Budget checkup

So this is my first month of trying my coupon/budget. I am also working on building a stockpile.

It is Jan 21 and so far I have spent $353.89. That is $153.89 over my attempt at $200. So maybe $200 was a little low for me to start with. I will try to stick to $300 from now on. The good thing is I have pretty much everything I need to get through the end of the month. Next month I will try the envelope method to see if I can stick to my budget.


My savings so far this month is $305.83. So I have cut my budget in half by the look of my savings. Now if only I just had that $300 to put in the bank. ;)

Walgreen's 1/18

Went to Walgreens on Sunday thinking I could stock up on Don's Sierra Mist. but they were still out of it.

So I bought:

1st transaction:
2 Ragu pasta sauce
2 Lipton tea
4 Skippy PB
used 2 .40 coupons
2 .50 coupons
1 .60 coupon
1 .75 coupon
and $5 RR
total 11.16
total savings 18.19
and got $10 RR

2nd transaction:
1 pullups
2 bandaids
candy
used $2/1 pullups
$1/1 pullup IVC from coloring book
$1/1 bandaid IVC from coloing book taking off $2
$10 RR
total OOP 3.52
total savings 18.50
got $3 in RR ( $1 from pullups and $3 from bandaids)

3rd trans:
4 Peeps
1 Pullup
1 candy
1 paper
used Peeps sc
pullups $2/1
pullups IVC $1/1
$4 RR
total OOP 8.44
total savings 9.61
got $1 RR frompullups

last tranacation
1 zyrtec
1 candy
used $4 coupon
$4 off sc
$1 RR
total OOP 13.44
total savings $9.00


total spent $36.56
total savings $55.30

Walmart 1/16

Had to run to Walmart to get Will's soy mikl and had a short shopping list with me. I picked up four frozen meals for us along with some fresh fruit. I also snagged several free things thanks to my coupons.

subtotal before coupons $65.70
subtotal after coupons $ 46.00

Total OOP $51.29
Total savings $19.70

Walmart and Walgreens 1/15

So payday was on the 15th and we were running very short on some things for the kids.

I stopped at Walmart first and bought:
2 boxes of cereal bars 2.08 ea
1 box of poptart 1.86

total OOP spent 6.49

Then ran to Walgreens and got:

1st transaction:
5 pepsi 12pk 5/$15
2 Totsitos 2/ $7
total OOP $23.71
got $10 RR back
Savings $10.93

2nd transaction:
2 packages of Pullups 2/ $20.98
1 1/2 galloon of milk (for my mom) 1.99
used 2 $2/1 coupons
and $10 RR
total OOP $11.06
savings $14.00

total OOp for this day $41.26

total savings $24.93

updating

I have been to Walmart and Walgreens this past week however in my cleaning I have put the reciepts away. I promise to post them tomorrow as soon as I find them.

tracking rebates

I am mailing out for some rebates:

Bayer Special 1/2 Price offer: Flintstones $4 rebate
*PO Box 1057 Grand Rapids, MN 55745-1057
mailed 1/16/09

Theraflu Warming Relief: $2.25 rebate
*PO Box 6843 West Caldwell, N 07007-6843

P&G Year of Savings Rebate: $120 worth of coupons
*PO Box 750289 El Paso, TX 88575-0289
(mailing one for my mom also)

Walmart trip last week

I only went to Walmart once last week and that was to get milk. Daycare called to say that Will was out of his milk, so I stopped on my way to get him.

Not sure where my receipt is but I bought:

1 half gallon of Silk soy milk
1 half gallon of milk

Walgreens trip Jan 4

I went to Walgreens with my mom and hubby with a list and a list of which items to buy in each transaction. I didn't do it just right because I ended up with more OOP than I should have. Also due to the problem of the sale prices not being loaded into the computer, I got really messed up.... then when a manager came over to help I was told I wouldn't be able to use the $1 off coupons on the Garnier Fructis shampoo or the Reynolds Wrap. I still got some good deals and still have $5 in RR to spend later.


I began with $20 in Register Rewards (RR).

I got:
4 Frosted Flakes
4 Triaminic
1 Tennessean paper
2 Ben & Jerry's ice cream
4 Reynold's Wrap
9 Garnier Fructis
2 Quaker Oatmeal
2 Walgreen's candy
4 Flintstones vitamins
1 Cars car (for Will.... dh kept him busy in the toy aisle)
1 Palmolive soap
2 theraflu
3 12pk cokes
2 walgreens Ibu. tablets (b0go)
1 Electrasol tablets



total for all transactions: $36.23

total savings: $112.47

total savings to date: $205.90
total spent to date: $224.78

Walmart trip

I finally found my reciept for Walmart trip last week.

I spent a total of $45.84 and saved $18.75. I got 6 Johnson and Johnson Buddies soaps for free, along with two Luminair candles for free. I had coupons for several things that I bought, however I did not have a coupon for Will's soy milk and $9.00 of it was a toy for Will. This will be the last toy I buy until his birthday.... now to keep that promise.

The price of convience....

I never really knew the true price of the convience of the chicken I was buying. I would buy boneless/ skinless chicken breast for our meals at three breasts for $2.50 a container. Last week I bought two 10 pound bags of chicken quarters with skin on for .39 a lb. That made it 20 lbs for $7.80 + tax. I just put it up for the freezer and was amazed at how much skin I had to cut off. Then add in the cut fingers because I used my new knife. But I will get 8 meals + leftovers out of $7.80 instead of one meal with no leftovers for $2.50.

So maybe it was worth it... even with the cut fingers. Now to just find some crockpot recipes for the chicken.

Visitors...

Hello and welcome to my blog. I hope you are able to find some information that helps you. Let me know you have stopped by.

Walmart, Piggly Wiggly, and Valu Plus trips

I have forgotten to list my trips to Walmart, Piggly Wiggly and Valu Plus this week. I spent more at Walmart than I meant to (Hubby and son were with me) and I ended up putting back two things that I had (one is snow boots for son that I will get later).


My first stop was Piggly Wiggly where I got two ten pound bags of chicken leg quarters for .39 a lb. That comes out to $3.90 a bag! I also picked up some Luck's beans for .50 a can and a bag of salad mix for .69.


Next stop was Valu Plus where I got hamburger meat for $1.39 a lb. Spent around $10 there and have already browned the meat and have it in smaller bags for meals later on. I will be able to get about 6 meals out of the hamburger meat.

I will list my Walmart trip later... I did manage to score some Johnson Buddies for the kids for free thanks to the coupons I had for them. Hope to get some more soon once I get more coupons!


Will post my totals for all three stores later when I find my reciepts.

My stockpile

I decided that today would be the day I would organize places for my stockpile. I cleaned out the kids bathroom and have places for the kids shampoo and soap and my box of toothbrushes and the kids toothpaste. DH worked on my pantry and I now have a wonderful place for my groceries. And tomorrow I will clean my laundry room so I can store my shampoo and toliet paper.

Dh asked me the other day what I was doing with all that shampoo. He thinks it is strange that I have so much already (especially since one bottle lasts him half a year) He really hasn't seen anything since I will be bringing home more free shampoo on Sunday. But he didn't laugh when I handed him some free toliet paper.