September Budget

So at the beginning of this week I had $75 left in the monthly budget. We have already established I blew the budget completely but lets review how badly:

Meijer $90
Target $6
Walmart $49

I also made a stop at Rhum's Farm Market $12 (I am so sad they are getting ready to close until next year!)

That brings the week to $152 meaning I am $82 over budget :( :(

I would like to say I have faith I will be under budget next month but with 5 birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, & Christmas in the next 3 months it will be a fine line. The saving grace is I already have lots of toys in my present box for the three kiddie birthdays. Seriously I greatly suggest keeping an eye out for clearance toys and keeping them hidden for birthdays and Christmas. I also use the Amazon gift cards I get from surveys and Swagbucks to buy presents that don't come out of my budget.

Walmart 9/28

 

Since we have already blown our September budget its kind of like pulling a bandaid, get it all over with at once ;( I did actually get some good deals at Walmart though.

*Duck packing tape: $1...used a $1 printable
*12- Budding meats (kids like these): 48 cents... I had a .75/4 mq making these 29 cents each
*4- Jello pudding cups: $1.50....had 4 $1mq

Everything else was just stuff we needed especially the doggie bones, poor Maverick was having withdrawls. I had planned to get some cheap Meaty Bone brand treats but they were all out. I also just bought a couple cans of wet dog food since I knew a coupon was coming Sunday for the brand our dog prefers.

And then there was this stuff. The apple cider was $6 (Seriously Ridiculous!) and the spices were $13. Yep right at $20 for those few things. The good thing is those spices will last me a year or more. And let me tell you we tried 4 different Pinterest recipes here this weekend and they were tasty!

Total spent: $49

Meijer 9/29

Remember how I said I was pretty sure I was going to blow this months budget? Well guess what this Meijer trip did it! I spent a total of $90 but we purchased a lot of stuff, and I'm just going to list the really good deals:

*3-Idahoan Potato Pouches: the register has been printing a coupon for a free every time I'm there and last week the lady in front of me had two seperate orders and one printed both times for her. The checkout girl hands her a stack of checkout coupons she turns around and hands them to me with two free coupons in there saying she doesn't have time to deal with them! Uh why thank you of course I'll take your free money Miss Too Busy!
*Snapware containers: $2.39 had a $2 mq...39 cents for storage containers makes those oops I forgot and now we have a science project moments easier to take.
*Sara Lee bread: $2 had a 50 cent coupon that doubled to $1..great price for name brand bread
*Sunkist soda $1... had a 50 cent mperk

And now onto the big purchase of the day......

We purchased 20 of these bad boys. There was a deal Saturday only if you bought 8 participating products you saved $5 automatically, which made these $1.50 each. Now days $1.50 for name brand peanut butter is awesome. Really makes me sad because last year I got these for $1 :( And in case your wondering 20 jars will not even get our three houses through Christmas, we are a peanut butter loving family!

There were a lot of other things purchased that were ok deals like the Meijer veggie juice, pretzels, & butter, The hubby talked me into 3 bags of Arby's fries (2/$5 get 3rd free), and grandma needed a lot of random stuff we only buy a few times each year.

Total Spent $90

Target Shopping 9/29

Ideally I would have gotten more than two sets of this deal but since I didn't go until Saturday the shelfs were pretty bare. At Target they had a store deal where you purchased 1 Glade Oil Diffuser starter pack ($7.99) and you got 1 refill free ($4.99) but I also had a manufacturers coupon to get the oil diffuser free when I purchased a 4oz Glade Candle ($2.99). Yes thats right I paid $2.99 for $15.97 worth of product. I also saved another 5% by using my Target Red Debit card.

Total spent was $6.10

Glade Expressions Bzz Mission

I was recently sent coupons from Bzzagent to try the new Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist and Glade Expressions Oil Diffuser. For the Fragrance Mist I chose the Lavendar & Juniper Berry scent. I am usually not one for "flowery" scents but this one is great, not overpowering but just slightly outdoorsy.

By removing the label it becomes a very pretty little piece that will look nice on your shelf when not in use.

Another neat feature of the Fragrance Mist is that it is refillable. The bottom of the dispenser twists off to allow the canister to slide out. I am thinking that the dispenser may end up being an adorable "pinterest" worthy project to decorate!

Not to be left out the Oil Diffuser is also very pretty. I chose the Fuji Apple & Cardamon Spice scent. I'm not sure what Cardamon Spice smells like but this only has a faint scent of apples. I think I may need to get another since my living room is quite large and to smell this you have to be right by it.

Shopping week ending 9/21

There wasn't a whole lot of shopping done this week since we are all trying to use up what we have.

Walgreens:

Transaction #1
2- Colgate Max Fresh 2/$6...Got back a $3RR
1-Glade Expressions Starter $2.99...Got back $1RR
1- Blistex Moisture Melt $2...Got back $2RR

Used:
2- $1 Colgate mq
$2 Glade coupon from Bzzagent
Paid $7.76

Transaction #2
3- 12pk Coke (not pictured they went straight to the shelf in the garage) 3/$11
2- Reeses Pieces stand up bags 2/ $6
    **got back 5000 of the new Balance Reward Points for the Reeses and Coke Combined**
2-Colgate Max Fresh $2/6....Get $3RR
1- Glade Expressions Starter $2.99...Get $1RR
1- Blistex Moisture Melt $2...Get $2RR
14- Stride Gum (hold on I'll explain lol) 2/$2...Get 1000 Balance Points for every 2 purchased
      **I had enough B1G1 coupons to try this out and I can confirm that there was no issue
          purchasing this many at once and I did get all the points!!**

Used:
$1/2 Hershey's Pieces mq
2- $1 Colgate mq
$2 Glade coupon from Bzzagent
7- Buy 1 Get 1 Free Stride Gum mq
$3RR from last week
Paid $30.46

Total of 2 tranactions: $38.22....I have $12RR to use next week... I will get back $1.50 on the Gum for turning my reciept into Endorse...12000 Balance Points on my card
I am planning to let all the Balance Points stay on my card until Black Friday and then redeem them. Don't know what Balance Rewards are? Head on over here and check them out:
https://www.walgreens.com/balancerewards


Meijer

4- Kraft Ranch Dressing- $1.99
4- Nissin Big Cup Noodles- 61 cents
2- Glade Expressions Oil Diffusers- $7.99
Glade Expressions Starter- $3.99
Glade Candle- $2.99
2# Gala Apples- $2.99
Idahoan Potato Pouch- 95 cents
Sweet & Low packets- $1.97
3- Crystal Light- $2
1- Jello Mix-ins- $1.50
3- Wolf Chili (Dad likes this stuff I prefer homemade!)- $1
2- Gallon milk- $2.50
2- Oreo Cookies $2.98

Used:
$8 instant savings for buying 8 participating Kraft/Nabisco products
$5 mperk from Facebook offer
50 cent mperk on Lays chips
Free store coupon for the potatoes
$1.25 Jello Mix-ins mq from Kraft First Taste
Buy 1 Glade Candle Get Oil Diffuser Free mq
Free Glade Oil Diffuser coupon from Bzzagent
Free Glade Expressions Starter from Bzzagent
$1/4 Nissin Noodles mq
$1/2 Nabisco Cookies mq

Paid $30.42...Got back $5 in Catalina for next time...will get back $1.99 for turning my reciept into Endorse


CVS
(No Picture I was exhausted the day I stopped)
6- Gallons Milk (used Dads, Grandmas, & My extracare card) $2.79...Get $1EB each
2- Reese Cups 2/$6....Get $2EB/2
3- Dawn Hand Renewal 99cents

Used:
$5 EB from last week
3- 75 cent Dawn Hand Renewal mq
$1/2 Hersheys bagged candy mq

Paid $15.97..have $8EB to use next week

Also this week I spent: $20 for a bag of clothes for Cyn from a friend, paid $25 on the kids layaway at K-mart, and $20 mailing books for Paperback Swap, and Kay just had to have the Dora shirt at the mall today (clearanced to $3!).


Total spent this week $153....Leaving $75 for next week, I'm guessing we will be over budget this month but we have bought extra stuff for the Food Pantry so I won't freak out  **too much :) **

Shopping 9/14

First stop of the day was the Rhums Farm Stand (it may be spelled a little different but I know thats close!)Some of  todays pictures won't have the stuff for my Grandma because I dropped hers off on my way home and she will come raid my stock for the rest tommorrow :)
6- Zucchini & Squash 3/$1
4- Cucumbers 4/$1
5- Sweet Onions 79 cents a pound it came to right at $2
8- Tomatoes (red and yellow) $1.25 a pound = $3
3- Peppers 3/$1
13- Corn (they sell thiers in bakers dozens)= $3
Total= $12 (I LOVE the Farmers stands! So cheap and fresh!)

Stop #2 Aldis

3- Tomato Sauce: 39 cents each
Large Crunchy Peanut Butter: $3.69
Fruity Rice Cereal (I'm making cereal treats in the morning): $1.69
3- Tomato Paste: 39 cents each
Vegetable Juice $1.99
6- Tuna: 69 cents each
Hazelnut Spread (I love Nutella and this stuff tastes the same but less than 1/2 the price): $1.99
2-Baking Mix (again same as Bisquick WAY cheaper): $1.99
2 - Egg Noodles: $1.29
Cheese Melt (this stuff is even expensive in generic!!): $3.99
2- Grape Tomatoes: 99 cents each
Carrots: 99 cents
Fancy Lettuce: $1.99
Celery: $1.29
2- Avocados: 69 cents each
2- Lemons: 33 cents each
Head lettuce: 89 cents
Kiwi: $1.49 bag
6- Bags Salty Snacks (hey there was a lot of produce!): prices ranged from 99 cents to $1.79
Total spent: $45.00 (OUCH!!!)


Stop #3 Meijer

2- Mini Marshmallows: $1.30
8- Pizza Rolls: 99 cents
3- Hormel Beef Tips: $3.99
2- Pepperidge Farm Seasonal Breads: 2/$5
Swedish Fish: 99 cents
Blue Jello (this and the gummy fish are for a Nemo dessert lol): 47 cents
4- Yoplait Yogurt
Meijer Buns & Wheat Bread: 99 cents each
Aunt Millies Bread: $1.99
Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles: $2.98
2- Margarine Sticks: 89 cents each
4- Pears: $1.18 a pound= $2.62
Cottage Cheese: $1.50
Sour Cream: $2.19
Ranch/French Onion Dip: $1.29 each

I used these coupons:
4- 40 cents off 2 pizza rolls mq
3- $1 Hormel Entree mq
4- 50 cents of Yoplait mq
$5 Kraft catalina from two weeks ago (I almost let this one expire :/ )
50 cent MPERK on the Aunt Millies Bread
 Total= $39.03

Stop #4 CVS

4-  Deans Milk gallons: $2.79 (split 2 on Grandmas card, 2 on mine)
3- Hersheys Singles 6ct: 3/$3


Used $12EB from last week
Paid $2.16...Got Back $5EB


Stop #5 Marsh

3- Gala Apples: $1.28 lb= $3.12 (RIDICULOUS! I will so NOT be making applesauce this year!)
8- Betty Crocker Potatoes: $1
2- Angel Food Cakes (not pictured): $3.99 B1G1
2- Strawberries: $3.49 B1G1
Green Grapes: $1.77lb= $3.96
Bananas: 59 cents a pound= $1.62
2- Bunches Green Onion: 59 cents
9- Budding Corn Beef: 69 cents
1- Block Cheddar: $1.88
2- Shredded Mozzarella: $1.88
Idahoan Pouch Potatoes: $1.49
2- Hostess Cupcakes: $4.29 B1G1
2- Jolly Time Popcorn: $3.19 B1G1
3- Hamburger Helper: $1
Chips Ahoy $1.99

Used:
25 cents off 2lbs Bananas sq
75 cents off 2lbs Grapes sq
50 cents off Hostess Snack Cakes sq
50 cents off Nabisco cookies sq
Free Idahoan Potato Pouch sq
4- 75 cents off 3 Budding Pouches mq
4- 50 cents off 2 Betty Crocker Potatoes mq
75 cents off 3 Helpers mq

Total: 38.84


Random Expenses today: Chinese Buffet for Dinner $15 (used coupons!), rented movies for the weekend from Family Video $6,

Total for the day..... $158
Leaving $228 in the budget for the month.