Middle of the Month August Shopping Update

I keep a monthly budget of $160 for our family of three.  I use lots of different ways to make it happen but mostly I shop sales and use coupons and buy all the things at the lowest possible prices to stretch our budget farther.  I also make lots of food from scratch including bread, rolls, and breakfast treats.  I buy things in season and freeze it to use later so that I have everything in the house to make whatever we need.  I am trying to focus on the freezer and pantry and using up the things we have because we spend a lot less time in the store for the summer.

I don't know where the summer had gone but it went quickly again!!  We tried to fit in as many things as possible into the summer including a week at the beach, lots of library programs, mini golfing, swimming in the pool, museums and time spent with family.  Lots of reading going on here with everyone in on these great books on CD that we listen in the car and can't stop when we get home so we continue while sitting in the house.  We have gone through lots of books and books on CD to complete the summer reading program.  Sadly some time for me in physical therapy but I am getting better.  I am exhausted and need everyone to go back to school so that I have a break.  I feel like I have made it to the store more often this summer then normal but this month was thanks to Christine.  I had a planned trip out of town when there was super doubles and there were so many amazing deals that I couldn't pass up.  She did an amazing job getting me lots of things that will last us a long time!

Aldi $28.58

I went to my doctors appointment and got lots because the Aldi's out there has way lower pricing so I stocked up which should last until our next visit to the doctor.

Harris Teeter $0.08

My son did this transaction and he gave the lady his stuff and his coupons and his reusable bags by himself.  He paid with change and got his money back.  She thought he was adorable.  He told her he liked candy and it was all for him.  He wanted to eat the candy before we left the store but he got as far at the car.

 Harris Teeter $2.11

I got these for a road trip that we were taking and they were tasty treats for the car!!

Harris Teeter $0.04

More free candy at a different store and I don't know why the price was different but my son was happy to hand over his  coupons and pennies to pay for his transaction!

Harris Teeter $0.93

I don't know what went wrong but the lady scanned some other car with my card so the evic pricing didn't come off.  I had to go to customer service to get everything fixed with the pricing and they were great! I also had a catalina to spend on other groceries later!!

Harris Teeter $0.04

I was at customer service for a long time so my son did another transaction so that I could get him to stop climbing on the customer service area like it was a ninja warrior course!!  

Harris Teeter $0.04

I went again to see if they had any stock in some of the other deals and to get ready for super doubles that I was going to be out of town for so I grabbed a few more candies!!

Harris Teeter $1.90

I turned over a list and a bunch of coupons to my friend Christine and she shopped for me!!  I was so sad to miss the first half of super doubles but she did amazing for me and I can't thank her enough for all the trips she made for me!! There should have been a catalina from this but it didn't print out.  I have a note written on the top of the receipt to get a $2 credit so I need to work on getting that!

Harris Teeter $0.54

An amazing deal on my son's favorite shampoos so we are super excited to have these!  They were free after sale and coupon so only paid tax.

Aldi $5.77

We were at dinner at my cousins house when I realized that I didn't pack the garlic salt to go with the pasta so my cousin's husband drove my son to the store to get that.  We also bought Parmesan cheese because they were low.  My son thought that was a perfect opportunity to ask for ice cream sandwiches which he got and enjoyed.  I didn't take a picture then but we have all the things at home so I put them together.  We now have enough garlic salt for a lifetime because we have at least three already at home!!

Harris Teeter -$1.37

Christine did this and said she isn't sure what happened but she got more things and the total was still crazy and coupons weren't doubled but it was in the negative.  It looks like the tea was rung up wrong but the cashier just gave her the money back after she added more things to the total.  I am happy to have tea since it is hard to find during super doubles.  The floss gave me another $2 catalina!!

Harris Teeter $2.23

Another great transaction by Christine to get free butter and $0.50 Bugles and the Hamburger Helper that I was doctor up to make some yummy meals this winter for a super fast meal before games!!

Harris Teeter $0.17

Christine got four folders and two Skinny Pops so these are all for my son.  I will put the folders in the school supply stockpile and the skinny pop went into the hidden cupboard for the start of school

Harris Teeter $0.23

Did you think that Christine could possible be a better friend because she got me these too!!  I am not sure about the different salsa flavors in this new line of salsa but I think that I might use it in salsa sloppy joes or something different to add a little different flavor. My family is picky about salsa and doesn't like when I mix it up but you can't pass up free can you?

Target $0

My husband went to Target to pick up cinnamon powdered sugar mini doughnuts which is a family favorite for vacation and we had tried three different kinds and not had good luck with the flavor of the others.  When they got there the shelf was empty and they had to wait for someone to restock but they only stocked a different brand.  They bought one to make sure it was good.  They determine it was and send me back to get two more.  They went so quickly that I didn't get a picture.  The best part is that I planned ahead and bought a gift card using free points from MyPoints to use for Target so it didn't cost us any money.

Harris Teeter $2.64

I am back for the second half of super doubles and the second sale.  It might have been a big jump back in with this trip but I had two catalinas burning a hole in my pocket so I went with big hopes of getting lots and boy did it get more then I thought I had coupons for (okay I had coupons for everything in my coupon basket but I didn't know what was on sale so I was winging it since I got home an hour before I went shopping)!! Free Colgate toothpaste, free Pillsbury rolls, free Ben and Jerry's slices, and free salsa.  The Frosted Flakes were $1 per box after sale and coupon.  The cookies were $0.89 after sale and coupon.  The Mario Bacon was $0.99 after coupon but I need it on hand for our new cheesy ranch bread.  The Cheez Its were shelf priced at $4.99 but they were buy 2, get three free so I got 5 and used coupons that I bought off Kellogg's Family rewards to pay $0.40 per box.  I used two of my catalinas which doubled and so I had very little out of pocket to pay for all these groceries.

Harris Teeter $0.10

I didn't know that these yummy treats were going to be free so when I found out, I made a special trip just to get them.  Great news is that my son doesn't like them so they are all for me!! He can eat all the skittles and starburst he wants and I have my yummy ice cream.

Harris Teeter $0.63

Another crazy trip trying to get all the deals in this time around but I wasn't sure what I would get.  I bought the coupons for the Cheez Its and the Pringles on Kellogg's Family Rewards and was happy they were in stock.  I got the Pringles for $0.25 each.  The Cheez Its were $0.40 per box.  I got free Pillsbury, Ben and Jerry Slices and the Crest.  The Crest was an even better deal because it gave $3 off instantly so it paid for the rest of the groceries so I only paid tax!!  Love the deals this time around.

Harris Teeter $3.00

I wanted to do the pepperoni deal because the shelf said $3.50 per bag of family sized pepperoni which is an amazing deal. The shampoo, pizza crust, skinny pop and crest was free.  There was a bonus $3 off when you bought 3 items from P&G so I used that to pay for some of the pepperoni.  The pricing didn't ring up correctly so I went back to customer service and they gave me back the difference and although I didn't get one free, I got an amazing deal on all that food.

Harris Teeter $0.48

I wanted to go back again later that night to use up the rest of the coupons that I had but I got a migraine and napped instead so I was printing coupons and getting organized for a trip first thing in the morning so that I could grab lots on the last day of super doubles!! I had a long list of things to get and it was the last day!!!  I went early at 6:30 am so that I could leave my son at home and shop in peace before my husband left for work.  Things were on the shelf and I couldn't be happier with the quantity of things that I got this time around including the pizza dough which we really love!  I realized that I had two coupons left that I didn't use and more coupon in my basket so I grabbed the last two things.

Harris Teeter $0.09

I grabbed my last two things with my last two coupons left and it was the last family pizza crust or I would have gotten another.  We have found that this is now our favorite one!!

Target $0

I order both of my son's vitamins at Target to pick up because it is sometimes hard to find them on the shelf in the same place and it has the added bonus that I can use PayPal and not pay any money out of pocket.

Harris Teeter $0

I went to Harris Teeter to get the free soda on my card and for my friend Christine because she was out of town.  I rang up mine first and it didn't come off which I have never had happen but the customer service person came the register and credited them.  I was looking for a different kind of soda but I am sure we will enjoy this one regardless.

Shoppers $0.03

I went to the store to get the free gum that was offered in the app.  I was a little sad that I forgot about making it there last week for the freebie but determined to be on top of this weeks!

Aldi $0

I went to Aldi because my mom needed something for salad and she said that she couldn't find it but then I sent my husband and father to look and they found it.  We were also almost out of milk which is something she uses a lot of so we grabbed another gallon.  My husband thought we needed eggs but we actually didn't need them but they won't go to waste.  My husband wanted bananas and turkey lunch meat so I grabbed those.  My son picked out the chicken fries and the ice cream sandwiches.  We needed mozzerella cheese if we were going to make more pizzas so I grabbed two more which I think should get us most of the way through the crusts that we have in the fridge now.  My mom picked up the tab for the groceries so there was no money out of pocket.

Total Retail $648.03
Total Savings $599.79
Total OOP $48.24

I think that have lots of back to school foods stocked up and the cupboards are so full!!  I even have things shoved in the laundry room which is my backup place to keep things off the counter.  I only turned in two rebates for any items so only $0.50 back in rebates so far for this month.  It doesn't always work out to a big money back but I spent so little money with the help of instant savings and catalinas that it didn't matter.  I used my gift card and PayPal money to go even further.  I actually paid my wonderful friend Christine with PayPal so it was even $3.70 less out of pocket but I am counting it so that it doesn't get even more confusing!!

Eating Out

We got take out from Little Caesars Pizza in Pennsylvania for $5.30 and fountain soda from McDonalds for $2.12 on the way back from our trip.  Our total eating out costs were $7.42 and we all enjoyed the amazing pizza which came with free cookies and free refills on our soda.  Wondering why things are so much tastier at the ones that aren't close to our house.  We have made a habit of getting that pizza because it is so easy when driving through town.

Her Fear Book Review

I was so excited to get to read Her Fear: The Amish of Hart County by Shelley Shepard Gray so I read it quickly and then totally didn't write the book review of it.  I have a pile of four books now to review because I am so far behind and my July review of all the books that I read back then... I have to figure out which books were July and which were August!! Anyway, this book was amazing and I think that everyone should take a break from their summer to read it!  I have read all the other books in this series and I have loved them all even though they are so different and unique from other Amish fiction. 

In New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray’s latest novel of suspense in her Amish of Hart County series, an EMT falls for a woman with ties to an Amish community where people are dying similar, suspicious deaths.  Sadie Detweiler never imagined she’d move to Kentucky, yet here she is: a pregnant, unmarried Amish girl banished by unforgiving parents to live with kin she barely knows. The men are gruff and her cousins are secretive. Worst of all, elderly matriarch Verba becomes mysteriously ill shortly after Sadie moves in. When EMT Noah Freeman arrives, Sadie immediately notices he’s unlike any other Amish man she’s met. Noah is warm, confident, and has an easy way with practically everyone in the community, both Amish and English. Though Sadie is drawn to him, she has little hope he will reciprocate her feelings once he learns she’s with child.
Noah can’t understand how a girl as sweet and lovely as Sadie ended up sleeping on a cot in Verba Stauffer’s kitchen. He also senses Sadie is terrified of something. Concerned, he checks up on her. Eventually they strike up a friendship and soon their attraction is undeniable. When Verba later dies at the hospital and her death is followed by two others, Noah’s boss wants him to dig around the Amish community for clues. He agrees—for Sadie’s sake—because only the truth will keep her safe and by his side.

Sadie is forced to moved to Kentucky to live with distant family that she doesn't know when she ends up pregnant before marriage and her boyfriend denies that it is his.  It breaks her heart but her parents believe him over her and send her away.  She is living in a house with lots of secrets and she is just trying to stay quiet so that she has a home to have her baby in.  Sadie stops thinking about the future and what her life is going to be like and only focuses on the baby.  Then she meets Noah who is an EMT who happens to be Amish.  Noah instantly feels a connection to Sadie and can't stop trying to find out what is going on.  You have to pick up the book to find out what happens but I think that you will enjoy the quick paced book that is hard to put down.  There are so many different topics covered in this book that are so different then other Amish fiction books.  I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I have and check out the rest of this great series.

**I received a copy of this book for my review but all opinions here are my own.

Menu Plan Monday 8/13

Chicken fries, Chicken Wraps with homemade fries
Pasta
Chicken with rice
Homemade Pizza
Salsa Sloppy Joes with mac and cheese
Chili on Fritos with cheese
Leftovers and Chopped Salad

This week we are picking out a few meals to eat and moving them around as needed as we have been doing this summer.  It is helpful because I never know what is going to go on during the day so I hope that we can get dinner on the table as quickly as we need that night.

So last week I didn't even get the menu flipped over to August so I didn't have a clue what we were having and we started the week out of town.  I was a little confused over what day it was but I went back over it with a little help from my husband and came up with what we ate last week.  I got a little better with a few things filled out for the rest of the month and took a quick inventory of the basement freezer.

Monday we went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and my cousin and Aunt paid for it with gift cards because we paid for mini golf and maze before which was way cheaper.  For dinner we made quesdillas from the leftover taco meat, white rice for my son, buffalo chicken mac and cheese and lots of leftovers.  Tuesday we had a picnic between the ropes course that the boys did and laser tag and science museum which took all day.  We also got to go to the event there where they fit my son with a new bike helmet.

Tuesday dinner was BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, and buffalo chicken pasta.  Wednesday we left to come home and had lunch in the car with a continuation of dinner in the car with a stop at Little Caesars for pizza for $5.30 and McDonald's for big soda for $2.12.

Thursday we did lots with cleaning around the house and unpacking and the boys did mini golf and the pool so dinner was late and we had some quick pasta.  Friday had my parents coming in to town and we had chicken tacos with rice and corn on the cob.  Saturday we had a birthday party so we had pizza for lunch and we made Olive Oil Pasta with zucchini and corn on the cob for dinner.

Sunday was Grilled Spedies Chicken and pineapple with white rice and salad (with the last of the corn on the cob that my parents bought).  My parents always stop at farm stands and bring lots of produce or things to use up out of their fridge when they come to visit.  It is always the challenge to find all the uses for what they bring we we enjoyed the amazing corn on the cob lots!

July End of the Month Shopping and Eating Out Totals

I have kept our family of three on a monthly budget of $160 for over 6 years.  There are some months that are a little up and some months that are little under but my yearly totals always work out to under budget.  I try to stretch the money by shopping sales and using coupons.  This month was no exception but we took vacation this month so I spent a lot less time in the grocery store.  Sometimes that works out well because I don't spend a lot money and other times it works out badly because I spend too much when I am there.  What I buy in a monthly changes based on the sales and deals that I find and I stock up on things to get everything at the lowest cost.

In more recent years, I have started tracking out eating out spending which I try to keep under $40 per month.  I track our purchases here and if our eating out spending goes too high then I try to cut back on grocery spending to make up for the difference.

Check out below what I got for the month and how much I spent on each transaction.  There is a breakdown for all of the transactions except those that I did at the beginning of the month because I broke them down here.

Harris Teeter $2.04 

Harris Teeter $0.06

Harris Teeter $0.06

Giant $0.00

Harris Teeter $18.42

Harris Teeter $0.06

Harris Teeter $4.51

Harris Teeter $0.31

Harris Teeter $1.36

Giant $6.96

Harris Teeter $0.03

I printed out coupons and had them in my folder so I was excited to find the yogurt on sale to make these free even though they weren't labeled on the shelf.

Harris Teeter $20.19

I went a little crazy on this shopping trip but I got three free yogurts which I ate already.  I grabbed bananas, lettuce and corn on the cob.  There was a deal on the bacon and I had a coupon but it rang up wrong so I ended up getting lots of money back at customer service so they ended up being $0.95 each.  I grabbed stick margarine because we were totally out.  I got all of the Quaker Big Chewy bars that they had on the shelf because they were on sale for $1.67 which is a great price.  In my biggest splurge, I bought the ice cream deal where you bought $15 of ice cream then you got $5 off.  The Ben and Jerry's was on sale in my evic for $2.97 (and my son has started a new love of them) and the Magnum bars were on sale for $3.34 and I had a $0.75 coupon to make them $1.84 (and my husband loves them).  They worked out to a super low price and a great treat for us.  I also used my catalina from my husband's Giant transaction to get an amazing total.

Giant $0.05

I got a free container of ketchup with the online coupon that I saved to my card.  The shelves were empty and there was a cardboard display that had this so I grabbed it.

Shoppers -$0.01 

I went to the store to get the freebie from last week and they were out but I got a rain check.  I went back with my rain check and my new freebie loaded to the card.  I got both and the total was $0.09 in tax so I gave the cashier a dollar bill.  He said something about how the computer wasn't working with the total and he gave me my change so I counted it in the car and he gave me 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickel and 1 penny.  I know that everyone is adding the money in their head but it was $1.01.  I think he accidentally gave me back an extra dime but I wasn't going back in the store to give him back his dime.

Aldi $7.60

I went to the store to get milk but I was a little hungry so I probably grabbed more then I needed to but all things that we need and will use.  I use the oyster crackers to make garlic Parmesan or ranch crackers for my husband's lunch or snack.  I also got more crackers for me.  We were down to our last bag of chips and I grabbed some more salsa because it is what goes with the chips.

Harris Teeter $7.74

I went to get my weekend freebie and the deal on the Always pads.  They aren't my favorite ones but you get what you get with the sales and inventory.  They were on sale for $3.99 and there was a coupon for $3/2.  There was a deal that you got $3 off if you bought 3 instantly.  I went with four items and two coupons for it was $7 out of pocket and then I turned it in for $2 rebate from Ibotta and $0.25 any item rebate and a second $2 rebate from Ibotta.

Aldi $5.31

I didn't get turkey the last time I was at Aldi because I was thinking about going to Harris Teeter to get it because my husband prefers theirs but I didn't so I stopped back by Aldi's and grabbed ice cream sandwiches because we were almost out.

Total Retail $361.65

Total Savings $286.96

Total OOP $74.69

I did kind of amazing this month with lots of things that I got but lots of savings.  I was so far under my budget that even I was amazed.  I tried to think of more things that I needed to get and the only thing that came up was more Cran Grape.  Then my husband told me where he moved the storage too without my knowledge so turned out we didn't need that either.  I turned in $22.25 in rebates so that is a huge chunk of money back on my very limited spending.  I used lots of catalinas to get away with lots less spending then normal.  

I dug through the freezer and there is lots of food in there and the pantry to get us through the rest of the summer until I can make it to the store more regularly when my son goes back to school.  As long as remember to take food out to defrost and find enough time at home for baking, I will make it through August with flying colors.

Eating Out

We were out on vacation which we try to maintain the same budget for eating out as we do every month which is $40 but we normally go over.  We spent $57.66 so just a little over.  We didn't plan on any more eating out for the month and didn't do any more.  The great thing is that  being under on my grocery budget usually makes up for the difference and that was the case this month.

Menu Plan Monday 7/30

Meal Choices

Chicken fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade fries
Spaghetti (maybe Chicken Parmesan again)
Tacos
Steak and Rice with Corn on the Cob
Leftovers
Dinner with Family
??

Last week we did homemade pizza on Monday and Chicken fries and homemade fries for my son and Chicken Wraps for us.  I don't know what was going on Wednesday but I know we probably had a gross rain storm.  We totally forgot the pot luck dinner again because I never know what day of the week it is so we had grilled chicken and white rice.

Thursday night was Easy Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti  from the chicken patties in the freezer.  It is a tasty meal and one that I normally don't make in the summer but my husband asked for chicken parm so I made the easy kind!

Friday was a day that I got to be at home so I decided to make chili (instead of tacos) because you are supposed to let that simmer all day.  I have never made chili before and I wasn't sure what to do but I cooked up over two pounds of meat and dumped a spice mix into and added a large jar of tomatoes and simmered.  I thought it needed a little more spice so I added a little bit of sriracha but probably not enough.  We had it over Fritos with melted cheese.  It was a tasty treat and I know that I will make it again soon.  I froze the second half of the batch to eat another time too!!

Saturday rolled around and I was exhausted so I was pushing for leftovers and it was the last meal on the list for the week since I messed up the pot luck.  We finished most of the food in the fridge so Sunday was missing from the plan.  I decided on chicken and rice with corn on the cob which I also forgot to make during the week.

Planning for next week and hoping that I will do better with making the food that I actually planned but I guess that is how summer goes!!

The Lucky One Book Review

I read The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks when it first came out in hard back.  I actually owned the book so when book club said that they were reading something that I owned and had, I knew that I better get my act together and read it before the meeting.  It is an easy read that goes quickly just like lots of the Nicholas Sparks books because you can't put them down.  I went back to link my reading to my previous review and saw that this book came out in 2008 and I started review books in 2011 so I knew that it wasn't going to be on my blog so I decided to review it.

In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life.

After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck -- winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph -- his lucky charm.

Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother -- and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart -- destroying not only their love, but also their lives.  Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

I enjoyed the book and the great characters.  It was a fast paced book that had me always wanting to read a little more and not put it down.  I read it in a few days and enjoyed getting back to a book that I hadn't read in a long time.  Thilbault is kept safe while serving in the military oversees and decides that he is going to the best when he comes back to the states.  He is being a good friend to his friend Victor by granting his dying wish.  He went on a long journey walking across the United States to find the women in the picture that Victor said was his good luck charm.  He finally found her and made a life for himself but forgot to tell her that he walked across the country to find her and she found out.  It was an interesting story and amazing to watch the way things worked out.  A great book which lead to another great movie but I don't think that I have seen the movie yet so adding it to my list.  Hoping to see it soon!!

Minding the Light Book Review

I read the first book in the series and was excited to see that there were already two more books underway.  Minding the Light (Nantucket Legacy) by Suzanne Woods Fisher was the second book in the series and doesn't let down continuing with a different family member and following the journal through how it saves the next generation and enjoying the history of Nantucket while reading it.

Six long years ago, Captain Reynolds Macy sailed away from his bride, looking forward to the day when he would return to Nantucket Island with a ship's hold full of whale oil. But when that momentous day finally arrives, Ren soon discovers that everything has changed in his absence. Everything. "Is nothing on this island as it appears to be?" he whispers in despair.

Unlike most islanders, bold and spirited Daphne Coffin doesn't defer to Ren as an authoritative whalemaster, but sees through his aloofness to the aching heart beneath. She encourages him to return to his Quaker roots and "mind the Light," finding solace in God and community. As Ren becomes the man she believes him to be--honorable, wise, faithful--she finds herself falling in love with him.

But how can she, when her heart is spoken for? Tristram Macy is Ren's business partner, cousin, and best friend--and Daphne's fiancé. Love always comes at a cost, but when is the price too high?
Suzanne Woods Fisher welcomes readers back to the Quaker community on Nantucket Island for this riveting love story, full of unexpected moments.

I wasn't sure when I read the first book in the series if I was going to be interested in this historical fiction book but I was hooked.  I am not really big on the historical books because they are often hard to get through and not quick reads.  This book is totally different because it is a great story with lots of amazing characters.  I was really looking forward to finding out what is going to happen with the boat coming back after 6 years.  Ren found out that he has two children and quickly lost his wife after arriving home.  It was a crazy journey to find out all that happens in this book but I promise you will like the trip and be totally captivated with the story.  I hope that you enjoyed this book and the rest of the series as much as I did!!