So, Saturday (Nov.1) was the local produce stand's clearance sale. My usual is to really stock-up on good keepers like winter squash, garlic, cabbage, oranges, apples, and some nice to have items like avocados, kiwi and pineapple. That's what I *usually* get, at rock-bottom produce prices.
This year, I had something on the calendar that I couldn't change for that Saturday, the whole day Saturday. I had thought I'd hit the produce stand in the afternoon on Friday, and see if anything had been marked down yet, and buy what I could.
I had company at lunch on Friday, so spent the morning cleaning house. Then in the early afternoon, I received a phone call from one of my daughters. There was a lock down on campus, yes, another one. After the shooting that occurred last June on campus, this was worrisome for both daughters (as well as many of the students they were in lock down with). I stayed home for the afternoon, waiting for the lock down to come to a conclusion. By late afternoon, I had heard that an arrest was made, and the campus was secured. At this point, I simply didn't have the energy to drive down to the produce stand. And so, I have missed my opportunity for fall produce stock-ups.
Now, the challenge ahead of me -- finding deals on produce in other markets.
I know that there was nothing I could do about my circumstances. But still, this feels like a set-back.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
October grocery money journal -- spent $77.50 for the month
Not much to buy this month!! We need to make room in the freezers for turkeys and hams, so my shopping will reflect that.
Oct.4 QFC-- hoping for markdown milk. I find 6 gallons of whole milk for $2.29 each and a 10 oz container of mushrooms for $1.49. I spent $16.23. The mushrooms will be nice to add to vegetarian gravy. Most of the milk will go in the freezer.
Oct. 5 Dollar Tree. I pick up 3 quarts of soy milk and a 24 oz package of macaroni noodles. Spent $4. The macaroni is a regular at Dollar Tree, working out to 67cents per pound, a good price for our area.
Oct. 10 Cash and Carry wholesaler/restaurant supply. I need sugar, down to my last 1/2 cup. I buy 1 50-lb bag of sugar ($22.82), and while there find vegetable oil (soybean) in 35-lb container for $18.57. Spent $41.39.
Oct. 27 Dollar Tree to pick up 2 more quarts of soy milk. Spent $2
Oct. 28 Totally out of milk for rest of family. I had to buy a gallon of whole milk at QFC for $2.99. Only bought 1 gallon, and will hope to find marked down milk in the next few days. Spent $2.99
Total spent for the month, so far -- $66.61
Oct.30 Stop by QFC on way home from babysitting, hoping to find marked down milk, and YES!!, 11 half gallons of whole milk (what my daughter needs, and what I use for yogurt). I buy all 11 half gallons, at 99 cents each. Spent $10.89. Odd thing -- they also had gallon jugs of skim milk on markdown, but those were $2.59/gallon. By buying the half gallons, I only spent $1.98/gallon.
Some months, it's funny to look back at the month of grocery shopping and see what I actually bought. This month, I bought various milks, macaroni, mushrooms, vegetable oil and sugar. Doesn't sound like a whole lot of variety for the month, does it?
So, last month, we went over our budget, used up the surplus, and spent $63.17 into future months, for a carry forward deficit. Our budget for October is $160, less this deficit of $63.17, for a remaining amount of $96.83.
For the month of October, I spent $77.50. I finished the month with a surplus of $19.33. back on surplus territory -- that always feels so much more comfortable for me!
Oct.4 QFC-- hoping for markdown milk. I find 6 gallons of whole milk for $2.29 each and a 10 oz container of mushrooms for $1.49. I spent $16.23. The mushrooms will be nice to add to vegetarian gravy. Most of the milk will go in the freezer.
Oct. 5 Dollar Tree. I pick up 3 quarts of soy milk and a 24 oz package of macaroni noodles. Spent $4. The macaroni is a regular at Dollar Tree, working out to 67cents per pound, a good price for our area.
Oct. 10 Cash and Carry wholesaler/restaurant supply. I need sugar, down to my last 1/2 cup. I buy 1 50-lb bag of sugar ($22.82), and while there find vegetable oil (soybean) in 35-lb container for $18.57. Spent $41.39.
Oct. 27 Dollar Tree to pick up 2 more quarts of soy milk. Spent $2
Oct. 28 Totally out of milk for rest of family. I had to buy a gallon of whole milk at QFC for $2.99. Only bought 1 gallon, and will hope to find marked down milk in the next few days. Spent $2.99
Total spent for the month, so far -- $66.61
Oct.30 Stop by QFC on way home from babysitting, hoping to find marked down milk, and YES!!, 11 half gallons of whole milk (what my daughter needs, and what I use for yogurt). I buy all 11 half gallons, at 99 cents each. Spent $10.89. Odd thing -- they also had gallon jugs of skim milk on markdown, but those were $2.59/gallon. By buying the half gallons, I only spent $1.98/gallon.
Some months, it's funny to look back at the month of grocery shopping and see what I actually bought. This month, I bought various milks, macaroni, mushrooms, vegetable oil and sugar. Doesn't sound like a whole lot of variety for the month, does it?
So, last month, we went over our budget, used up the surplus, and spent $63.17 into future months, for a carry forward deficit. Our budget for October is $160, less this deficit of $63.17, for a remaining amount of $96.83.
For the month of October, I spent $77.50. I finished the month with a surplus of $19.33. back on surplus territory -- that always feels so much more comfortable for me!
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