Budget Update: March 2017

This month we were able to come in under budget again -- I LOVE it when that happens!!!  Under budget means that there is more money for stocking up on bargains later!  Below you can see how my spending went throughout this month.  If you click on the week numbers you can see a more in-depth view of what I bought each week.

• Week #1: $79.61 oop, Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate

• Week #2: $94.18 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate, and $0.40 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #3: $83.37 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate

• Week #4: $80.95 oop, Earned Zero 

Total OOP for March: $338.11
Total Earned in March: $1.00
Total Remaining from March: $129.32!!!

Weekly Spending Report: 03/26-04/01/2017

This week was quiet on the shopping front, which sometimes is just needed.  There are weeks that you're just like, "Yeah, I'm not shopping.  Like at all."  This week was one of those weeks for me.  We had huge back to back teas over the weekend, and I was just exhausted.  I did a major ALDI trip on Monday, ran into Giant for two things we buy name brand, and then, I was just done.  And it was a nice little break...

• Monday's ALDI Trip: $73.96 oop (Included, but not pictured are 8 gallons of H2O)

• Monday's Giant Trip: $6.99 oop (No picture, just a tub of JIF peanut butter, and a large Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, nothing crazy...)

Total OOP: $80.95
Total Earned: Zero
Total Remaining for March: $129.32
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Weekly Spending Report: 03/19-25/2017

This week was all about stocking up - bleach, toothbrushes, vitamins, waffles - and getting some treats for Easter baskets.  Not only treats for Howard, but some candies for Joe as well.  Below is how my spending broke down over the course of the week...

• Sunday's Dollar Tree Trip: $11.54 oop

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $35.46 oop (Included, but not pictured are 8 gallons of H2O)

• Sunday's CVS Trip: $12.67 oop, Earned $5 ECB's

• Wednesday's Dollar Tree Trip: $11.48 oop

• Wednesday's Giant Trip: $12.22 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate (for purchasing any grocery item)

Total OOP: $83.37
Total Earned: $0.25
Total Remaining for March: $210.27
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Weekly Spending Report: 03/12-18/2017

This week was a fairly simple shopping week.  I like simple sometimes...

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $58.72 oop (included, but not pictured are 4 gallons H2O), Earned $0.40 Find and Save Rebate (for spending over $40 at ALDI)

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $35.46 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate (for buying anything)

Total OOP: $94.18
Total Earned: $0.65
Total Remaining for March: $293.64
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Frugal Finds: May 2017 Edition

This month we stopped into a Dollar Tree after we went to the thrift store, and I found some amazing deals at both places!  I was super excited to find some interesting toys at the Dollar Tree for Howard to put in our rainy-day box, as well as some really cool microwaveable bowl cozies that I plan to give as Christmas gifts.  They also got the larger ice packs back in, so I stocked up for summer.  At the thrift store, I got the usual suspects - clothing and books for Howard.  But, I was please to find a bag of toys that had a huge amount of letter and animal magnets in it.  Those are one of Howard's favorite quiet-time activities, and with the 50% off sale, the whole bag was only $2.49?!  Below are the rest of my bargains for this month, and the price break-down...

 2 - 2 packs of Cosmetic Bags (these are great for little toys, and organizing craft supplies) $2
4 large Ice Packs $4
3 - 2 packs of 3 volt Batteries $3
2 Robot Toys (right now Howard is really into bot-bots as he calls them) $2
1 Racing Car $1
1 pack Mickey Mouse Playing Cards $1
1 LED Candle (this was broken, so I am going to try and return it) $0.25
4 Campbell's Bowl Cozies (these are going to be wonderful Christmas gifts) $4
+ $1.04 Tax
Total OOP: $18.29

1 Peter Cottontail DVD $2.99
1 Magic Pen Book for Howard $0.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.49
1 pair 5T PJ Pants for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
1 size 4/5 Blue Short-sleeved  Shirt for Howard $1.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.99
1 5T Short-sleeve Superman Shirt for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
1 4T Green and Gray Long-sleeved Shirt for Howard $1.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.99
1 5T Gray and Black Striped Long-sleeved Shirt for Howard $1.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.99
1 4T Blue Robot Long-sleeved Shirt for Howard $1.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.99
1 5T Snowman Long-sleeved Shirt for Howard $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
4 books for Howard $0.99 each - 50% off Sale = 4/$1.98
1 HUGE bag of Toys and Magnets for Howard $4.99 - 50% off Sale = $2.49
1 Bobbin Holder for Joe $0.99 - 50% off Sale = $0.49
+$0.51 Tax
Total OOP: $17.38
Savings of  $13.47 or 44%!!!

Frugal Finds: February 2017 Edition

We were able to swing into the thrift store twice this month and found a few nice things.  I have been on the hunt for skirts - I just find them so much more comfortable than jeans.  Joe has been in need of khaki pants, so I was very excited to find not only one, but two pairs for him.  I am also SUPER excited about the First Words book I found for Howard.  It has magnetic letters to use to spell out words within the book; he is gonna love it!!  Our second stop in, I was so pleased to find Howard a snowsuit for this winter.  It's a bit large, but I am hoping that we can use for the next couple of winters as well.  I also picked up the Mickey mouse look-and-find book to put away for his birthday.  Below you can see the price break-down - thank God for half-price day at the Thrift store!

1 Heavy Black Skirt for Me $4.99 - 50% off Sale = $2.49
1 Lightweight Beige Skirt for Me $3.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.99
 1 Black and Blue Plaid Hooded 3/4 Sleeve Shirt for Me $4.99 - 50% off Sale = $2.49
1 5T Hooded Sweatshirt for Howard $4.99 - 50% off Sale = $2.49
1 pair of Khaki Dress Pants for Joe (new with tags!) $14.99 - 50% off Sale = $7.49
4 Ceramic Bunnies $2.99 - 50% off Sale = $1.49
3 DVD's for Howard $2.99 each - 50% off Sale = $1.49 each or 3/$4.47
4 Kids Books for Howard $0.49 each - 50% off Sale = 4/$0.98
+ $0.42 Tax
Total OOP: $24.31
Saved $13.14 or 54%!!!

1 Snowsuit for Howard size 5/6 $12.99 - 50% off sale = $6.49
1 pair Khaki Pants (New with Tags!) for Joe $12.99 - 50% off sale = $6.49
1 Henley-style Short-sleeved Shirt for Me $3.99 - 50% off sale = $1.99
1 pair 4T Monster PJ Pants for Howard $2.99 - 50% off sale = $1.49
1 pair size 4/5 Plaid PJ Pants for Howard $1.99 - 50% off sale = $0.99
1 Polar Express DVD $2.99 - 50% off sale = $1.49
3 Books for Howard $0.99 each  - 50% off sale = 3/$1.48
+ $0.18 Tax
Total OOP: $20.60

Weekly Spending: 03/05-11/2017

This week was another super easy shopping week.  We stopped into ALDI on Sunday for all the things.  Like literally a cartfull, which I normally don't do, but sometimes you just need everything at once.  I also found some cool things at the Dollar Tree on Saturday when I stopped in for my newspapers.  Below you can see the spending breakdown and what I purchased...

• Sunday's ALDI Trip: $65.83 oop (included but not pictured are 8 gallons), Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate (Pasta)

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip: $13.78 oop

Total OOP: $79.61
Total Earned: $0.10
Total Remaining for March: $387.82

Budget Update: February 2017

February was a great month budget-wise - we ended the month over $100 under budget!  I LOVE it when that happens.  And, I was actually kinda surprised that we were able to do that, because I bought a lot of fresh produce, frozen foods, meat, and great Dollar Tree deals.  And sometimes it can really add up, but this month it just didn't.  Below you can see how my spending panned out over the course of the month.  Each link will take you to the weekly breakdown with pictures. 

Take a gander through and then let me know what your favorite deal was from February.

• Week #1: $67.86 oop, Earned Zero

• Week #2: $156.99 oop, Earned $0.20 Mobisave Rebates, and $0.50 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #3: $83.81 oop, Earned Zero

• Week #4: $55.86 oop, Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate, and $0.50 Ibotta Rebates*

• Week #5: $35.07 oop, Earned Zero

Total OOP: $399.59
Total Earned: $1.30
Total Remaining from February: $117.43!!!!!!!
*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!  

Weekly Spending Report: 02/26-03/04/2015

 This week I kept my shopping super simple - like I only went to 1 store simple.  But it was the end of the month, I knew that I was ahead budget-wise, and we really didn't need a ton.  So I made a quick swing by ALDI while we were out doing something else on Sunday, and that was that. 

•  Sunday's ALDI Trip: $35.07 (included but not pictured are 8 gallons of H2O)

Total OOP: $35.07
Total Earned: Zero
Total Remaining from February: $117.43!!!!

Weekly Spending Report: 02/19-25/2017

This week I was lucky enough to find some marked-down grass-fed beef this week at Giant.  It was something called Meatloaf/Meatball mix, which from the ingredients list included things like onion, bell pepper, spices, gluten-free bread crumbs, and what seemed to read as organic tomato sauce.  I brought those home and made three cheese stuffed meatloaves for the freezer.  It's going to be so nice in the busy weeks ahead to pop one in the crock-pot and enjoy it for dinner after a long day at work!  I also stopped into the Dollar Tree on Saturday to pick up my newspapers and a few other odds and ends.  Overall it was a light shopping week, which was also easy on the budget...

• Sunday's Giant Trip: $45.38 oop, Earned $0.10 Mobisave Rebate (Frozen Pizza), and $0.50 Ibotta Rebates* ($0.25 Frozen Pizza, and $0.25 Cookies)

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip: $10.48 oop

Total OOP: $55.86
Total Earned: $0.60
Total Remaining for February: $152.50
*Use this link to sign up for Ibotta and get a $10 bonus!