This week's shopping included a relatively big grocery store trip, but overall our spending once again fell within the "acceptable" range. Here are the boring details:
Grocery and Household Supplies
We shopped the sales, visiting a total of three stores. At one we spent a total of $30.40 on $65.49 worth of groceries; this was achieved by combining sales and coupons with a really great in-store promotion for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. Our cart was humdrum as usual, with lots of produce and eggs, basmati rice, applesauce and various lasagna ingredients. As an added bonus, we found a rebate form for $9 off a grocery purchase of $50. (Now the trick will be to actually spend more than $50 on groceries in a single trip!)
At Store #2 we attacked the loss leaders, stocking up on deeply discounted tomato sauce and our favorite ravioli. After depleting our $10.79 gift card balance, our out-of-pocket cost came to $1.78.
The third trip took us to Target, where we used coupons to nab free soap, pens and dental floss. Also on the list, all purchased with coupons: 99¢ cough syrup (that we hopefully won't need to use), a 99¢ bag of Purina dog food (to donate to a local pet food pantry), and eight cups of yogurt for a combined total of 38¢. Our total of $5.54 would have been three dollars cheaper if not for the completely unnecessary purchase of a pint of Half Baked, my favorite ice cream, but perhaps this junk food splurge happened for a reason: moments ago, as I looked, unsuccessfully, for a link explaining the wonders of this particular Ben & Jerry's flavor, I came across a recipe for making your own that just might revolutionize my ice cream eating life.
Entertainment
For the first time in over a year, Nelly and I went to the movie theater! We'd received a $15 gift card for the holidays and our (discounted) tickets cost $7 each. While we almost choked upon seeing the price of a small bag of popcorn, we decided to live it up and go for the full theater-going experience. Our out-of-pocket cost of $4.79 for this evening of entertainment was lowered by three cents when we retrieved abandoned pennies from the floor of the concession stand. Final cost: $4.76.
Earlier this week I also used a $1 MP3 store credit and $4 of my gift card balance to download Wild Flag from Amazon. It was worth it!
Total spent this week: $42.48
Total spent this year: $77.36
To help with cleaning supplies costs, use vinegar and baking soda. I used it for everything. Besides, there is nothing toxic in the natural ingredients.
ReplyDeleteI was coughing so hard and often that nothing helped. Someone had told me that rubbing Vicks Salve on the soles of my feet before bed and putting on socks would stop the cough. You know how sometimes you get desperate? I got there and put the Vicks on the soles of my feet and wore socks to bed. It worked!!!!
Hi, Practical Parsimony, and thanks for the tips! Nelly is deeply suspicious of cleaning supplies and their myriad chemicals, so we use quite a bit of vinegar and baking soda when cleaning. There are two areas in which I think we could go more natural: laundry detergent (we currently use whatever we can get for less than $2 a jug, which is usually All or Xtra, and we use vinegar in place of fabric softener) and pet cleaning supplies. When our late cat created messes on the carpet we usually treated them with Resolve, which we'd like to avoid using when we next adopt a pet. I've heard that vinegar and baking soda can also work on pet stains, with varying degrees of success.
DeleteYour Vicks remedy is something Nelly would try -- she'll do just about anything before reaching for medication or trekking to the doctor. There are many more uses for Vicks than I ever would have guessed:
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22175/84075-twelve-surprising-uses-vicks-vaporub
Hops,
ReplyDeleteI will certainly look into the uses for Vicks.
There are no pets here, except my 3 hens that have quit laying. And, they are not inside, pooping on the carpet.
You can make your laundry detergent, dry or liquid, from 20 Mule Team Borax, washing soda, and bar soap. I would make the dry. Also, I would make it up in small batches, but all at the same time. Reason--some of those dry ingredients will settle, leaving you with a greater concentration of one ingredient or the other.
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! That frugal Half Baked recipe is amazing! Pinned it, gonna try it.
ReplyDeleteJessica, please report back with your verdict once you've tried it! I'm waiting for a good deal on chocolate ice cream to come along and then I'm making a huge freaking mess in the kitchen giving that recipe a go.
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