The Grocery Game Challenge #11 March 11-17, 2013-Shopping Twice A Week!
I know I said we would work on staying out of the shops during a “no-shop week” and we’re working hard at that. We now have to worry about us going back into the shop a second time in the same week. It’s not much and we aren’t over budget and some of you might laugh but for us we are trying to work at making this a way of life so we aren’t spending more in the grocery budget. It’s all these triggers that keep popping up that make us think about our actions. If we went out everyday to a new grocery store I’m betting it would make it tough although some people do enjoy shopping like this. We like to get it all done one day a week and move on with other projects in our lives. Being here is what is keeping us on track especially posting the grocery shops where we need the most help in our budget.
What Went Wrong Mr.CBB?
It’s simple, we forgot our coupons on the kitchen table that we were supposed to take with us in addition to what the wife had stashed in her luggage (a.k.a-The Handbag). We normally bring the coupon binder and leave it in the vehicle. Why do we do that? We found that if we actually brought our coupon binder in the shops with us that we would spend more money because we knew we had a coupon for this or for that. It came to a point where we would fall off course because we were pulling coupons out left, right and centre. It had to stop or at least we needed a better system. So we pulled the coupons we needed from the coupon binder BUT forgot to take them with us.
Back Into The Shop We Go!
So we are now back in Food Basics and know exactly where we need to go BUT, what mistake did we make? We went down an aisle to get to the back, exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. On the way down we notice some Kalamata olive oil on sale and even though we just bought gallons of oil we wanted to try this particular olive oil. (turns out it is a lovely flavoured oil) While picking up the cream we figured we should pick up another pack of pita bread and on the way up, heck we could use some mushrooms, plums, garlic, oranges and sour cream. That’s it we said and off to the cash we went. Even though we used coupons we still came out with a bill for $29.58 and all we needed was 6 litres of cream.
It gets better because then I needed to pick up some International Stamps over at Shoppers Drug Mart. On our way to the back of the shop I notice the Adidas Body Spray on sale. I like to spray it on me after a shower and before bed or when I’m heading for a workout. The regular price was $7.49 on sale for $2.69 which I thought was pretty good just for some smelly stuff. I decided to pick up 6 bottles to the tune of $18.24 but saved a whopping $32.54 if I had to buy it at regular price. So, there you have it, we spent more money by shopping twice a week.
The Grocery Game Challenge
This is the second Grocery Game Challenge week for March 2013~~ Post your Shop and you might be our next Grocery Game Winner!
For Inspiration read about Canadian Budget Binder fan Donna R who shares her secrets for lowering her family’s grocery budget from a whopping $1100 a month to $600 give it a read now.
Our Grocery Game Challenge Results
This week will reflect our second shop last week as well as a few things we picked up this week.
Food Basics
- 1 x Pita Sale $0.95
- 1 x Messini Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sale $4.99
- 6 x Lactancia Cream Sale $2.49-$0.75 coupon
- Reduced produce $1.49 Plums
- Selection Sour Cream Sale $1.99
- White Mushrooms $1.88
- 2 x Garlic $1.02
- Reduced Mushrooms $0.89 each
- Navel Oranges Sale 2/$5.00 bags
Total Out of Pocket $29.58
Shoppers Drug Mart
- 6 x Adidas Body Spray Reg $7.49 Sale $2.69
Total Out of Pocket $18.24
Food Basics (this week)
- 2 Pita $0.95
- 2 x Mushroom 220g Sale $0.88
- 1 x Broccoli Sale $0.88
- 1 x cucumber Sale $0.88
- 2 x Carnation Evaporated Milk Sale $1.29-$1.00 coupon
Total Out of Pocket $6.00
No Frills
- 4 x limes $1.00
- Unico Tomato Paste Sale 5/$2.00
- 1 X Nordica Cottage Cheese 500 ml $2.00-$1.00 coupon
Total Out of Pocket $4.00
Total Grocery Amount Budgeted For the Year : $2819.38
- Total Grocery Budget for the Month: $235.00 or $78.33 week with one no-shop week per month or $58.75 for 4 weeks per month. (During the months with 5 weeks we just make it work)
- Total Coupons Used this Week : $7.50
- Total Discounts this Week: $0
- Total Checkout 51 rebates this Week: $0 Don’t Use this service
- Total Checkout 51 rebates this Month: $0 Don’t Use this service
- Total Colleague Discounts (CD) this Week: $0
- Total Colleague Discounts (CD) this Month:$0
- Total Gift Cards Given Used this Week: $0
- Total Rewards Points Used: $0
- Stockpile Budget: $20.00 Used: $20.00 (done for the month of March)
- Total Spent This Week:$57.82
- Total Spent So Far for (March): $124.44
- Total Over/Under spend this shop: Under $20.51
- Total Over/Under spend for the month of (March): Under $110.56
- Total Left to Spend for the Month: $110.56
- Total Coupons Used This Month :$17.23+$7.50
- Total to Carry Over Next Month : $ n/a We don’t carry over
- Total Spent To Date This Year: $206.95 (Jan)+ $160.77 (Feb) =$367.72
Weekly Overview: We are still learning from our shortcomings when shopping and even though we tell ourselves No, we have to work harder at sticking to the plan. We’ll do better!
Some Coupons Received In The Mail This Week
How was your grocery shop this week? Post your shop exactly like how I did and let us all know.
FAQ’s- Grocery Game Challenge RULES…..
- Do I have to be Canadian to post my Grocery Shop? No, you don’t have to be Canadian to post your shops only to win a monthly prize. We have a few players from around the world.
- When does the Grocery Game Close each month? The Grocery Game Challenge Closes at Midnight of the last Sunday of the last post for the month. You can post your shops all month-long.
- Does Your Grocery Budget Include Health and Beauty and Laundry? Yes our Grocery Budget includes such items as shampoo, conditioner, laundry soap, fabric softener, dish soap etc. We don’t mind stockpiling items that won’t be effected by expiry dates or have long expiry dates but not so much food any more. It’s just one way to help cut your budget to save money.
- Where can I find Canadian Coupons? Here are your latest Coupon Match-ups of the week including Checkout 51 from 25 Newspaper Inserts around Canada compliments of Save Big Live Better that you can use to help you save money in the Grocery Game Challenge.
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Related articles
- The Grocery Game Challenge #10-Mar 4-10,2013-Road Trip To Target Canada (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Grocery Game Challenge #8 February 18-24, 2013~Buy Now or Buy Later (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
