January 2016 Budget Update

January was the first month on our new increased grocery budget, and it went AMAZINGLY well!  In fact, I was under budget, something that wasn't happening in 2015.  I also got a BJ's membership for half-price in December, and used it to pick up a few things this month.  This helped to save some dough, but the key is to only buy things you regularly use, and that beat the grocery store price.  We also did a freezer/pantry challenge this month to help clean out the odds and ends that had been accumulating over the holidays.  We have almost eaten enough to defrost the chest freezer, and the food has been pretty good as well.  Overall, January was a snowy busy month, but we ate and shopped well, as you can see below...

• Week #1: $70.64 oop, Earned $5 ECB's, $9 Saving Star Rebate, and $1 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #2: $98.52 oop, Earned $14 ECB's, $0.50 Saving Star Rebate, $0.25 Ibotta Rebate, and $6.66 Find and Save Rebate

• Week #3: $59.71 oop, Earned $10 ECB's, and $0.50 Ibotta Rebate

• Week #4: $85.49 oop, Earned $14 ECB's, $1.50 Checkout 51 Rebate, $0.50 Ibotta Rebates, $25 Amazon Gift Card from Swagbucks, and $0.71 Find and Save Rebates

Total OOP: $314.36
Total Earned: $88.62
Total Remaining from January: $35.64

Weekly Spending Report: 01/24-30/2016

Because of the massive blizzard, I missed my usually shopping on Sunday, and didn't get to the stores until Tuesday.  But because the roads were still not in great shape, I needed to take the suburban, and because I won't drive that boat-of-a-car, I also needed to take my husband, and son.  So needless to say, my shopping this week was anything but normal, but that happens sometimes.  We made it through the snow warm and with full bellies, and then restocked afterwards.  There were some great deals on things I needed at CVS, and I picked up the usual needed items at ALDI, but Giant was seriously lacking in the deal department.  I wasn't even going to go, but I thought that with the crazy snow storm we had, there might be meat markdowns, and I can always use marked-down meat!  Unfortunately there were no meat deals to be had.  I did however score some $0.29 diaper cream, and got a good price on some wipes using electronic coupons on my card along with paper coupons.  I also wrangled my husband into stopping at the Dollar Tree since I couldn't go Saturday and I needed some more of the AWESOME baskets below for my organizing projects.  All in all it was a good trip, even if it was a little crazy.  Here's how my spending went down this LAST week of January...

• Tuesday's CVS Trip: $11.44 oop, Earned $14 ECB's ($2 Venus Razor, $2 Rain Check, $10 Benefiber), $1.50 Checkout 51 Rebate (Venus Razor), and $0.22 Find and Save Rebate

• Tuesday's ALDI Trip: $13.07 oop, Earned $0.13 Find and Save Rebate

• Tuesday's Giant Trip: $25.33 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate (Bacon)

• Tuesday's Dollar Tree Trip: $13.66 oop, Earned $0.36 Find and Save Rebate

• Tuesday's BJ's Trip: $18.81 oop, Earned $0.25 Ibotta Rebate (Hot Dogs) 

• Saturday's Dollar Tree Trip: $3.18 oop (2 newspapers, and 1 package of Tic Tacs)
• Earned $25 Amazon Gift card from Swagbucks!

Total OOP: $85.49
Total Earned: $41.71
Total Remaining from January: $35.64 (added to February's money)

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