Well, I was prepared and ready to shop today. First stop, The Real Canadian Superstore. Picked up some nan and a pizza crust for 50% off from the bakery, got a price match on the expensive razor blades my hubby prefers (from $24.99 down to $16.99!) - and even managed to use a $3.00 coupon on them. Also picked up Woolite laundry soap on sale and with a $2.00 coupon. Once again - did my usual quick scan of the receipt when I finished loading the bags into the car... And promptly went back inside the store to point out the quinoa that had rung in for $2.79 instead of $2.29. Yes, it's only a few dollars. Yes, it took about 5 minutes of my time.
Scanning Code of Practice indicates that if the marked or advertized price of an item does NOT ring up, consumers are entitled to receive the first item that has incorrectly rung in for free, provided it's value is $10 or less. If it's more than $10 then you are entitled to $10 off the purchase price. So for 5 minutes of waiting for a price check I got back $2.79 - or $33.48 / hour.
Almost every week I will catch something not ringing up properly and receive an item for free. In the course of a year it probably saves me over $100 which isn't too shabby!
Once I picked up most of the items from there, I headed to Sobeys. There are a few things that don't work well with price matching, especially bakery things and produce that the store doesn't have! I wanted to get the kaiser buns 6 pk for $1.00. Sobeys here opens at 8:00. I arrived at the store at 8:15. I head to the bakery where there are no buns. So I ask the bakery lady for the buns. She returns from the back to inform me that 'they are still proofing'. What the ....? They aren't even in the oven, cooling, or waiting to be priced - THEY AREN'T EVEN READY FOR THE OVEN?!?!
Ok, I realize that they are a loss leader. Which was exactly why I was there to get them. Did someone forget to tell the bakery that the store opened at 8:00? Hmph... Alright, on to the deli for some meat ends sliced. Wha? The price went from $9.90 / kg two weeks ago up to $12.90 / kg this week??? No thanks, I didn't notice any of the deli meat prices going up...
When I paid for my items I complained to the cashier - and was met with a blank look. I then went to customer service - and didn't get much better "oh, I'm sorry - they will be ready this afternoon". Somehow, no one seems to recognize that I go shopping as soon as the stores open so I can avoid the crowds and get in and out quickly. Sobeys is seriously loosing a customer in me, the service sucks, the prices are exorbitant, and they certainly don't seem to care about the customer.
Well, that about sums up my rant... have so far spent $200.18 of the $200.00 budget so far. Will have to really watch for the rest of the month, need bathroom tissue still....
This week spent more on razor blades and laundry soap.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
January Grocery Budget Update (albeit late)
Ok, I started to get curious about how much I have really spent in groceries so far this year.
Januarys total for groceries is $330.36 Under budget by $69.64.
February's budget is $400.00
Total spent February $130.54 leaving $269.46 for the rest of the month.
In order to pay for the beef purchase in late fall, if we could keep the monthly budget to about $330 - $350 a month we would save enough money for the beef.
Januarys total for groceries is $330.36 Under budget by $69.64.
February's budget is $400.00
Total spent February $130.54 leaving $269.46 for the rest of the month.
In order to pay for the beef purchase in late fall, if we could keep the monthly budget to about $330 - $350 a month we would save enough money for the beef.
February 5th, 2013
Well on the weight front... not so good. But back on track - up 1.7 pounds in 3 weeks of not paying much attention.
Upcoming soon, birthday + anniversary + valentines day. Sadly, pretty much all just excuses as we never do much to recognize any of them, or if we do recognize them - we just do something for all three.
The grocery budget has been going very well, provided I'm using cash. I don't really want to use cash, so I tried to go back to using the credit card with a budget. I stuck to the budget for two weeks and last week spent so far $30 over. And still forgot salad. In my defense I did buy 4 meals worth of chicken and a nice rack of pork ribs for my hubby to play with on the BBQ.
Back in November we went in with my sister/brother in law to share a side of grass fed, organic beef with them. We spent $510 for half of the side (or 1/4 of a cow). Our 'side' of cow was 300 pounds - I estimate that we got 150 pounds of nice beef for $510. That included brisket (to smoke), several roasts, steaks, ribs, packages of hamburger, stew meat, stirfry strips, and soup bones. I also got a box of burger patties and some of the organ meat.
So far we have had beef about twice a week and have not even used nearly 1/2 the meat. At about $3.40 a pound for all the meat (and of course prime rib or new york strip steaks are a pricier meat than burger or stirfry strips), we are spending more than I would pay at the grocery store by about $0.50 a pound. Sometimes I could find a really good sale, or even mark down meat, but I am so happy with this purchase that I am not worried about hormones, antibiotics or any type of salmonella, e-coli or listeria that I think the price difference is worth it.
We have set a weekly food budget at $100 per week. This also includes all personal care, cleaning and paper products. Mostly we are within reason on the budget - but I haven't included things like our bulk meat purchase, I buy chickens 10 at a time locally, spring/summer I buy eggs from a co-worker who keeps a small flock (is a group of chickens a flock? herd? swarm???).
These purchases probably average $25 per week (I don't think our 1/4 of cow will last us the whole year - next year we will try to buy 1/2 cow for ourselves).
This poses somewhat of a problem for our budget. To cut back on other food purchases, or to increase the budget?
Upcoming soon, birthday + anniversary + valentines day. Sadly, pretty much all just excuses as we never do much to recognize any of them, or if we do recognize them - we just do something for all three.
The grocery budget has been going very well, provided I'm using cash. I don't really want to use cash, so I tried to go back to using the credit card with a budget. I stuck to the budget for two weeks and last week spent so far $30 over. And still forgot salad. In my defense I did buy 4 meals worth of chicken and a nice rack of pork ribs for my hubby to play with on the BBQ.
Back in November we went in with my sister/brother in law to share a side of grass fed, organic beef with them. We spent $510 for half of the side (or 1/4 of a cow). Our 'side' of cow was 300 pounds - I estimate that we got 150 pounds of nice beef for $510. That included brisket (to smoke), several roasts, steaks, ribs, packages of hamburger, stew meat, stirfry strips, and soup bones. I also got a box of burger patties and some of the organ meat.
So far we have had beef about twice a week and have not even used nearly 1/2 the meat. At about $3.40 a pound for all the meat (and of course prime rib or new york strip steaks are a pricier meat than burger or stirfry strips), we are spending more than I would pay at the grocery store by about $0.50 a pound. Sometimes I could find a really good sale, or even mark down meat, but I am so happy with this purchase that I am not worried about hormones, antibiotics or any type of salmonella, e-coli or listeria that I think the price difference is worth it.
We have set a weekly food budget at $100 per week. This also includes all personal care, cleaning and paper products. Mostly we are within reason on the budget - but I haven't included things like our bulk meat purchase, I buy chickens 10 at a time locally, spring/summer I buy eggs from a co-worker who keeps a small flock (is a group of chickens a flock? herd? swarm???).
These purchases probably average $25 per week (I don't think our 1/4 of cow will last us the whole year - next year we will try to buy 1/2 cow for ourselves).
This poses somewhat of a problem for our budget. To cut back on other food purchases, or to increase the budget?
Sunday, January 20, 2013
January 20th, 2013
Well I have completely destroyed my 'diet' and missed my meeting. I will rejoin in two weeks and not beat myself up over this setback.
On the food waste front, I threw out some cooked chicken (which could have easily been frozen, but I was too lazy) and some mouldy carrots yesterday. How long does it take for a carrot to actually go mouldy?
On the food waste front, I threw out some cooked chicken (which could have easily been frozen, but I was too lazy) and some mouldy carrots yesterday. How long does it take for a carrot to actually go mouldy?
Monday, January 14, 2013
Arrrrgggh!
I have gained 5.3 pounds. In four days. Seriously. How is this even possible? I know I am upset and stress eating, but really. Time to focus!
As for the food waste - well the fridge didn't get cleaned out Thursday because I ended up working Thursday night for a couple hours, so I slept after dinner. I threw out a sad eggplant that I had bought to make smokey baba ganouche.
Sad.
This week - plan to continue eating/using up the pantry, try to avoid perishable waste, attempt to submit first writing assignment. Really, really try.
As for the food waste - well the fridge didn't get cleaned out Thursday because I ended up working Thursday night for a couple hours, so I slept after dinner. I threw out a sad eggplant that I had bought to make smokey baba ganouche.
Sad.
This week - plan to continue eating/using up the pantry, try to avoid perishable waste, attempt to submit first writing assignment. Really, really try.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
2013 - still a long ways to go
I have been following The Frugal Girl for quite a while now. I have been trying to reduce my food waste, and some weeks have good success, but other weeks are pretty bad.
<center><a href="http://thefrugalgirl.com" target="_blank"><img alt="FoodWasteFriday " src="http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/food-waste-with-leaf-v2.1.jpg "/></a></center>
Not sure how this all will work out - but I thought I'd resurrect the blog and attempt to honestly track waste this year.
I'm half-heartedly attempting a pantry challenge this month, but prior to the new year, I managed to purchase a LOT of groceries that just never got eaten.
So I finally threw out (into the compost at least):
Hopefully I will do better next week!
<center><a href="http://thefrugalgirl.com" target="_blank"><img alt="FoodWasteFriday " src="http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/food-waste-with-leaf-v2.1.jpg "/></a></center>
Not sure how this all will work out - but I thought I'd resurrect the blog and attempt to honestly track waste this year.
I'm half-heartedly attempting a pantry challenge this month, but prior to the new year, I managed to purchase a LOT of groceries that just never got eaten.
So I finally threw out (into the compost at least):
- english cucumber (whole)
- 1 large box of prepared salad
- 1 box of 'live' lettuce
Hopefully I will do better next week!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Before I Turn 40...
As New Years Eve was winding down this year, I thought about making resolutions. Even one resolution. Unfortunatly, I haven't had much sucess with keeping resolutions previously. As I pondered why I have been unable to maintain my resolve every year, I thought about 'The Happiness Project' - a book I recently read for an online book club. I wanted to make ME happy. I decided that I would set some goals for myself instead of resolutions.
For some reason, a goal seems like a worthy aspiration. A resolution seems like a lofty, unattainable dream. I grabbed a mostly unused notebook and made a brief list.
1) eat healthier, exercise more, try new foods
2) declutter one area a week - and I made a list of areas for each week!
3) read more - aim for 2 books a week (this is not unreasonable for me, if I take the time to read)
Then I left space. A few pages to add new goals, should I think of new ones.
I started a new page and wrote Week 1 January 1-7. I have put starting weight, ending weight, books read, area decluttered, and any notes about the week. So far I have done this each week. My family has tried 6 new foods including figs, papaya, and bok choy. I haven't smoked for 42 days - I still don't say that I have quit, I am just not smoking today (or yesterday, or for the past 41 days). Worried that I would gain even more weight, I spoke with a friend and together we joined a weight loss group. I have a huge goal of approximatly 100 pounds to lose, but even if I do not reach that goal, every pound I loose gets me healthier. I would like to loose about 50 pounds by the time I reach 40 in a little over a year. I want to be able to say that I have been a non-smoker for over a year by then also. I want to tidy my home, so I am not embarassed to invite people over - not that my house is dirty, but there is piles of stuff on every surface that look messy. These are my goals for the year.
For some reason, a goal seems like a worthy aspiration. A resolution seems like a lofty, unattainable dream. I grabbed a mostly unused notebook and made a brief list.
1) eat healthier, exercise more, try new foods
2) declutter one area a week - and I made a list of areas for each week!
3) read more - aim for 2 books a week (this is not unreasonable for me, if I take the time to read)
Then I left space. A few pages to add new goals, should I think of new ones.
I started a new page and wrote Week 1 January 1-7. I have put starting weight, ending weight, books read, area decluttered, and any notes about the week. So far I have done this each week. My family has tried 6 new foods including figs, papaya, and bok choy. I haven't smoked for 42 days - I still don't say that I have quit, I am just not smoking today (or yesterday, or for the past 41 days). Worried that I would gain even more weight, I spoke with a friend and together we joined a weight loss group. I have a huge goal of approximatly 100 pounds to lose, but even if I do not reach that goal, every pound I loose gets me healthier. I would like to loose about 50 pounds by the time I reach 40 in a little over a year. I want to be able to say that I have been a non-smoker for over a year by then also. I want to tidy my home, so I am not embarassed to invite people over - not that my house is dirty, but there is piles of stuff on every surface that look messy. These are my goals for the year.
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