Ok so I keep a spiral notebook with me at all times to write down exactly what I spend everyday. This includes all grocery stores, Walmart, gas, convenient stores, and anywhere else I spend my money. Today I made a cool spreadsheet to keep track of my weekly spending in 2 different categories: grocery spending & everything else. I also keep all of my receipts and at the end of the month I go through and add up all of the manufacturers coupons I redeemed while shopping. Don't ask me why I do all of this work, I really don't know why, I guess I am just one of those obsessive compulsive people.
I am suppose to have a budget for myself which is 50$ a week, period, for grocery spending and everything else. I also have a 25$ a week gas budget. I have no problem following the gas budget, in fact 25$ has gotten my car 1 week and 5 days this week and I have to fill it up tomorrow. However, I don't seem to be doing very well on my grocery budget, I attribute some of this to the fact that I am still in the "stockpiling" phase and I am spending a bit more now so I won't be spending anything later. During May I also had a lot of expenses that I wasn't counting on, such as spending money finishing our privacy fence and what not.
So anyways, here is the break down:
May Total Spending:
Grocery Spending: $399.04 (yikes!)
May Everything Else Spending: 377.65$
(this includes a 54$ baby crib mattress, a 62$ pantry, fence materials, gas, and the occasional fast food stop)
Total Spending for May: 776.69$
Total Savings in May: 1917.69$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 922.92$
I must say I am really disappointed with myself... I am suppose to be sticking to a 50$ a week budget, plus 25$ a week in gas, which would be 300$ a month. I am over budget 476.69$ for May. There is light at the end of the tunnel though, hopefully by the time baby gets here in August I will be fully stockpiled and I will be sticking to my budget.
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Here are my April Totals:
Grocery Spending: $317.71
Everything Else Spending: I wasn't writing down the everything else spending until May 1st so I don't have the data for this.
April Total Savings: 953.90$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 472.75$
--------------------
Here are my March Totals:
I started couponing and everything on 3-30-08 exactly, so my data and receipts only go back this far, so here is the total for the 1 day of March that I was an official couponer.
Grocery Spending: $155.08
March Total Savings: 244.41$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 84.80$
I really went crazy during those 2 days...lol! As I remember, I got 30 boxes of Hamburger Helper and a bunch of fruit snacks and cereal at Albertson's during the sale. AND I only had internet printed coupons at that time.
-------------------
Ok so that is all of my totals since I started couponing on 3-30-08. I can't believe I have spent so much still, but then again just seeing all of the health and beauty items and food that I have makes up for it. Besides that, I never kept track of my spending before this, but my DH would give me 200$ a week and I would spend every dime of it the next day and have nothing to show for it. I also have a small income of my own and I would spend atleast 200$ a week of my money too! So I know pre-coupon days I spent at the very least 300$ a week on junk so I guess my spending it down a little bit and hopefully it will be going down more.
Are any of you as obsessed about totals like I am? I feel like a freak!, I would feel better if I knew more people like me are out there!
I am suppose to have a budget for myself which is 50$ a week, period, for grocery spending and everything else. I also have a 25$ a week gas budget. I have no problem following the gas budget, in fact 25$ has gotten my car 1 week and 5 days this week and I have to fill it up tomorrow. However, I don't seem to be doing very well on my grocery budget, I attribute some of this to the fact that I am still in the "stockpiling" phase and I am spending a bit more now so I won't be spending anything later. During May I also had a lot of expenses that I wasn't counting on, such as spending money finishing our privacy fence and what not.
So anyways, here is the break down:
May Total Spending:
Grocery Spending: $399.04 (yikes!)
May Everything Else Spending: 377.65$
(this includes a 54$ baby crib mattress, a 62$ pantry, fence materials, gas, and the occasional fast food stop)
Total Spending for May: 776.69$
Total Savings in May: 1917.69$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 922.92$
I must say I am really disappointed with myself... I am suppose to be sticking to a 50$ a week budget, plus 25$ a week in gas, which would be 300$ a month. I am over budget 476.69$ for May. There is light at the end of the tunnel though, hopefully by the time baby gets here in August I will be fully stockpiled and I will be sticking to my budget.
-----------------------
Here are my April Totals:
Grocery Spending: $317.71
Everything Else Spending: I wasn't writing down the everything else spending until May 1st so I don't have the data for this.
April Total Savings: 953.90$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 472.75$
--------------------
Here are my March Totals:
I started couponing and everything on 3-30-08 exactly, so my data and receipts only go back this far, so here is the total for the 1 day of March that I was an official couponer.
Grocery Spending: $155.08
March Total Savings: 244.41$
Manufacturers Coupons Redeemed: 84.80$
I really went crazy during those 2 days...lol! As I remember, I got 30 boxes of Hamburger Helper and a bunch of fruit snacks and cereal at Albertson's during the sale. AND I only had internet printed coupons at that time.
-------------------
Ok so that is all of my totals since I started couponing on 3-30-08. I can't believe I have spent so much still, but then again just seeing all of the health and beauty items and food that I have makes up for it. Besides that, I never kept track of my spending before this, but my DH would give me 200$ a week and I would spend every dime of it the next day and have nothing to show for it. I also have a small income of my own and I would spend atleast 200$ a week of my money too! So I know pre-coupon days I spent at the very least 300$ a week on junk so I guess my spending it down a little bit and hopefully it will be going down more.
Are any of you as obsessed about totals like I am? I feel like a freak!, I would feel better if I knew more people like me are out there!
1 comment:
You are not alone! I obsess about the "deals", how much I can save and how much I spent to do that.
Lisa
Cents To Save
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