How to control pantry pests in your kitchen : The Grocery Game Challenge 2015 #3 Jan 19-25

37 Comments

1. Name Your Store: Foodland
   2 tomato paste @.59
   3X1l chocolate milk @1.00
   2 pineapple tidbits @1.19
   2 pasta sauce @1.49
   Bananas -.69
   1 jar pickles -1.79
   1 unsweetened Apple sauce -1.79
   1 W/W bread -2.00
   1 plum sauce -2.98
   1 cranberry cocktail -2.98
   1 jug water -5.49
   1 bagels -3.89
   2X4l milk @4.88
   2 breakfast sausage @4.99, 50% off both
   1 case pop -4.99
   1 grated Parmesan cheese -5.35
   Tax -.65
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00, discounts -$5.00
   Total Out Of Pocket: $57.87

   Foodland
   2 pizza sauce @.89
   2 Alcan foil @.99
   2 pineapple tidbits @1.19
   2 pasta sauce @1.49
   Bananas -.56
   1 bagels -1.99
   1 perogies -1.99
   1 bread crumbs -2.49
   1 frozen fries -2.79
   4 lbs butter @3.33, Stockpile
   1 raisin bread -3.49
   1 I e cream -3.99
   1 Royale paper towels -4.44, stockpile
   1 6pack Royale tissues -4.44, stockpile
   2 Royale TP @4.44
   1 4l milk -4.88
   1 yogurt -4.99
   1 country sausage -5.41, 50% off
   1 jug water -5.49
   1 case pop -5.99
   1 green pepper -1.94
   1 144 count Tetley tea -9.99
   Tax -3.34
   Total coupons -$0.00, Discounts -$7.71
   Total OOP -$96.82

   Points Overview (add any other sections you need to show us your savings)

   Total Grocery Budget for the Month: $650.00
   Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs $650.00
   Total Gift Cards used to date: $0.00

   Total Rewards Points redeemed this week: $0.00
   Total Rewards Points used to date: $0.00
   PC Points Plus Earned to date:0
   Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0.00

   Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)

   Snap Groupon to date: $3.00
   Zweet to date: $12.75, .25 milk this week
   Cart Smart to date: $0
   Checkout51 to date: $$5.50

   GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK (add any other sections you need to show expenses and savings)

   Stockpile budget 2015 ($25.00): $22.20 spent
   Stockpile budget used to date: $22.20
   Total coupons used this week: $0.00
   Total coupons used to date: $3.29
   Total in-store discounts this week: $7.71
   Total in-store discounts to date: $15.02
   Total spent this week: $132.49
   Total spent so far this month: $493.18
   Total over/Under spend this shop: $30.01 under
   Total over/Under spend for the month: $N/A
   Total left to spend for the month: $156.82
   Total Spent To Date 2015: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $493.18

   Weekly Overview (your final thoughts): Another week that I came in under for the week. The butter was a good price so I got more to park in the freezer for now. The tissues were stockpile as was the paper towels. I try to use rags and cloths for cleaning up but the paper towels are handy cleaning up messes that go straight to the garbage can. Looking good to make the month…

   Reply

   1. Hi Christine,
      Great deal on the tomato paste. Did you know you could freeze it? I’ve never bought that pizza sauce in the can before but it’s small from what I remember. Does it really taste different than making a pizza sauce with huge can of tomatoes and some herbs and spices? I’m curious what goes in that little can of expensiveness. Your family buys lots of beverages in your grocery budget but it was nice to see you found a great deal on the milk AND it was 1 litre not the new smaller versions for the same price. Have you seen them before? Good for you stocking up on butter might as well now because with our luck it will double in price soon. I need to find paper towel on sale soon… 🙂 Keep up the awesome work.. yay! Jan is over! You get ballot 27. Mr.CBB

      Reply

2. Name Your Store: i.e. Food Barn (Australia)
   Total Coupons Used: $0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $28.33

   Week 3- Jan 19-25, 2015

   Banana (.8 kg)= $2.71
   Cordial x2 @ $3.99=$7.98
   mixed nuts (500g)=$5.15
   smoked almonds (500) = $12.49

   Do the above for each receipt you have then copy the template below and paste it to the bottom of your shop so we can see your results.
   Points Overview (add any other sections you need to show us your savings)

   Total Grocery Budget for the Month: $216.67
   Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs $0
   Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
   Total Rewards Points redeemed this week: $0
   Total Rewards Points used to date: $0
   PC Points Plus Earned to date:0
   Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0

   Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)

   Snap Groupon to date: $0
   Zweet to date: $0
   Cart Smart to date: $0
   Checkout51 to date: $0

   GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK (add any other sections you need to show expenses and savings)

   Stockpile budget 2015 ($0.00): $0
   Stockpile budget used to date: $0
   Total coupons used this week: $0
   Total coupons used to date: $0
   Total in-store discounts this week: $0
   Total in-store discounts to date: $0
   Total spent this week: $28.33
   Total spent so far this month: $98.75
   Total over/Under spend this shop: $
   Total over/Under spend for the month: $117.92(under)
   Total left to spend for the month: $117.92
   Total Spent To Date 2015: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $98.75

   Weekly Overview (your final thoughts):

   2 bananas are expensive, but they are huge. As previously stated , our meals are included where we are staying for the next month, so this is just our ‘wants’. Trying to pick healthy snacks.Still eating these expensive nuts and cordial makes water taste better, when it isn’t really cold. Do I get a ballot Smile (i will be back in canada in May…ballots are not the reason I’m doing this, but it is the incentive…I’m competitive, that way)

   Reply

   1. Hi Kathryn,
      I love those smoked almonds you buy. Is that a must have on your grocery list? The first thing I thought when I saw your bananas was the price was high. I would love to see a photo of how huge they are. Is the taste ok though? Sometimes huge fruit amounts to crappy taste. Haha.. nuts make water taste better.. .omg I’m laughing out loud right now mate.. that’s too funny. I give ballots for a monthly prize of coupons. If you will be in Canada for May if you win I can send them once you get here if you are ok with that. 🙂 I think the incentive of being competitive is good. We all like to fight for something we can control especially when there is a prize of savings in our pocket in the end. Keep up the great work! You get ballot 23. Mr.CBB If you had another shop this month just remind me and I’ll give you ballots for them too.

      Reply

      1. The bananas did actually still taste good….but they were fat too. My husband and I usually shared one, at a time.
         The cordial, not the nuts, made the water taste good 🙂 Is cordial a big thing in the UK? When I was a kid we had a Watkins man (sold house to house, like Avon), and my mother always bought some cordial. I guess the closest think in Canada, would be the Crystal Lites water flavour concentrates.
         Almonds are because I am trying to get enough vitamin E in my diet. After we leave here, I assume we will still buy them, but maybe not as often
         . After cream is frozen, can it still be whipped when it thaws?

         Reply

3. Week 3 – January 19 to 25

   • Grocery budget to work with in January: $320
   • Total coupons used this week: $4
   • Total coupons used to date: $5
   • Total RCSS gas coupons used this week: $2.29
   • Total RCSS gas coupons used to date: $2.29
   • Total value PC Plus points redeemed this week: $20
   • Total value PC Plus points redeemed to date: $40
   • Total gift cards used this week: $0
   • Total gift cards used to date: $0
   • Total student discounts this week: $8.31
   • Total student discounts to date: $17.68
   • Total tax savings RCSS this week: 1.95
   • Total tax savings RCSS to date: 1.95
   • Total spent this week: $67.70
   • Total spent so far this month: $159.25
   • Total left to spend for the month: $160.75
   • Total Spent To Date 2015: $159.25

   RCSS: Salt reduced bacon 2.98 x 3 (PM), Pork back ribs 15.44 less discount 2.44: 21.94 less 20 PC Plus redeemed became 1.95 rounded up 1 cent

   RCSS: Motts apple sauce 2 x 2, Pepperidge Farm sweet crisp 2 – 2 FPC, NN Granola bar 1.77 x 2, Campbells cream of mushroom ready to eat 1.50 x 2, Unico Vegetable oil 3.99 (PM), Unico sliced black olives .99 x 3 (PM), 2 kg Kraft peanut butter 6.97 (PM), whole waterchestnuts .59, Yoplait yogurt tubes 2 (PM), eggs 1.99 (PM), 1% milk 3.97, cauliflower 1.98, organic bosc pears 4.98, dole classic salad mix .99 (PM), bananas .94, red peppers 1.43 (PM), grape tomatoes 1.88 (PM), organic kiwi 1 lb 2.48, stewing beef 12.80, less student discount 5.87: 55.05 rounded up, returned item for 2: total 53.05

   RCSS: Pepperidge Farm sweet crisp 2 – 2 FPC, Downy ultra free 5.99 (PM), Bounce sheets free 5.99 (PM) No name chips 1 x 3 (PM), less superbucks .89 .79 and .61, less tax for tax free day 1.95: 12.70 rounded up 1 cent

   We’re still ahead for the month by half the budget, and trying to stay there as much as possible. We had a couple of stock up items, a couple of FPCs which added to the total. Stock up came from olives, soup, downy and bounce. Tax free day was an incentive to PM a couple of laundry items and get without HST. We has been saving superbucks RCSS gas coupons since we had been buying gas in Canada again. Can’t afford the exchange rate to US and we aren’t going over often at all, when we need bread (in a couple of weeks). Chips were a weakness and a treat. I’m ok with 3.00 total with price match and no tax. That way we won’t feel too deprived of some favourites, that always gets us to a breaking point at some point and then we just cave. So, small doses this time around. We were doing our best not to buy meat, but a great deal on the bacon, ribs and stewing beef. We will be happy to have those. Schneiders bacon at 2.98 is a rarity these days. Redeeming PC Plus points helped reduce the impact. A big week for us, likely the biggest all month. Looking forward to a leaner week this week. Hoping to just focus on fruits and veg. We’ve had to spend more on basics than we wanted to this month.

   Reply

   1. Hi Angela
      That’s a good sign when you have half your budget left for the month when it’s half over. I am big on fabric softener so I”m always on the lookout for it. I never thought to stock up on no tax event days. When we run out I’m going to do that. That’s ok to have a weakness as long as it doesn’t fill your shopping cart. I’ve seen people pushing around carts full of junk. I think we have one big week every month and that keeps us going. Meat is always the big hitter to our budget. Have you ever thought of getting a meat order like Jen does? She says it’s a great deal. You get ballot 21. Mr.CBB

      Reply

      1. I haven’t really thought about doing a meat order. It takes too much of a chunk of money at once with a very squeezed budget. If we gave up meat for a month, and set aside that money we would have spent, then perhaps it’s possible. I am currently hanging on to a gift certificate I got last summer for a butcher, it’s only $20, but it could mean a couple of ground beef packages. I do plan on using that up in February.

         Reply

4. Jan 16-29, 2015
   Name Your Store: Superstore
   Total Coupons Used: $2.00
   Total Points = 0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $67.59

   Human
   2 Cartons Eggs – 2/$5.00 = $5.00
   4L Skim Milk = $3.97
   2 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables – 2.00 = $4.00
   Bananas – 1.995 kg @ $1.26/kg = $2.51
   6 Chicken Legs = $7.03
   3 Loaves WW Bread = $5.91
   Tresemme Shampoo & Conditioner – (2-$1.00 Coupon) = $5.96

   Cats
   6 Can Friskies – $0.79 (PM Food Basics) = $3.48
   10.9 kg bag Whiskers Cat Food = $24.99

   Name Your Store: Superstore
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 1400
   Total Out Of Pocket: $47.21

   Human
   2 Cans of NN Mushrooms – (400 PC Plus Points) = $2.38
   3 Cans of NN Tuna – (600 PC Plus Points) = $3.51
   12 Cans of Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup = $8.69
   4 Unico Pasta – $2.39 (PM Zehrs) = $5.00
   3 Boxes of Kraft Dinner = $3.00
   4 Jars of Ragu Spaghetti Sauce – $2.19 (PM Zehrs) = $5.00
   4L Skim Milk = $3.97
   2 Blocks of Black Diamond Cheese – $6.99 (PM Freshco) = $7.96
   Bananas – 1.92 kg @ $1.26/kg (400 PC Plus Points) = $2.42
   2 Packs of NN Hot Dogs – $3.54
   Panini Rolls – $2.48 (30% Pink Sticker) = $1.74

   Cats
   No Shop

   Grocery Game Challenge Results
   Total Grocery Budget for the Human Year ($2080.00, for the pay period – $80.00)
   Total Grocery Budget for the Cat Year ($390, for the pay period – $15.00)

   Total Coupons Used this 2 Week Period: $2.00
   Total Coupons Used To Date: $2.00
   Total Discounts/SCOP this 2 Week Period: $0.00
   Total Checkout 51 rebates this 2 Week Period: $0.00
   Total Checkout 51 rebates to Date: $7.50
   Total Snap rebates this 2 Week Period: $0.00
   Total Snap rebates to Date: $1.00
   Total Gift Cards Given Used this 2 Week Period: $0.00
   Total PC Points Received this 2 Week Period: 1400
   Total PC Rewards Points Used this 2 Week Period:
   Total PC Rewards To Date: 26890

   Total Over/Under spend this Human shop: $2.62 over
   Total Over/Under spend for the Human month: $N/A
   Total Left to Spend for the Human Month: $53.04
   Total Spent To Date – Human: Jan $69.59+$34.74+35.42+47.21 ; Feb $ ; Mar $ ; Apr $ ; May $ ; Jun $ ; Jul $ ; Aug $ ; Sept $ ; Oct $ ; Nov $ ; Dec $ = $186.96

   Total Over/Under spend this Cat shop: $17.17 over
   Total Over/Under spend for the Cat month: $1.67 over
   Total Left to Spend for the Cat Month: $1.67 reduction to next month’s budget
   Total Spent To Date – Cat: Jan $3.22+11.28+32.17+0 ; Feb $ ; Mar $ ; Apr $ ; May $ ; Jun $ ; Jul $ ; Aug $ ; Sept $ ; Oct $ ; Nov $ ; Dec $ = $46.67

   Overview: 1st week – This week was a good week. I was way over on the cat’s budget but their hard food will last about 2 months so all is good there. Definitely needed more food that what I can afford but money only goes so far so we’ll have to make due. 2nd Week – This week, I’m attempting a meal plan for dinners and based our groceries on that plan. I’ll have to see how that goes for future shopping trips. We used quite a bit of the stock pile that we had so this week was attempting to replenish what I could. I wish I had 1 week of unlimited money and could really stock up on the food that we would eat, but that’s only a dream.

   Reply

   1. Hi Dee,
      That’s what I like to hear.. ” a good week”.. yay!! I want to try and find some chicken pieces so I can make a pot of soup this week if I can. Yes money does go only so far but with some good planning you can stretch it. Wouldn’t that be nice to win some money to spend on groceries. My wife won an online contest once $250 in PC gift cards. It was a nice boost to the grocery budget. Do you ever enter contests? You get ballot 20. Mr.CBB

      Reply

      1. I enter contests from time to time but so far I haven’t won anything yet.

         Reply

         1. You never know… she was shocked!

            Reply

5. This is an old house I have my suspicions about the condition of the foundation given how many uninvited critters we get in here. I get the lidded pails from the grocery store, they sell them once empty…maybe $1.00 each. I passed the freaking out stage years ago, now I just want them dead and gone… The boys help out with the catch and kill. More big feet to stomp on them…
   Right now the sunflower seed for the birds is in a lidded pail, the Niger seed is in a recycled peanut butter jar and the suet bars are in a coffee container, it holds 4 just nicely!!
   I recycle glass jars for the pantry, they wash up nicely and have a bit of a rubber seal under the lid.
   Give Little CBB a few years and he will delight in stomping on those bugs for Mommy!!

   Reply

6. We had some moth critters get in ages ago from some bird seed. The bird seed was on sale and hubby thought it would be a great idea for the feeders here. Nasty little beasties found their way to the pantry. The larvae get into the food and the adult moths fly around the kitchen. I took everything out of the pantry, shelf by shelf, inspected and washed the shelves down good. The adults were on the ceiling out of reach for killing and kept getting back in. I was checking the pantry a few times a day with a flashlight and tissues to get those buggers and kill them. They would hide on the underside of the shelves back in the corners. If we saw the moths flying around we caught and killed them. It took the better part of a month to get all of them. Constant watching, checking and squishing……
   Being in a very old house, we get ants every summer. I wipe down honey and syrup bottles every time I use them so there is nothing to attract them. I try very hard to keep things clean so they go elsewhere. As the ants get in so do other critters, spiders, and such. Worst are those centapedes…oh those are nasty!!!! I call one of the boys to get them for me, hubby is worse than useless there. He catches it and plays with the bug while yammering on about how harmless they are…..I….Don’t…Care… Just get rid of it!! NOW!!!!
   The older boy is in charge of the mouse traps in the basement as the cats are not allowed down there. If the mouse is stupid enough to come upstairs the cats will deal with it, serves it right. We also have a trap for the odd squirrel that gets into the attic, it gets released as far away as possible. I know that you are supposed to release within a mile of where it’s caught……they can stuff that one!!! Rotten little bugger will beat you home if it is let go that close to home…..
   Whether it is bugs or other nasty critter, it needs to be removed as they can cause damage to the house itself as well as your food.
   I keep food in the pantry in hard plastic containers like the ones you can sometimes get from the deli counter at the grocery store, or in glass. Recycled pickle jars are nice for those small packages!! I don’t buy too much ahead in things like pasta and cereal now….hopefully just enough to get me from one sale to the next. Bird seed for the feeders goes in those containers too these days and we don’t buy much at a time anymore. The big bags might be cheaper to buy but they are not worth the trouble they can bring with them…

   Reply

   1. Hi Christine,
      Wow that sounds like one heck of a mess. I’m going to seal up my bird seed now you have me worried. My wife is just like you.. freaks out. They are harmless. I’m going to see if I can find more plastic containers now for food in the pantry. I just don’t want to deal with the things I researched and just experienced AGAIN.

      Reply

7. As a country girl, we always had to inspect spaghetti boxes or cracker packages.

   Reply

8. Mrs CBB, it sounds like we have another item in common…no insects, snakes or other creepy items for me either!!!! Hubby is the great white hunter of spiders at our house too. I scream, he knows I am frozen to the spot waiting for him to rescue me! He’s not happy when it happens in the wee small hours though. LOL A garden snake brought out a blood curdling scream from the depths of my soul but when hubby wasn’t fast enough coming on the run…I did it a 2nd time! The neighbors must have thought I was being killed! LOL 🙂 So much for walking barefoot in the back yard grass!

   Reply

9. Oh yuck I am with your wife on this one hate bugs! I am so observant when it come to packets they are always inspected! Heard too many stories from my sister as she use to work in a superstore and would see these all the time! Guess what she never shopped there!

   Reply

   1. Yes she throws a wobbler whenever she sees one even in the middle of the night.

      Reply

10. I no longer keep a stockpile anymore. I have learned that in my home the food just goes to waste. There are too many hungry people in this world to waste food. Honestly I had a visitor that stayed at my home for a few days and I was kinda embarrassed that my shelves were not fully stocked. I found myself explaining to her that I do meal planning and only purchase what I need for me and my daughter to eat bi-weekly. I look back now and realize how silly that was for me too feel house poor because my pantry was not overflowing. What was I thinking?

    Reply

    1. I agree with you that there are too many starving people. Don’t be embarrassed if your shelves are bare and you shouldn’t have to explain. I never gave much thought to that. We have friends that don’t keep much in the house and shop a few times a week just like I did when I lived in the UK. Did your guest say anything to you?

       Reply

11. I remember a few years back, I was cooking some porridge, and some bugs floated to the top. I looked at my canister (it was clear glass) bottom, and I could see them. Now, every time I cook porridge, I look at the bottom.

    I have only ever had to throw away food twice because of bug.
    A box of macaroni, and the oatmeal.
    I think they came home infested…because nothing else was affected.

    So not bad after 37 years.

    Reply

    1. It pays to look before you cook!! Hey I like that… I think you did good after 37 years!! How often do you clean your cupboards?

       Reply

       1. not often (hanging my head in shame)…I would wipe up an obvious spill…that’s it.
          No one would ever call me a compulsive cleaner.

          Reply

          1. We are planning on cleaning cupboards out more than we have now. We were thinking every 2 months… is that unrealistic?

             Reply

12. JANUARY – Week #3 of 4- Jan 19-25, 2015

    2015 GROCERY BUDGET / STOCKPILE BUDGET AND US RESERVE:

    •Total Grocery Budgeted For Year: $190 x 12 = $2,280.00 for 2 adults

    ================================================================================================

    REMARKS FOR THE WEEK:

    This is a REALLY tight month for us BUT I can make it work in combination with February’s reduced spending. I know I’ll be over this month but I am trying desperately to hold it to a very dull roar!

    Here’s the list I have for this week:

    GGC #3 (Jan 19-25): 1 x 4L Skim Milk

    I have decided that this year I am going to show the redemption of points in my summary BUT they will not serve to increase the cash reconciliation of our grocery funds spent. I am strictly balancing the cash funds that we budgeted for groceries that month.

    I feel mixing the cash/cheques used in grocery purchases with points redemptions is like mixing apples and oranges. This year, I want to be able to see exactly how much of the $2,280.00 annual budgeted cash was used to:

    – purchase groceries
    – saved in our various reserves for future purchases
    – saved in the US budget for our next cross border shop
    – what if any cash remains unused at year end

    If the cash remaining at year-end is at least as many $’s as the value of the points redeemed…clearly the 2015 budget is functioning as intended. 🙂

    Last year, mixing the apples and oranges muddied the waters and made it difficult for me to both see & explain exactly how our budgeted funds had succeeded. This ought to paint a clearer picture.

    The meal plan for our week 4 has been modified to work only with EXACTLY what I have on hand. The stomach bug that I have been fighting is both reducing what I eat and it is also changing what I am eating. It’s actually having a beneficial effect on our budget though because the dishes that I am making are going further! 🙂

    Week 3 will have 4 new soup/stews: Split Pea with Ham that I made yesterday, a half batch of Peasant Cabbage & Tomato Soup, a Beans, Greens and Vegetable Soup to use up some spinach plus a batch of my modified version of Donna Pierce’s Cowboy Bacon Beans. This week I need to reduce the spicing in everything we make though for the sake of my already tender system. Our week 4 will be all about leftovers! I love those weeks…leftovers are a girl’s best friend IMHO. Our revised grocery list for week 4, to go with all those leftovers, will now be:

    GGC #4 (Jan 26-Feb 1): a dozen or so multigrain rolls for hubby (approx $3)

    Check out what we actually ended up buying this week to see if we stayed on track this week!

    ================================================================================================

    OUR “CANADIAN” SHOPPING THIS WEEK:

    Save On Foods– Maple Ridge –

    1 x 4L Skim Milk $0.00 << 3,100 MORE Points Redeemed

    •Total OOP: $0.00

    • Grocery Budget OOP: $0.00

    ** Earned 0 MORE Points on this shop **
    ** USED $0.00 in Rain Check Coupons **
    ** SAVED $0.00 Loyalty Savings on this shop **

    ================================================================================================

    OUR “US RESERVE” SHOPPING THIS WEEK:

    NO USA SHOPS UNTIL Feb 9th!

    ================================================================================================

    2015 Y-T-D GROCERY SAVINGS:

    •Total Loyalty Card Price Reductions This Year:

    Jan $0.00= $0.00

    •Total Coupons/Rain Checks Used This Year:

    Jan $0.00 = 0.00

    •Total Price Match Savings Used This Year:

    Jan $0.00= $0.00

    •Total More Points Earned This Year:

    Jan 22= 22 Points

    •Total Air Miles Earned This Year:

    Jan 0= 0 Air Miles

    •Total PC PLUS Points Earned This Year:

    Jan 1200= 1200 Points

    •Total Optimum Points Earned This Year:

    Jan 30= 30 Points

    ================================================================================================

    2015 Y-T-D GROCERY SPENDING:

    •Total OOP Year-To-Date:
    Jan ($12.50 trf to borscht+$22.50 to Re-Stocking+$10.00 Xmas Reserve+$10.00 to Summer+$60.00 trf to US Reserve+$18.35+$3.88+$3.88+$3.98+$17.98+$2.79+$25.94 = $186.80)= $191.80

    •Total Year-To-Date Grocery Budget:
    Jan $190.00= $190.00

    •Total Over/Under on Year-To-Date Grocery Budget: ($1.80) OVER

    ================================================================================================

    2015 RE-STOCKING RESERVE:

    2014 Fwd $325.00+Jan $22.50= $347.50 AVAILABLE

    ================================================================================================

    2015 Y-T-D BORSCHT RESERVE:

    2014 Fwd $412.50+Jan $12.50= $425.00 AVAILABLE

    ================================================================================================

    2015 Y-T-D HOLIDAY SEASON RESERVE:

    2014 Fwd $110.00+Jan $10.00= $120.00 AVAILABLE

    ================================================================================================

    2015 Y-T-D SUMMER RESERVE:

    2014 Fwd $90.00+Jan $10.00= $100.00 AVAILABLE

    ================================================================================================

    • TOTAL CASH SPENT Y-T-D:

    $178.33 Grocery Budget
    $ 0.02 Hiding Spot Cash
    $ 13.45 2014 Costco Rebate Chq

    $191.80

    • VALUE POINTS REDEEMED Y-T-D:

    $ 4.98 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Points

    $190.00 has been budgeted Y-T-D for ‘2015 but we have recorded these funds as “spent” but in fact they have been “saved”:

    $347.50 Freezer Re-Stocking Fund
    $425.00 Borscht Fund
    $120.00 Holiday Season Fund
    $100.00 Summer Season Fund

    TOTAL UNUSED RESERVES $992.50 … that is a $937.50 carry-forward from 2013 & 2014 and $55.00 in NEW 2015 savings Y-T-D.

    This means that with $190.00 to start the month less $55.00 for the various reserves, & $60.00 for US grocery budget, we opened the month of JANUARY with $75 available, but then we actually spent $76.80 and we created an overage of $1.80 in our CANADIAN budgeted grocery funds to carry forward into February. 🙁

    We also have groceries that have been purchased using points redemption(s), rather than the budgeted cash, in the amount of $4.98. If our budget is truly sufficient, when we reach December 31st, those funds should still be available in the form of unused cash. It’ll be interesting to see if they actually are.

    Note: We also have another reserve of $173.07 AVAILABLE for our next US shop – currently scheduled for February 9th!

    ================================================================================================

    REMAINING GROCERY FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR JANUARY:

    CANADIAN $’s

    Groceries: ($1.80)

    US $’s

    Our Reserve: $79.07
    US Cash Hiding Spot: $94.00

    Total US Grocery Available $173.07

    ================================================================================================

    The valid rain checks I hold are as follows:

    Safeway

    Broccoli Florets @ $1.99/lb – Good until Apr 7/15

    ================================================================================================

    Reply

    1. Hi Mary,
       I understand where you are coming from with the points and how you are wanting to see the actual numbers. I look forward to seeing that data as well. It’s not often we take the time to break down expenses as far as you are so I’m excited to find out just how well your year will turn out. I’m pretty sure it will be great but not without plenty of planning and hard work which you always seem to put into your finances.
       I really wanted to see just how much we were redeeming in points and using towards our groceries which I’m hoping to see at the end of this year.

       I miss Donna have you heard from her? Also I hope Beth is doing well, thinking of her as well.
       Do you have a recipe for your cabbage tomato soup please?

       You get ballot 13. Mr.CBB 🙂

       Reply

       1. Mr CBB, I have an original recipe on:

          http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.ca/2007/02/quick-soup-peasant-cabbage-tomato-soup.html

          that I used as a starting point originally for inspiration BUT…I always play with what goes into the soup to suit what I have in my pantry and what jumps out at me and sounds good. The soup is seldom the same twice! 🙂

          This morning, I jazzed the recipe as follows:

          1/2 green chopped up green cabbage
          28 oz can of diced tomatoes
          1 tbsp brown sugar (to smooth out the acidity)
          2/3 cup brown rice
          32 oz of Heinz low salt tomato juice
          32 oz. low sodium vegetable stock

          I skipped adding in the couple of diced onions & tobasco sauce this time since I am recovering from the flu and my tummy would not handle hot n spicy well. Hubby can hit his soup with hot sauce if he wants it. 🙂

          Reply

          1. P.S. I had a Christmas card from Donna but haven’t heard anything since. I assume Beth Anne is in the early stages of grieving and it will be a while before we hear from her.

             Reply

             1. Thanks for letting me know Mary. 🙂

          2. This sounds dead easy to make. I want to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe here for me Mary.

             Reply

13. So far (knock on wood), I haven’t been infested but I grew up with having flour in the freezer, for that exact reason. My mom was big on Tupperware products and many of the products that she would buy ended in a container for future use (without the bugs).

    BTW, I received my Nielsen hand scanner last night and after reading how to use the machine and such, even my daughter is excited to use it.

    Reply

    1. I’m thinking I might put our flour in the freezer as well too. I put bay leaves in the bag though. Great news that you got your scanner!! Make sure to share the post with your friends and hook them up. Let me know how it goes… I love feedback.

       Reply

14. We’ve had mice in our house from time to time, but I’ve yet to find anything hiding in our flour. We just keep the flour in the original bag, so if we did have a problem, it would be pretty easy to upgrade our system! Hope the pests stay away from now on because that’s gross!

    Reply

    1. It’s amazing how those critters can get through the smallest cracks or when people leave their garage doors open in the summer… bam in they go!!

       Reply

15. I learned years ago to keep bay leaves in my dry goods after 2 similar experiences, one with weevils and one with a colony of ants and all their relatives! Now I keep small amounts in hard containers and keep larger quantities in the upright freezer which is handy to my kitchen. I absolutely hate throwing food away, shades of our years of rations in the UK before emigration to Canada.

    Reply

    1. Interesting about the Bay Leaves and now I have them in our products too now. We actually have a bay leaf plant growing in the house. I hate throwing food away too. It was heartbreaking to do but it had to be done. I think I might do what you do. What kind of containers do you suggest to buy?

       Reply

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