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With so many coupons expiring last weekend, I had a fun New Years Eve. I am normally not a procrastinator, but I really pushed it this year. I had a number of free coupons from calling manufacturers or from product samples that came, and they ALL expired on 12/31. So I ran to Food Lion, Bi-Lo and Kroger that night to try to split them up a bit and not overwhelm anyone’s supplies.
I also had a trip to Bi-Lo today to make a new youtube video for you guys… I think I’m going to hold off on the details of that trip though until I post the video next week (I know the suspense will kill ya).
Food Lion:
Total Before Sales and Coupons: $89.13
Total Spent: $3.04
Total Saved: $86.09 or 96.5%
I bought tomatoes and a clearance for dinner that night too.
Bi-Lo:
Total Before Sales and Coupons: $45
Total Spent: nothing
Kroger:
Total before Sales and Coupons: $4.99
Total Spent: nothing
Since I still had our budget for the week left, I also hit the Kroger P&G mega event that started on New Years day, and stocked up on Tide, Cascade and other items.
Kroger Trip #2
Total Before Sales and Coupons: $112.01
Total Spent: $44.89
Total Saved: $67.12 or 60%
Last week I told you I would also figure our yearly savings totals. So here they are…
2011 Totals
Before Sales & Coupons: $4667.36
Total Spent: $1894.29
Total Saved: $2,736.21 or 58.62%
We had a budget of $50 per week, and instead spent an average of $36 per week (though you know it really was nothing some weeks and higher others). I am thinking the decrease was from my youngest finally potty training in early 2011. It may not be a 99% percent savings that some feel the need to strive for, but I think feeding 5 people on $36 a week is pretty awesome!
I’ve decided to keep our budget at $50 a week this year, but hope to tuck away some each week so that we can start a real garden this summer. We’ve never done anything big so it will take some extra prep work to get our yard ready.
Do you have a set budget for the year? I’d love to hear your goals!
Leave a link to your savings or a comment for this week:
