Starting the month off with a bang...or maybe with bacon

It seems like I have been to the store a lot in the last couple of days. I don't really know where I stand right now, but don't think that I have spent too much.

I did solve the no meat problem. This great lady on HCW mailed me 11 coupons for $2/1 Farmland Bacon. Becca found it on sale at Walmart so I got 11 packages of bacon today. Not much of a variety, but in stockpiling variety doesn't come all at once.


Thursday

Cub
Manwich $1.19
Ham soup base $1.50
Total $2.68

Target
Golden Plump oven ready whole chicken $2.50
Total $2.50

Rainbow
2 Muir Glen organic tomatoes $1.25 each
Minute Maid Limeade $.88
White bread $.88
Smart Taste pasta $.88
Gala Apples $.98 per lb
Total after coupons $4.37? I can't find my receipt, but I think that I got 2.75lbs apples. If so then this is the total. I know it wasn't any more then this.

Friday
Cub
Red Leaf Lettuce $1.66
2 Old El Paso refried beans $1 each
Old El Paso taco seasoning $.66
Total after coupons $.34

Saturday
Cub
2 Mission Tortillas $1 each
Total $2

Walmart
11 Farmland Bacon 16 oz $2.50
Russet Potatoes 5lb $.98
Total after coupons $6.48

Total This Trip $18.37
Total This Month $18.37
Total Left To Spend $76.43

I am going to keep looking for the Rainbow receipt because I really don't think it should have been that much.

End of the month recap

First let me start with what I have spent since I last posted.

I went to Cub on Saturday and did the Milk and Carnation deal again. On Monday I realized that my free milk coupon had expired on Sunday so I talked with CS and they gave me $4.50 cash because I had my recipe to show that I had bought milk before the coupon expired. It wasn't until later that I realized I had used a $1/1 coupon for the milk. I feel kind of bad about that because it is like doubling up on coupons, but still thankful that they let me use the free milk coupon instead of loosing it.

Cub
2 5lb Cub self-rising flour $.50 each
1 Hefty 1 gallon freezer bags $1.59
Carnation Instant Breakfast $4.49
Cub 2pk $6.18
2 100ct box of straws $.59 each
Total after coupons $5.40
Total after refund for milk coupon $.90

CVS
Mennen Deodaront $2.99,-2.99 ECB
2 Alavert $6.99, -$4 MF IP, -$4 ECB=$1 overage each
Total =Made $2

On Monday I went to CVS I use two rainchecks plus I had coupons to go with them so I had an overage. I ended up with

4 Colgate Advanced Whitening $2.99
1 Just for Men touch of gray $7.99
5 CVS Vitim C $2.99
3 V8 $2.50 each

I used an $8 ECB and put $.24 on my CVS giftcard. I got back $7.99 in ECB so it was $.24 total

At Cub I got Oregano= $2.99



Total for the weekend $3.89
Total spending for the month:$65.2 +$10 OYNO at Cub
Total left to spend:$9.80

I think overall I am really pleased that I was able to meet my goal. I was able to get things to add to my stockpile and also added in a couple of treat items too.

I found that I was spending less, but we were eating better meals. I had to think more about what to make, but it was easier in the long run because I always new what was for dinner and we always had the ingredients.

I'm going to try this again next month to see how it goes. I'm not sure if I can keep a budget this low continually. I think the only meat I bought last month was salami and a package of bacon. This is where a freezer full of meat comes in handy.

I figure about every three or four months I will need to add a little bit to the budget and stock up on meat again. For now I am going to roll over what is left from this month and add it to the May budget.

I'm going to stay at $85 this month plus the left over $9.80 from April. If I come up with an overage again in May I might try $75 for June. We'll have to see though because it depends on how much meat I buy this month.

Weekly list

I'm actually all done with the list for this week. I feel like it is such an accomplishment because lately it has been the end of the week before I get anything posted and sometimes it doesn't happen at all.

Rainbow
Roundy's yogurt 4/$.88
Roundy's white bread $.88
Minute Maid Lemonade, Limeaide, and Fruit Punch $.88
Smart Ones Entrees $1.28
Smart Taste Pasta $.88, -$1/1 MF=1/Free with overage
Roundy's milk $2.50 per gallon
Kool-Aid 2/$2.88, -$1/1 sugar free=2/.88
Gala Apples $.98 per lb
Lawry's Taco Seasoning $.50
Breyer's ice cream $3
Muirglen tomatoes/sauce 8/$10, -$1/1 peelies=1/$.25

Cub
Breyers Ice Cream $3
Mission Flour Tortillas $1, $.50/1,=1/.50
Old El Paso Mexican items $1, $1/2=2/$1
Old El Paso Taco Seasoning ?, Free WYB 2 Old El Paso products Peelie instore now=1/Free

Aldi
Roma Tomatoes 20 4pk $.99
Avocados $.49
Mangoes $.39
3pk colored peppers $1.39

Walmart
Freschetta Pizza Amore 12inch $4.50, -$.75/1=1/$3.75
Freschetta Pizza Amore breadsticks $2, -$2/1 WYB Pizza=1/Free

Walgreens
There are a lot of free monthly rebate deals. I haven't actually shopped at Walgreens for a couple of months so I am a little out of the loop. You can check out the current deals at Walgreens.com, or pick up a book in store also.

Mennen Speed Stick $.99 with in ad coupon, -$1/1 MF=1/Free
Orbit gum $1.19, 3/$2 w/in ad coupon, -BOGO MFx3=6/$.43
Quilted Northern 6 Mega rolls (=16 reg rolls), -$1/1=1/$3


CVS
Mennen Deodarent BOGO, $1/1=2/?
Tostitos Chips/Salsa BOGO, $.55/2
Just for Men Touch of Grey $7.99, -$7.99 ECB=1/FREE
Bic Soleil $5.99, -$2/1 MF, -$3 ECB=1/$.99
One Touch Ultra Mini $19.99, -MF up to $20=1/Free
There is also a deal with 3M. Buy $15, get $5 ECB. I haven't looked too much at it, but here is the link the that discussion.

Target
Lay's cracker crisps $2.50, -$1/1MF, $1/1TC=1/$.50
Banana Boat Suntan Lotion travel/trial size $.99, -$1/1=Free
Lipton 4pk to go $.99, -$1/1=1/Free