Tuesday, November 5, 2013

$159 for 1 month of groceries


I have gotten quit a few questions as to HOW I only spent $136 on our months’ supply of food. (By the end of the month we were at $159)
The first time I was asked “How do you do it?” (spend $150 to $200 a month on groceries for 4 people) my response, “Well, what that is ALL you have for groceries, you make it work!”
We don’t eat a lot of produce. When I do buy produce, I get it when it is on sale. I either freeze or dehydrate most of it. I have a huge stockpile of fruits in my freezer from when they were on sale over the Summer. We also don’t eat a lot of “expensive” meat, mainly chicken and ground beef/turkey. Maybe once a month, if not every other month, we get something nice like a roast or pork loin.

I decided to break down everything I bought and all the meals we are eating.
You will notice that I didn’t buy any milk or cereal and yet I list we are eating them. I purchased them in October. I’m sure some people are thinking, Well what if you spend $500 in October so you spend less in November? First off, I decided to do this one month, $150 budget on Oct. 30th. I assure you, I spent our usual amount in October, which is about $150 to maybe $200. I will also continue to do this in December to show you 2 months in a row, if not more months also!
Best deals from October: I got around 20 boxes of cereal all ranging from $1.00 to $1.50 a box! I also got 15 packs of muffin, brownie and cookie mixes for .68 cents each.

(Check back for a post on how I do my kids clothes shopping for dirt cheap!)

My grocery list
At Smith’s:
Can Corn- 4
Cereal (Free, coupon from Smiths)
Corn Bread mix- 6
French Bread Pizza- 4
Frozen Burrito- 2
Frozen Pizza (.60 cent off coupon from Smiths)
Ground Beef- 5 (1 coupon for .40 cents off from Smiths)
Hash Browns
Rotel Tomatoes- 3
Shredded Cheese- 5#s
Sloppy Joe sauce- 2
Sour Cream
Tator Tots- 2 (2, .40 cent off coupons from Smiths)
White Rice (not instant, 10#s)
Yogurt- 10

At Wal-Mart:
Animal Crackers
Black Olives
Chili Beans- 3
Chili Sauce powder mix- 2
Cranberry Sauce
Diapers- 3 (Luvs, plus $1 coupon off each pack via Grocery Smarts & Swagbucks)
Frenches Onions
Frozen Chicken (5#s)
Frozen Meatballs
Lindt Chocolates- 5 (5, $2 off coupons, making them all FREE via Grocery Smarts & Swagbucks)
Mozzarella Cheese (1# block)
Parmesan Cheese  (8 oz.)
Rhodes Loafs, pack of 3
Rolls
Tomato Sauce- 5
Totinos Pizza- 4

I also got 4 things of nail polish with my personal money (so it’s not included in the $136) for $2. (4, $1 off coupons via Budget Savvy Diva)

I was even able to add to my stockpile at home on a few items. Ultimately, that is how I am able to go shopping without having to buy every single ingredient the recipe asks for. One month if I don’t need as much, I use the same amount of money and buy stuff for my stockpile at home.

November’s Menu
Brinner (Breakfast for dinner)- 2
Frozen Pizza
Pasta and Alfredo Sauce
(I have enough cheese to make 3 batches of Alfredo Sauce, it freezes really well!)
Pasta and garlic butter
Sloppy Joes
Stromboli- 2
Sweet & Sour Chicken

if I have enough chicken-
Chicken Parm
Chick Fill-A Nuggets

Breakfast and Lunches:
Cereal
Yogurt
Waffles
Frozen pizzas and burritos
dinner left overs

Update: (additional items purchased through the month)
1.00 on Pepperoni I forgot.
11/14 spent .82 cents at Smiths (9, 1# boxes of spaghetti, 1 can of Rotel tomatoes and 1 pack of fun sizes Snickers. Yes, ALL of that for .82 cents)
11/18 spent $14 at Smiths and got: 2 gallons of milk, 2 packs of cream cheese, 2 jalapenos, 2 can of artichoke hearts, 1 thing of butter.
11/18 spent $7.50 at Wal-Mart- 4 frozen pizzas (for Hubby's lunches at work) and 3 boxes (of 6 count) Zone Bars.

Final monthly total (Groceries and baby diapers):

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