Week 6 - Grocery, Couponing and Garden budget

With our new eating style I've noticed I spend a lot less scouring for deals and focusing on eating and feeding my family a whole grain/clean diet. Over the past month the hubster and I dived into juicing.

We haven't done a full cleanse but added a juicing drink as a meal supplement throughout the day. One thing is for sure, we have a higher metabolism and eat more often on this new eating style. I plan (not sure about the hubster) on rebooting myself every 3 months and do a juicing cleanse for 10 days. For me it's not about losing weight, it's about being healthy and putting things in my body that my body needs.

The past months have been filled with watching food documentaries like Farmaggedon, fat sick and nearly dead, dive! and other movies like that. A serious eye opener. The poor man opens the frig or pantry looking for a snack and sees stuff he no longer wants to eat... The cookies, chips, sauces, packaged stuff, canned stuff... the list goes on really.I have a feeling this year will be filled with me doing a LOT of canning and dehydrating things.

1/2 beet

1 grapefruit w/o peel

1 lemon w/o peel

2 handfuls of grapes

2 apples 

Publix Produce $ 66.85

 Publix Grocery/Couponing $10.59

Commi Produce $17.64

 Commi Grocery $ 76.53 I got a few lunch snacks for the family and I stocked up on oatmeal (I guess that could have gone into the couponing) and caved on some dark chocolates for valentines.

Commi Couponing $3.97
Not sure why I got the sandwich makers given the hubster might not eat them anymore but we'll see.


Minus having to go get milk and celery later this week, this all should last us (family of 5) two weeks. Keep in mind we have a stockpile of meats, cheeses, cereal, etc and some produce left over from last shopping trip.


Week 6
Couponing: $6.67
Grocery: $179.49
Garden: $13.71
Savings: $56.33

Shopping for 2 weeks worth of food.

I figured it was best to get a jump start on grocery shopping for the next 2 weeks before pay day. Although I forgot a few things, didn't know we were out of others and couldn't find certain things in stores I was able to get 2 weeks worth of supplies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

I normally do not have the time or patience to take pictures of our meals at dinner and who can blame me?! With a husband, 3 boys and a crazy dog running around I'm surprised I get as much as I do accomplished with them home. 

Shopping at the Commissary will save you about thirty percent off the bat but adding coupons to it makes the savings higher. I had a weak moment and bought candy bars and crackers for the hubster, little minions and I for the next few months, don't judge. ha!
Commi - grocery and couponing - $ 75.19

If we were not going to a BBQ this weekend and I didn't want to make a special dinner this week my cost would have been lower.

The hubster and I have been talking for weeks about what we eat, our family history of cancer and the long term. We've decided to drink Raw milk, incorporate less meat and more veggies (we'll never be able to give up meat really) and recently decided to start juicing for a 1 meal supplement.

Publix grocery - $ 61.44

The picture below is should be enough fruits and veggies for 5 days of juicing. I do have to hunt down some beets and kale around here but we're pretty set.

*we have meats and other things needed for each recipe from previous shopping trips*

Because I hardly have time in the evening to take pictures I will link each recipe. 

2 Week Dinner Menu: 

Tuesday - Chicken pulled sandwiches. with corn

Wednesday - Cheese Steak Sandwiches.  with homemade fries on the side and fruit as dessert. 

Thursday- Chicken and Avocado enchiladas  

Friday- Homemade chicken alfredo pizza 

Sat- Divisional BBQ - baking side dish, baked beans

Sun- Fend for yourself *mom is not cooking!*

Mon- Cobb salad

Tues- Mushroom and Barley soup 

Wed- Ropa Vieja served with rice, black beans and plantains 

Thurs- Fend for yourself

Fri- Homemade pizza

Sat- Sushi and miso soup

Sunday- Cranberry meatballs and rice (I normally make these with grape jelly and BBQ sauce but I'll try this) 

For lunches we normally eat left overs or come up with some creative ideas like bento lunches or lunches which look a lot like : 

egg or tuna salad sandwich or with crackers

yogurt or cottage cheese with a side of fruit

dried fruit and nuts for a snack

veggies with salad dressing

water

For the kids you can find some great ideas on pinterest. We only make the boys lunch 2 days a week and let them eat school lunch the other 3 days... which might change in the future. 

What's on your menu this week?

Week 4- Grocery, Couponing and Garden budget

Okay so last weeks shopping wasn't really enough to last 2 weeks. It seems we are eating more fruits and veggies, which is a good problem to have. I should also admit that I haven't planned the meals (holds head down in shame) for this past shopping trip. Many of you have asked how I can buy groceries for a family of 5 on such a budget? We the key is a LOT of planning; meals and shopping trips, and lots of restraint when shopping. My advice? Don't shop with the people who add unnecessary foods into your cart i.e husbands and children.

This is what I bought this week.

 Raw milk $ Free (I used a credit I had on my paypal.)

Commi $3.72

Bartering $ FREE


This week I decided I was not going to coupon even though there were MANY mm deals out there but I wanted to focus on the garden and saving some money.

If I can remember I will try to post our weekly dinner menu along with the normal pictures of what we buy to give you some new ideas of dinner and using what you might already have.


Week 4: 
Couponing: $0.00
Grocery: $3.72
Garden: $29.43
Savings: $14.07

YTD Savings: $358.70
YTD Grocery and Couponing: $236.40

YAHOO!!! I made it so far under budget from my original post about this years budget. As the year goes on and the garden becomes a bustling place of veggies and fruits I shall spend less money and have lots more to barter with. This make me a happy girl!!!

Now next month I will have to stock up on some chicken and fish/shell fish but that should not mess us the overall budget, let hope. 

How are you doing in the budget sense? Keeping up with it?

P.s I've been working on a few interior projects around the house. Maybe I'll post a few soon. 

Week 3- Grocery, Couponing and Gardening budget

This past Sunday there was (1) SS insert. If you missed getting to your news stand for some papers you can order inserts from Insert Insanity.  I highly recommend them!

This week was my real grocery shopping, I buy 50/50 in veggies and fruits and plan my meals around what I buy. I take examples from Bountiful Baskets and buy the same things they put in their baskets. Doing it that way I find we eat more things we wouldn't normally buy and learned that we kinda love leeks.

I went shopping at Publix and the Commi a few days ago and loaded up on the next 2 weeks worth of veggies and fruits.... Although we are already out of bananas and low on milk so I might have to go back out and get some mid/late week.

Publix:  $25.96

Commi: $59.66 if you count in the typical 30% savings just by shopping at the commissary plus the coupon savings, I saved 78% this week.

Since I don't count personal products and household products in my grocery budget I excluded these but the total paid after coupons were $2.92

Week 3

Couponing: $19.33

Grocery: $69.95

Gardening:$0.00

Savings: $119.44

Publix and Commi Highlights

Did a run to publix and the commissary today and found some great deals on some products.

 Commi- makes this a +$.50 MM

 Publix- $1.44 each wyb2 * if you find the peelie on the quaker oats you can get the mini cups for only $.79

 Commi- $.15 each wyb2

 Commi- $.36 each wyb2 *find blinkie at publix

 Publix- $1.04 each wyb2

 Commi- $1.64 each *only can use 2 coupons in one trip*

 Commi- $.99

 Commi- +$.11 MM

 Commi- FREE

 Publix- Free wyb2

Publix- Free wyb2


Did you find anything this week?

Week 2- Grocery, Couponing and Garden budget

Last week we got 5 inserts and this week we get 2 and I still haven't cut my coupons!! Making sure you get your weekly coupon inserts is vital if you are going to coupon and stockpile. 

 My weeks shopping trip at Publix went well although this really was my junk week as far as stocking up.

• 12 pasta
• (3) 12pk sodas (this will last us close to 4-5 months)
• 2 grapefruit juices
• 1 five pound bag of grapefruit
• 1 bunch of bananas
• 2 kosher salts
• 1 advil 
• 2 salsa jars
• 2 party size bags of chips
• 4 knorr noodle mixes (totally bad for you but I LOVE the broccoli noodles)
• 4 bags of denastix for dogs

$18.74 after taxes

• 2 half gallon milks from The Davis Family Farm 

$8.00

• 1 King Arthur whole wheat flour
• 1 five pound bag apples
• 3 pears
• blueberries
• 1 greek plain yogurt

$15.36

• 1 box of chips ( the boys begged for it)
• 1 box of pretzels (for my oldest, we bring snacks in after their basketball game) 

Ignore the apples, blueberries and oranges, I forgot that I took pictures of them already. 

$12.88

Keep in mind when I tally up my budget spending I do not count household, personal or animal items.

After tons of google searching and some advice from others I decided I would buy 2 4ft shop lights, which are pricey!! and while at the good ol blue store I saw they had raspberries, blueberries and grapes. I ended up getting 6 raspberries, 2 more blueberries, bring of totally for those to 6 and 4 grape plants. I circled around and saw some snapdragons (which the hubster likes) and some Caladium bulbs that I will be adding to my white garden and in the front in the tree area.

Total spent this week for Gardening
$179.57


Week 2
Couponing:$12.47
Grocery: $31.27
Gardening: $179.57
Savings: $80.77

The end of the month I will show my YTD balance on all.


Anyone grow Grapes in our zone? Any tips or tricks?

Hump day look

Today is baking day for me here in the homestead. I wanted to post some great coupons for you to print before they reached their limits.

This coupon can be printed from Recyclebank and right now you can earn an easy 100 points but answering 10 quiz questions.. If you haven't checked it out I highly suggest you do.

The Glade coupon can be printed from their FB page.

All these coupons can score you some almost Free stuff at the Commi.