Personal Care:
Mike haircut $11
New thermometer $10.49 CVS
Toothpaste 1.06 Dollar Tree
Pedicure $50.00 Expensive! Boy was it needed
Total: $72.55
Household:
Efferdent $1.06 Dollar Tree
Brass switch plate for living room $4.74
Total: $5.80
3 month totals:
Household: $43.84
Personal Care: $ 76.71
Allocation: $300.00
Cushion: $571.21
Amount Spent YTD (90days): $300.38
What We Ate: chicken a la King over biscuits, lima beans, salad; garlic and capers seafood pasta; rice and bean burrito; ham, scalloped potatoes, butter beans, fruit salad; sloppy Joe andeftover sides; scalloped potatoes and ham, broccoli, leaf lettuce with sour cream dressing; Italian sausage with peppers and onions, cheesy potatoes, salad; leftovers smorgasbord; grilled cheese and tomato soup; Thai fried rice with chicken, salad, onion pancakes; roasted chicken, baked potato, salad; hummus, baba ganoush, falafel
What We Bought:
Tops: Italian bread, eggs (2), broccoli crowns, $3.58
Price Rite: chocolate chips (2), mushrooms (2), cottage cheese (2), sour cream $8.93
Bread Store: bagels (3) $ 3.29
Aldi: tomatoes, red grapes, cream cheese (4), leaf lettuce, cream of mushroom soup (2), cream of chicken soup (2), bananas $ 11.03
Sander's: eggplant (2), cracked wheat bread, asparagus (.65#), Italian sausage (2.3#), Polish sausage (3#), grapefruit (3), red pepper, yellow pepper, boneless chuck roast (2.25#), potatoes (10#) $26.63
Tops: rotisserie chicken, knorr side dishes (4), carrots (1#), beef broth (32 oz), kale (.64#) $6.50
Subtotal for Groceries: $59.96
Eating Out:
Lunch with Joyce $12.00
Dinner in DC: $12.48
Lunch in DC: $16.19
Dinner in DC: $9.41
Brunch in DC: $30
Dinner DC: $26.82
Lunch home from DC: $8.78
Lunch with friends $ 11.97
Subtotal for meals out: $127.65
Two Week Grand Total: $187.61
Remaining Allocation: $ 112.39
1. Bread products are a frugal component of many meals. They are even more frugal when you can buy them at a bread thrift store. Mike and I stocked up on a Monday: A three pound loaf of rye bread for $ 2.29, bakery sandwich rolls for $ 1.19, everything bagels (2)for $ 1.29 each, cinnamon swirl bread for 1.29. We also got a 15% discount because of Mike's military service. Total: $6.25 The original price on the bakery buns was more than that! Score!
2. Shredded a supply of block cheese for future use. I find it goes MUCH farther shredded. That translates into saved money. (And calories.)
3. Leftovers. I have never understood why they get a bad rep. If it was good enough to ear once, it should be fine to eat again. Our leftovers are usually lunch the next day. If that doesn't use them up, I freeze and when I have a goodly number: leftover smorgasbord for dinner. Don't throw away food. It's like throwing away money.
Amount Spent First Two Weeks of the Month: $121.37
Remaining Monthly Allocation: $198.63
Cushion: $396.55
Amount Spent YTD (59 days): $ 155.04
What We Ate: ham and cheese strata, artichoke, asparagus; Reuben;Cheesy potatoes and ham, lima beans, squash; fish, potato rounds, fruit; stuffing and chicken bake and fruit; roasted chicken with garlic and basil, baked sweet potato, peas; sloppy Joe, French fries, fruit; Buffalo chicken casserole, salad; grilled tuna and cheese with popcorn.; Huevos rancheros and cornbread; Buffalo chicken casserole; hotdog, carrot salad, potatoes Anna; French onion soup and salad; grilled steak, rice pilaf, salad; beefy rice pilaf, fried cabbage
What We Bought:
Price Rite: onions (9#), salad greens (2), peppers (2), Cheese (3), coffee (2#), cooking spray, spices (4) $23.97
Eating Out:$0.00
Two Week Total for Groceries: $23.97
Two Week Total for Eating Out: $0.00
Two Week Grand Total: $23.97
Monthly Grand Total: $145.34
Amount to Cushion: $174.66
New cushion Amount: $571.21
Cost/Day (31): $4.69
Cost/Person/Day: $2.35
YTD Grand Total (90 days: $$300.38
Cost/Day: $3.34
Cost/ Person/Day: $1.67
1. A local store has cauliflower on sale for $1.99 EACH. We took our time and found one that was 3.5 pounds. That translates to 57 cents/pound. A great deal!
2. A free 8x10 of the cats from Walgreens.
3. We have been eating from our stockpile hence our small grocery shopping bill. Our freezer is quite full. Making space for new bargains.
4. A local store had tuna on sale for49 cents/can, two weeks in a row. I bought the max of four cans each week.
5. Using up some geriatric potatoes. They are only a bargain if you follow through and use them.
6. Buying longer life flowers for Valentine's Day so that I can still be enjoying them a month later. More bang for your buck.
Monthly Allocation: $310
Cushion: $396.55
Spent YTD( 59 days): $155.04
What We Ate: soupa Toscana, salad, cheese and crackers; vegetables soup over pasta with cheese, salad, corn bread; meatball sub casserole, green beans, salad; sandwiches, potato rounds, broccoli; fish with garlic and olives, artichokes, pasta; sub casserole; leftover smorgasbord; stuffed pork chops, asparagus, fruit and yogurt; homemade kielbasa, cheesy potatoes, asparagus, yogurt and fruit; tikki masala rice with squash, tandoori chicken, carrots; shaved steak sandwiches and homemade French fries with salad; Salsa Verde chicken, refried beans and fruit; baked salmon, avocado pasta, Caesar salad; lasagna soup and garlic bread
What We Bought:
Tops: avocado (4), coffee (24oz), Italian bread $7.90
Bread Store: Rye bread (3#), bakery buns, bagels (2), cinnamon swirl bread $ 6.25
Aldi: corned beef (4.73#), chicken breast (5.62#) $14.97
Aldi: Irish cheese, asparagus, oranges $ 8.37
Save a Lot: potatoes (10#), lemons (3), polish sausage (2) $ 8.47
Sanders: garlic bread, bananas, artichokes (6), limes (6), crescent rolls (2) $ 9.11
Tops: pretzels, pasta, $1.76
Sams: garlic cloves (3#) , olives (3) $30..92
Price Rite: coffee, 54oz (3), pasta, Italian sausage (3#), Romaine lettuce (2), tomatoes, sweet red peppers (4), cabbage (3.69#), carrots (2#), cheese (1.5#) $26.94
Aldi: oranges, mandarins $6.68
Groceries for Two Weeks: $121.37
Remaining Allocation: $198.63
We really bought this last two weeks! We bought meat and LOTS of fruit and vegetables. Hope we do better the next two weeks. Fingers crossed.
Household:
Laundry detergent (4) $4.24 Price Rite
Toilet cleaner (3), antibacterial spray $4.24 Dollar Tree
Replacement part for lamp $4.27 Lowe's
Total: $12.76
