How To Create A Master Food List To Slash Expenses
Estimated reading time: 15 minutes
Grocery shopping expenses aren’t going to balance unless there’s a master food list incorporated into your master plan.
Creating a master food list is an efficient and frugal way to grocery shop as it frees up time and money while trying to balance a budget.
It sounds a bit off the wall, but you have to be on top of things when saving money on groceries.
What Is A Master Food List?
Easing into the grocery budget process by testing the waters for a few months with a Master Food List might be YOUR ticket to food shopping success.
If you’re anything like me, when I was single, I would tend to create the same recipes over and over only because it was easy, saved time, and kept me from lingering around the grocery store.
Food Lists Will Change
Once I got married, we decided to become a lingering grocery shopping couple with a frugal mindset, yet we were and still are working on cutting back on roaming.
This got me thinking the other day about how easy it is to overspend when grocery shopping, even if you have a meal plan and a shopping list.
Besides having a focused mindset when in the grocery store, you must stick to a food list that offers your meal plan all the staples.
In the UK, my list would have been small: certain vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese, pasta sauce, tortellini, sardines, bread, and butter.
I was and still am a simple guy, but once I got married, EVERYTHING CHANGED!
Our diet, as has our grocery shopping, has been all over the place for the past 11 years.
We’ve learned how to grocery shop, failed at many aspects, and then learned from those mistakes.
When one feat is conquered, another always seems to take its place.
Price increases on food come to mind.
Welcome to 2018, another year of working magic around a grocery budget, meal planning, and getting the best bang for our buck.
For grocery budget newbies who are frustrated about spending too much at the grocery store, a master food list may be the perfect starting point.
Think Master Food List for a diet, but this isn’t a diet- it’s a food lifestyle.
Grocery List vs. Food List
What’s the difference between a grocery list and a food list?
A grocery list can always be modified and easily distracted without personal limits.
Not everyone who grocery shops with a list uses a budget, and not everyone who uses a budget grocery shop with a list.
A grocery list is ideal as you progress toward grocery shopping and stretching the budget.
A food list is a master document of products you need in your kitchen regularly to create the meals and snacks you enjoy.
This type of shopping helps create a budget-friendly mindset for those starting out learning how to budget for food.
You might even be a dull food lover like I was in the UK and prefer a food list to not over-complicate your shopping experience.
How To Create A Master Food List
It has been years since we ran the grocery game challenge, and we have tackled many ways to save money on food.
Over 300 published articles on this blog are dedicated to saving money on groceries; it can be overwhelming for someone new to food budgets.
What is easy for some is terrifying for others.
Think about your child and the first time they attempted to do something independently.
Most likely, they were nervous, but with parental guidance, they did it!
Treat adding new skills to your life, starting from the most basic form, and move on.
This assures you to learn as much as possible without skipping valuable lessons.
Ways To Help You Ease Into Budgeting For Groceries
Since I announced the grocery game challenge would go ahead for 2018, I’ve had a few emails from concerned readers.
They wanted to know how they could jump into the grocery savings game without fussing over the extremities.
Consider this post an option for those who want to keep their food budget simple and grocery shop on tunnel vision alone.
The photo above of a Master List is just an example of something you can put together but on a larger scale to include all the foods on your list.
You could easily use the above as a weekly food list as well.
If you’d like a printable version, just let me know, and I’ll add it to my list of printable money-saving tools.
Reduce Costs Wherever You Can
It sounds boring, but shopping with a master food list, if you think about it, can keep costs down.
I’m sure by now you might be wondering what a master food list is or what it looks like.
Don’t worry. It’s not complicated and perfect for new food budget fans who want to simplify grocery shopping while learning.
- Create a food budget, whether daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
- Decide on the most popular recipes or foods that are essential to you each month and document them on a spreadsheet, or if you’re like us, using old-school pen and paper, brainstorm foods you enjoy and those you need daily.
- Write them all down and separate them by department.
- Print your list, put it on the refrigerator, and use this list as a master food list.
- Create a meal plan for your shopping trip using those ingredients
- Shop for ONLY those ingredients, nothing more
This food list idea is comparable to a meal plan, and in most cases, it sure is.
However, the difference is that this is an introductory guide for those who aren’t keen on meal plans or learning to shop frugally.
The idea behind having a master food list is that it keeps you accountable to only the foods that are a must-have in your household without deviating from your budget.
One of the easiest things that can happen at the grocery store is that you become a consumer lured by marketing baits planted in your face and under your nose.
Getting Used To A Grocery Budget
Building A Food List Takes Time
Once you get a grip on using a grocery budget for the first time, you can expand your food list to include other ingredients that might help create a new meal or snack.
You see, we are creatures of habit, so a food list that is simple to follow makes grocery shopping simple, budget-friendly, and efficient.
Some of you may have already done this or believe having a master list at all stages of learning how to grocery shop with a budget is beneficial.
Therefore, you might continue this way of thinking when it comes to food shopping and creating meals but expanding your options.
My parents come to mind now that I think about it.
Buying The Same Foods
They grocery shop weekly and buy the same foods and extras week after week.
Cooking was not a massive deal in our house, even though I hung around to learn from my mom.
British recipes are traditional at best, as our cuisine is slim compared to other cultures.
- Toad in a hole
- Sottish Baps
- British cinnamon apple pie bars
- British sausage rolls
- Madeira Cake
- Lemon Fridge Cake
- Cottage Pie
- Victoria Sponge Cake
Simplify Your Meal Plan
Creating a repetitive food list that you can choose from every time you shop helps keep life simple if that’s what you’re looking for.
My parents are frugal. However, they aren’t limited by what they can and can’t buy, but they still tend to stick to classics over and over.
- Roast Beef
- Mashed Potatoes
- Yorkshire Pudding
- Carrots
- Salad.
- Gravy
This type of meal happens just about every Sunday in our house.
There was no sporadic shopping in our household, ‘Oh look, Brussel sprouts are on sale, so let’s add a bag of them to the shopping cart’.
This is where a master food list comes in handy.
Keep a copy in your purse or wallet for reference if that helps.
If you are smartphone savvy, create a memo or document on your phone.
Brussel sprouts may be on your master food list, but consider foods outside of that list.
Avoid The Aisles At All Costs
Some of you may have heard about sticking to the grocery store’s perimeter if you want to save money.
However, we know that’s easier said than done and stores frequently move things around.
Sometimes, you must go down the aisles and if you aren’t stern with your grocery shopping goals, you can easily get side-tracked.
A food list will help remove the food drool attack when products are staring you in the face.
Never shop hungry and turn your recipe brain off.
There would always be a British cake in a tin on the counter every week in our house, but the same kind.
The kettle sits in the same spot with the same tins of tea bags and a coffee tin filled with grounds.
It was still this way when we visited after ten years of living in Canada this past June.
You wouldn’t catch my mom’s recipe book surfing much because cooking and shopping was not and still isn’t her favorite chore.
Benefits Of A Master Food List
For those expert budget shoppers, this may still be useful, especially when you find you are slacking off from your budget duties.
Returning to budget basics is always a way to reset your frugal mindset.
You still shop the flyer sales, use coupons, and do all the same things you’ve done before to save money while grocery shopping.
You Will No Longer Deal With Any Of This
However, now you will have a master food list to hold you up to your end of the bargain.
- No more looking where you shouldn’t
- No more questioning whether you need to buy something or not
- Less time spent wandering around the store
- More time learning how to use simple ingredients in different ways
- Creating a stress-free shopping experience
- Routine and standardization
Beating The Odds Of Frugal Grocery Shopping
Whether grocery shopping on a budget is a breeze for you or you’ve taught yourself how to overcome obstacles, you have conquered one of the toughest budget categories of all.
Saving money on areas in your monthly budget that you can control contributes to money you can use for other categories.
Passing the buck, but in a good way. If you can invest any extra savings, you know you’ve slayed the budget!
Don’t be shy be informed and arm yourself with all the tools necessary to control what you can and let go of what you can’t.
Discussion: What other newbie grocery budget/food shopping with a list of tips can you offer for readers of this blog post?
January Grocery Game Challenge
Join in the 2018 Grocery Game Challenge (GGC) but before you do, read The Grocery Game Challenge Rules and Print the 2018 Schedule.
In this section, I will post each week’s grocery game challenge blog posts for the month.
Free Money Saving Tools
Click, Save, and Print. It’s that easy!
This budget brought us to debt freedom back in 2013, and now I’m offering to all of you for FREE.
We still use this budget every month as it helps us to see our overall financial picture.
Don’t pay someone for these services.
I’ve done the work for you, along with some help from other amazing bloggers.
You can download the FREE Canadian Budget Binder Budget Spreadsheet in Excel. It’s FREE!
We use it to budget and, in large part a reason we could pay our mortgage off in 5 years; check it out!
Free Money Saving Downloads are fantastic lists created to get us on track working towards reaching our budgeting goals, and now we are sharing them with you.
Get organized with a FREE freezer inventory, meal plan, shopping list, price comparison list, and much more, all for FREE.
CLICK HERE to download all the free lists and our family budget spreadsheet.
So many free resources at your fingertips.
Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide
Everything you want to know about grocery shopping in Canada is packed into this amazing FREE guide that has taken 6 years to create.
The Ultimate Grocery Shopping guide is ongoing, with new informative money-saving posts added every month.
Even if you don’t live in Canada, there are some amazing budget-saving tips that will help put you on the path to more savings at the supermarket.
Share this guide with your friends and tell them about Canadian Budget Binder, especially if they struggle with their grocery budget.
The time is NOW to get started saving money on groceries, so please enjoy the many money-saving posts in The Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide.
2018 Grocery Shop Results
Yearly grocery budget for two + 1 Toddler 2018: $3600 or $300/month (The above total does not include the stockpile budget of $300/year or $25/month.
Points Overview (add any other sections you need to show us your savings or that you would like to track on your own.)
- Total Grocery Budget for this Month: $300
- Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs: $300
- 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: 750,000
- Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0
- Shoppers Optimum: 995,000 points
Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)
- Zweet -$0.
- Checkout51- $1.50
Our Grocery Shop This Week
Below are the grocery stores where we spent our money this week.
Costco
- 2 x Sealtest Milk $4.05 each
- 2 x Jumbo eggs $4.99 each
- 4 x Natrel Whipping Cream 1L $4.95 each
- 6 x Natrel1L10% cream $1.95 each
- Bananas $1.57
Total Out-of-Pocket $51.15
Zehrs
- 10 x jalapeno cheddar cheese reduced Cracker Barrel 400gram brick $1.95 each $19.50 stockpile budget
- 1 x green cabbage $2.50
- 2 x strawberries $1.88 each
Total Out-of-Pocket $25.76- $19.50 stockpile budget = $6.26
Note: All totals below already have tax factored into them.
Note: All totals below already have tax factored into them.
- Total to spend this month: $300
- Stockpile budget 2018: $25.00/month
- Stockpile budget used this month: $19.50
- Christmas Reserve Fund: $35/month Jan $35 Saved
- 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: $57.41
- Total spent so far this month: $101.51
- Total over/Under spend this shop: under
- Total left to spend for the month: $198.48
- Total Spent To Date 2018: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $+Feb $+March $ + April $+ May $ + June $+July $+August $+September $+ October $+ November $ + December $
Weekly Overview (your final thoughts)
With another winter storm approaching, Mrs. instructed me to stock up on a few bits, so I don’t have to make a mad dash in a sloppy mess on the roads this next week.
You may notice we have a Christmas reserve fund as I’m following suit with Mary.
The reason is that we spent hundreds more this Christmas on food at my in-laws having to cook everything since they are unable to.
We couldn’t ask them to buy food, so we did it.
To be prepared for this upcoming holiday, we want to ensure we have the money set aside so there are no surprises.
I want to do a GGC post on reserves soon once I get all the ins and outs sorted because I believe it will help others break down their grocery budget savings plan even further.
Happy Shopping, everyone.
Mr.CBB
Coupons and Coupon Apps
Here are some great places you can find Canadian Coupons!
We’re finding fewer and fewer coupons in the stores these days.
Are coupon apps taking over paper coupons?
If you notice I’m missing a valuable link, please message me, and I’ll add it to the savings list below.
Sign up for the Nielsen Canada Home Scan Program and earn rewards points fast to redeem for awesome products or gift cards. I did this in the UK and loved it!!
- Healthy Essentials Printable Coupons (Johnson and Johnson)
- Danone Coupons: Get up to $25 in coupons
- Clorox Coupons Sign up to print coupons in the Clorox family, which include Greenworks, Glad, etc.
- Kraft Canada: Sign up and receive recipes and coupons by email
- MySavings.com Printable Smart Source Coupons
- Proctor and Gamble PandG Sign up for printable coupons.
- Hidden Coupon Portals You Should Know About – I found this over at Save a Loonie, and you’ll want to sign up for notifications and check out the site so you get notified every time a hidden coupon is available from Save.ca, Brandsaver, Smart Source, etc.
Grocery Game Challenge 2018 FAQ’s
- Grocery Game Challenge RULES: Read the rules, and if you have any questions, email me or comment.
- Do you stockpile food? We don’t mind stockpiling items that won’t be affected by expiry dates or have long expiry dates, but not so much food any longer as we found we weren’t eating it fast enough. Stockpiling is still great and just one way to help cut your budget and save money if you find items you can buy in bulk at a sale price.
- Best Coupon Apps: Coupons are slowly fading, with mobile coupon apps being the biggest rave. Recently, the coupon site Save.ca, which mailed coupons to households, has added a mobile Save.ca app, joining other coupon apps.
- What is the Best Flyer App- Download Flipp from the Apple Store or get it on Google Play.
- How Do I Grocery Shop?:
Welcome To The GGC
If you’ve just joined The Grocery Game Challenge 2018, get ready to look at your grocery budget by learning;
- Where are you spending money?
- How much money are you spending?
- How much money are you saving every month?
If you want to learn everything I know about grocery shopping in Canada, check out my Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide!
You’ve decided to take control of your grocery budget. Now show me your shops and let’s get saving!
Welcome to The Grocery Game Challenge 2018!
-Mr.CBB
If you still find you’re eating like royalty at the beginning of the month and then scraping by at the end, take out cash for groceries every week instead of every month.
Good tip, thanks.
Week 2 – January 8 to January 14th
Yearly grocery budget for 2 adults- $5100 plus $300 for a stockpile ($25 month)
• Total Grocery Budget for the Month: $ 425
• Total Gift Cards used to date: $ 5
• Total Air Miles/Points redeemed this week: $
• Total Air Miles Points used to date:
• PC Points Plus Earned to date: 7800 earned this week – total of 29290
GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK
Costco
4 coffee cream $11.84
Spinach 2.99
Nann Bread 2.99
Eggs * 2 = 10.99
Pure Protein bars = 14.99
Beef Jerky 12.99
Greek Yogurt 8.99
Bananas 1.99
Feta 8.69
Total – $73.55
SUPERSTORE
Tea – $10
Mayo $4
Milk $5
Chicken $20
Chips $4
Cheese $5
Juice $12
Total – 91.35
• Stockpile budget 2018 ($25.00 per month):$
• Stockpile budget used to date: $
• Total coupons used this week: $ 1
• Total coupons used to date: $ 1
• Total spent this week: $164.90
• Total over/Under spend for the month: $
• Total left to spend for the month: $260.01
• Total Spent To Date 2018:
Weekly Overview :
This week pretty good – I went to Costco on Friday and was proud with my purchase – I was really itching to go shopping on Saturday but with the messy weather decided to stay home – I did some shopping today at Superstore – I didn’t list everything I bought since I had to get a lot of little items but I think we are on track for this month!
Hello,
I am new to this blog. Does anyone know if we can start the game now, even though we are in week 3?
Thanks,
Cynthia
Yes you can join any time you’d like. 🙂
Hi Lisa,
No cheating!! haha… the name of the GGC game is to list it all, even the small stuff. Off to the corner you go. (inside CBB joke) 🙂 What are your goals for 2018 and your grocery budget?
WEEK 2: Jan. 8-14
Monthly Budget ($475 for a family of 4)
Jan. 12, 2018
• Atlantic Superstore
• Total Coupons Used: $6.00
• Total PC Plus Points Redeemed:
• Total PC Plus Points Earned: 1,200
Total Check Out 51 Cashback Offers Used: $0.25
• Total Out Of Pocket: $34.75
No Name Garlic Powder $2.29
Bear Paws $1.67
2x Italpasta Mac and Cheese $0.59
PC Mozzarella Shredded Cheese $4.48
2x Baxter’s Milk 2L $3.49
2x Cracker Barrel Cheese $4.99
Silk Almond Milk $2.94
Apples 4LB $2.99
No Name Bologna $1.79
Carvers Bacon $1.99
Old Mill Bread $2.00 – %50
Old Milk Blueberry Bagels $2
3x Lunch Blox Sauce Containers 2 Pack Reduced to $0.54 – %50
Lunch Blox Condiments Containers 3 Pack Reduced to $0.94 – %50
• Walmart
• Total Coupons Used: $5.47
• Total Caddle Cash Back Offers Used: $0.25
• Total Out of Pocket: $31.65
Great Value Fries $1.78
Great Value Hashbrowns $1.78
Great Value Pancakes $1.77
Yoplait Tubes $1.48
2x ML Hotdogs $0.97
Pillsbury Pizza Pops $4.72
Quaker Harvest Crunch $1.98
Goldfish $1.88
Grape Tomatoes $2.48
Activia 8 Pack $2.88
Toaster Strudel $1.88
Ben’s Hotdog Buns $2.66
East Smart Salas Kit $4.47
Red Pepper $1.77
Cucumber $1.27
Bananas $0.36
Red Grapes $1.03
• Sobeys
• Total Coupons Used: 0
• Total Fast Fuel Coupons Used: $2.55
• Total Out of Pocket: $0.80
Compliments Waffles $1.49
Potatoes 10LB $1.88
• Shopper’s Drug Mart
• Total Coupons Used: 0
• Total Shoppers Optimum Points Earned: 30
• Total Out of Pocket: $3.76
2x Eggs $1.88
• Tomavo Fruits
• Total Coupons Used: 0
• Total Out of Pocket: $2.42
2X Blackberries $0.99
Bananas $0.44
Points Overview
• Total Grocery Budget for the Month: $475
• Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs $475
• Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
• Total PC Plus Points used in 2018 to date: 20,000
• Total PC Points Plus Earned in 2018 to date: 1600
• Shopper’s Optimum Points Earned in 2018 to date: 40
• Shopper’s Optimum Points used in 2018: 0
• Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP)to date $0
Coupon Apps
• Zweet to date: $24.00
• Checkout51 to date: $247.50
• Save.ca to date: $5.00
• Caddle to date: $22.95
GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK (add any other sections you need to show expenses and savings)
• Stockpile budget 2017 ($25.00): $25.00
• Stockpile budget used to date: $0
• Total coupons used this week: $
• Total coupons used to date: $15.47
• Total Fast Fuel Coupons used to date: $7.37
• Total in-store discounts this week: $2.28
• Total in-store discounts to date: $2.28
• Total spent this week: $73.38
• Total over/Under spend for the month: $Under
• Total left to spend for the month: $347.35
• Total Spent To Date 2018: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $127.65
Weekly Overview:
We were able to use quite a few more items from our freezer and cupboards this week which was nice, so most of our grocery items were fresh produce, dairy and lunch or snack items for the boys. I also found some Lunch Blox containers that are the same kind as I use for my kids’ lunches and I’ve been wanting a few more of these sizes. They were greatly reduced (marked down from $4.49 and $4.99 each to $0.54 and $0.94) and then 50% off on top of that! So even though they aren’t grocery items I put them in as such since I hadn’t budgeted for them otherwise and they only added $1.28 to my order opposed to the regular $18.46 they would have cost. And I was still under budget.
Hi Erika,
Smart score on the containers… wow!! I have to ask about the ITAL pasta mac and cheese. Our son is a picky eater and won’t eat KD. Is there a difference? I’ve tried making homemade pizza, mac n cheese etc and he just won’t touch it. I just thought I’d ask.
What are your 2018 grocery game goals?
Mr.CBB
I find the flavour is a bit different with the Ital Mac and Cheese but my boys are also not too picky when it comes to their Mac and Cheese options and I generally but whatever is on sale or cheapest.
And I was super excited about the excellent deal on the containers and it was at just the right time!
My goal is to have the grocery game challenge keep me accountable to really tracking my spending this year. We’re trying hard to be very intentional with how we spend our money and to pay off our credit cards for good. It’s also helping me to track our other spending not just on groceries. And so far it’s doing it’s job!
JANUARY 8-14
STORE: SAFEWAY
-1 can Holiday Luncheon Meat $1.00
-2 x 1L Lucerne Chocolate Milk (@1.00 each) $2.00
Hellman’s Mayo $3.99
Total Out Of Pocket: $6.99
STORE: NO FRILLS
-Smuckers Raspberry Jam $2.87
-Corn Flakes $2.54
-Cheerios $2.77
-Lime $0.47
-Cilantro $0.63
-2 x PC Diced Tomatoes (@1.00 each) $2.00
-PC Chicken Broth $1.77
-Barilla Spaghetti $0.94
-2L Milk $3.43
Total Out of Pocket: $17.42
POINTS OVERVIEW
Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
PC Plus Points Balance: 11278
PC Plus Points Redeemed: $0
Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0
COUPON APPS
Checkout51- $6.95
GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK
Total to spend this month : $200
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: $24.41
Total spent so far this month: $88.85
Total over/Under spend this shop ($40/wk): Wk1 over $24.44+Wk2 under $15.59=over $8.85
Total left to spend for the month: $111.15
Total Spent To Date 2018: Jan $88.85
Oops, forgot my overview…
WEEKLY OVERVIEW
Bought a few things for meals this week and replenish some pantry items. I’m still drawing down my freezer which I still have mostly seafood and 1 steak. All out of chicken and pork now so next week may start stocking up on chicken and pork again.
Do you by chance keep a freezer inventory or even pantry inventory? If no, you can print them free from my downloads page.
Hi Jenny,
Is this grocery budget for 1? I have to ask… have you ever tried chocolate milk and corn flakes before? I have …not too bad. 🙂 I always like Corn Flakes because they are delicious and inexpensive.
Funny you mentioned. Yes I have 🙂 I ran out of milk after pouring cereal into my bowl and had chocolate milk on hand. Pretty good, but I prefer drinking it lol.
Hahah, I just thought I would ask.
Week 2: January 8-142018
Monthly Budget: 500 (family of 4 and a dog)
Independent Grocer
Total Coupons Used: $0
Total Out Of Pocket: $110.64
ketchup 3.49
Pc granola bars x3 @1.99ea
Pc sriracha mayo 2.99
Pc dog kibble 23.99
Bread yeast 2.29
Vlasic Pickles 4.99
Saputo shredded cheese 15.49
Shredded cheese 4.99
Skin slice cheese Kraft 4.99
Organic raisins 2@ 3.49ea
2 pints grape tomatos @ 4.99 ea
Ground pork 2.64
Panini rolls 3.30
Package of pepperoni 10.00
Food Basics
Total Coupons Used: $0
Total Out Of Pocket: $65.47
ranch dressing 3.99
Franks red hot 4.29
Classico pasta sauce x2 @ 1.49ea
Pizza sauce x2 @ 1.49ea
Ground beef 8.43
Lettuce 1.97
4sweet peppers 3.98
2 cucumbers @ 1.77 ea
Deli turkey breast 7.00
Eggs 12 pk 2.27
Almond milk 2.88
Hamburger buns 3.49
Tortillas x2 @ 4.19 ea
Total Grocery Budget for the Month: 500
Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
Total Rewards Points redeemed this week: $0
Total Rewards Points used to date: $300
PC Points Plus Earned to date:133990
Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP)to date $0
Coupon Apps
Used none (will need to download them)
GROCERY SHOP THIS WEEK
• Stockpile budget 2018 ($30.00)
• Stockpile budget used to date: $12.95
• 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: $176.14
• Total over/Under spend for the month: over
• Total left to spend for the month: $234.83
• Grocery carry over (to next week): $0
• Total Spent To Date 2018: Jan $265.17
Weekly Overview (your final thoughts): went over the budget. I figured I would with additional school snacks/food. I think my school food will be my “stock money” and I increased to 30$ a month.
A little disappointed. Oh and the dog food was an additional purchase of 23.99(not every week) after this month is over I will look at places where I could have cut/saved etc. However I have been sticking to my food ingredients only and stuff we are out of.
Hi Patricia,
You could always call it School Snack fund and track what you are spending on school snacks for the year. This way you have an indication for the following year how much you might need. Just an idea. Mr.CBB
Yearly grocery budget for 4 adults- $7800. or $650 month (The above total does not include the stockpile budget of $300/year or $25/month.
Points Overview (add any other sections you need to show us your savings or that you would like to track on your own)
Total Grocery Budget for this Month: $650
Total Grocery Budget with any carry-overs $650
Total Gift Cards used to date: $0
Total Rewards Points redeemed this week: $40.
Total Rewards Points used to date: 380 Air Miles cash
PC Points Plus Earned to date: 96560
Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) to date $0
Shoppers Optimum: 48123 points
Coupon Apps (add any other apps you use to save money)
Zweet -$13.25
Checkout51- $8.50
Our Grocery Shop This Week
Foodland
1 Downy- 6.00
1 jug water- 5.49
4 Hunts tomato sauce @4/5.00
1 bag rice- 2.79
8 Barella pasta @ 1.00
6 Tomato soup @2/1.00
1 block med cheddar cheese- 5.99
1 4l milk -4.27
1 Baileys flavour coffee creamer- 2.99
2 frozen fries @2.00
8 Swanson meat pies @1.00
Bananas- 1.17
1 Inside round roast- 9.61
2 Extra lean ground beef- 5.29 & 4.92, 30% stickers saved 1.59 &1.48
1 package bacon -4.00
2 WW bread @2.00
Total Out-of-Pocket $87.29-380 AM cash points($40.00) = $47.29, $3.07 discounts, 38 Air Miles cash
No Frills
1 can Friskies cat food- .67
2 Tomato sauce @.97
2 hot chocolate mix @3.99, 2X1.00 coupons
1 yogurt- 3.97- 50% sticker- 1.99
1 doz large eggs -1.97
4 1l chocolate milk @1.00
Bananas -.75
1 pack lean ground beef- 11.26
1 pork tenderloin -8.03
1 bread crumbs -1.99
1 L’Oreal shampoo- 3.97
1 L’Oreal conditioner -3.97
Total Out-of-Pocket $49.91, $2.00 coupons, 1300 PC Points
Note: All totals below already have tax factored into them.
Total to spend this month : $650
Stockpile budget 2018 : $25.00/month
Stockpile budget used this month: $0
Total coupons used this week: $4.00
Total coupons used to date: $6.00
Total in-store discounts this week: $3.07
Total in-store discounts to date: $4.52
Total spent this week: $97.20
Total spent so far this month: $206.42
Total over/Under spend this shop: under
Total left to spend for the month: $443.56
Total Spent To Date 2018: (does not include stockpile budget) Jan $+Feb $+March $ + April $+ May $ + June $+July $+August $+September $+ October $+ November $ + December $
Weekly Overview (your final thoughts)
Managed to stay under for another week. I had a fair amount here by the end of last year so right now I’m getting sale items and a few basics that we get all the time. Our male cat has had dental issues and I’ve been getting him soft food to eat. He hasn’t been eating much and needs to gain him some weight but we are trying to tempt his appetite. Poor cat…..
I used some of the Air Miles cash we have built up to help keeps things in line and to simply use them. I might go that way once a month or so. It’s been a good start to the year and I want to eat our way down some in the freezers as they need to be defrosted soon, easier when there is less in them to start. Need to figure out where hubby put the picnic coolers this time…again.
What are you going to do with those 2 Frozen Fries, haha!! Sorry just caught my eye. How do you go about defrosting your freezer then? Coolers?
Week 2 January 8-14
January Monthly budget $300 ($60 per week)
January Costco budget $100 ($20 per week)
Total Spent Grocery: $62.00
Total Spent Costco: $0
Grocery left to spend: $179.05
Costco left to spend: $100
Coupons used: $0
Coupons to date: $0
PC Plus Redemption: $0
PC Plus Redemption to date: $0
Checkout 51 Opening Balance 2018: $133.95
Checkout 51 weekly offers redeemed: $0
Checkout 51 Current balance: $133.95
Checkout 51 Cheque Redemption: $0
Checkout 51 Cheque Redeemed to date: $0
Grocery carry over (previous months): $0
Costco carry over (previous months): $0
Shoppers Drug Mart
Milk 4.27
Total 4.25
Real Canadian Superstore
Minute Maid Frozen Concentrate 4 x 1.00
PC Frozen Pomegranate 3.88
PC Frozen Cherries 3.88
PC Frozen Blueberries 2 x 3.88
Blood Orange 2lb bag 4.98
Bananas 1.57
Iceberg Lettuce 1.48
Frozen Meatballs 10.00
Chapmans Holiday Cones 3 x 2.24 Clearance
Chapmans Holiday Sandwiches 4 x 2.2
Tax 2.04
Total 58.75
We did not need a lot this week, so I took the opportunity to stock up on a few things. Our household is on a smoothie kick again and frozen berries went on sale, so win for us. We’ve seen on so many cooking shows the use of blood oranges and we always said as a family that we wanted to try them, so for the first time they appeared at our grocery store, so in the cart they went. No, they weren’t on the list, but trying something new is always a good thing. Meatballs were still a good price, so we got another box this week and we will next week too if the price stays the same. At this time each year, I go looking for the Chapmans holiday frozen treats and ice cream because they always go on clearance. This was the week. Not on the list, but something we always get. I’m sad that they didn’t have the candy cane tubs this year, but cones and sandwiches are a great treat without having the expense of Dairy Queen or even sale prices for these items. Basically this week turned out to fill the freezer. Can’t wait to try the oranges, and they may make a lovely addition to our smoothies! No Costco trip this week.
Note: the RCSS trip should have listed the Chapmans Sandwiches at 2.24, lol. Noticed as soon as I hit post that I was missing it!
Week 2 – Jan 5 – 11/18
Name Your Store: Superstore
Total Coupons Used: $
Total Points = 11,400
Total Out Of Pocket: $2.60
Human
1.4 Kg Minute Rice = $5.98
NN Vanilla Extract = $3.48
4 L 2% Milk = $4.27
2 Boxes “Ready to Bake” Cookies = $3.76
Bananas – 1.130 Kg (200 PC Points) = $1.42
Cats
2 – 18 Kg NN Cat Litter – (4,000 PC Points) = $15.77
4 – 48 NN Garbage Bags – 2/$6.00 (3,600 PC Points) = $12.00
4 – 30 NN Garbage Bags – 2/$6.00 (3,600 PC Points) = $12.00
5 – 500 mL Baking Soda = $5.00
Grocery Game Challenge Results
Total Grocery Budget for the 2 Adults ($1820.00)
Total Human (Adults) this Week Period: $18.92
Total Human (Adults) to Date: $63.39 (minus Debt pymt & Gift Cards) = $47.07
Total Grocery Budget for the 3 Cats ($390)
Total Cats this Week Period: $47.89
Total Cats to Date: $47.89 (minus Debt pymt & Gift Cards) = $0.00
Total Grocery Budget for the Personal Hygiene ($390)
Total Personal Hygiene this Week Period: $24.27
Total Personal Hygiene to Date: $24.27 (minus Debt pymt & Gift Cards) = $0.00
Total Coupons Used this Week Period: $
Total Coupons Used To Date: $
Total Grocery Savings for this Week Period: $
Total Grocery Savings to Date: $11.76
Total Price Match for this Week Period: $
Total Price Match to Date: $
Total PC Points Received this Week Period: 11,400
Total PC Rewards Points Used this Week Period: 40,000
Total PC Rewards To Date: 11,828
Overview: Doing some stock up of cat supplies and personal hygiene while I don’t have to pay for it out of my budget. Didn’t really need much this week on the food front but now I have to start over in saving the PC Points and such. Thanks for the boost to this year’s budget Mr. CBB.
JANUARY – Week #2 of 5- Jan 8-14, 2018
2018 GROCERY BUDGET / STOCKPILE BUDGET AND US RESERVE:
•Total Grocery Budgeted For Year: $190.00 x 12 = $2,280.00 for 2 adults
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REMARKS FOR THE MONTH:
It’s time to start making soups again…BUT unfortunately this week continues to be devoted to leftover re-makes. How can we still have so much food to use up?
REMARKS FOR THE WEEK:
The good news is that we’ve almost finished the appetizers. There’s enough for me to have in my lunches this week supplemented by either fresh fruit or vegetables. We have finished the Balsamic Beef roast! Yay! Hubby will finish off the cabbage rolls tomorrow in his lunch…we are getting there! 🙂
That just leaves ham, turkey and eggs to clean up along with some raw vegetables. So, the meal plan this week will be:
1. Take-out Sushi (on a night I came home rather battered from my hospital out-patient care)
2. Turkey & Vegetable Fried Rice
3. a Denver Omelette with Roasted Multi-Colored Peppers and Yellow & Red Onions
4. Pizza Penne Bake with Steamed Broccoli
5. Imitation Crab and Cream Cheese Filled Crescent Rolls with Celery and Carrot sticks
6. Tomato-Cucumber-Onion Salad with Mom’s Tuna Casserole AND
7. Homemade version of McMuffin Sandwiches with a bowl of Vegetable Soup
This week the only things I really NEEDED to purchase were milk and some bread for hubby’s lunches… so that’s my exciting bit of shopping plus a discounted pizza that hubby grabbed to supplement his lunch materials.
My sweetie always checks to see if his favorite pizza is on at 30% off & I have said go ahead and buy it when it’s on sale since he spends $3.50 and gets 2 really good lunches from it. I was impressed that he also managed to score our milk at 50% off! Even the bread we purchased was on sale this week…hence we loaded up. It wasn’t a bad week really – we only spent $10.75!
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OUR “CANADIAN” SHOPPING:
RCSS – Pitt Meadows –
1 x 50% Off 4L Skim Milk $2.25
1 x 30% off Deli Pizza $3.50
Total OOP: $5.75
** Earned 0 PC.Plus Points on this shop **
** SAVED $0.00 in Rain Check/ Coupons **
** SAVED $3.75 Loyalty Savings on this shop **
—————————————————————–
Thrifty Foods – Maple Ridge –
5 Buttercup WW Bread @ $1 ea = $5.00
• Total OOP: $5.00
** Earned 0 Air Miles on this shop **
** USED $0.00 in Rain Check Coupons **
** SAVED $1.95 Loyalty Savings on this shop **
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OUR “US RESERVE” SHOPPING:
OUR NEXT USA SHOP MAY BE IN FEBRUARY but my health issues may push that shop back
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2018 Y-T-D GROCERY SAVINGS:
•Total Loyalty Card Price Reductions This Year: $5.70
•Total Coupons/Rain Checks Used This Year: $0.00
•Total Price Match Savings Used This Year: $0.00
•Total More Points Earned This Year: 0 Points
•Total Air Miles Earned This Year: 0 Air Miles
•Total PC PLUS Points Earned This Year: 0 Points
•Total Optimum Points Earned This Year: 0 Points
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• SUMMARY OF FUNDS Y-T-D:
$ 190.00 Grocery Budget JAN
($140.00) NET RESERVE TRANSFERS
($ 10.75) Actual CASH SPENT
$ 39.25 AVAILABLE Y-T-D GGC SPENDING NOT INCL RESERVES
• RESERVES Y-T-D:
$ 520.69 Freezer Re-Stocking Fund
$ 117.59 Holiday Season Fund + $210 RCSS POINTS + $10 Dream Air Miles + $10 RCSS Gift Card +
$50 RCSS Gift Card = $397.59
$ 664.59 Summer Season Fund
$ 556.87 US Shopping Reserve
$ 41.56 GGC Savings Reserve
$ 0.00 Points Redeemed Reserve
OUR CURRENT TOTAL UNUSED RESERVES ARE $1,901.30. This means the 1,761.30 that we carried forward from 2017 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $140.00 that we have added in 2018, LESS $0.00 that we have drawn out for use in 2018.
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