Planning is an Art

I have never been good at planning ahead.  Even the simple act of planning what to wear or what to fix for dinner the next day just doesnt come naturally to me.  I am an "in the moment" kind of thinker, so this whole budgeting and meal planning, etc. is just hard.  The Hubby is all about the plan, and doesnt do much spontaneously.  Which is very hard on me :)

We took the youngest Daughter to Lexington to a movie yesterday with a group of people she doesnt see often.  We knew we were doing this for a couple of days ahead of time, but we did not sit down and plan the money flow.  Sigh... its a live and learn kind of thing I guess.

Anyway, since we were there I had thought to hit up GFS for a few meat deals but they were closed.  So we went to Aldi's and they had a few things.  Spent a bit of the budget there:

0.99  Lettuce
1.49  potato chips (hubby has been missing them
2.49  peanuts (yeah, hubby again :) )
1.49  all purpose flour
1.40  burritoes (4)
1.99 cheddar cheese
1.99 swiss sheese
0.99  lemons (2)
1.49  strawberries
4.99  sausage patties (18, precooked)
0.45  instant SF pudding
0.89  potato side dish
0.79  onion soup mix
2.36  canned mushrooms (4 cans @ .59 each - much cheaper than Krogers)
0.12  paper bags, 2
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total:  23.92

We have decided soda pop needs its own budget, because its killing the grocery budget.  I still have to hit the Kroger website and decide what to purchase in the way of meat.  Everyone has spiral hams on sale right now for about $2 a pound.  I should get one, and something beef.  Also, lost a meal of beef this week because I thawed it out and never got to fix it.  I hate throwing away food.

On the upside, we sat down to watch tv last night and I thoughtlessly filled up a bowl of potato chips.  Took one bite and decided I just didnt really want them so they went back into the bag.  Instead, I had sliced cucumber, radishes and mushrooms with a couple tbsp of ranch dressing.  Much healthier.

UPDATE:  So just finished up at Kroger.  Good meat sale this week.  I saved 13.75 with the customer loyalty card, plus 4% of my purchase goes into the church fund. 
I brought home:
2.00  individual frozen pizzas, for hubbys lunch (2)
4.92 
4.92  ground chuck (2) NOT a deal, but its 80/20 which is more flavorful, and the other meat was cheaper
7.54  boneless pork loin cut into rib sections (from the marked down meat section)
8.64 
7.40  split chicken breasts(2 pkgs)  (99 cents a pound, and they are large enough to make 2 people 1 meal)
0.99  tall kitchen bags, for sorting and storing clothing
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36.47 - 13.75 (Store discount) = total 22.72 including tax.

22.72
23.92
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46.64, just over the $45 for the week.  I did not buy soup mix for Wednesday night, so I will have to come up with something for that meal at church.

Foiled by Math Again!

I love sales.  I love coupons.  But I am not good at on the spot math problems to use them to save money.  I really need to do more math BEFORE I go to the store!  The 10 for $10 sales are no problem... every item is a $1.  And you dont have to purchase 10 items to get the price.  But the "buy 5 and save $5" really fouls me up.  The items are not all the same price, and so they tossed the budget number out the door.  I did save money, but I spent money too that I had not intended to spend.  On the other hand we have a few things that are more "luxury" items to help break up the monotony.

So this week, all the shopping was at Kroger.  Budget was $45, actual spending was $63.33. I did have a few coupons.

1.00  Nestle water (6 bottles)
3.50  Kroger smoked ham
1.00  Frozen Vegetables
FREE  Birds Eye Recipe Ready Vegetables (Kroger free Friday deal)
1.00  Frozen pizza
3.67  Kroger Pizza *
3.46  Skinless boneless chicken thighs
1.98  Oscar Meyer Bologna (2)*
5.74  Beef Stew meat
2.69  Butter
2.00  Kroger Neufchatel cheese (2)
1.99  Dozen eggs
1.97  Dill pickle spears
5.54  Ritz Crackers (2) *
2.00  Sour cream 16 oz
1.50  Dole Pineapple
  .89  Bar soap (2 bars)
2.89  Crystal Light
1.67  Salad dressing
1.58  Condensed  Soup
1.88  Peanut butter
2.00  Mandarin Oranges (2)
  .69   Vanilla pudding mix
1.00  Pasta
1.08  Sweet onion, fresh
1.50  Cauliflower, fresh
  .69  Green onions, fresh
1.19  Saltines
1.78  Noodles and sauce (2)
1.50  Broccoli, fresh
2.00  Red Potatoes, 5 lbs, fresh
 .99   Mushrooms, fresh (marked down)
1.29  Snow Peas and Carrots, fresh (marked down)
2.21  Red Grapes
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There you have it.  I missed getting a tub of cool whip stuff for the fruit whip.  Other than that, hubby purchased his shampoo with the left over money from his hair cut.  We bought 2 large pkgs of bathroom tissue last week on sale at Big Lots (4.45 for 16 double rolls in each pkg).





Monday - went to dinner with family, Asian Buffet.
Tuesday - Baked chicken thighs in mushroom soup and sour cream, steamed broccoli, roasted red potatoes
Wednesday -  church
Thursday - Grilled beef tips (actually stew meat that has marinated),noodles with sauce, Cauliflower  Peas
Friday - pizza, salad, cinnamon tortillas
Satuirday -  burgers, potato salad, snow peas with carrots
Sunday - lemon chicken soup, whole grain rolls, side salad.

Breakfast will be oatmeal (of which we have plenty from the sales previous weeks), eggs and toast, fruit whip

Lunches for Hubby:  soup and crackers, individual frozen pizza, individual frozen Jamaican hot pocket (which I found in the freezer), sandwiches (ham or bologna)

For me:  leftovers, salads

That wraps up this week.  Better go get the chicken in the oven :)