Welcome, CBB Friends, to our March 2026 monthly home budget update.
You might ask why I would want to share this information with the world, and I’d say that’s a fair question. Money is one of those topics we’re all quietly navigating, yet rarely discussing openly. Each month, behind closed doors, we make dozens of decisions—some intentional, some impulsive—that shape our financial future. But what if we pulled back the curtain?
In this blog, we’re doing exactly that. We’re sharing our real monthly budget results—the wins, the missteps, and everything in between—not because we’ve mastered money, but because we haven’t. By putting our numbers out there, we hope to spark more honest conversations and show that budgeting isn’t about perfection—it’s about continuous improvement.
For Canadians facing rising costs and financial uncertainty, understanding where your money goes has never been more important. If you’ve ever wondered whether budgeting is worth the effort, or how others are managing their finances in today’s economy, you’re in the right place.
If I described you even a little above, I encourage you to stick around, subscribe, and use your voice to help others and gain a wealth of information that you can use on your financial journey—awareness, progress, and making your money work for the life you actually want.
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March 2026 Home Update
What is happening at the CBB house?
If you follow my budget updates, you will know that this one is late, which means I’m busier than normal. Between March and April, I’ve been busy getting the house ready for my nephew’s three-week visit from the UK. On top of that, I’m planning day trips for us so he gets to learn as much as he can while he is here.
Also, it was tax time, and when you have a business of any sort, there’s a lot to prepare. I also handle my mother-in-law’s return, but hers is fairly easy, as she has no expenses besides her long-term care home, which we can’t claim, and she now receives government pensions.
Our neighbors’ minivan needed an oil change, so I did it for them. Now I need to swap their tires, which I will have my nephew do. He works in an oil and lube shop and studies the mechanics trade.
Before that, my sister-in-law had a big leak in the basement, so I had to drive to her place in the next city to help her. I ripped out the insulation, and, of course, I found a hidden hole that I need to fix when I get back over there, along with installing a new seal around the garage doors. I already have the tools and products to get the job done.
Men, if you have sisters or sisters-in-law who are not married or dating anyone, you become their Mr. Fix-It, man. I don’t mind because she is a single mum and works hard to keep her house going, and although it’s tight, she’s holding on in hopes that things change in Canada.
Now you know why renovations at our house take years to complete. I’m ashamed to say that I am still not done with the main bathroom, but that is my goal for the summer. It should take me one week to finish. If it’s done, I will move on to the new deck.
However, we did finish the basement gym, and I’ll share photos in the newsletter, which is also late. Call me Mr. Late. Every time I say I will do better, something comes up. Anyway, bear with me, and I will catch up with everything.
Mr. CBB
Blog Update
As mentioned above, I’m behind on the blog newsletters and hopefully will get this budget update out in the first week of May. If I get that done, I’d be shocked but happy. Typically, I have it out the last week of the month.
The blog isn’t doing so well because of the Google algorithm, AI overtaking the world, government/CRTC interference, new media getting top search results over anyone else, and my failure to get any of you to comment or share my posts enough.
Google sets metrics, and if podcasters or bloggers don’t meet these guidelines, then they think we are not as popular. The more that happens, the more we get pushed down the tank, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Years ago, when bloggers were quitting their full-time jobs to blog, they were earning a fortune. Now I wonder if they regret that decision. I never came close to earning enough from the blog to justify quitting my career, but I wouldn’t do it. Nope.
On that note, thank you for reading this blog, and I hope you continue to follow our journey. I won’t beg you to comment, LIKE, or share blog posts, but it really helps me earn enough money to pay the blog bills.
If it gets to the point where I am paying out of pocket, I will likely sell the website because it’s just not viable. I hope we never get to that point, so if you are a silent reader, please do leave your feedback or say hello so I know you are there.
Talk soon, hopefully better news.
Mr. CBB
March 2026 Home Budget Household Percentages
The 25.09% savings include investments and savings based on our net income (cash we brought home minus taxes).
Our life ratio is 47.31%, which includes all variable expenses, such as groceries, entertainment, miscellaneous items, health/beauty products, clothing, and more.
Transportation is covered at 2.65%, which includes our vehicle’s gas, insurance, and maintenance, and we hold no debt.
I keep the two spare gas cans filled with petrol year-round, mainly for the snowblower, lawn mower, power washer, and weed wacker.
Our house and vehicle are paid off with zero debt; however, we still pay property taxes and maintenance fees.
For housing, we came in at 12.88%, covering property taxes and home maintenance.
The projected 10.63% expense rate can change based on what we encounter each month, such as a new item we need to save for.
Home Budget Estimation March 2026
Below are two tables: the Home Budget for March 2026 and our Actual Home Budget. If you would like to review the changes between 2025 and 2026, read our December 2025 budget review post.
We may not need all the money we budgeted for each category; however, remember that the amounts are estimates based on the previous year’s actual expenses.
Don’t forget to budget for projected expenses, or your entire month can fail.
Actual Home Budget March 2026
2026 Canadian Banks We Use
- Chequing– This is the bank account from which we pay our household bills. We use Simplii Financial, TD Canada Trust, and Tangerine Bank. Join Simplii Financial today! Read more about the best Canadian online virtual banks.
- Emergency Savings Account– This money is in a high-interest savings account (HISA)
- High-Interest Savings Account (HISA)– This savings account holds our projected expenses.
March 2026 Home Budget Year-To-Date
The year-to-date percentages are similar to the household budget percentages chart; however, this one shows you the percentages month by month.
Month-to-Month Home Budget March 2026
Our emergency savings increased by 0%, indicating that no savings were transferred in March. It also means we may have spent more than we earned. than in February. Our net income was -4.26% or less than what we earned in February.
Since we are debt-free, it seems easier for us to say yes to a deal on an item we know we will use than to say no, it’s not in the budget.
Before we became debt-free, it was simply no, it’s not in the budget, and we followed that rule. My father-in-law used to tell me that we can’t die with our money, and he’s right.
At this point, we have our financial planning in place for retirement and have wiped out our debt, so spending extra won’t hurt us in the long run, provided we track it.
Always expect to see changes from month to month, as that’s normal since money is being spent and, in some cases, more than anticipated.
Breakdown- March 2026 Home Budget Categories
Below are some of our variable expenses from March 2026 that I will discuss.
Please let me know if you would like me to explain or include any additional information in the next budget update.
Grocery Expenses
Please find all the online groceries we purchase in the CBB Amazon Storefront, which I update as we try new items.
Our monthly grocery budget is $ 1,250, plus a $25 stockpile budget, and we spent $1622
$1622-$1250=$372 over budget +$196 grocery surplus = $176 over spent for 2026.
As I mentioned in February, the surplus we had would get eaten up quickly, and I was right.
Tracking overage helps us determine at year-end how much to budget for groceries.
Our running total as of March 2026 is $3924.02 for two adults and one child.
We went to Costco in March, which is why our expenses are over budget. I don’t think we deviated from the list too much, except for buying extra powdered peanut butter because it’s so cheap.
Below is how our grocery budget has increased over the past three years.
- 2024- $900
- 2025-$960
- 2026- $1250
In 2012, we were spending $190 per month for groceries, and in 2026, we are spending $1060 more.
After reviewing our 2025 grocery budget, we knew it wasn’t sustainable for our lifestyle.
Over the years, our food intake hasn’t changed much, apart from the food our son wants to try but ends up disliking.
However, if we had a grocery budget that we couldn’t adapt to, then we would have to keep it as-is and make it work.
Where We Grocery Shop
The two grocery stores we shop at most are Zehrs and Food Basics. Also, we buy grocery items from Amazon Canada and Flashfood.
On occasion, we visit Costco and Walmart as needed to buy in bulk or take advantage of a good sale.
Check out my new post, where I explain how to find reduced-cost groceries on Amazon.
March 2026 Grocery Food Savings Jar
We have officially saved $557.17 this year through Flashfood and coupons, which is fantastic, especially since we don’t typically use many coupons.
In 2024, we saved $1,712.87, and in 2025, $ 2,524.86, by using coupons and purchasing reduced-price products at local grocery stores.
Throughout 2026, we plan to track our grocery food savings, which include the following;
- Coupons
- Discounts
- Free Stuff (ex, using SCOP) I will track SCOP on a separate tracking sheet.
- Rewards Points redemption
If you’d like a copy of the Grocery Savings Jar and Scanning Accuracy Code (SCOP) Tracking printables, you can find them on the Free Resources page.
Scanning Code Of Practice Tracking
In January, I blogged that I would track how much money we saved using the Scanning Code of Practice.
For the month of March, we did not have any SCOP savings, but we will use the above tracking sheet monthly to share any savings with all of you.
So far, we haven’t had any luck with SCOP; however, that’s a good thing because it means the stores aren’t charging customers the wrong price.
Flashfood Savings 2026 Monthly Roundup
We found quite a few deals on FlashFood in March, including Magnum ice cream, Italian sausages, Mascarpone, and lots of cheese. It’s so hard to say no to cheese.
If you want to try something new at the grocery store but don’t want to pay full price, wait. You will eventually see it on for 50% off and that’s the time to grab it.
Pet Expenses March 2026
As you know, we have been trying many new cat foods for our ginger to see if he is allergic to chicken.
We gave up.
I’m sure we spent nearly $400 on wet and dry cat food that he either tried and didn’t like or sniffed and turned his nose up at it.
We are now back on Fancy Feast, and we are staying with this brand, FOREVER.
On a good note, he is eating chicken, and there have been no outbreaks, although he does get a daily cleaning with chlorhexidine 4%. That medicine might be the magic he needed.
The vet gave it to us for free, and we ended up paying almost a $300 bill again. Somehow, I feel the cost was whisked into the charges. ha!
Overall, our pet expenses for March were reasonable at $197.
PC Optimum Rewards Points March 2026
Since 2018, we have earned over 10 million PC Optimum Points, equivalent to $ 10,000.
We started 2025 with under 7 million PC Optimum Points, and as of March 2026, we have 9,001,213 and are working towards 10 million.
The possibility of hitting 10 million PC Optimum points by the end of 2026 looks plausible at this point, but anything could happen.
Last month, I asked if you thought it would be a good idea to use our points on groceries in 2026.
However, a new opportunity has arisen, which I will blog about to let you know how we will utilize our Shoppers Optimum Points.
How We Saved So Many PC Optimum Points
Below are blog posts for anyone interested in learning how we earn PC Optimum Points.
- How To Earn PC Optimum Points Fast
- How We Earned 4 Million PC Optimum Points
- President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard
- PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard
Canadian Tire Triangle Rewards Points
The Triangle Rewards ended 2025 at $410.29, but I spent some points to bring the balance down to $245.04 as of May 2026.
I’ve been to Canadian Tire a few times in March, April, and May, but only used points in May, which I will detail in that budget update.
Like Mrs. CBB, I like to save my PC Optimum Points and collect my Triangle MasterCard rewards points for a big purchase.
Moi App Rewards March 2026
For every 500 points earned, buying products with Moi points equals $4.
Currently, we have $55 in Moi Points that we can redeem towards our groceries.
Compared to PC Optimum Points, we are slow to earn Moi rewards because we don’t often use the offers that earn points.
I wish they would offer better deals for the customers, as the program isn’t as lucrative as PC Optimum.
TD Rewards Credit Card 2026
This TD Visa credit card isn’t the best for rewards points, as it took us years to earn $500 in rewards.
We use this account exclusively for online purchases from Amazon, PayPal, Shopify, and other similar platforms.
Hi there! We can both earn a $10 reward when you accept my PayPal invite and spend $5 within 30 days. Use my link: https://py.pl/5TohxUqG4QY
The credit card has a $ 5,000 limit. We initially started with $500 but found that wasn’t enough for bigger home purchases.
What other credit card besides the PC Mastercard offers you amazing cashback?
Overall March 2026 Budget + Net Worth Update
Our net worth increased by $30,174.47 in March, while our investments increased by $174,062.73, resulting in an overall 1.38% increase.
You may notice the cash and emergency savings in the red $143,888.26, and that’s because we invested some of our cash in the bank. It was basically a transfer from the bank to our financial planner.
As you can see in the chart, 100% of our net worth increase came from investments.
Mrs. CBB, since she doesn’t work, last contributed money to her RRSP in 2009, and it was valued at around $47,000 after she lost money in the financial crash.
Today, it’s worth over 200k. That’s the power of time and why it’s so important to invest when you can, even if it’s something small.
Do We Have A Mortgage?
I’ve had a few people email me about our mortgage and why it’s not included in the chart.
After purchasing our home in 2009, we paid it off by 2014, which was not easy, but we managed to do it. When our home was built in 1997, the original owner paid $174,000 and sold it to us in 2009 for $265,000.
However, we still have to pay for house insurance, which will be increasing on May 1, 2026, to $1676.16.
Our 2026 market home value is approximately $988,000 to $1 million, and we purchased the home for $265,000 in 2009.
At the time of writing this, our neighbor’s home is up for sale, and it’s smaller than ours. They have it listed at $955,000, so we feel our home valuation is correct.
That’s all for March 2026, CBB friends. If there is data you’d like us to track for the year, please comment below.
If you’re not already following me on Facebook, please come on over and join the conversation.
Happy Savings,
Mr. CBB