Project: Food Budget - Week Five

Actual: $19.86 (Giant)
Actual: $8.77 (Target)

Actual: $8.24 (Weis)

I've been more diligent on going through my coupons this week and trying to make sure I plan for foods that I can use the coupon for.  I still need work better on using items in my pantry.  I used a few things, but I really just don't have a lot in their to use to plan the majority of my meals from.  I was also thankful that my mom came into town and brought me all kinds of goodies (food + cloths).  I was still way under my budget, but was hoping to spend even less then I did since my mom having a ton of food that was already on my shopping list.

Meal Plan:  (will add later)
* Breakfast


* Post-Workout

* 10am Post-Workout Meal

* 1pm Snack
  
* 4pm Snack

* 7pm Dinner


Staples Purchased: (will add later)

Project: Food Budget
Read about Project: Food Budget challenge.

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super coupon

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I started watching the extreme couponing show and I've really been inspired to try and begin to use them.  I never used them in the past, because they never had anything that I bought, but I've come to the conclusion that I can't be picky on everything if I want to save money.   Especially, with things being so tight and not having any hours in my evening job right now.

So far I've collected a few papers and have began the process of cutting and sorting my coupons and have a few adjustments to the binder I am temporary using.  I'm keeping my eye out for a pretty+functional zipper binder that I can store everything in. Last week I was able to use 2 coupons for some yogurt so hopefully as I learn more about this I will be able to save more and elimate a few stores with my price comparison guide.  Yep, I've started going to the grocers and pricing just about everything i buy and comparing the base price to each store so I know NOT where to buy the product.  This is like the invisible coupon, because by buying it at a store I will already be near or heading to makes more sense, especially if I'm saving anywhere from $.20 to $2.00 each item.  I have a pretty hefty list and so far I've priced out Target, Wegmans and Weis and am working on Giant.  once I get those figured out I'll be checking out Walgreens and Rite Aid to see how they price on toiletries and beauty products.  I'm only adding those, because a few people say they have better luck there with those products and they typically have lots of sales and coupons to use.

so far I've learned:
* Weis has better pricing on their produce and pb and eggs
* Weis is not good with , Organic-Whole Foods, espeically Silk Milk
* Target is the lowest at $3.09 for Silk Milk.
* Weis carries sugar free syrup at a good price.
* Target is lower then Weis on Toiletries

Since sales come and go about every 3-4 months I'm looking at only buying 1 or 2 of each item since I'm only needing these for me, unless it's free and it's a product I really like and then I'll try to get more.  I don't really have space to store things, so I don't want to have tons of papers or extra things lying around my small space.