Actual: $443.61. I shaved a small amount off July's overage(was over $52.41 that month) but $46.03 is now being deducted from Septembers food budget.
This idea of carryforward your overage or underage is a great way to stay on budget. Not only are you accountable for the month but you are also accountable for year to date. It is one of the tools that has kept me on track - that plus writing every food purchase down with a budget in mind.
Coupons used $28.52 this month (year to date $335.19)
Others use coupons more freely buying products they don't need or stockpiling. I agree with the concept of stockpiling but am not currently adding to mine due to looming move. As well we are eating healthier whole foods which means it is difficult to get coupons on onions, oranges and meat. Instead I scour the fliers looking for loss leaders - just yesterday picked up a package of four chicken legs back attached for .99/lb ($2.34 for the package). This is a special at my grocery store only for the weekend. Unfortunately I got the last package. Today I will go back as the store is three blocks from my house to see if I can stock up. Everyone knows fresh food costs way more than crappy high caloric fast food. Our biggest splurges were cherries from the Okanagan. Even at $1.78/lb we ate at least $30 worth this month.
I haven't been shopping for much other than food items. Goodwill and garage sales have been avoided with the thought that we are moving in a few months and I really have enough clothes and loads of books to read.
Two of my last book purchases were some that I have been waiting to find:
The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Now I just have to find the third and final book in the trilogy.
These were found at Goodwill for $2.49 each. Each retailed for $13.50 .
In July I only purchased one shirt at Goodwill for $5.99 and zero for the month of August for clothes. Yesterday (on September budget) I finally broke down and bought a new pair of shoes to wear to work as had completely worn out my others.
Retail $54.99 on sale $17.99 and used my 10% Alberta Motor Association card to get an additional 10% off at Payless. Final price including tax $16.07. They are even leather which was unexpected at that price.
Year to date clothing spent (includes socks/underwear/nylons/clothes/shoes) $304
The only item I regret purchasing is the new red trench coat that I had splurged on and paid $73.13 in the Spring. I still like the jacket but have had to take every button off and sew them on properly, which is a drag as they kept coming loose. The major benefit of purchasing used clothing is that the quality of the item is evident-they never shrink, never run and if they wear too easily you will see that before you buy.
We fly out tommorrow for four days to Vancouver Island to start the house hunt in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area which is also called Oceanside. I am very excited - we don't really intend to buy this trip unless something that is completely awesome and underpriced grabs us. It is a fact finding mission to scope out where the grocery stores are, get the feel of the town and neighborhoods. Flights - free except taxes on airmiles. Accommodation-a private Inn on the ocean with kitchenette so we can save on eating out, $30 was negotiated off the nightly rate as we are booking four nights and total cost is half the price of all of the local hotels and condos (I compared 15). Yes, full on ocean view with private balcony and access to barbeques. That is why I call this blog living rich on the cheap. You really can have everything if you look around for it.
We are saving as much of our paychecks as possible right now for our first year of living without jobs. It does feel like that day is approaching when we can "take our jobs and shove them" and only work if we want to or feel like it at something that interests us. FREEDOM IS AROUND THE BEND!
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