$5/$25 purchase at PetSmart

Petsmart Q here.

Time Saving Tuesday

Here's a great time saving tip that I love!
Pour leftover wine into ice-cube trays and freeze, then transfer to a labeled freezer baggie (you don't want the kids adding these cubes to their juice). The next time a recipe calls for wine, there's no need to rush out to the store or look for another sustitute. I always hate pouring out the end of the bottle. I measured my ice cube tray and one individual cube holds 2 tablespoons.

June monthly spending - 8isGreat checks in

My June monthly budget GOAL for groceries, H&B items, baby items and cleaning supplies is $400/month for my family of ten. I have not switched to a cash system. I tried it for the first two weeks of June, but got off track.

An unusual expense that affected my OOP expenses this month was my oldest DD's HS graduation party which was a celebration I wasn't about to skimp on.

My OOP expenses for the above categories for my family was $553.83 for the month of June.I estimate that the graduation cost me approximately $127.95. If I subtract the graduation food expenses, which I intend to, my June bill was $425.88. Only $25.88 over my goal! I am sooo close!! I know I can meet it in July!

Once again, my goal for July is $400 for the same categories. If Frugal Momma can continue to fall below her goal each month, surely I can at least meet mine one month! :o)

I did quite a bit of stockpiling this month on really cheap or free items. I stocked up on canned tuna, toilet paper, cereal, Pampers, chicken and pork (and sugar free gum, too!) I also bought alot of Propel and Joint Juice. These two items were "teasers" they cost me nothing, they were only in my basket because purchasing them lowered the cost of the items I actually needed in my basket. If this confuses you read this post on MoneyMakers. I did get stopped by a fellow shopper who wanted to know if I was throwing a party for "old" people. I didn't know what he was talking about until I realized what I must look like selecting produce and dairy products with a cart filled with Joint Juice. Oh well. :o)

One thing that REALLY surprised me was that we purchased 50 gallons of milk in June! Insane!! There are only 30 days in the month! I guess with all the kids home from school we are going through more than normal. But to be honest I don't know what normal is. Never before have I counted how many gallons I bought. I just usually grab between 4 and 8 gallons when I am picking up milk. I am sure at least 3 gallons ended up down the drain. I told the kids how much milk we are drinking and asked them to help me reduce this for next month by placing their unfinished milk in the refrigerator or using smaller glasses so they don't over pour.

Here is what I bought in June. All this (not including the H&B items I forgot to save receipts from because I got them for free) cost me $553.83. I spent $425.88 for our family's needs and stockpiling for future family use plus $127.95 for a graduation party.

BABY
13 jumbo bags Pampers
2 pkgs GoodNites
1 Baby bath wash

HEALTH & BEAUTY
I didn’t save my receipts from all the free items I got at CVS and Wags (I figured because I spent zero I didn’t need to keep my receipts – I’ll remember this next month)
I know I bought 1 large shampoo, 2 large conditioners, razors, 2 sun blocks, etc.

PRODUCE
Tomatoes (Roma) 1 lb.
Granny Smith Apples 2.12 lbs.
5 Avacados
Bananas 18.21 lbs
Green Onions
Fresh Express Spinach
Green Leaf Lettuce 3
Vidalia Onion 1.08 lb
Tomatoes (large slicing) 2.92 lbs
Cucumbers 2
Cherry tomatoes 1 pkg.
Strawberries 1 pkg
5 lb red potatoes
1.15 Peaches
1 bag baby spinach
Fresh Express Chef salad
Fresh Express cranberry pecan salad finishers

MISC
Freezer Jam Pectin
Ketchup 3
Mayo 4
A1 Steak sauce 4
Charcoal 2
Ice 3 10-lb bags
Jarred cherries 1

MEAT/SEAFOOD
3 Angus London Broil
Perdue Split Chicken Breasts 14.87 lbs
20 hamburgers
10 packages of Boneless Pork Tenderloin
6 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts
1 one lb. pkg Ground beef
2 OM hot dogs
2 lb. cooked shrimp

DELI
1.57 lb Turkey breast
1 lb honey ham

FROZEN
4 Apple juice concentrate
6 OJ concentrate
4 sherbert tubs
Ice cream 3 Bryers
7 DiGiorno Pizzas

3 personal store band pizzas
1 Puff Pastry Sheet
2 Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
3 10# bags ice

PASTA
3Egg noodles
22 Ramen Noodles (individual)
1 Manacotti
3 Spaghetti
6 Elbow Macaroni
2 Penne

BREAD/BAKERY
8 loaves Pepperidge Farm Rye/Pumpernickle Swirl
1 loaf Honey Wheat
8 loaves wheat bread
Entemann’s Doghnuts
½ Sheet Cake
4 packages hamburger buns
4 packages hot dog buns

CEREAL
4 Rice Krispies
6 Kix
4 Multi Grain Cheerios 2
1 Cheerios
4 Frosted Mini Wheats

CANNED/JARRED
1 OEP Enchilada Sauce
2 Chicken Noodle soup
1 jar roasted red bell peppers
5 Cream of Chicken Soup
1 jar cocktail sauce
1 jar maraschino cherries
74 cans of tuna (total cost $32.68)
1 Peanut butter
1 Tomato paste
1 mushrooms
6 black beans
9 OEP refried beans
4 Tomatoes and green chilies

DAIRY
50 Gallons Milk - Woah! Who knew!
5 twelve count eggs
2 eighteen count eggs
2 Cream cheese
27 Cheese shredded (these were a $ maker at HT)
6 Cheese blocks
36 Yogurt (individual)
1 Whipped cream
2 Cool Whip
2 packages of 4 sticks butter
10 Sour cream (these don't expire until 10/09)
3 Refrigerated dough
3 Ricotta Cheese

HOUSEHOLD
1 Downy
6 boxes Hefty Kitchen garbage bags
9 boxes Hefty One Zip bags
8 packages Chinet Casuals Lunch Plates
2 packages Chinet Dessert Plates
2 Greased Lightning
4 Hot Shot Insect/wasp spray
6 Packages of 12 rolls of Scott Bath Tissue

BEVERAGES
108 Joint Juice individual bottles (&Maker at Safeway)
49 Propel individual bottles($Maker at Safeway)
7 2L bottles Soda
5 Energy Drink
9 Individual canned soda

BAKING
1 McCormick Rum Extract
1 McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 McCormick Almond Extract
3 small McCormick cinnamon
Molasses
3 bags of Flour
10 packages of Muffin Mix
10 boxes BC Brownie Mix
1 Shortening
2 Jello pudding
8 Pancake Mix
1 Pancake Syrup
1 Olive Oil
1 Vegetable oil

SPICES
McCormick Oregano Leaves

COOKIES/CRACKERS
5 Ritz
5 Wheat Thins

CHIPS
11 Potato chips
1 Corn Chips
1 Pretzel Rods

CANDY
10 Individual Candy Bars 10 (total cost .89)
51 FoodLion brand gum (total cost $4.59)

Cash only groceries--month of June review

Last month was our family's first go at using cash only for all of our grocery shopping. You can read the results of last month's budget here. Since we came in under budget last month, I decided to cut $20 off this month's budget and set a budget of $340 for our family of 6 for the month. With just 1 day left in the month and no more shopping trips for me I thought I'd run and post my numbers today. To my surprise we came in WAY under budget this month!

Total for the month of June groceries:
Budget: $340
Actual spent: $216.72
Amount UNDER Budget: $123.28
Mail in rebates submitted from this month's grocery receipts: $51

Not counting the money we'll get back for the mail in rebates we spent only 67% of our budgeted amount. That's $54.18 a week for a family of 6! If you count the money we're getting back from the rebates that brings the month's total to $165.72 or nearly 49% of the monthly budget.

You can see by looking at my Meal Plan Monday postings that we eat pretty well, but if you're wondering what you can really buy for $54 a week this list is for you! (Note--we eat lots of frozen veggies that I've stockpiled for pennies a bag so you don't see anything like that on the list this month and you'll remember how prolific our lettuce has been this year so we didn't need to buy any of that!.)

Number	Unit	Item
Produce
4	lbs	strawberries
10	indiv	bananas
1	32 oz	blueberries
1	indiv	pineapple
12	fuji	apples
3	oz	baby spianch
1	bunch	green onions
1	indiv	tomato
2	indiv	tomatoes
7	indiv	bananas
2	bags	salad mix
4.17	lbs	seedless watermelon
2.8	lbs	apples
6	ears	corn
1	pt	blueberries
1.98	lbs	bananas
1	lg	onion
1	lg pack	raspberries
1	lg	seedless watermelon
5	indiv	bananas
5	indiv	apples
1	indiv	tomato
1	qt	blueberries
1	indiv	sweet potato
1	indiv	pineapple
1.96	lbs	apples
2	indiv	roma tomatoes
1.86	indiv	apples
2	indiv	pineapples
1	indiv	seedless watermelon
4	indiv	apples
2	lbs	lbs potatoes
1	indiv	large sweet potato
1	indiv	small onion
5	indiv	bananas
1	pack	strawberries
Dairy
1	gallon	skim milk
2	gallon	2% milk
3	gallon	2% milk
4	lbs	butter
2	blocks	cream cheese
1	gallon	skim milk
1	dozen	eggs
1	dozen	eggs
1	gallon	skim milk
1	gallon	2% milk
3	dozen	eggs
1	gallon	2% milk
4	lbs	butter
5	lbs	shredded mozzarella
2	lbs	cheddar
1	qt	heavy cream
3	gallons	2% milk
1	6pk	TJs yogurt
5	indiv	containers yogurt
1	gallon	skim milk
1	lbs	Kraft american cheese
1	gallon	skim milk
Bread
1	16pk	hot dog buns
1	16pk	hamburger buns
1	8 pk	hamburger buns
1	8 pk	hamburger buns
1	loaf	sandwich bread
1	bag	mini bagels
1	pk	hamburger buns
1	pk	hot dog buns
Meat
10	lbs	frozen chicken breasts
2	lbs	bacon
2	8oz packs	pepperoni
0.67	lbs	beef strifry
1.3	lbs	ground beef
1.67	lbs	london broil
2.67	lbs	sirloin steak
22.14	lbs	boneless skinless chicken breast
5.2	lbs	pork tenderloin
2.5	lbs	pork tenderloin
3.6	lbs	boneless skinless chicken breast
1	pk	taylor ham
2	pks	hot dogs
Canned/Jarred
2	cans	sweetened condensed milk
2	bottles	BBQ sauce
4	bottles	BBQ sauce
2	bottles	BBQ sauce
1	bottles	soy sauce
1	can	chili
Staples
1	bag	flour
1	bag	confectioners sugar
1	bottle	vegetable oil
1	bottle	syrup
2	boxes	Cheerios
1	box	cake mix
1	box	instant pudding
1	box	cake mix
1	box	instant pudding
3	boxes	cake mix
3	boxes	instant pudding
1	box	brownie mix
2	boxes	brownie mix
2	boxes	cake mix
3	boxes	instant pudding
1	bag	flour
Beverages
24	pk	bottled water
29	bottles	joint juice
14	bottles	joint juice
14	bottles	joint juice
27	bottles	joint juice
36	bottles	joint juice
2	half gallons	Tropicana OJ
Misc
2	bags	Lays Potato chips
1	box	granola bars
1	bottle	soy sauce
12	oz	bag chocolate chips
4	lbs	chocolate chips
5	indiv	donuts
1	jar	crushed garlic
1	bottle	lemon juice
1	can	cooking spray
1	bottle	ketchup
1	pack	zesty herb marinade
Household
4	boxes	tissues
2	bottles	handsoap
1	bag	gallon ziplocks
3	bottles	Shout
1	8pk	Bounty paper towels
2	purse packs	tissues
2	12pk	Cottonelle toilet paper
Baby
9	bags	Pampers
1	bag	Huggies swim diapers

Harris Teeter

There are just two days left to take advantage ot the Harris Teeter Super Doubles promotion. HT will double all coupons up to $1.98. Look here for coupon matchups.

HT is honoring the Giant PDF $5/$15 fresh meat Q that Frugal Momma posted here.

I used it last week to buy $30 in london broil for $10. The London Broil is B1G1 free through Tuesday. It came to just over $15 after I used my VIC card and then down to just over $10 after the Giant coupon. Check with your customer service desk before attempting this at the check out. My HT said they honor all competitor coupons. This includes all competitor Catalina Qs!

Kroger 6/28 - 7/4

Jenny at Southern Savers has the Kroger ad with coupon match ups for the week here.

What can you get for 50c ?

Mom's by Heart has a page on her blog every week with items that are 50c or less after coupons and store sales/promotions. You can find this weeks 50c deals here.

Pharmacy deals and coupon Match Ups 6/28-7/4

Money saving Mom has the deals, match ups, and scenarios for Rite Aid here, for CVS here and Walgreens here.

Meal Plan Monday - 8isGreat

Sunday - Zucchini Alfredo and Tomato Basil Bread. We picked up this bread at the farmers market. It was great. The zucchini alfredo was eaten, but not raved over. Don't think I'll make this again.
Monday - dressed up Leftovers.
Tuesday - Piquant Chicken with Basil, salad, and crusty bread.
Wednesday - Ham & pepperoni stromboli (we never had these last week).
Thursday - Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, potato salad.
Friday - Spaghetti, beans, garlic bread.
Saturday - London Broil and Zesty Herbed Grilled chicken, baked potatoes, salad, grilled corn on the cob. Still searching for a dessert fit for the 4th.

Free Sephora Make Up -- JC Penney

Head into Sephora inside JC Penney and get a free 10 day sample of Bare Escentuals new matte foundation and baby buki brush.


Print coupon here.