How to find Love at the Grocery Store: The Grocery Game Challenge #5 Mar 30-Apr 5, 2015

25 Comments

1. Hey Mr.CBB
   Yes that is 10lbs of bacon for $10!! It was expiring in two days and we had four cases to sell before we had to throw away. It is a low quality bacon, usually more fat than meat.
   Yes that is one of the more expensive places to buy milk. I have seen it for $6 before deposit and recycling fee!! Needless to say I have scoped out the stores to see what everyones prices are and will be using those $1 off 4L dairyland milk coupons that I have found in the inserts! We started her on milk just before her first bday when I was heading back to work because we used up all the breast milk we had in the freezer within the first few weeks of me working. Technically we should have wait till she was “full term” 13 months before trying but we tried and everything turned out okay.
   Sweet potatoes are her fav since the beginning and probably will always be so I always stock up when I see a sale. There is a pallet of them at work left over from easter so I am waiting for them to be marked down to stock up again.
   The palmolive coupons were from an insert awhile ago and thankfully I had six given to me just in time to take advantage of that awesome sale! Wish I had more of them to really really stock up but maybe there will be another awesome sale since another $1 coupon just came out.
   You guys may not have a Safeway there but your weekly sales beat us in prices!! Too bad no Walmarts here price match country wide any more let alone province wide. They just do local and even then you would have to being a flyer or your phone to price match.
   Juanita

   Reply

2. Our weekly budget is $125 making this month $625
   Sobeys
   $1.99 dzn eggs
   $3.99×2-$1Cx2 cb sliced cheese
   $1×10 campfire bacon – clearance
   $2.83×3 4L chocolate milk – clearance
   $1.32 2L pop
   $8.99×2-.75Cx2 907g cheese
   .65 tomato
   $42.14 total oop
   $3.50 total coupons
   Superstore
   $1.30 sweet potatox2
   $1.30 total oop
   Safeway
   $1.66×3-$3.50C crest toothpaste
   .50×10 frozen juice
   $1.50×10-$1Cx10 Palmolive dish soap
   $13.05 total oop
   $13.50 total coupons
   Shoppers
   $6.99×2-$3C folgers kcups
   $11 total oop
   $3 total coupons
   Co-op
   $3.99 cherry ice cream
   .98 stove top stuffing
   $2.79-$2coupgon dzn eggs
   $5.75 total oop
   $2 coupgon
   Save on foods
   $1.59×2 2lb organic carrots
   $7.21 sweet potatox6
   $10.40 total oop
   Walmart
   $1.27 mushrooms
   $2×2-.50Cx2 small international delight
   .50×23 frozen juice
   $3.47×2-.50C large international delight
   $1.27 green leave lettuce
   $2.97 cheese toast
   $5.40 4L homo milk
   $32.91 total oop
   $1.50 total coupons

   $116.55 weekly total oop
   $23.50 weekly total coupons
   $1688.68 yearly total oop
   $481.48 yearly total coupons

   Reply

   1. Hi Juanita,
      What is campfire bacon? Did you get 10lbs of bacon for $10? lol.. if so WOW! Eeek is homo milk really that expensive? I guess we should look since we will be buying it for our son soon. How old was your daughter when you transitioned to milk? Those sweet potatoes are pricey I know. Our son loves sweet potato so when I see them on sale I try and buy them in bulk and we puree and freeze. I still have to write that post too soon. Awesome price on the dishsoap too. Where did you get those coupons? wow.. i miss all the good stuff although we have no Safeway in Ontario. Well done this week! You get ballot 6. Mr.CBB

      Reply

3. Finally caught up on posting March. I am truly making myself become accountable.

   Week 5 – March 29 – April 4

   • Grocery budget to work with in March: $400 (Breaks down to $80 weekly, I classify March as a 5 week month)
   • Total coupons used this week: $.03 (bag credit)
   • Total coupons used to date: $22.50
   • Total RCSS gas coupons used this week: $0
   • Total RCSS gas coupons used to date: $5.37
   • Total value PC Plus points redeemed this week: $0
   • Total value PC Plus points redeemed to date: $90
   • Total gift cards/certificates/gifts used this week: $0
   • Total gift cards/certificates/gifts used to date: $38.76
   • Total student discounts this week: $2.25
   • Total student discounts to date: $68.76
   • Total tax savings RCSS this week: $0
   • Total tax savings RCSS to date: $4.25
   • Total spent this week: $64.05
   • Total spent so far this month: $370.85
   • Total left to spend for the month: $29.15
   • Weekly carry over: $15.95
   • Total in carry over jar: $213.05
   • Total Spent To Date 2015: $868.20

   Giant Tiger: Chicken strips 5.00 x 2, mushroom pieces and stems .77 x 2, frozen Italian meatballs 5.00 x 3, frozen chicken wings 5.00, frozen salmon (4 pce in a pack) 4.00 x 3, less bag credit .03: 43.50 rounded down 1 cent

   RCSS: Yogurt raisins 3.69, NN white vinegar 1.99, Hellmans mayo 2.97 (PM), grape tomatoes 3.98, carrots 3 lb 2.49, potatoes 10 lb 1.97 (PM), grapes 4.41 (PM), green onions .89, less student discount 2.25, tax .43: 20.55 rounded down 2 cents

   We ended off the month with another addition to the carryover jar. A total of 29.15 went into that jar. It’s a good thing. Now that March is gone, our new budget takes effect. We have no idea if the reduced grocery will work, but we have to try. It was a lot of freezer stuff this week, lots of easier meals essentially with my last month of school being so busy with my charity project, exams and final assignments. Add to that hockey season is still another few weeks. So, it will be good to have. And so much cheaper than fast food of course. I do prefer to make things from scratch, but I will be able to get back to that in May. So, we start April fresh and new. And, hopefully with success.

   Reply

   1. I did my totals a little quickly to get caught up this month. I took a closer look. The number that is off is the carry over jar. At the end of March it has $191.80 in it. Not sure where I came up with that other number, however, my spreadsheets have it correct and my jar actually has that amount! Nothing has been used out of it yet, next month is when things get tricky now that our budget is down to $50 a week for the three of us (including toiletries and paper products). I must say I’m nervous. 6 years ago when we were on a $30 weekly budget we ate well and my son was almost 4. Food costs more and our son eats more.

      Reply

      1. Good thing you found out the right numbers. We’ve made errors in the past too, it happens. I look forward to your new shop amounts and you know what, I know you can do it!! Keep the faith and shop like a pro. You have the skills and knowledge how to make money stretch in the food budget. 🙂 We’re all here for support.

         Reply

   2. Hi Angela,
      Be optimistic and your new grocery budget will work. Plan as much as you can the meals and stretch the dollars. Homemade is always better tasting and just better for us. Sometimes convenience works better for certain situations but too much of that and you can easily see it wipe out a big part of the budget. Buy what you need and can get by on that provides a nutritional balance of foods. Anything more and the tight budget might be compromised. You can do this!! You get ballot. 3. Mr.CBB

      Reply

4. Yearly grocery budget for four adults and two cats -$7800.00
   (The above total does not include the stockpile budget of $240 per year or $25 per month
   Foodland #1
   3 lbs carrots -2.69
   1 hot cross buns -2.99
   2 raisin bread @2.99, $1.00 WUB2 coupon
   3 Palmolive dish soap @3.29, 3×1.00 coupons
   1 yogurt -3.49
   1 bagels -3.99
   2 blocks cheese @3.99
   2 4l milk @4.88
   1 jug water -5.49
   1 lean ground beef -6.10
   Tax -1.76
   Total OOP -$59.78

   Foodland #2
   Bananas -1.42
   1 pickles -1.79
   2 raisins @2.29
   1-18 count eggs -2.99
   1 yogurt -3.49, 1.00 coupon
   1 Cheerios -4.49
   2 4l milk @4.88
   1 case ginger ale -4.99
   1 package fresh sage -1.67
   1 jug water -5.49
   Tax -.65
   Total OOP -$45.42

   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+$87.24(Jan and Feb under by this)
   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: 6250
   Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0
   Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)
   Snap Groupon to date: $3.00
   Zweet to date: $19.00
   Cart Smart to date: $0
   Checkout51 to date: $17.50
   GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK (add any other sections you need to show expenses and savings)
   Total to spend this month $650.00+$87.24(Jan&Feb)=$737.24
   Stockpile budget 2015 ($25.00): (Jan/Feb) $46.70+(Mar)$22.18=$68.88
   Stockpile budget used this month: $22.18
   Total coupons used this week: $5.00
   Total coupons used to date: $22.79
   Total in-store discounts this week: $0
   Total in-store discounts to date: $32.97
   Total spent this week: $105.20
   Total spent so far this month: $786.52
   Total over/Under spend this shop: $over
   Total over/Under spend for the month: $149.28 over for month
   Total left to spend for the month: -$149.28
   Total Spent To Date 2015: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $640.13+Feb $572.63+ Mar $786.52+ Apr$
   Weekly Overview (your final thoughts): this month stunk big time. It’s going to take some work to get back in line. Getting this and that for Easter didn’t help nor did two trips to No Frills this month. I did manage to get some extra rebates from Zweet and CO 51 on Easter goodies. Lately I haven’t been finding the discounts on meat like I was but I keep looking. I grabbed some dish soap I needed anyway, it was ‘t on sale but I had coupons for it. I have to work off almost $150.00 in overage from March. It won’t be easy but I will be working on it, might take a couple of months…

   Reply

   1. Hi Christine.
      I’m wondering if you should look at all the holidays that you buy big meals for every year and estimate the costs of those meals and if it’s $400 for example do a projected savings for them in the budget that way you don’t have to make up for overage? Just a thought. Yay, you got discounts from online apps!! So many people don’t know about them and that’s wasted money. I’ve gotten some great rebates using the apps. I find meat to be hit or miss. I did score a great price on pork mince this week as you will see. The reg price was over $8.00 which is crazy. I am better off buying a full pork roast. Good luck with your overage.. that’s going to be a challenge.I want to see how you handle it and feedback from you about the overage and how it affected your budget until it was caught up. You can do it!!! You get ballot 28. Mr.CBB

      Reply

      1. I have found half price deals on the ground pork here too, just not lately. I get pre-packaged 1 pound packs that run $4.49-$4.99 each regular. That is for pork, chicken and turkey. I bought that pack of lean ground beef and broke it I to 2 smaller packs for sauce. I still have one pack of chopped mushrooms in the freezer from a half price sticker. Foodland tends to keep the reduced goodies in with the regular so I have to look over the entire produce or meat counters to find the deals but I do look over both…very carefully. We enjoy the turkey and I have to laugh…the store brand runs $4.99 a pack but I can get a local brand, Hayter, for $4.49!! I watch for sales for the holidays turkeys and get quite a few meals out of each one. The last few years I’ve been able to buy ahead some, getting my Thanksgiving bird in Oct with sales and grabbing a second one for Christmas as the sales in Oct. seem to be the best, then I use my turkey bucks from Foodland to buy my Easter turkey for cheap…

         Reply

5. Mar 27 – Apr 9, 2015
   Name Your Store: Zehrs
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $5.00

   Human
   2 – 2kg Sugar – 2/$5.00 = $5.00

   Name Your Store: Superstore
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 1400
   Total Out Of Pocket: $39.13

   Human
   Minute Brown Rice = $3.29
   Tidbit Pineapple = $1.44
   Ketchup = $1.48
   2 NN Mushrooms – $1.00 (400 PC Points) = $2.00
   NN Mustard = $1.89
   Cheerios = $3.98
   Ragu Spaghettti Sauce = $1.00
   2 lb NN Margarine = $2.78
   460 g Cracker Barrell Marble Cheese = $3.98
   Bananas – 1.730 kg @ $1.26/kg (400 PC Points) = $2.18
   2 Green Pepper – 0.410 kg @ $5.00/kg = $2.05

   Cats
   18 kg NN Cat Litter – (600 PC Points) = $7.98
   2 – 368 g Friskies Cat Food – $1.29 = $2.58
   2 – 156 g Friskies Cat Food – 2/$1.00 = $1.00

   Name Your Store: Zehrs
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $19.95 (Stockpile)

   Human
   3 – 460 g Cheese – Reg $8.99; Sale – $3.99 = $11.97
   Gay Lea – 454 g Butter – Reg $5.29; Sale $3.99 = $3.99
   Neilson – 454 g Butter – Reg $5.79; Sale $3.99 = $3.99

   Name Your Store: Wal-mart
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $20.15 (Stockpile)

   Human
   9 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.67 = $6.03
   4 – 454 g Butter – $2.87 = $11.48
   Eggs = $2.67

   Name Your Store: Zehrs
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points =
   Total Out Of Pocket: $31.92 (Stockpile)

   Human
   8 – 460 g Cheese – Reg $8.99; Sale – $3.99 = $31.92

   Name Your Store: Superstore
   Total Coupons Used: $0.00
   Total Points = 8400
   Total Out Of Pocket: $52.01

   Human
   Smuckers Jam = $2.98
   2 Primo Spaghetti Sauce – $1.79 = $3.58
   Soya Sauce = $1.28
   NN Peanut Butter = $3.97
   2 NN Mushrooms – $1.00 = $2.00
   2 NN Tuna – $1.17 (400 PC Points) = $2.34
   3 L Vegetable Oil = $4.98
   4 L Skim Milk = $3.97
   5 Pillsbury Crescant Rolls – $1.97 (PM No Frills @ $0.97) (800 PC Points) = $4.85
   NN Crinkle Fries = $1.99
   2 Frozen Vegetables – $2.78 (PM No Frills @ $1.77) = $3.54
   Bananas – 2.39 kg @ $1.26 kg (600 PC Points) = $3.01
   2 Pads – 2/$7.00 (1200 PC Points) = $7.00
   Deodarant = $2.48
   Conditioner – $3.77 (PM Walmart @ 2.98) = $2.98

   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: $0.00
   Total Coupons Used To Date: $9.00
   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: $10.00
   Total Snap rebates this 2 Week Period: $0.00
   Total Snap rebates to Date: $1.00
   Total Price Match for this 2 Week Period: $7.81
   Total Price Match to Date: $139.64
   Total Adhoc Stockpile this 2 Week Period: $72.02
   Total Adhoc Stockpile to Date: $111.97
   Total PC Points Received this 2 Week Period: 9800
   Total PC Rewards Points Used this 2 Week Period: N/A
   Total PC Rewards To Date: 26950

   Total Over/Under spend this Human shop: $12.01 over
   Total Over/Under spend for the Human month: $N/A
   Total Left to Spend for the Human Month: $0.19 Over
   Total Spent To Date – Human: Jan $69.59+$34.74+35.42+47.21+47.89+24.54; Feb $32.86+39.96+32.86; Mar $26.70+0.80+50.41+5.00+26.07+52.01 ; Apr $ ; May $ ; Jun $ ; Jul $ ; Aug $ ; Sept $ ; Oct $ ; Nov $ ; Dec $ = $563.43

   Total Over/Under spend this Cat shop: $1.94 under
   Total Over/Under spend for the Cat month: $N/A
   Total Left to Spend for the Cat Month: $.90
   Total Spent To Date – Cat: Jan $3.22+11.28+32.17+0+0.98 ; Feb $12.50+$0.00+9.58+4.59 ; Mar $16.04+0+13.06 ; Apr $ ; May $ ; Jun $ ; Jul $ ; Aug $ ; Sept $ ; Oct $ ; Nov $ ; Dec $ = $103.42

   Overview: 1st week – Quiet week on the home front….didn’t find any deals to price match this week but I managed to stay under budget.
   Overview: 2nd Week – Another quiet week on the home front but I found a few deals that I was able to price match against but I definitely used my Market Income to score some sweet deals on cheese and butter. I went over a little bit during this pay period but it will be no time in fixing that next grocery day.

   Reply

   1. Hi Dee,
      You might not have PM’d much but you did pick up some great deals on the mushrooms, cheese and bananas with those PC points, just to name a few items. I find that if coupons aren’t available if we watch those PC points we can get just as good of a deal as other stores. Great job with this shop. You won’t be short on cheese for a while. We buy it in bulk like you do too!! It lasts long in the refrigerator. You get ballot 26. Mr.CBB

      Reply

6. Name Your Store: i.e. IGA (Australia)
   Total Coupons Used: $0
   Total Out Of Pocket: $68.54
   Week 10- 23-29 March, 2015
   3L milk- $3.00
   2L strawberry milk $5.99 (reduced)- $3.99
   600 ml cream- $2.30
   500g salt- $0.89
   500g icing sugar- $1.54
   200g tzatziki dip $2.79 (reduced)-$0.99
   1 kg basa fish fillets- $6.98
   1 kg puff pastry sheets- $2.70
   250g strawberries- $2.99
   125g x 2 raspberries $6.98 (reduced)-$6.00
   mango-$2.49
   18g ground cinnamon- $0.99
   3L milk-$3.00
   750 ml sasparilla- $2.93
   750 ml ginger beer- $2.93
   1 kg flour-$0.75
   1 kg sultanas- $3.99
   175gr salt& vinegar chips $2.89 (reduced)- $1.49
   384 gr chia wraps $4.79 (reduced)-$2.99
   .8 kg green grapes =$2.41
   250 g strawberries- $2.99
   125g blueberries- $2.99
   .61g green peppers $2.56 (reduced)-$1.75
   .66g nectarines $4.66 (reduced)- $2.89
   half cantaloupe-$1.99 (reduced)-$1.59
   .376g yellow pepper $3.76 (reduced)-$0.99

   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 (averages $50 week)
   Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs :284.59.

   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: $4.78 (23-29 mar)+$8.95=$13.73
   Total in-store discounts to date: $48.81 +$3.28=52.09+4.78=56.87 (23-29 mar)+8.95=$65.82
   Total spent this week: $34.85+33.69=68.54
   Total spent so far this month: $85.62+23.20=108.82+$75.45 (16-22 march)=$184.27 +34.85+33.69=$252.81
   Total over/Under spend this shop: $
   Total over/Under spend for the month: $131.05(under)-$23.20=$107.85 (under)=(09-15 mar)-$75.45 (16-22 March)=$32.40 (under)-34.85=$2.45 (over)..(23-29 mar)-$33.69=$ 36.41(over).
   Total left to spend for the month: $286.61+131.05=$417.66 –23.20=$394.46(09-15 march)-$75.45( 16-22 March)=$319.01-$34.85=$284.16 (23-29 mar)-$33.69 (23-29 March)=$250.47
   Total Spent To Date 2015: (does not include stockpile budget) $332.35+23.20=$355.55 (09-15 march)=$431.00 (16-22 March)-+ $34.85=465.85+$33.69 (23-29 March)=$499.54

   Weekly Overview (your final thoughts):

   even with our limited pantry, I am pleased with the variety of meals we are able to create on a minimal budget.Still able to splurge on ridiculous prices for raspberries/strawberries..even when they are on sale.Went over budget $36.41, but it all averages out, so not concerned.

   Reply

   1. Hi Kathryn,
      By the looks of it you milk is comparable in price to Canada with 3L costing you $3 an in Canada you can get 4L for $3.99 which is great. I’ve never had strawberry milk before what is it like? Do you think that with a limited budget then a family could still eat healthy?
      I think you did fabulous with your shops this month. The deals you scored were great! I love all those reduced prices! I think if someone really wants to eat on a limited budget well they need to be organized, shop sales and reduced racks and it can be done.

      Keep up the awesome work Kathryn!
      You get ballot 25. Mr.CBB

      Reply

      1. In Nova Scotia, I have never seen 4L of milk lower than $5.99 (we have a milk quota in NS, which keeps the prices higher)…unless something has changed in the past 7 months 🙂 In Canada, I have never seen milk reduced, they just take it back.Here they will sometimes have amazing prices on all milk.Of course it only has a day before it expires.(still lasts about another 6 days)
         Strawberry milk is just like our chocolate milk..except they sell it in strawberry, banana and iced coffee flavours. It would be a great base to use as a milkshake…add ice cream and fruit.
         We sometimes use it in our coffee…for a sweeter different flavour.
         Your budget is very similar to ours Mr CBB, and you have a baby. I think as long as a family has the right attitude all families can eat healthy on a budget.. As they become experienced, they take advantage of pricing cycles, incentives,coupons,stocking up, reduced food, and sales. This lowers their unit cost.

         Reply

         1. Kathryn,

            Ontario also has a milk quota but the stores have milk as a lost leader. I’ve had strawberry milk and it’s not too bad in taste, except I think it’s too sweet. But then again, I only like milk that comes from a cow and the watered down crap that is sold in the stores.

            Reply

            1. I wish our stores in NS would sell them as a loss leader 🙂

7. MARCH – Week #5 of 5- March 30-April 5, 2015
   2015 GROCERY BUDGET / STOCKPILE BUDGET AND US RESERVE:
   •Total Grocery Budgeted For Year: $190.00 x 12 = $2,280.00 for 2 adults

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

   REMARKS FOR THE WEEK:
   I needed to get a 4L jug of milk this week using points so I am making an additional transfer to the Unused Reserve to offset our purchase.

   ($4.99) Unused Cdn Reserve – MAR

   Have I mentioned lately how much I love rain checks? This week we scored three, count them…3, rain checks on WW bread for 6 loaves each @ $1 a loaf for large loaves. Pretty sweet! That’s 18 loaves for $18.00!!

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

   OUR “CANADIAN” SHOPPING THIS WEEK:

   OUR NEXT SHOP WILL BE April 6th!

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

   OUR “US RESERVE” SHOPPING THIS WEEK:

   OUR NEXT USA SHOP WILL BE May 18th!

   ============================================================================================
   2015 Y-T-D GROCERY SAVINGS:

   •Total Loyalty Card Price Reductions This Year:
   Jan $3.58+ Feb $0.00 + Mar $14.54= $18.12

   •Total Coupons/Rain Checks Used This Year:
   Jan $0.00 + Feb $0.00 + Mar $0.0 = 0.00

   •Total Price Match Savings Used This Year:
   Jan $0.00 +Feb $0.00 + Mar $0.0= $0.00

   •Total More Points Earned This Year:
   Jan 22 + Feb 45 + Mar 140= 207 Points

   •Total Air Miles Earned This Year:
   Jan 0 + Feb 0 + Mar 1 = 1 Air Miles

   •Total PC PLUS Points Earned This Year:
   Jan 1200 + Feb 900 + Mar 900 = 3,000 Points

   •Total Optimum Points Earned This Year:
   Jan 30 + Feb 40 + Mar 0 = 70 Points

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

   2015 Y-T-D GROCERY SPENDING:

   •Total OOP Year-To-Date:
   Jan $199.31+ Feb ($180.69) + Mar ($12.50 trf to borscht+$17.50 to Re-Stocking+$10.00 Xmas Reserve+$15.00 to Summer+$50.00 trf to US Reserve+$20.51 trf to Unused Funds Reserve+$40.23+$3.69+$4.93+$7.98+$4.99 Trf to Unused Funds+$2.79+$15.88+$4.48+$57.34+$1.60 Trf to Unused Funds +$4.99 Trf to Unused Funds = $274.41 )= $654.41

   •Total Year-To-Date Grocery Budget:
   Jan $190.00+Feb $190.00 + Mar $190.00= $570.00

   •Total Over/Under on Year-To-Date Grocery Budget: ($84.41) OVER 🙁 That’s okay, I’ll straighten it out in April!
   ============================================================================================

   2015 UNUSED CANADIAN GROCERY RESERVE :
   2014 Fwd $0.00+Jan $0.00+Feb $3.83+ Mar ($32.09)= $35.92

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

   2015 RE-STOCKING RESERVE:
   2014 Fwd $325.00+Jan $22.50+Feb $22.50 + Mar $17.50= $387.50

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

   2015 Y-T-D BORSCHT RESERVE:
   2014 Fwd $412.50+Jan $12.50 + Feb $12.50 + Mar $12.50= $450.00

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

   2015 Y-T-D HOLIDAY SEASON RESERVE:
   2014 Fwd $110.00+Jan $10.00 +Feb $10.00+ Mar $10.00= $140.00

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

   2015 Y-T-D SUMMER RESERVE:
   2014 Fwd $90.00+Jan $10.00 + Feb $10.00 + Mar $15.00= $125.00

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

   • SUMMARY OF FUNDS Y-T-D:
   $ 570.00 Grocery Budget JAN-MARCH
   $ 35.92 Redeemed Points to Purchase Groceries
   ($ 0.02) Hiding Spot Cash – SPENT
   ($ 13.45) 2014 Costco Rebate Chq – SPENT
   ($165.00) Trf to Misc Reserves (Re-Stocking, Borscht, Xmas, Summer)
   ($170.00) Trf to US Grocery Reserve
   ($ 35.92) Set in a reserve to offset Redeemed Points
   ($ 305.94) Actual CASH SPENT

   ($ 84.41) SPENDING OVERAGE

   • VALUE POINTS REDEEMED Y-T-D:

   $ 4.98 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – JAN
   $ 4.69 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – FEB
   $ 4.69 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – FEB
   $ 4.99 Whole Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – MAR
   $ 4.99 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – MAR
   $ 4.99 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – MAR
   $ 1.60 Sprouts- 1,000 MORE Pts – MAR
   $ 4.99 Skim Milk- 3,100 MORE Pts – MAR

   $ 35.92 Total $ Value of Points Redeemed

   So far $570.00 has been budgeted Y-T-D for 2015 and we have recorded these funds as “spent” and in fact they have been “saved”:

   $387.50 Freezer Re-Stocking Fund
   $450.00 Borscht Fund
   $140.00 Holiday Season Fund
   $125.00 Summer Season Fund

   OUR TOTAL UNUSED RESERVES ARE $1,102.50 … that is a $937.50 carry-forward from 2013 & 2014 and $165.00 in NEW 2015 savings.

   This also means that with $190.00 to start MARCH less $55.00 transferred to the various savings reserves less $10.53 transferred for Points Redeemed during JAN/FEB = $75.51 + an additional $50.00 saved in our US grocery reserve, we opened the month of MARCH with $74.47 available to spend on the Canadian side of the border, less an overage of $0.00 carried forward from February, PLUS we have spent $158.88 on our groceries (cash & points) so this month and have $84.41 OVERAGE for the month in our CANADIAN budgeted grocery funds and will carry the overage forward into April.
   We have groceries that have been purchased using points redeemed, rather than the budgeted cash in the amount of $35.92. Available as an offset, we currently have $35.92 in our UNUSED CASH RESERVE. As at this moment, we need and additional $0.00 in the UNUSED CASH RESERVE. If our budget is truly sufficient, when we reach December 31st, the unused funds should still be equal to, if not greater than, the value of the points redeemed. It’ll be interesting to see if they actually are.

   Note: Another reserve of $283.07 IS AVAILABLE for our next US shop currently scheduled for May 18th!

   Of the outstanding US Shopping Reserve $283.07:

   $113.07 is carried forward from 2014
   $170.00 is new 2015 Y-T-D savings
   Less $0.00 that we’ve actually spent in 2015

   = $283.07 US Reserve Available
   ============================================================================================
   The valid rain checks I hold are as follows:

   Safeway

   Broccoli Florets @ $1.99/lb – Good until Apr 7/15
   4 Lean Ground Pork @3.49/lb-Good ‘til Apr 26/15
   4 Signature Café Pizzas @ 2 pizzas for $9.00- Good ‘til June 19/15
   6 Ronzoni Sweet Onion Marinara @ 2 for $5.00- Good ‘til June 20/15

   Thrifty Foods

   4 Island Gold Large Brown Eggs @ 2 for $5.00- Good ‘til April 21/15
   4 Island Gold Large Brown Eggs @ 2 for $5.00- Good ‘til April 23/15
   6 Island Bakery WW Bread 570 g @ 1.00 per loaf- Good ‘til April 25/15 << NEW RAIN CHECK 🙂
   6 Island Bakery WW Bread 570 g @ 1.00 per loaf- Good ‘til April 27/15 << NEW RAIN CHECK 🙂
   6 Island Bakery WW Bread 570 g @ 1.00 per loaf- Good ‘til April 29/15 << NEW RAIN CHECK 🙂

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

   Reply

   1. Hi Mary,
      You my dear are the happiest rain check fan that I have ever had the pleasure of chatting too. I can see why though with all the great deals you get. For $1.00 a loaf for bread you can’t go wrong especially if it is fresh bread and not day olds like we buy with pink stickers which are still fine but not as fresh as fresh.
      I was at the grocery store and looking at the price of pork and beef mince and I was floored. About 2lbs of beef was almost $16 and up to $8 for a pound of pork mince. Nah!

      Those points sure do come in handy especially for your milk. When you both go to the USA how much would you typically spend? I see you have almost $300 in your US fund for a trip or is that for several trips?

      Considering you are over $84.xx that’s not too bad for all the deals you get. I’m sure you will make that up.
      Well done, how exciting. I love how you are so detailed. That’s what it’s all about. Taking the time to invest in your own finances. You get ballot 24.
      Mr.CBB

      Reply

      1. We’ll see how the US shop goes Mr CBB… I haven’t shopped in the US since last December (hence the big US reserve) so I know that I am in for both some sticker shock and a massive foreign exchange shock. BUT, I won’t buy what isn’t a deal unless it’s a gluten free item that I just simply can’t get here. For those items I need to go further south than my day trips take me though.

         I have actually been finding lots of good sales here locally this winter, so we shall see what we shall see. We also have an import ban on poultry and eggs from Washington and Oregon states right now – so those items are off the list. There are no deals to be had if you have to pitch it at the border. 🙁

         My “get up and go” seems to have “got up and went” during this tax season so the quick turn around, shop til you drop, day trips were just simply not possible for me. I had a horrendous winter fighting flu every time I turned around. 🙁 My other health issues leave me with a rather compromised immune system and I feel like I have a sign on my forehead that tells every germ in town PICK ME! LOL 🙂

         We have little US trips planned for May, September, October and December… so I expect that will be when we actually shop in the US. 🙂

         Reply

   2. Mary
      those are some awesome rain cheques!!!!!

      Reply

8. I’m over being single! LOL! I love this post, thanks for sharing.

   Reply

9. I have been happily single for a decade but I just decided last week that I should make an attempt to actually meet someone. I will give the grocery store a shot. I hate shopping and usually just rush in and out so I will have to change that.

   I always thought a hardware store might be a better place to meet a man but all of the single ones have to get their own groceries so it might work.

   Reply

   1. My wife said back in the 90’s she was told that Canadian Tire was a great place to meet a man. I’m guessing any hardware store would be just the same lol. The problem is it’s hard to find conversation starters at the hardware store where talking about how to cook a roast is much easier.

      Reply

      1. When I am at the hardware store looking confused, which is every time I am at the hardware store, nice elderly gentlemen always offer to help me. Perhaps I need to shop later in the evening when all the seniors are at home.

         I am hopeful that I can find someone who doesn’t smoke, showers regularly and knows how to program the universal remote for the tv.

         Reply

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