I did a bit more shopping this week than I wanted to, but good deals were beckoning me. Off the top of my head, I spent $20-something at ShopRite, $20-something at Genuardi's, and around $10 at CVS, with $8.50 back in ECBs to use on my next visit (so in my mind it's like paying $1.50 for my stuff, which was a Skintimate shaving cream, 2 M&M candy eggs, 2 Colgate toothbrushes and 2 Colgate toothpastes, 2 Reach toothbrushes and 1 bag of Smartfood popcorn - Bailey was with me and she asked me nicely. The cost of that popcorn is really what I spent OOP on that trip.
Anyway, I need to go over my receipts from March and tally up exactly what I spent. I want to say it's around $150 for the month, saving hundreds of dollars on what I bought. Which included 8 laundry detergents and fabric softeners, 20 boxes of Purina One cat food (so not like it's crap - the good stuff!), 30 cat food cans, dairy, produce, meat, juice, toiletries, paper goods...and I have donated a few bags of items too and qualified at SR for a free turkey or ham. Couponing is a huge blessing to me and my family! I was able to save a great amount this month because of ShopRite's 2 weeks of "dollar days" deals they had, but I am over my goal of spending $100 this month. This tells me that even with saving $40-something a week right off the bat bc of dollar day rewards, I would've spent more like $300+ and that's WITH couponing. So I'm definitely not like those women on tv that leave the store paying $5 for carts full, but I am pleased with how much I spend for what I spend it on. I buy Dietz and Watson lunchmeat, not the junk. I buy 100% whole wheat bread, organic milk about 1/2 the time, 100% juice, all-fruit jelly...you get what I'm saying. Not to mention the shelves I have full of Wisk and Era laundry detergents, John Freida shampoo, Dove soap -- good stuff, the stuff I want.
I do have to say one way I did not do well this month was on eating out. Initially I wanted to spend $100 on BOTH eating out and groceries combined and after one week realized I was C.R.A.Z.Y! I don't even know what we spent eating out...I would guess $200-$250. So clearly I have work to do there. We love dates though, and we love going out with friends...so I'm not thinking about it yet.
But I am ready for a new challenge for April. My shelves are stocked, my freezer full. I want to what the coupon bloggers call a "Pantry Challenge" and that is to only buy what is absolutely essential over one month's time, using up items you already have. I will have to get milk, eggs, lunchmeat, yogurt, bread, produce each week as we go through that stuff quickly. But as far as meals and snacks go, we are going to forage through what we have.
My goal is to spend $150 in April on groceries/necessities. I'll let you know how I do! Does anyone want to join me in the challenge?
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