APRIL
Analysis of receipts WEEK 2 (April 13-20), WEEK 3
(April 21-27), and WEEK 4 (April 28-May 4)
Total grocery expenditure was $518.70
Week 2 total was about
$190.00 (includes Easter shopping)
Week 3 total was about
$193.00
Week 4 total was about
$125.00 (short week because of wedding trip)
Average spending for these three weeks was about $170.00.
Estimated total month expenditure following this
trend would be between $680 - $850.
EXPENDITURE BY CATEGORY
Total amount spent on was $$
Meat $29.12 ($10
per week)
Largest single item was $12.82 for 2 small hams (Easter sale). I
also bought:
bone-in chicken $6.50
*reduced beef for $5.77
*smoked sausage $0.99
*breakfast sausage $2.99
WASTE: Left half
of beef roast out overnight instead of thawing in fridge: -$2.00
ANALYSIS:
I felt like this was a
more meat-heavy month than usual. I would probably have bought ground beef if
the beef roast meat had not been reduced. Pleased with ham purchase; $12.82
provided meat for 2 meals, 1 soup, 2 broth bones, and almost 4 weeks of
lunchmeat. Normally I would expect to spend at least $12.00 for 3 weeks of
lunch meat.
ACTION:
Try to pack sandwich alternatives for Dennis at least twice a week (pasta salad, curry, enchiladas). This will cut
down on lunchmeat expenditure and be healthier!
Dairy $61.02 ($20 per week)
Bought 6 lb butter for $9.00 on clearance and cream for Easter treats for $3.47. I also bought
cow milk $9.04
almond and soy milk $9.57
cheese (all
kinds) $6.16
eggs (medium) $14.09
*margarine/spread $1.50
yogurt (tub plain) $6.19
yogurt (all cups, *) $2.00
WASTE: Geneva broke seal on two
yogurt cups. ½ gallon milk too sour to cook with: -$3.00
ANALYSIS:
Bought chunk cheese and
sliced for sandwiches for an estimated savings of $1.00 per week.
ACTION:
CHICKENS. Begin research now!
Try to make own yogurt. Also, pack homemade yogurt tubs
(with jam + plain yogurt) for Dennis.
Try to make own almond
milk (query – calcium?)
Produce
(fresh and frozen fruits, vegetables, and nuts) $111.79 ($40 per week)
Subcategories include FRUITS & NUTS, $54.60 and VEGETABLES, $57.19
Especially heavy purchases
were for
apples (all fresh varieties) $10.02
bananas $5.68
blueberries (frozen) $7.89
pears $10.38
zucchini $4.85
yellow squash $5.58
fresh spinach $5.28
Total expenditure on fresh vegetables was $47.80 and frozen vegetables $9.39
WASTE: ½ package
of okra, two ends of zucchini: -$1.90
ANALYSIS & ACTION:
Be more careful to package and
freeze vegetables before they spoil. Frozen blueberries are almost all for
me. I wish I could eat strawberries – they are much cheaper now L
Pantry and
canned goods $78.76 ($25 per
week)
Most expensive item
purchased was olive oil, $16.10. I also bought
canned tomatoes $9.09
other canned veg/beans/fruit $13.47
coffee $5.98
This category usually
includes lots of flour as well as flour, peanut butter,
condiments, dried beans, rice, pasta and cereal (oatmeal, grits, and Cheerios).
WASTE: Charged
twice for peanut butter; ate half a box of raisins in a week (-$3.00)
ANALYSIS & ACTION:
Store raisins somewhere
really high up. Source wheat or flour for bulk purchases?
Stock back up on dried
beans after move.
Pre-cook vegetables for Geneva
each week (pick a day) so less tempted to open a can for her.
Baby-specific
purchases $33.37 ($11 per
week)
Bought infant pain reliever for a total of $14.97 because Geneva was sick all week. Also purchased diapers ($14.97), wipes, and go pouches for our trip.
ANALYSIS:
Spent much less than usual
on diapers because I had 2 coupons for free store-brand diapers.
ACTION:
Ask Dr. Morrison about toilet training! Try to make own wipes.
Non-food and
cat-specific items $59.99 ($20 per
week)
Large purchases include cat litter ($6.99 with coupon), charcoal ($10.99), and packing tape ($13.14). I also bought laundry and cleaning supplies, cough drops
and cold medicine, toilet paper, paper towels, and zip-lock freezer bags.
ANALYSIS & ACTION:
Tried a new brand of cat litter – see how it works.
Snacks,
Luxury Items, and Miscellaneous Purchases $80.71 ($27 per week)
I’m going to copy down
this complete list and analyze it one chunk at a time.
“GOOD” items $45.47
2 6pks beer $16.98
2 bottles wine $13.98
Fresh juice for G $2.50
Trail mix $7.29
Chocolate chips $3.00
Popcorn $1.72
ANALYSIS: Quality items
worth the expenditure. I would like to buy more wine, in fact.
ACTION: Ask re. case
discount on wine. Make own
trail mix. (Future: juicer!)
“NEUTRAL” items $26.62
Crackers for Geneva $2.98
Ice cream $2.39
Pkg PB crackers for G $1.39
12pk seltzer water $3.34
String cheese for G $0.49
Tortillas $4.54
Unidentified item $11.79
WASTE: crackers
left to stale by Geneva
-$0.80
ANALYSIS: Mostly
unnecessary purchases. Tortillas are abnormal (several are in our freezer
still). I didn’t recognize the $11.79 item on the receipt, and could not
remember what it was.
ACTION: Use “baby day” as for canned
vegetables, to pre-prep and have easy snacks already made for Geneva. If she doesn’t want a snack, put it
away immediately and offer it later.
“BAD” items $9.25
12pk Diet Dr Pepper $3.98
Misc. sodas/drinks E $2.40
Jelly beans (*Easter) $1.98
Pudding mix $0.89
WASTE: Jelly
beans were gross. -$1.98
ANALYSIS: WHY THE DIET
SODA. This was a total list fail.
Pudding mix is on “bad” list because of dyes/flavourings (after a cake
fail Easter week I wanted a shortcut for the trifle pudding). Jelly beans I
bought on clearance (I like the black ones)…except they were totally nasty. My
tastebuds have changed.
ACTION: Exercise some self
control and stop buying crappy sodas. Drink water instead. Carry a water bottle everywhere when
I go out.
TOTAL
WASTE: -$10.78 (-$3.59 per week)
Actions to implement
immediately (or ASAP) are highlighted
in blue.
To Do Right Now:
Choose a “baby day” once
per week (Monday or Tuesday). Prep and cook vegetables and snacks (crackers,
snack mix, cheese portions) for Geneva.
Package them for easy access throughout the week.
Take stock at least every
two days of what’s in the fridge – does anything need to be used up or frozen
before it spoils?
Begin emptying the
freezer.
Attempt to make yogurt.
Dennis’s lunch: twice a
week, pack an alternative to sandwiches to save on meat and cheese. (Sugg:
curry, pasta salad, calzone, turnover)
Make trail mix at home.
Carry a water bottle
whenever I go out.
Research CHICKENS (ask
Lauren Souers!)
Ped appt May 19th:
ask re toilet training.
As much as possible, dry
clothes outside instead of in dryer.
