Cash only grocery budget--month in review

This month was the first I tracked my purchases and used only cash for groceries. Dave Ramsey (author of Total Money Makeover) writes that people spend 18% more when they use "plastic" to make their purchases over cash. I thought we did pretty well already in the grocery area--but decided to see if using cash only made a difference. It did! I thought more about each purchase I made and would need to be aware how much cash I had on me when I was in the grocery store.


At the beginning of the month I took out $360 in cash. I thought that was reasonable for a family of 6. That covered all grocery, baby, cleaning supplies, health and beauty items.

I spent $324.48. I came $35.52 UNDER budget this month. I also submitted $87 in mail in rebates from those grocery receipts. If you count that money back I'm getting, I spent $237.48 for the month. (And I still have $12 in catalinas that I can use on June groceries!) I was hoping to spend even less than I did, but you'll see in the list posted below that I stocked up on a LOT of different items this month, hopefully meaning next month's spending will be even less.

In the month of April I spent $523.55. Not counting the $87 I'm getting back in mail in rebates, I spent $199.07 LESS in May than April. I'm not all that good at math--but I think that's a 38% savings from last month!

When I got back from the store I input my receipts into Excel to track not only what I spent, but what I bought. (I was curious how much milk I get each month, how much bread we eat, how much produce we go through in a month, etc.) I also put what I've spent into my itouch as soon as I get home from the store, that way I have a running budget in my purse at all times.

From what I purchased this month, I was able to I donate over $200 worth of groceries to the food bank.

So, what did $324.48 cash buy me this month?

Produce
5	indiv	apples
2	indiv	bananas
2	indiv	tomatoes
6	ears	corn
1	head	iceberg lettuce
3.1	lbs	potatoes
0.9	lbs	apples
6.39	lbs	bananas
0.65	lbs	roma tomatoes
5	lbs	potatoes
5	lbs	Fuji apples
3	indiv	bananas
6	ears	corn
2	lbs	strawberries
1	indiv	pineapple
	18 oz pk	blueberries
7	indiv	bananas
3	lbs	apples
3.89	lbs	bananas
2.67	lbs	apples
2	lbs	organic carrots
3.97	lbs	potatoes
2	indiv	portabella mushroom caps
2	lbs	celery hearts
1.52	lbs	grapes
2	lbs	vidalia onions
1		seedless watermelon
6	ears	corn
1	indiv	red pepper
1	indiv	green pepper
1	lbs	carrots
1	lbs	organic carrots
2	indiv	red peppers
1	indiv	green pepper
1	indiv	cucumber
2	indiv	oranges
8	indiv	Fuji apples
3	indiv	pears
1	head	green leaf lettuce
1	indiv	extra large tomoato
9	indiv	bananas
2	lbs	strawberries
2	indiv	sweet potatoes
6	ears	corn
6	indiv	kiwi
5.76	lbs	Fuji apples
9.92	lbs	potatoes
1	indiv	cucumber
Dairy
1	gallon	2% milk
3	gallon	2% milk
2	gallon	skim milk
1	dozen	eggs
3	dozen	eggs
1	lb	Kraft American cheese
1	pint	heavy whipping cream
1	package	cream cheese
1	6 pk	yogurt
4	lbs	butter
4	gallon	2% milk
2	gallon	skim milk
4	lbs	cheddar cheese
3	6pks	yogurt
2	pks	shredded cheddar
4	blocks	cheddar cheese
2	blocks	colby jack
3	dozen	eggs
1	gallon	whole milk
2	gallon	2% milk
1	lb	Kraft American cheese
2	gallons	skim milk
1	lb	Kraft American cheese
1	32oz	plain yogurt
2	4pks	Yoplait yo-plus yogurt
4	lb	Kraft American cheese
2	16 oz	Breakstones sour cream
1	8 oz	Daisy Sour Cream
3	gallon	2% milk
Bread
1	loaf	bread
1	pk	hot dog buns
1	dozen	mini bagels
1	2pk	ficcelle bread
2	loaf	bread
2	loaf	bread
1	16 pk	hamburger buns
2	loaf	bread
Meat
5	pks	Hot dogs
10	lbs	frozen chicken breasts
6.07	lbs	ground beef
8	lbs	hamburgers (32)
2.6	lbs	ground turkey breast
1.66	lbs	london broil steaks
1.5	lbs	eye round steaks
2	lbs	NY strip steaks
1	lbs	thin cut fajita steaks
13.33	lbs	90% ground beef
2.6	lbs	ground turkey breast
4.7	lbs	stew meat
12	indiv	beef shish kabobs
1.5	lbs	thin cut fajita steaks
1.25	lbs	ground turkey breast
Canned/Jarred
1	jar	strawberry jelly
1	bottle	syrup
12	bottles	Pace salsa
3	bottles	Pace salsa
2	cans	baked beans
1	bottle	syrup
1	jar	seedless red raspberry jam
1	jar	orange marmalade
1	30 oz jar	mayonaise
3	bottles	Kraft ranch dressing
1	bottle	Pace salsa
20	bottles	Kraft BBQ sauce
130	bottles	Kraft BBQ sauce
2	bottles	Kraft salad dressing
2	bottles	A1
4	cans	refried beans
2	cans	hormel chili
2	bottles	Newmans Own Balsamic Vineg.
2	jar	miracle whip
1	jar	skippy peanut butter
Staples
13	boxes	Special K
1	boxes	Saltines
2	boxes	Life Cereal
2	cans	kidney beans
1	bottle	Parmesan cheese
1	bottle	Vegetable oil
1	boxes	brown rice
2	lbs	brown sugar
1	boxes	baking soda
1	5lb bag	flour
2	boxes	Special K yougrt
1	boxes	Frosted Mini Wheats
5	boxes	Frosted Mini Wheats
2	boxes	Ritz crackers
2	boxes	Wheat Thins
4	boxes	Froot Loops
4	boxes	Apple Jacks
4	boxes	Corn Pops
2	boxes	Frosted Mini Wheats
9	boxes	Raisin Bran
4	boxes	Rice Krispies
4	boxes	Frosted Flakes
2	boxes	Barilla Picollini bowties
3	boxes	Uncle Bens brown rice
1	box	Black pepper
3	packs	Wacky Mac
20	packs	McCormick Zesty Herb marinade
Beverages
10	pks	6 ct Deer Park water
3	boxes	capri sun
1	bottle	iced tea
4	bottle	Vitamin water
4	12 pks	Coke
1	1/2 gallon	Tropicana OJ
7	bottle	Vitamin water
5	bottle	Vitamin water
1	1/2 gallon	Tropicana OJ
1	bottle	Deer Park Sparkling water
Misc
12	boxes	Fiber One bars
1	indiv	donut
2	bags	Sunchips
2	indiv	reusable shopping bags
1	indiv	newspaper
1	bags	marshmallows
1	bags	Hershey Bliss
2	bags	Hershey Bliss
2	bags	Lays potato chips
5	bags	Hershey Bliss
1	bar	Hershey Bliss
6	boxes	Jell-O
2	12ct boxes	Poptarts
3	indiv	donuts
Household
3	8pks	Paper towel
1	12pk	Cottonelle toilet paper
1	pk	napkins
1	box	tissues
3	pks	36 ct Chinet plates
2	box	Mr. Clean Magic Erasers
10	bottles	Lysol toilet cleaner
2	boxes	Ziploc gallon freezer bags
1	large tub	Oxiclean
6	packs	Marcal Napkins
Baby
1	pk	184 Huggies wipes refill
Frozen
1	box	Frozen pretzles
1	box	french toast
1	bag	french fries
1	1/2 gallon	vanilla ice cream
7	bags	peas
3	bags	corn
5	cans	OJ
3	half gallons	ice cream
2	indiv	cheese pizzas
1	indiv	pepperoni pizza
2	bags	Lender bagels
2	tubs	cool whip
1	box	ice cream sandwiches
1	box	frozen spinach
3	half gallons	ice cream
2	bags	Lender bagels
1	box	Frozen pretzles
4	boxes	Bagelfuls

We always pay our credit cards off each month so I thought I was doing a good thing using plastic and getting 3% back on all the purchases. I think I'd rather have the 38% savings instead!