Recap
- I went over my grocery budget. For the month, I have myself a budge of $40. Not including farmer's market purchases but including $1 for a Sunday paper, I spent $58.71. What pushed me over:
- I picked up a couple of items that were only on sale through Saturday, the last day of my budget. I had $0.60 left then I spent $6.
- Most of the groceries purchases this week is food that will be eaten over the course of the next month, or longer, like frozen edamame, a frozen pizza, canned seltzer water, and salad dressing (a generic-version of Miracle Whip).
- Our contribution to an amazing homemade dinner with friends was a beef steak from Emmons Meat Market, which was sliced thinly and used in stir-fry, a bottle of wine (purchased months ago while on sale at the Grocery Outlet, of course), and a few vegetables. Totally worth every penny. I should add, Z. and I both came home with leftovers. Today's dinner!
- While at Emmons I impulsively picked up some of their Italian dry salami. The price was great at $6.49 per pound and tastes amazing.
- While we did eat out once (my fault, I really wanted onion rings), I ate at home the rest of the week. Between the season's bounty (i.e., good deals on produce) and some newly found cookbooks, I am feeling inspired to try new recipes and get even more creative in the kitchen.
- Trying to implement one of my goals from last week, I made a point to have leftovers that only needed reheating in the refrigerator for Saturday. This week I did better but it was not an ordinary day because Z. was working. So, I bussed downtown, did some errands, and marketed but then I came right back home. Saturdays are Z. and I's errand day together; we are out and about usually much longer. Well, we shall see how successful I am next Saturday.
- I created a rough draft of an eating-out budget. I thought about the places I might visit in an average month and wrote those down with the amount I generally spend at each place. Before I finalize this budget, I wanted to think about it a little longer and if it accurately reflects my habits.
- Last week, one of my bad habits made itself apparent. This week, the second of my bad habits appeared: spending small amounts at the grocery store multiple times in one week. A couple of bucks a few times a week adds up, over a month, adds up. Quickly. Since I have been writing down all my grocery purchases and the date, I see this trend very clearly.
- I barely used any coupons this month. The only coupons I used went towards junk food.
- I think the most helpful thing I did was view this first month as an opportunity to track my expenses to truly see where my current level of spending is at. Budgets are great but for many of us, is we pick a number out of the air, we will have a much harder time sticking to it. First, let's see where are. Then, let's work on making that number leaner.
- Also, this month's grocery spending was within the realm of normal for me but I also realized that this particular month was not entirely reflective of how I spend money on groceries because Z. had a lot of traveling to do so I did much of the grocery shopping on my own. Normally, Z. and I go together and we split what we are getting. I am curious what next months budget will look like.
- There is no room for junk food in this budget. If I hadn't gotten that junk food earlier in the month, I would still be over my budget but by less.
- Use more coupons. I need to get back into finding deals.
- My goal this week is to solidify my eating-out budget.
- Take back bottles and cans. Z. and I both hate taking back deposits. The bottle returns are disgusting, dirty, almost always have a line, full bins that need attention, and have creepy men lurking around. I must say, the Market of Choice (whether here or other places) have clean, non-creepy person riddled bottle returns. We are just bad about taking them back. Right now, we have a giant pile of stuff that can be returned that will give us at least a few dollars to spend.
- Besides taking of advantage of the Fred Meyer Founder's Day Sale, not spend any money at a grocery store until at least Thursday. The pantry and refrigerator are stocked with fresh produce and essentials and that is late enough in the week I can see maybe needing something.
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