The Grocery Game Challenge July 2-July 8 What’s for Dinner?
What’s for dinner is a nightly theme on our Facebook page as we like to encourage fans to post
- What they made for dinner?
- How much it cost them to prepare it?
- How many people it’s feeding?
This has become so popular that when I forget to post my fans let me know. The great part about it is that we learn from each other. I’ve picked up many new recipes that I try and enjoy. One of my most popular recipes is Mr.CBB’s Sloppy Joe’s no more packets required! So, next time you pop over to the Canadian Budget Binder Facebook page make sure you are armed with your meal and your money figures because we all want to know. If you want to step it up, post a picture of what you made.
Our garden is coming along nicely, the basil is growing like mad and I’ve already made some basil,garlic, olive oil cubes for the winter. I’ll be making sure I use every leaf up so I’m well stocked on flavour.
Fresh Garlic Green Tops in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and salt
I was also able to get about 30 fresh organic garlic bulbs from my father in law. He has a garlic fetish .. no kidding.. he grows about 1000 a year. He told me to make sure I used the garlic greens as they are packed full of flavour. He taught me how to make garlic paste and garlic pesto which I will share with you on the blog soon. If you like garlic.. this will be for you!
Basil Olive Oil
On with the show…
Here are your coupon match ups for the week.
Last month we did exceptionally well in the CBB family with our grocery budget. I’m hoping that July is just the same if not better. We have a guest from Europe for 3 weeks on an exchange so we will be feeding a third mouth. She will be studying at a Toronto University. I’ll make sure to post along the way how things are going.
So we have $190 in the budget to spend each month with one no-shop week. We do our best to stick to this budget and post it all right here for you to see. This holds us accountable for our spending actions and motivates us and you to stick to your grocery budget. How much your grocery budget should be is up to you and your finances. If you haven’t designed a budget yet, please read my budgeting series. I am rolling out my budgeting sheet soon and if you would like to test out, send me an email to canadianbudgetbinder@yahoo.ca
I have some fans who ask if they can post shop by shop, I would prefer you did not do this. If you can hang on to your receipts until the end of the week and then post it all at once it helps fans to follow your spending habits. Please use my grocery game post as an example and post it the same way.
Total to Spend this week $64.00
Feeds: 2 adults and 1 teenager (exchange student)
No Frills
4x Black Diamond Cheese Slices PM Freshco $1.97 (no coupons ..sad) our exchange students love this stuff.
2x Dentyne Gum Sale $2.00 ( I have a gum chewing problem lol)
4x D’Italiano Bread $2.49-50%-$0.75 coupon=$0.50 loaf
8x Loney’s Pasta Sauce Sale $4/1.00 reg $3.49 each
2x No Name Ketchup Sale $1.00 1 Litre
1 bag of reduced cherries about 2.5 lbs $0.99
Total Coupons Used $3.00
Total Out Of Pocket $ 21.36
Total to Spend $64.00- $21.36= +42.64 to carry over to another week
The pasta sauce came up at reg price so we SCOP’D one at $0.25
That’s all for the week as we don’t need anything and I can’t fit one thing in our large freezer!
How Well did you do this week with your shop? Post your weekly or bi-weekly shop below exactly like I did above and you not only get to see how you did but you get an entry in our monthly contest.
Here are the Grocery Game Rules.
Congratulations to our June WINNER of the Monthly Grocery Game and that goes to……..Result:7 Juanita!! Congratulations Juanita please email me your address so I can send you your prize.
You can Follow me on Twitter HERE or Facebook HERE and Pinterest Here.
You can also subscribe to Canadian Budget Binder so you don’t miss a blog post. It will come straight to your email inbox here.
Come join the conversation, we’re waiting! Cheers Mr.CBB
Related articles
- How Much Should My Grocery Budget Be? (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Knowing Your Price Is The Key To Saving On Your Grocery Bill (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Mr.CBB’s Easy Whole Wheat Spinach Tortillas (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- How to get the most out of Frugal, easy cooking? (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Frugal Basics- Convenience Costs (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
Walmart
Almond Milk x3 = $6.00
Budget $125
available balance $119
***We were away camping during this week, and thus took our food with us as we couldn’t go shopping!! 🙂 ***
That’s a tiny shop… lol. sounds like you had fun while you were away!
Cheers
You get Ballot #19
So I just started the grocery game challenge. I am going back to catch up for the month so am posting this a couple of weeks after purchase. As a result there are a couple of items on the receipts that I can’t remember what they were and can’t tell what they were from the receipt description, in that case I will just list them as they appeared on the receipt. My grocery budget for the week is $92.31 for 2 adults and 1 child and includes all food, household items, personal hygiene items etc.
Walmart
10lbs bag potatoes – $4.97
Salad dressing – $1.97
Tomatoes – $1.07
HB Max Orig – $.98
Green onions – $.47
Green beans – $.62
Gravy – 4x$.74 – multi-buy discount $.96 = $2.00
Brownies – $2.07
Cheese – $5.97
Kit Kat mini bars – $2.00
Taco kit – $2.87
Ground beef – $4.70
Cupcakes – $4.27
(my dad’s 80th birthday, wanted him to have something on the actual day, we threw him a surprise party the following week with 2 big cakes, and seeing as it was the holiday weekend I didn’t get the chance to make my own)
Coupons – no coupons used but saved $.96 from a multi-buy item
Total spent – $34.04
Food Basics
Lettuce – $.97
Lots of cherries – $8.06
Tomatoes – $1.25
Sel.econo CK – $2.69
Pasta – $1.29
Selection CU – $.99
Bacon – $4.49
Plastic bag (forgot my bags) – .05
Total spent = $20.15
Total spent for week = $54.19
$92.31 – $54.19 = $38.12 to carry over
Hi Joanna!
Glad to see that you took the time to go back a week and posts. It shows me how serious you are about keeping your budget in check with the rest of us. It gets easier each week and really starts your engine when you go over but really, it happens. You did well this week keeping under budget. I’m always amazed! Cheers You get ballot #14
Mr.CBB
the store is Foodland that has those coupons. there was a coupon for the ice cream sandwiches in the toronto star. i think it was in the paper on the last thursday of last month. a cashier told me about both coupons and i hunted them down without paying for the paper the next day. i seem to remember Foodland running a coupon once a month last summer, so i’m going to keep my eye out on the last thursday of this month to see if there is a pattern as to it’s release.
thank you for the ballot and tip!
Hmm,, I’ll have to let my relatives know. It’s great when you can pick up the papers the next day for nothing. You sure are a smart poodle! 😉 Cheers Mr.CBB
i know i’m late for this post, but i thought i’d do it anyway.
monthly budget is $200…but this may be changed to $250.
we began a barter with friends for eggs, chicken and beef this month. we expect to receive beef the week of the 16th. not sure exactly what kind of price they will be applying to the beef and probably should have discussed that first lol so this might be one of those live and learn situations.
shopping for the week as follows:
Metro
marc angelo chops $2.99 – 1
pork back ribs 12.00
evoo $3.99 barter item
bobs red mill soup mix $5.99 barter item
2 organic tins of chick peas .98 barter item
less Dare MIR gift card $15
less airmiles redeemed $10
oop $.95
RCSS
3 stayfree 4.29 – 50% no tax day – $2 ea.
oop $.43
RCSS
2 pita break 2.99 – 5 wub 2
oop .98
No Frills
no name ketchup $1
brizzolio buns $1.50 – 1.25
oop $1.25
Foodtown
white swan paper towel .79 + tax – .50
oop $.39
Walmart
13 zantac $2.22 + tax – $3
1 almond breese $2 barter item
2 broccoli .97
green peppers 1.15
3 zucchini .97 for 3
green onion .47
red pepper .97
oop $1.11
Walmart
4 good n natural bars $1.37 + tax – fpc barter item
3 arm n hammer laundry $2.99 + tax – 1 2 barter items, pm crappy tire
8 nexxus shampoo $2 + tax – $3
no idea what BA fabric 50 is lol but $2.97 – 2
mtrl steak spice $3 – $2
barilla pasta .97 – .75 pm no frills
purina kitty litter $5.93 + tax – 5
prime chicken reduced $5.42 – 2
prime chicken reduced $5.72 – 2
less $5 gift card
oop $7.64
Walmart
9 good n natural bars $1.37 + tax – fpc not including tax (make up my mind please, i don’t like tax on free!)
12 nexxus $2 + tax – $3
6 zantac $2.22 + tax – $3
heniz ketchup $2.23 barter item
soy sauce $1.97 barter item
steel wool $1 barter item
vinegar $1.97 barter item
sea salt $1 barter item
rubbing alcohol $1.97 barter item
2 janes chicken strips $4.88 – 2 pm no frills
oop $5.06
and then the fun began with Foodland. the first 3 transactions were in Owen Sound on our way home from the cabin, the balance were Markdale
16 campbells soups 4/$3 – $1 wub 4
4 ditaliano buns $3.39 – free buns wub 4 campbells
– 5 wus $25
oop $3
16 campbells soups 4/$3 – $1 wub 4
4 sensations buns $2.79 – free buns wub 4 campbells
1 pk ground beef $4.10 – 50%
– $5 wus $25
oop $5.87
notice that i was allowed to ‘group’ coupons on those 2 transactions. then the plug got pulled when i tried to do it with uncle bens. i was not allowed to use .75 on the bistro with the fpc rice and sauce wub bistro.
4 bistro $2.50
4 uncle bens rice and sauce $3.79 – fpc
oop $5
then to my lovely store:
8 choc milk .97 – .50
kashi crackers $2.97 – 2
glade expressions $4.79 – fpc
compliments ice cream sandwiches – fpc wus $10
– $5 wus $25
oop $2.79
whiskas dry cat food $7.49 – 1.75
cat treats $1.99 – fpc wub whiskas
franks red hot $2.97 -1
bacon $3.99
kashi cereal $3.99 – $2
compliments ice cream sandwich $4.99 – fpc wus $10
– $5 wus 25
oop $10.57
8 choc milk .97 – .50
1.75L minute maid berry $1.99 – .75
kraft white cheddar slices $2.97 – 1
franks red hot $2.97 – 1
liberte yogurt $5.49 – fpc
compliments ice creeam sandwich $4.99 – fpc wus $10
– $5 wus 25
oop $4.59
16 campbells soup 4/$3 – $1 wub 4
3 ditaliano buns $3.29 – fpc wub 4 campbells
1 dempster buns $3.69 – $3.50 max value on fpc wub 4 campbells
– $5 wus 25
oop $3.19
4 bistro $2.50 – .75
4 uncle bens rice and sauce $3.79 – fpc
– $5 wus 25
oop $2
4 bistro $2.50 – .75
4 uncle bens rice and sauce $3.79 – fpc
– $5 wus 25
oop $2
13 campbells soup 4/$3 – $1 wub 4 (one no discount)
bistro rice $2.50 – .75
uncle bens rice and sauce $3.79 – $3.49 (max value on fpc)
3 buns $2.99 – fpc wub 4 campbells
– $5 wus 25
oop $2.80 after doing this exercise i think i got an extra $1 off somehow?
when i got home i realised i was given the fulll $3.79 on the fpc, so i went back the next day to the markdale store and repaid .30 x 8 = $2.40 oop (need to add this to next week because i forgot about it)
can you tell i LIKE to shop?
Total retail after sales, incl tax $486.56
Less coupons $386.55
Less gift cards $20
Less airmiles used $10
Less 50% stickers $7.67
Less tax free event $.32
Total oop $62.02
HOLY!!!! That has to be the best shop I’ve ever seen! I can’t believe the savings. What store has the FPC compliments Ice cream sandwiches and the other discounts? I would love to take advantage of that with all the kids I will have here this summer. You’re lucky to be finding the Zantac I can only find it at one shop out of town. Amazed! Wow!
You get ballot #3
P.S- you can post your shops anytime during the month as long as they are posted before the last day of the month!
Mr.CBB
Carrots $2.79 for a 2lb bag of the baby peeled and washed lol…that’s not bad. You’re probably thinking for the normal ones. Weight Watchers bread – old habits die hard! I am a “lifetime” member and I have always enjoyed my egg whites on toast on weight watchers bread. When I find other thin breads on clearance I do get those but I couldn’t find any this week so I bit the bullet! lol Salad – I do find bagged more convenient but I also didn’t have a salad spinner until this week. I just picked one up from freecycle so I will try to buy lettuce this week 🙂
Yes I was thinking for the normal ones as that’s all we buy. We peel them and slice them up for a couple days so they are ready to eat along with celery and fennel, radish,broccoli etc. It’s easier to clean and cut as soon as we get home. We own a salad spinner as we received it as a gift. We have never used it and it will likely end up on freecycle one day. Convenience costs $$$. egg whites on toast I eat that almost every day. YUM!
After so excited and happy about winning the monthly grocery game contest I will be posting every week! Gotta keep Jen company 🙂
After a few months I have realized that the first week of the month excluding a 10% tuesday shop will now be a double week of what our regular weekly budget is. So with that said our weekly budget is $200 for food, cleaners and haba items.
H&W Produce(discount produce store)
$3.99 watermelon
$1.99 x2 3pk peppers
$1.59 snap peas (the ones from the garden are not ready yet)
$1.29 cucumber
$1.79 green lettuce
$1.83 mushrooms
.85 tomatoes
.42 jalapenos
$15.74 total oop
Costco
$4.75 milk
$5.99 triscuits crackers
$10.74 total oop
Safeway
$2.70 bagels
$3.49 x2-bogo sale & $1C goldfish crackers
$3.57 x2-bogo sale & $2C newmans salad dressing
$4.99 -$2C finish dishwasher tabs
$10 total oop
$5 total coupons
Superstore
$2.49×2 -$1C doritos chips (thanks mr.cbb for my winning coupons)
.97 x4-$1C mini crisps
$2.99 coffee creamer
$10.29 total oop
$2 total coupons
Canadian tire
$3.97 -$1C sponge towels
$4.17 total oop
$1 total coupon
London drugs(my second fight free stacking experience)
3/$5 -$4.58C palmolive dish liquid
.67 total oop
$4.58 total coupons
Sobeys(10% tuesday and regular shops included in one listing)
$6.69 ice cream (IT’S SO HOT HERE!)
.57 caramilk bar
$1.29 cucumber
$3.99 -.75C cinnamon toast crunch
$1.29 2L pop
$4.49 garlic texas toast
$5.98 kabobs
$1.80 bologna
$2.12 hot&spicy chicken
$3.39 pepper salami
$2.43 beef jerky
$7.89 cheese
$3.99 -$1C cb cheese silces
$9.99 -$3C recycling bags
$2.79 x2 -$1C eggs
$2 x4 – 2bogoC hersery kisses
$3.59 -fpc sunny D
$2.99 frozen veggies
$1.69 onion
$4.69 -fpc raisin bread
$1.09 x2 creamed corn
$1.44 x2 crispers
$1.64 ritz chips
$2.99 x2 cream cheese
.99 iceberg lettuce
$1.74 baguettes crackers
$5.99 -$2C sargento shredded cheese
$4.49 x2 -2fpc glade expressions spray
$1.99 x4-.50 olymel bacon
$2.05 chicken
$3 pork button bones
$22.99 (6pks of 4) top sirloin steak
$13.54 (4pks) pork chops
$33.22(10pks) lean ground beef
$4.69 x4-bogo sale & $2C olymel wieners
$1.74 thinsations
$124.69 total oop
$31.51 total coupons
$19.26 10% tuesday discount
$45 club sobeys points redemption
(made $25 in club sobeys points on my 10% shop & employee monthly coupon)
$176.30 total oop
$44.09 total coupons
$64.26 total discount & points redemption
made it under budget! now hoping the rest of the month goes smoothly and in budget 🙂
Hi Juanita!
First off Congrats for winning last months Challenge and yes Jen could use some company ha! I’m amazed at how well you shop. You take well advantage of any promos or points programs to make your budget go further as well as coupons. I am amazed how you walked out of costco only spending just over $10 lol.. Please do share how you do that! You get ballot #2! Please share the game with your mates, much appreciated. Mr.CBB
My weekly budget is $100 for 2 adults and a 19 month old. It includes grocery items, baby items, health and beauty, as well as cleaning.
RCSS
Del Monte canned veggies 4/$3.00
French’s mustard (PM Fresh Co) $1.69 – $.75 coupon
Mini Wheats (PM Food Basics) $2.99
Mio (PM Longos) $2.99 – $1.00 coupon
NN coating mix on sale $1.00
NN Tuna $1.09
Source yogurt (PM Fresh Co) $4.99 – $.50 coupon
Pumpernickle Bread (for a party) on sale $2.50
Weight Watchers whole wheat bread $3.59
Chicken breast (PM Food Basics) $7.02
Ground Turkey $6.80 – pink sticker $2.04 = $4.76
Pork chops (PM Food Basics) $9.06
Banana’s $1.63
Cucumber (PM Walmart) $.77
Large bag salad $3.99
Apple $.69
Mango $1.48
Strawberries $3.98
Tomatoes (PM Food Basics) $.57
Watermelon (PM Longos) $2.99
Dove (PM Walmart) 2x $3.47 – 2x $2.00 coupons
Opti-free contact lens cleaner (PM Walmart) $13.47 – $1.00 coupon
Total coupons $7.25
Total CD $8.16
OOP $68.46
RCSS
Goldfish crackers on sale 5 x $1.97 – 5x $.50
Country Harvest Vitality Bread 2x $2.99 – pink stickers $3.00=$2.98
Kaiser rolls $2.69
Carrots 2lbs $2.79
Banana’s $.84
Mango $1.48
Strawberries $3.98
Total coupons $2.50
Total CD $2.48
OOP $19.63
$68.46 + $19.63=$88.09 spent this week giving me $11.91 left over.
I am anticipating a small shop (well what I consider small) this coming week, so hoping to be well under for next weeks post 🙂
Hey Jen!
Carrots were a bit pricey ouch $2.79 that or I’m super cheap lol.. I like $0.99 but sometimes suffer with $1.79 if I have to. What’s with the weight watchers bread at $3.59 WOW…. what about other alternatives like a wrap or whole wheat pita that is cheaper to buy? Bread is bread it’s just cut thinner lol. I also think buying bagged salad is costly but that’s just me. I would buy the lettuce and veg separate as I think it would be cheaper unless you prefer it for convenience?? You did pretty darn good and I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. I’m jealous of your CD… lucky girl! This is alot of food to me there is no way we could finish this in a week. Keep up the good work Jen… guess what you are ballot #1~ Yay!
Nice work on keeping your grocery budget under $200! We’re around $300 right now, but have been saving some money using a service called “eMeals”. They basically shop the deals and create a weekly meal plan for you. Cool challenge.
No kidding, how you liking that mate? Do you get to pick what type of food you like or do they say this is what you are eating according to the weekly deals? I’ve never heard of such a thing, interesting. The Grocery Game has helped us go from almost $600 a month to the $190 as we were just buying too much crap even with coupons. Now we buy what we need and have gone back to basics using dry beans alot more veg and cooking from scratch when we can. Alot of the fans that post their shop have improved their budget and find that posting motivates and holds them accountable as it does us. Thanks for dropping in Jacob!! Cheers mate… Look forward to reading more of your blog. Mr.CBB