Month: November 2013

Nov Week Four Healthy Food Budget: Week: $93.88 Month: $437.47

Good news and bad news! Bad news is I am way over budget this month. Good news is my employment situation is looking way up. I started a new job, so dinners were made easy with take-out and frozen pizza. I’m sure things will get back to normal after I get used to working again. 😉

Nov Wk 4 Food Spending $93.88 / Total $437.47

Dining Out: $44.63 / Total $112.12
Groceries: $49.25 / Total $325.35

Besides relying on quick and easy take-out for dinners, we had a marvelous Thanksgiving, with lots of leftovers. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, corn, and many piles of desserts! YUM. I was carb-overloaded, but it’s okay once in awhile.

Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Week

Market Basket (2 trips) $49.25 for organic apples, bananas, quart of organic half & half, grassfed cheese, 2 bags of ghiradelli chocolate chips, organic peanut butter, Plainville ground turkey, Plainville deli ham, organic spring mix salad, cauliflower, 2 boxes Bigelow teas.

About My Healthy Budget

My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.

There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.

Nov Week Three Healthy Food Budget: $59.19

Good week.

I noticed that I forgot to include my order from iHerb.com from earlier this month. It’s reflected in the total & balance left.

Nov Wk 3 Food Spending $59.19 / Total $343.59 / Balance $56.41

Dining Out: $20.00 / Total $67.49
Groceries: $39.19 / Total $276.10

I started the week with a quick trip to Market Basket and was shocked when the total was over $28 for just a few items (including cheap shampoo for DH)! I started with a list, but I didn’t bother to calculate the prices. When will I learn?!

Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Week

Trying something different this week, I’m combining purchases from Market Basket, because I go there so often.

I forgot to include the order from iHerb.com from Nov 8th – $25.26 for 1lb Frontier ground ginger and a HUGE 54 oz jar of organic extra virgin coconut oil.

Market Basket (3 trips) $35.44 for Plainville packaged ham, bag o’ navel oranges, organic apples/pears, bananas, 2 Palermo’s frozen pizzas ($1 coupon), cashews, grapefruit, red onion, Marie Calendar’s frozen coconut pie (cheaper than take out dessert)

Seven Acres Farm $3.75 for 1 dz jumbo eggs

About My Healthy Budget

My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.

There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.

Nov Week 2 Healthy Food Budget: $113.25

It seems like whenever I have a really good month, (last month coming way under budget) the following month it’s extra difficult. I suppose it’s due to having to stock up on all the items that I put off the month before. Plus I also think it’s a little bit psychological as well: overcompensating after feeling somewhat deprived.

Nov Wk 2 Food Spending $113.25 / Total $259.14 / Balance $140.86

Dining Out: $18.14 / Total $47.49
Groceries: $95.11 / Total $211.65

It was an okay week, but I know I was a little careless with spending at Market Basket when I purchased ham, pre-boxed salad, dressing, and B&J’s ice cream. DH was out for a work-dinner and I didn’t want to eat take out junk, so I splurged.

California navel oranges are out, and they are expensive at $4.49 per bag, but I noticed that Trader Joe’s had some for less, so I will plan on buying them next time I’m there. Gosh I wish a TJ’s store was closer. I love that store! They are offering whole turkeys at $2/lb and I’d love to get one for the freezer. I’m wondering if they will still offer turkeys in December. Maybe I’ll put off purchasing until then.

One high note, I purchased a 4lb top round roast from Whole Foods and we’ll get at least 6 meals from it! I still have some chicken breasts (whole & boneless) and a small amount of ground beef in the freezer. Definitely enough meat for the rest of November.

Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Week

Market Basket $20.54 for 12ct bag o’ California navels, organic apples, 2lb bag o’ organic sweet potatoes, 1/2 lb broccoli crowns, 2 Florida pink grapefruits, 2-1/2 lbs bananas, frozen organic peas, jar of cashew halves

Wilson Farm $16.66 for 5lb farm cabbage, 2 farm beets with greens, 2 three-lb bags o’ farm carrots, 1lb farm broccoli crowns, and 1lb local spencer apples.

Trader Joes $14.73 for organic half & half, organic raspberry preserves, 2 fair trade organic chocolate, pasta, 2lb bag o’ granny smith apples, and frozen organic green beans

Market Basket $15.86 for Plainville Farms smoked ham, Marzetti simply dressed ranch dressing, Oliva organic spring mix, bananas, and Ben & Jerry’s Boston Cream Pie ice cream

Whole Foods $19.82 for 1 lb chicken garlic sausage (sale $5/lb) and 4lb top round roast (sale $4/lb)

About My Healthy Budget

My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.

There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.

November Wk 1 Healthy Food Budget: $145.89

Extra days and extra expenses for the first week of budgeting for a new month and a new year! I’ve spent a little more than usual this week, so I’m hoping that I’ll be able to cut back for the rest of the month.

We splurged on take-out but we haven’t spent $ on dining out in awhile, so it was a nice reward.

Nov Wk 1 Food Spending $145.89 / Balance $254.11

Dining Out: $29.35
Groceries: $116.54

I think it was the first time I ever purchased a “quick sale” item, especially a meat item! Plainville ground turkey breast was on sale, but when I got to the meat case, I saw some turkey burgers that were labeled for .99 off because the expiration date was 2 days away. I knew I’d be making them that night, so I took a chance. They were absolutely perfect and we got two meals from the package, so it was well worth it.

Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Week

Trader Joe’s $24.65 for 4lbs potatoes ($4), 2 boxes of pasta, applegate farms turkey, 2 bars of fair trade organic chocolate, organic raisins, pecans, feta, 4 bananas.

Wilson Farm $19.19 for farm scallions, farm red lettuce, farm broccoli crowns, farm cauliflower, local Spencer apples, farm beets, farm green peppers, 2 bags of carrots (3 lbs ea), 2-1/2 lb cabbage

Whole Foods $35.17 for bulk peanuts, 4-1/2lb tote local apples (sale $1/lb), 1/2 gall local whole milk, hommus, bone-in chicken breast and chicken drumsticks (both on sale @ $3/lb & $1.29/lb)

Market Basket $12.88 for large bonus size California olive oil, 4lb Domino sugar, 1-1/2 lb bananas

Market Basket $18.66 for pineapple (sale $2), hass avocado (sale $1), 1-3/4lb bananas, organic mozzarella, (2) Blake’s
chicken & turkey pies, and Plainville ground turkey burgers (quick sale $2.70)

Market Basket $5.99 for frozen key lime pie (junk food yes, but cheaper than buying dessert from a restaurant or bakery)

About My Healthy Budget

My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.

There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.

October Week 5 Month-end Healthy Food Budget: week: $40.29 month: $330.01 year: $4757.11

Hurray, my spending was way under budget for October. Awesome!

Since money has been extra tight lately, I really worked hard to spend as little as possible, but still eat healthily.

I am proud of myself, but humbled. It’s difficult to maintain the delicate balance of saving money, while maintaining a high level of quality.

I’ve found myself cutting corners, like choosing meat from Whole Foods instead of the local farm. Yes, Whole Foods sells meat that is on the edge of factory farming, but it’s still miles above the conventional meat offered at other grocery stores, and they have some good sales every week.

October Week 5 $40.29
Month Total: $330.01 Year Total: $4757.11

Dining Out: $0 / Month $74.34 / Year $1211.54
Gardening: $0 / Month $0 / Year $22.17
Groceries: $40.29 / Month $255.67 / $3523.40

Awesome deal on more Bob’s Red Mill products; I had the last of my coupons to use and saved a lot. Received an order from Amazon Subscribe & Save for 1lb of peppercorns.

Where I Spent My Grocery Dollars This Week

Market Basket $20.71 for 2+lbs bananas, 2 bags 60% chocolate chips (sale $2.50 ea), Grandma’s molasses, Bob’s Red Mill barley (75c coup), (2) BRM spelt berries (1 free w/ BOGO coupon), BRM kamut berries (free w/ BOGO coupon), BRM baking soda (75c coup)

Farm $4.46 for apples and lettuce

Amazon $11.87 for 1lb whole peppercorns

Market Basket $3.25 for organic apples and pineapple

Month End – Grocery Store Breakdown $255.67

Total farm purchases were $72.58, not quite as much as Whole Foods, but considering that I buy my meat from WF now, it’s not bad. I don’t buy much produce from WF, but that will be increased as the days get colder.

Market Basket 86.41 (34%)
Whole Foods 84.81 (33%)
Farm 47.48 (19%)
Amazon.com 11.87 (5%)
Tewksbury Farmers Market 10.00 (4%)
Seven Acres Farm 7.50 (3%)
Mann Orchards 4.08 (2%)
Open Meadow Farm 3.52 (1%)

Nov – Oct Year End $4757.11

I’m thrilled that my total food expense for the year was well under the projected high total of $5000. I even ended up lower than the $4800 that I was hoping for!

My entertaining purchases for year were $204.86 and vitamins/supplements were $98.30, bringing total to $5060.27. If I kept tracking those categories as “food”, I would be a smidge over $5K. Not bad.

Looking forward to 2014, I’m keeping the food budget the same at $4800-$5000, and I’m excited to start a fresh new year! Can’t believe it’s been 2 years since I started budgeting!

Year End – Grocery Store Breakdown $3,523.40

Total farm purchases this year: $937.52 (26%) – yay, more than Whole Foods, and over a quarter of my total purchases. I suppose it would be better if farms represented half of my purchases, but something to shoot for next year, when hopefully money won’t be so tight.

Whole Foods 924.70 (26%)
Market Basket 774.74 (22%)
Trader Joe’s 575.36 (16%)
Open Meadow Farm 260.89 (7%)
Wilson Farm 215.49 (6%)
Farm 199.09 (6%)
Ocean State Job Lot 93.26 (3%)
Seven Acres Farm 91.75 (3%)
Amazon.com 90.92 (3%)
Tropical Traditions 58.92 (2%)
Mann Orchards 43.80 (1%)
Hannaford 43.20 (1%)
Winchester Winter Farmers Market 30.65 (1%)
Brookline Farmers Market 21.70 (1%)
Penzeys Spices 19.53 (1%)
Newburyport Farmers Market 16.80 (1%)
Four Star Farms 15.00 (1%)
Wilmington Farmers Market 14.25 (1%)
iHerb.com 13.27 (1%)
Salem NH Farmers Market 12.50 (1%)
Tewksbury Farmers Market 10.00 (1%)
Target 9.56 (1%)
Jones Farm 5.60 (1%)
Vitacost 4.94 (1%)
Aubut’s Liquors 3.00 (1%)
WALMART 0.99 (1%)
Misc credits/deductions -26.51

About My Healthy Budget

My healthy budget goal is to eat seasonal (local if possible,) home-cooked meals while sticking to a $400 monthly budget for all food including groceries, dining out, entertaining, vitamins/supplements, and gardening.

There’s two of us eating (mostly) 3 meals per day. DH occasionally eats take-out lunch at work, & that $ comes out of his personal cash stash.