May 2. Senior Discount day at Fred Meyer. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to save a few dollars. So, what I bought. The large box of powdered milk (makes 20 qts. least expensive per pound of the powdered), $13.76, vanilla soymilk, 1/2 gallon, $2.25, 8 oz mushrooms, 99 cents, 6 gallons of 2% and 1% milk (4 of 1, 2 of the other), $1.79 each, 5 lbs carrots, $2.69, 2 8-ct packages of cheap hot dogs, 80 cents each, 2 10-ct packages flour tortillas, 89 cents each, 80-oz jug of orange juice, $1.52, 1 dozen repackaged eggs, some large/some extra-large, 80 cents, 4 1-gallon pails of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, Neapolitan, rainbow sherbet), $2.69 each. Yes, I know, that is a lot of ice cream. In summer, when this brand goes on sale at our Fred Meyer, the price is usually $3.99 each. So, I bought the summer's supply now. Also bought gardening supplies, for $22.72. Total spent today, $69.61
I also bought lightbulbs, feminine hygiene supplies, and a gift while there. I spent just over $100, and the checker thought I did well, considering I filled a large cart. It felt like a lot of money to me, for not a whole lot of food (except ice cream). I still need to buy some produce and an assortment of other items that I pick up at other stores.
May 5. Stopped by WinCo and bought a 72-ct package of corn tortillas, $2.18, 1.35 lbs of cocoa powder ($3.08/lb) for $4.16, a few tablespoons of chili powder, at $3.52/lb, 23 bananas, at 52 cents/lb, 10-ounce bag of grape tomatoes, 98 cents, 5-lb bag of mandarin oranges, $5.98, 1.27 lb of raisins, at $1.79/lb, a handful of circus animal cookies for 55 cents, and a small amount of double dark French roast ground coffee, for $1.47. Total spent $22.53. (Those last two items were a treat just for me. I didn't do anything for my birthday in April, so this was a belated birthday treat for me. Hopefully, I can do something with my family to celebrate my birthday at some point. Everyone is so busy, though, I don't see when this could happen.)
Total spent this month so far, $92.14.
May 6. My husband forgot to tell me he needed a RX picked up when I went out on Tuesday. So, I swung by Fred Meyer this afternoon, and while there, I got my two Friday Freebies -- a 10 oz bag of tortilla chips and a Yoplait Yogurt Dippers. I also bought a 2-lb container of strawberries for $2.88, a bottle of flavored water for $1 and a bottle of V-8 juice for $1.34. One daughter was with me, and we were going to have lunch out together, using a giftcard, at Panera. So, we picked up our drinks while at Fred Meyer. We usually have water to drink, but we splurged this time (yeah, shocked my daughter too). Anyway, total spent -- $5.22
May.11. Getting gas at Fred Meyer, and picking up a little more gardening supplies. Spent $9.37. Then also bought 1.39 lbs of asparagus at $1.99/lb. Total spent on garden and asparagus, $12.14.
Month to date spending -- $109.50
May 14. Cash & Carry, mainly for the last day of the butter on sale for $2.38/lb. I bought 14 lbs of butter, enough to last until early fall, I hope. I also bought a lot of produce: 10 lbs carrots ($3.98), 3 bundles celery ($4.40), 10 lbs potatoes ($1.57), 2 32-oz bags of chopped frozen broccoli ($2.27 each), 3-lb block of frozen spinach ($3.08), 2 heads of green cabbage ($1.36 each), 2 5-lb bags of Pink Lady apples ($4.03 each), 23 bananas (47 cents/lb), 1 gallon canola oil ($6.37), and 1 5-lb block of mild cheddar cheese ($10.67). Total spent $82.01
month to date spent -- 191.51
May 24. My son stopped at Cash & Carry for me and picked up 5 lbs of Pink Lady apples, $4.03, and 17 bananas at 42 cents/lb, for $2.59. Total spent $6.62
Month to date spent -- $198.13
May 28. Fred Meyer to pick up a lunch to finally celebrate my birthday. One daughter came with me and we chose a chocolate-raspberry torte, a prepared Caesar salad mix, a container of strawberries, a deli Asian chicken salad. I also picked up 3 freebies, the Ritz cracker chips, a Lindt truffle candy bar, and a pint of Silk soy creamer (supposed to be almond creamer but they didn't have it, so I asked if they would sub the soy). Total spent $18.28.
Total spent for the month -- $216.41
I had a total of $371.17 to spend, and I spent $216.41. That leaves me with a surplus of $154.76 going into June. I had a couple of splurges this month. Hopefully in June everything will be more normal. At least I have a supply of butter again.
What I bought:
Dairy
individual yogurt (Freebie)
large box of powdered milk
1/2 gallon soy milk
6 gallons milk
1 dozen eggs
4 gallons of ice cream
5 lbs cheddar cheese
14 lbs butter
Soy creamer, 16-oz (freebie)
Meat
16 hotdogs
Asian chicken salad, prepared from deli
Produce
1 individual bottle of V-8 juice
3 lbs strawberries
8 ounces mushrooms
15 lbs carrots
80 ounces orange juice
gardening supplies for the veggie and herb garden
63 bananas
10 ounces of grape tomatoes
5 lbs of mandarin oranges
1.27 lbs raisins
1.39 lbs of asparagus
15 lbs apples
3 bundles celery
10 lbs potatoes
2 heads of green cabbage
4 lbs of frozen broccoli
3 lbs of frozen spinach
one container of Caesar salad mix
Pantry
1 individual bottle of flavored water
10 oz bag tortilla chips (freebie)
20 flour tortillas
72 corn tortillas
1.35 lbs cocoa powder
small amount of chili powder
a handful of circus animal cookies
small amount of ground coffee
1 gallon canola oil
Lindt truffle bar (freebie)
Ritz cracker chips (freebie)
I bought a lot of produce this month. There were few treats, too, but not a lot. $33 of the budget was spent on butter. That butter should last through the summer. I'll be shopping again in just a couple of days. I seem to have fallen into a pattern of a big one or two shops at the beginning of the month, and then not a whole lot for the rest of the month. Anyone else find they do that, too? My thinking is it is in part a mental thing of not wanting to overspend the budget, as the month progresses, combined with the Senior Discount day which is early in the month, and I typically buy a large share of our food that day.
I feel like I didn't do a very good job of cutting spending.
