get ruined than the meat, next time!
I'd say that we could comfortably live on my current stockpile for 2 months, although some meals would have to be very creative. I'd like it to be enough for 3 months, but it ebbs and flows with our needs. It really is like a back-up emergency fund.
If you're interested in adding a freezer, I'd research whether an upright or chest would be better for your needs. There are pros and cons with both. If adding shelves is an option for you, I'd go for it. I'd love to eventually have built-ins in our laundry room.
Keep the questions coming! If I can't answer something, I'll do my best to find someone who can.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
