Grocery Challenge this week ending November 18
Budget: $300.00
Fresh Co
---------------
sugar 1.77
2 x brown sugar @ 1.97each = 3.94
2 x icing sugar @ 1.97 each = 3.94
Penne pasta .97- .75 coupon = .22
--------------------------------------------------------
Total $9.87
Valu Mart
-----------------
Pedigree dog food 17.99-5.00 coupon= 12.99
Special K 3.99
NN Graham Crumbs 2.99
PC chocolate chips 2.79
2 pizza crusts @ 3.19 each = 6.38-50%off= 3.20
banana's 1.55-50%off = .78
tax 1.60
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total $ 27.61
Foodland
---------------
Ground Beef 12.07
Shoppers
-----------------
2x milk @ 4.13 each= 8.26
peanut butter 3.99
---------------------------------------------
Total $12.25
No Frills
--------------
yogurt 2.99
Honey Buntches of Oats PM Walmart 2.00
Marshmellows 1.99
peanuts 2.79
soda crackers 1.99
frozen corn 2.29
Life cereal 1.97
2x whole wehat bread @ 197 each = 3.94
hot dogs 1.00
banana 1.66
2 x blueberries @ 1.47 each = 2.94
raspberries 1.47
cauliflower 1.49
apples 4.97
mushrooms 1.97
taxes .62
---------------------------------
Total 43.07
Total grocery budget for the month is $300.
Total coupons used this week $5.75
Total spent: $104.87
Total Spent so far :$268.92
Total left to spend for the month: $31.08
Groceries this week turned out to be a little more then I expected and the only meat I bought was hot dogs which goes into a winter stew recipe I have. At $1.00 I couldn't justify NOT getting them,and ground beef which is already made into dishes for later this month. The good news is I have everything for baking to get us through to mid-January. I have enough Shoppers points to buy milk/ cheese and anything needed to fill this months budget.
The grocery flyers came out yesterday for next week. There is NOTHING I see on sale or specials I need to get. So next week will be a fruit week,( and dog food) for me. I think I can make this month okay. I noticed prices have jumped. people will pay anything at the holidays! I also noticed more pre-made items in the flyers.
Went to Super Store with my rain checks of ground beef yesterday and they have none in stock.........still! I shall use them in December with a new budget. That said I don't shop much in December. I can't tolerate the amount of stuff that meets the eye. It gives me anxieties, like I need to get out. Items are piled high and there is way too much on the floor. Walmart is the worst! Superstore is getting there right now with their Insiders Report items.
Showing posts with label food budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food budget. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Grocery Challenge Nov 11,2012
Grocery Challenge for the week of Nov 11,2012
Budget for the month $300.00
This shopping trip:
Sobeys
-----------
2 x Lion Chops 6.49 - 50%= 3.23 ( 10 pieces)
Honey Shreddies 3.99
Chicken Tights 6.19 ( 14 pieces)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 13.40
No Frills
--------------
2 Black Diamond Cheese(300g) @ 2.47 each = 4.94
Family size Multigrain Cheerios 3.49
NN Instant pudding .78
NN peas 2.29
PC chocolate chips (1kg) 6.99
yogurt 3.89 - 3.89c= free
2 x bread @1.87 ea = 3.74
cinnamon bread 1.99
Italian sausages (20) 6.71
banana @.67lb = 1.61
celery 1.47
clementine 3.77
English cucumber .69
mushroom 1.97
green onion .57
box of baby spinach 4.49
8 tomatoes 2.57
-------------------------------------------------------
Total $48.07
Shoppers Drug Mart
2 x 1% milk 4.13 each =8.26
----------------------------------------------
Total $8.26
Dollarama
------------------
3 x semi sweet chocolate squares @2.00 each =6.00
chicken bullion 1.00
--------------------------------------------------
Total $7.00
SuperStore
-------------------
Hot chocolate 3.79
Raspberry tea 2.49
---------------------------------
Total 6.28
Jim's
----------
3x cranberry juice free
2 cow tongues for the dogs free( yuck!)
Total grocery budget for the month is $300.
Total coupons used this week $3.89
Total spent: $83.01
Total Spent so far :$164.05
Total
This week was a frustrating visit to stores. I shop No Frills because that is where my father with dementia likes to shop. He knows the store. However Sales from Freshco could not be matched at NoFrills because of sizing issues. I found myself doing the math on my phone to figure out weather the deal was better at NF or if I should make another trip ( across the city) to FC. I stuck with NF and different options.
We are eating three vegetarian meals this week verse the two we usually do. One always being soup. I got some vegetarian magazines from the library with some India dishes in it that look really good. I will incorporate this in our home schooling somehow to make it fun.
I went to Superstore to get the ground beef on for 1.98/lb and round roast for 1.98lb . This store is huge,( I rarely go there) but neither item were in stock, so I got rain checks from a lady that shouldn't be working there because she treated me like an alien when I asked for rain checks. Good thing about her lack of knowledge of rain checks is she didn't put a quantity down. I could buy the store out of ground beef with this rain check........as long as it fits the budget! Not having the beef put a damper on my set menu planning for this week. Shall have to dig around for alternatives.
Started to stock up on holiday baking supplies.
Budget for the month $300.00
This shopping trip:
Sobeys
-----------
2 x Lion Chops 6.49 - 50%= 3.23 ( 10 pieces)
Honey Shreddies 3.99
Chicken Tights 6.19 ( 14 pieces)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 13.40
No Frills
--------------
2 Black Diamond Cheese(300g) @ 2.47 each = 4.94
Family size Multigrain Cheerios 3.49
NN Instant pudding .78
NN peas 2.29
PC chocolate chips (1kg) 6.99
yogurt 3.89 - 3.89c= free
2 x bread @1.87 ea = 3.74
cinnamon bread 1.99
Italian sausages (20) 6.71
banana @.67lb = 1.61
celery 1.47
clementine 3.77
English cucumber .69
mushroom 1.97
green onion .57
box of baby spinach 4.49
8 tomatoes 2.57
-------------------------------------------------------
Total $48.07
Shoppers Drug Mart
2 x 1% milk 4.13 each =8.26
----------------------------------------------
Total $8.26
Dollarama
------------------
3 x semi sweet chocolate squares @2.00 each =6.00
chicken bullion 1.00
--------------------------------------------------
Total $7.00
SuperStore
-------------------
Hot chocolate 3.79
Raspberry tea 2.49
---------------------------------
Total 6.28
Jim's
----------
3x cranberry juice free
2 cow tongues for the dogs free( yuck!)
Total grocery budget for the month is $300.
Total coupons used this week $3.89
Total spent: $83.01
Total Spent so far :$164.05
Total
This week was a frustrating visit to stores. I shop No Frills because that is where my father with dementia likes to shop. He knows the store. However Sales from Freshco could not be matched at NoFrills because of sizing issues. I found myself doing the math on my phone to figure out weather the deal was better at NF or if I should make another trip ( across the city) to FC. I stuck with NF and different options.
We are eating three vegetarian meals this week verse the two we usually do. One always being soup. I got some vegetarian magazines from the library with some India dishes in it that look really good. I will incorporate this in our home schooling somehow to make it fun.
I went to Superstore to get the ground beef on for 1.98/lb and round roast for 1.98lb . This store is huge,( I rarely go there) but neither item were in stock, so I got rain checks from a lady that shouldn't be working there because she treated me like an alien when I asked for rain checks. Good thing about her lack of knowledge of rain checks is she didn't put a quantity down. I could buy the store out of ground beef with this rain check........as long as it fits the budget! Not having the beef put a damper on my set menu planning for this week. Shall have to dig around for alternatives.
Started to stock up on holiday baking supplies.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Grocery Challenge week ending Nov 4/12
No Frills
--------------
Beatrice Yogurt (12) 2.99
Catelli Fettucci 1.47-.75 coupon .72
Dog food 9.98
Oatmeal crisp 3.49
PC ranch dressing 1.97
1kg chocolate chips 6.99
NN pepperoni stick 3.49
1.45kg banana's 2.14
cucumber .97
.68kg grapes 1.42
.69kg oranges 1.95
box baby spinach 4.49
.40kg tomato .67
taxes 1.30
--------------------------------------
Total $42.57
Shoppers Drug Mart
----------------------------------
2x 4L of 1% milk free ( used gift card from last week)
Telford Egg Farm
-------------------------------
30 eggs $5.75
Jim's
--------
1 whole wheat bread free
1 multi grain bread free
6 whole wheat kaiser buns free
3 sub buns free
12 whole wheat buns free
Cheese bread$ 2.24
--------------------------------------------
Total $2.24
Taylor Beef Farm
----------------------------
5lbs ground beef $4.79
No Frills
--------------
4x 1kg Kraft Peanut Butter PM FC (3.77each) 15.08
3x 500g Honey PM FC (3.77 each) 11.31
garlic .47
-------------------------------
Total $26.86
Family Budget for November: $300.
Amount spent this week:$82.21
Coupons/ gift cards used $10.75
Amount Left to spend: $217.79
Under budget by $217.79
This was a grand week as Jim gave me a lot of day old bread, so I didn't have to buy or make any myself. It was a disappointing week as No Frills didn't have five of the items on my list this week. I put them on for next week. Bought enough eggs for the month and peanut butter and honey till sometime in the new year.
--------------
Beatrice Yogurt (12) 2.99
Catelli Fettucci 1.47-.75 coupon .72
Dog food 9.98
Oatmeal crisp 3.49
PC ranch dressing 1.97
1kg chocolate chips 6.99
NN pepperoni stick 3.49
1.45kg banana's 2.14
cucumber .97
.68kg grapes 1.42
.69kg oranges 1.95
box baby spinach 4.49
.40kg tomato .67
taxes 1.30
--------------------------------------
Total $42.57
Shoppers Drug Mart
----------------------------------
2x 4L of 1% milk free ( used gift card from last week)
Telford Egg Farm
-------------------------------
30 eggs $5.75
Jim's
--------
1 whole wheat bread free
1 multi grain bread free
6 whole wheat kaiser buns free
3 sub buns free
12 whole wheat buns free
Cheese bread$ 2.24
--------------------------------------------
Total $2.24
Taylor Beef Farm
----------------------------
5lbs ground beef $4.79
No Frills
--------------
4x 1kg Kraft Peanut Butter PM FC (3.77each) 15.08
3x 500g Honey PM FC (3.77 each) 11.31
garlic .47
-------------------------------
Total $26.86
Family Budget for November: $300.
Amount spent this week:$82.21
Coupons/ gift cards used $10.75
Amount Left to spend: $217.79
Under budget by $217.79
This was a grand week as Jim gave me a lot of day old bread, so I didn't have to buy or make any myself. It was a disappointing week as No Frills didn't have five of the items on my list this week. I put them on for next week. Bought enough eggs for the month and peanut butter and honey till sometime in the new year.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Never Dull
First I want to say that my grocery list yesterday was part of the Canadian Budget Binder ( web site on side bar) challenge. My computer would not allow me to type that bit of information in. Once I have saved, that's it, no more information can be had.
It is to keep me focused on my grocery spending. I do all my budgeting on my Google Drive. Everytime I purchase something , that night it goes on the spreadsheet. Groceries and gas are the two categories that make or break it for the budget. So this year, with the exception of our PEI trip, in which we cooked our own food, the prices there were way too high compared to Ontario and broke my budget for September. From January to September I went over grocery budget five months. However only once by a significant amount. My goal it to try and get at least half the year under $300. and re-assess our budget for 2013. In 6 years Dearest will be retiring. I need to work out how we will live on less income. He will be 57 years old! No old age yet.
This morning after barn chores I collected my hens , boxed them and brought them to the abatoir ( a fancy French name for slaughter). I will pick them up Friday, frozen ready for our freezer. This should last us until spring, when I will once again have a wanting for new hens. These girls were two years old now and their eggs were getting thin, as they have aged. After two most do not produce well anymore. I didn't want to pay for feed throughout the winter. One of my simplifing ,was to put them in the freezer.
Once they were gone I got right to work. My fridge is near empty now. Good time to clean it out. I have done that this morning, putting any old in the dogs dish for supper. There was hardly anything for them this time, just empting of some jars.I washed the whole fridge out. So that's clean. I moved on to the cupboards again. These ones hold large items. Bowls, soup pots etc. So they don't take as much time as the food cupboards did. However I had purchased from the Dollarstore some rubberized cupboard liners last year, and I am removing it back down to the wood. After awhile the rubber sticks to cups that have just been washed. Every time I take a cup out the cupboard I have to wipe the rim so as not to have blue rubber on it. In the food cupboard sticky honey and molasses made it a mess. An experiement I will not be doing again. Mom has it in her cupboards and I thought it was nice, but she doesn't have kids that don't look where they put things, and spill everywhere.
Dearest brought the German Shepard in last night. He had done a dump in the kitchen on the braided mat, which is now outside in the rain. I shall have to scrub it and somehow in this rainy weather dry it.
Son-in-law, cut his finger right down to the bone last night. My daughter unable to deal with cleaning it, he came here, bleeding all over the kitchen and downstairs bathroom. I cleaned and cared for the wound. Once cleaned we could see it did not require stitches. But the mess in my house. Let alone all the camping gear, and laundry from camping. My kitchen could pass as a mens locker room without a blink of an eye. Hockey gear dring by the woodstove!!! Makes me want to leave.
Anyway daughter and family arrive 5 minutes before supper, so I invited them to stay ( I think they planned it that way!). All the extra dishes and last minute thinking of how to strtch this meal. Thank goodness the garden still has spinach and lettuce. We managed.
Well break time over. Best clean out those cupboards.
It is to keep me focused on my grocery spending. I do all my budgeting on my Google Drive. Everytime I purchase something , that night it goes on the spreadsheet. Groceries and gas are the two categories that make or break it for the budget. So this year, with the exception of our PEI trip, in which we cooked our own food, the prices there were way too high compared to Ontario and broke my budget for September. From January to September I went over grocery budget five months. However only once by a significant amount. My goal it to try and get at least half the year under $300. and re-assess our budget for 2013. In 6 years Dearest will be retiring. I need to work out how we will live on less income. He will be 57 years old! No old age yet.
This morning after barn chores I collected my hens , boxed them and brought them to the abatoir ( a fancy French name for slaughter). I will pick them up Friday, frozen ready for our freezer. This should last us until spring, when I will once again have a wanting for new hens. These girls were two years old now and their eggs were getting thin, as they have aged. After two most do not produce well anymore. I didn't want to pay for feed throughout the winter. One of my simplifing ,was to put them in the freezer.
Once they were gone I got right to work. My fridge is near empty now. Good time to clean it out. I have done that this morning, putting any old in the dogs dish for supper. There was hardly anything for them this time, just empting of some jars.I washed the whole fridge out. So that's clean. I moved on to the cupboards again. These ones hold large items. Bowls, soup pots etc. So they don't take as much time as the food cupboards did. However I had purchased from the Dollarstore some rubberized cupboard liners last year, and I am removing it back down to the wood. After awhile the rubber sticks to cups that have just been washed. Every time I take a cup out the cupboard I have to wipe the rim so as not to have blue rubber on it. In the food cupboard sticky honey and molasses made it a mess. An experiement I will not be doing again. Mom has it in her cupboards and I thought it was nice, but she doesn't have kids that don't look where they put things, and spill everywhere.
Dearest brought the German Shepard in last night. He had done a dump in the kitchen on the braided mat, which is now outside in the rain. I shall have to scrub it and somehow in this rainy weather dry it.
Son-in-law, cut his finger right down to the bone last night. My daughter unable to deal with cleaning it, he came here, bleeding all over the kitchen and downstairs bathroom. I cleaned and cared for the wound. Once cleaned we could see it did not require stitches. But the mess in my house. Let alone all the camping gear, and laundry from camping. My kitchen could pass as a mens locker room without a blink of an eye. Hockey gear dring by the woodstove!!! Makes me want to leave.
Anyway daughter and family arrive 5 minutes before supper, so I invited them to stay ( I think they planned it that way!). All the extra dishes and last minute thinking of how to strtch this meal. Thank goodness the garden still has spinach and lettuce. We managed.
Well break time over. Best clean out those cupboards.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Grocery Challenge October 21/12
Family of seven, two adults ( parents) 25yrs, 21yrs, 16 yrs,4 yrs, 3yrs,2 dogs and 2 cats, one income.
Budget of $300./month
This week:
No Frills
———-
Beatrice yogurt 2.99
Cheese strings 4.44
frosted flakes 2.99 ( price match Sobeys)
brown sugar (1kg)4.27
icing sugar (.5kg) 1.68
bird seed 5.88 ( for my chickens due to slaughter this week)
2 cans black beans (.89 each) 1.78
4 lbs ground beef ( 1.99lb) 7.96
banana 1.79kg 1.84
taxes 1.28
Total 35.11
Bulk Barn
———–
icing sugar .510kg 1.22
chocolate squares .120kg 1.38
chocolate chips .510kg 4.77
candy .030 .21
tea 3.19
coupon -3.00
Total 7.80
From Jim’s
—————
cheese bread free
bag of begals free
sub buns (3) free
3 chocolate bars free
Foodland
————
2 bags of milk 3.96 each 7.92
60lbs of ‘ not for human consumption’ meat for dogs free
10 lbs of onions ( 4 were bad) free
3 grapefruits free
Budget: $300.
total grocery spent for the month :$297.40
total coupons used this week :$3.00
total spent this week:$50.83
total under :$2.60
Total left to spend :$2.60
When I bought my milk at Foodland they did not have the advertised milk in store, but a different brand instead. I asked for a rain check for the advertised special and they gave them to me, enough for 4 bags.
This week my husband went camping. he needed some special foods. I just got him cheese strings and baked the rest. Saved a bundle.
I will be over this month. Too many good specials for the pantry at the stores this week, chickens go under the knife.
However garden still producing root veggies, cold cellar and larder are full.
Budget of $300./month
This week:
No Frills
———-
Beatrice yogurt 2.99
Cheese strings 4.44
frosted flakes 2.99 ( price match Sobeys)
brown sugar (1kg)4.27
icing sugar (.5kg) 1.68
bird seed 5.88 ( for my chickens due to slaughter this week)
2 cans black beans (.89 each) 1.78
4 lbs ground beef ( 1.99lb) 7.96
banana 1.79kg 1.84
taxes 1.28
Total 35.11
Bulk Barn
———–
icing sugar .510kg 1.22
chocolate squares .120kg 1.38
chocolate chips .510kg 4.77
candy .030 .21
tea 3.19
coupon -3.00
Total 7.80
From Jim’s
—————
cheese bread free
bag of begals free
sub buns (3) free
3 chocolate bars free
Foodland
————
2 bags of milk 3.96 each 7.92
60lbs of ‘ not for human consumption’ meat for dogs free
10 lbs of onions ( 4 were bad) free
3 grapefruits free
Budget: $300.
total grocery spent for the month :$297.40
total coupons used this week :$3.00
total spent this week:$50.83
total under :$2.60
Total left to spend :$2.60
When I bought my milk at Foodland they did not have the advertised milk in store, but a different brand instead. I asked for a rain check for the advertised special and they gave them to me, enough for 4 bags.
This week my husband went camping. he needed some special foods. I just got him cheese strings and baked the rest. Saved a bundle.
I will be over this month. Too many good specials for the pantry at the stores this week, chickens go under the knife.
However garden still producing root veggies, cold cellar and larder are full.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Odds and Ends
 |
| spare room with first coat of painted trim |
I have so many projects on the go but the weather having cooled off means I really SHOULD be cooking ahead for the next heat wave that is to head in here my Saturday. Funny I don't feel like cooking!
We had rain pass through here after the supper hour last night. Yes right when four fields are down with hay. This means after lunch today ( somebody) the hay will have to be raked before Dearest bails it tonight. I hate it when it rains and its not in the forecast. The bright side my garden enjoyed the rain and everything including the mosquitoes are enjoying the damp ground this morning.
I moved a few wheel burrows of firewood this morning. It is getting more difficult to stack or finding places for it to dry. The porch is near full for my 5'9" structure to reach anyway. I am beginning to throw it rather then stacking.That said if the winter is as cold as our summer has been hot, we will need wood. More then last year anyway and we are preparing for this.
The teenager and I did the first coat of trim in the spare bedroom yesterday. Actually we just got 3/4 of the way around the room, as the furniture needs to be shoved to the other side to do the remains. I hope to get the second coat on this part and move to the other side by tomorrow. My quilt and shams that I ordered will be in today. I have picked the wall colour but I want to make sure it goes well with the quilt first. So I shall go into the village today to pick that up. I am excited to see it.
Spiders are everywhere. Taking over every corner of the house. Shop vacuum is in the dining room awaiting to suck them up.
So I best get off the computer and get at it. Oh and what I am cooking tonight is here.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Mid-week
 |
| beautiful garden by my in-laws |
My house is in a terrible state of uncleanliness ( to me anyway) and the yard needs weed trimming, garden weeding and produce removed from it and new plants put in. Hay was cut last night after Dearest came home and shall lay there until Friday when I shall (flip it) rake it and then one of us will bail it and bring it in, which is a family venture as it is small bails to go in the barn and takes many hands to bring it in.
The flip side is, both Dearest and I have head colds! It began Monday night for me, after cutting lawn for 5 hours and then stacking firewood for another 1 1/2 on the same hot day. It is now completed but I was so tired that night. In bed right after night chores. Tuesday was the worst. The weather wet and thunderstormy. Power went out a few times and I was suffering with chills and a stuffy head. But Wednesday I did very well in the city looking after my folks. I felt better as the day went on and did well until bedtime. This morning it feel more like allergy issues then a cold. It isn't stopping me from cleaning house. Just an excuse.
 |
| girls by a horticultural garden |
I have been doing a lot of research on Heart Health Lifestyle eating and still am convinced that I need to go an alternate way of eating. My Dat had a 4x by-pass when he was in his 50's. My Mom has been on heart medication and is an insulin depended diabetic with kidney problems. Two of my brothers are diabetic. I believe that I need to make sure I don't fall into any of these categories. Lets face it I'm not getting any younger. Golden years are around the bend and I want them to be golden, not stricken with health issues.
 |
| At Great-grandparents house on the Lake Shore, picking stones for my garden. |
 |
| No not the 'time out' log. Just some peaceful watching the water |
Other nice news is, Dearest has bought us a second car. I have been without one for 8 months now. Really I didn't mind, but it meant a lot of planning. I like to keep the stroller, and car seats ( blasted things!) and grocery bags in the car, but with using only one car and his forever hockey games to play, it meant moving items in and out the car all the time. Now I am free to go anywhere ( on a gas budget)which is handy. I am thinking of getting hanging basket flowers today. Still haven't done that. The baskets are ready but no soil or plants!
The car is a 2001 Toyota Echo.
It is obvious smokers owned this car at one time. It was disgusting. It was still damp when Dearest left for work, sitting on a blanket on route in! The sunshine will dry it. But a lot cleaner and smells much better.
 |
| One of my smocked bonnets |
The teenager has exams starting next Wednesday. Since she is on-line schooled here from home, I have to drive her to the nearest distant learning school which is 1 1/2 hours away. None of her exams are the same day! All four different days which means lots of driving and time away from home, with the little ones. We will bring picnic lunches and do some touring of the area as she write the exams.
So there is the catch-up.
 |
| boardwalk to great-grandmas |
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Recipe Costs
One way of keeping my grocery cost down is by taking a chunk of meat like a roast and dividing it for different meals. We had a roast on Sunday.I cut off how much we would eat that day, and kept the remains away from the family, hidden from view so that I could use the remains this week for other meals. Yesterday the teenager made a stir-fry with a portion of roast. Tonight we are having some soup and Thursday a Sheppard pie. For a larger family a $7.00 roast has to last. Vegetables and starch is the key to stretching a meal.Of course variety is also required.
Sometimes it is really nice to know how much you are saving by costing out your meals by scratch. I found this site really interesting as it breaks down all the ingredients you use in a recipe. The site is here. and some links are here.
I found this interesting and thought to share.
Sometimes it is really nice to know how much you are saving by costing out your meals by scratch. I found this site really interesting as it breaks down all the ingredients you use in a recipe. The site is here. and some links are here.
I found this interesting and thought to share.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)