November Month End Budget Update

Each month my budget is $160 for all groceries including food, drinks, toiletries and non prescription medicine for my family (including two adults and one toddler). I work to stretch my families budget to save money and get lots of great items at super low prices.  I post on this blog the items that I bought and the best sales to help you stretch your family’s grocery budget, as well!  I have found that my family is getting nicer things I hope that this helps everyone be a little bit more frugal and stock up on great things for their families.

With Harris Teeter having Super Doubles to start the month (okay and end October but one day doesn't really count).  Over the first half of the month, I had 12 trips to Harris Teeter, one to Giant, and one to CVS.  I was able to get two turkeys and tons of other groceries just a few dollars shy of my $160 budget.

Sadly, I did peak a little early in the month and not leaving a lot of other deals that came up during the month like Black Friday!!!  I guess I have a little wiggle room since some of Black Friday isn't really part of the grocery budget since it will end up being gifts but it is so hard to figure out places like CVS and what counts and what doesn't so I always count it all. 

I went on Monday (the day after the sale started) after I dropped my little one at school so I could concentrate on trying to get some deals.  They were sadly out of lots of the deals which made me really sad but I grabbed a few bargains and then did the dreaded CVS sale, rushed through check out because I had to get back to my little ones school performance.  I did it in just a few check outs instead of spending the least OOP possible so my total OOP was $9.34.  It isn't terribly bad but I am so out of practice at the CVS game and I don't think that my head was in it.  This put me $6.53 over budget but I have a bunch of CVS money left to spend so I will take my change jar back and get a few remaining deals at some other CVSs if they get more product in.  Even though I didn't get the things that I really wanted, I did save almost $30.

Then, I went back to CVS for the Thanksgiving/Black Friday deals.  There weren't many and I already had a ton of CVS money so I ended up spending $4.97 on all the stuff that I got.  I saved about $68 with all the great deals even though they weren't really important to get but I already had the ECBs to spend.  Plus, I used my husband's change container to pay for everything since I was already past my budget for the month :)

So sorry that I didn't post the CVS trips with all the computer trouble but they weren't super impressive.  I was over $11.50 but a saved a ton and got two turkeys so I will consider that I made it out pretty well considering the holidays and busy schedule.  Hoping for a better total next month!!

Total OOP $171.50
Total Savings $720.15

Total Value $891.65
Total Percentage Savings 81%

Year End Totals for 11 months

Total Spent YTD $1580.68
Monthly Average $143.70

This leaves me plenty of room in the budget to finish out the year.  I also have a $75 Walmart gift card, $10 Giant Gift Card, and a $10 Giant credit which I am going to work on this month to keep the budget super low!!  I also have some CVS money that will help stretch out the household things that we need but I am not sure how much I have left (between $15-20).  Hope that your year is shaping up well and I look forward to hearing about it!!!