{Another} Grocery Challenge Check-In

So.... As we have progressed through the first week of this challenge I have made a few discoveries:

A)  I focused A LOT more on dinners and not quite enough on breakfast, lunch and snacks.
B)  I am going to be well over my $100 goal, even though I feel like we've made good use out of our purchases and continue to be smart about what we're buying.
C)  I am caught in a vicious cycle!  It is good for our well-being to get out of the house each day, but I have a tendency to spend money when we're out.  Our daily "field trips" need to be more about going to the park/library/free events and less about using that time to run to the store... BUT... going to the park with three kids by myself isn't always good for MY well-being (or more specifically, my patience and sanity) ... AND ... when you take kids into the store after lunch you can bribe them with free cookies from the bakery.  (Kids like cookies and my budget likes free snacks!)  Finding a balance that works for us is a never ending challenge!

I am trying to focus on what I am learning as I complete this challenge, and not feel like I have failed because I have gone over my grocery budget goal.  This process is giving me a clear picture of what we consume regularily, example:  We drink this many gallons of milk over this time period.  Same with loaves of bread, boxes of cereal, etc.  When I have a better idea of how long these products last for our normal consumption, I have a better idea of what our final grocery budget will end up being, and how much to stock up on to get us through each pay period. I hope to build enough of a stockpile to meet our needs between sale cycles without spending a lot of money out of pocket while we are continuing to pay off some debts and find an even keel, financially speaking.

Here is the breakdown on the additional trips to the store we have made over the course of the last week:

{7/24 Franz Bakery Outlet: $5.50 & Safeway: $6.31}

Bakery Outlet:

Two loaves of whole wheat white bread - $2.00

1 package english muffins - $1.00

1 loaf cinnamon bread - $2.50

(not pictured 3 small snack sized bags of animal cookies given to the kids for free!)

Safeway:

2 ltr 7UP Ten - $0.54 (+ .05 Oregon bottle deposit)

2 ltr A&W Ten - $0.54 (+ dep)  These were on sale with my Just For U specials but they were a CA deal and not an OR deal.  I was confused so the cashier took $1.25 off the normal price of $1.99.  My special offer would have made them 75 cents each.  Sometimes you are on the winning side of a price difference, and sometimes you're on the losing side.  In my opinion, when its just a few cents one way or another its not worth it to go in to the customer service desk.  

Coffee creamer - $2.54 (used a 75 cent manu coupon)

Gallon of milk - $2.59

{7/25 Target - $16.40 - $10 swagbucks gift card = $6.40 OOP}

 

Popcorn from the snack bar - $1.43 (used a 10% off savings from the Cartwheel app)

Baby carrots - $0.69 (used a $1 off mobile coupon)

Strawberries - $0.89 (used 5% savings from cartwheel app & $1 off mobile coupon)

1 box elbow noodles & 2 jars of sauce - $1.00 for all 3! (used $1 off mobile coupon wyb one sauce & one pasta, pasta had a peelie coupon for $1 off wyb two sauces.)

Tension rod for shower curtain - $12.39

I cashed in swagbucks for a $10 egiftcard to Target that I was able to load onto my phone.  Stay tuned for more info on Swagbucks!

{7/26 Safeway: $14.05}

Chocolate Cheerios - $1.17 (on sale 3/$5 used $1/2 coupon)
Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch - $1.17 (same as above)
Safeway sugar - $2.34
Jif peanut butter - $2.99
Paper towels - $0.79
Gallon of milk - $2.59
Pizza dough from deli area - 2/$3.00

 

 The boys enjoying more free cookies!  

{7/28 Fred Meyer: $11.97}

Nearly out of milk again, I wonder if we are allowed to raise cows in this county...

Fred Meyer half gallons milk/oj - $5 on sale 4/$5 with FM store coupon

Coffee creamer - $2.50 (used FM store coupon)

2 Tillamook yogurts - $0.60 cents each (used a B1G1 free printable = 30 cents each)

Small block of sharp cheddar - $1.88

Colgate toothpaste - Free with ecoupon loaded to card

Store brand nasal spray (for my honey with sinus issues) - $1.99

These little side trips to the stores have brought our grand total so far to right around $140 and I anticipate that there will probably be one more trip this week for incidentals.  We're on the home stretch!  If I can stick to $75-100 per week on groceries and household needs for the 5 of us I'll definitely be a happy mama!