Monday, July 17, 2017

The Great Grocery Project: Mid July Update

Well, here we are in mid-July already.  So far this month I have spent $190.00 on groceries.  I do not plan on spending too much more, as I am fully stocked and just did a big shop for the coming weeks (except for milk and cheese).  I still have a frozen turkey on hand, some cooked frozen meat in the freezer, ground beef in the freezer, some frozen fish, and lots of beans.

The Great Grocery Project started one year ago in September - so after next month I will be doing a monster recap and breakdown of our yearly spend.  Of course, I plan to continue this project for a second year.  Since I have been off work for almost the entire year I was tracking (first on medical leave after complication during pregnancy, then on maternity leave) I need to continue for a second year and see how being back at work impacts the numbers and where we can make improvements.

I tried a new product this month that I am really enjoying.  Oikos Super Grain Greek Yogurts (available in Canada).  I am very fussy about my yogurts.  I really enjoy these - especially the Peach Super Grains and the Berry Super Grains.  I will be watching for sales on this product.

How have we saved money so far this month?


By not doing anything!!! We have been enjoying simple days at the park, the splash pad, on the bike trails, and around our house.  I picked up some "treats" on clearance at Walmart - sidewalk chalk and 1L of bubbles on clearance for $1.00 each.  A $5.00 spend will provide us with hours of fun.  I also allowed my son to pick out one thing at Walmart (within reason).  He picked a box of Crayola pencil crayons on sale for $2.77.  He has spent literally hours playing with them and drawing sweet nothings in his book.  Did you know that pencil crayons can also double as Superheroes and Super Villains?  Heroes in the right hand and villains in the left.  One apparently can colour over the other with green goo (also known as Green Pencil Crayon).

I bought some cardstock on clearance at Walmart for $4.00.  I plan to use it as I try to start making some of my DIY Christmas gifts.  I am hoping to start working on these in August.

Someone handed down a box full of books and Brain Quest cards to us.  Again, hours and hours of entertainment.  We have read Curious George Gets a Pizza about ten times a day for the past week.

I ordered a 1L Tupperware water bottle for my husband as his bottle needed replacing.  I also got a little treat for my son's Christmas or birthday gift (have not decided yet).  A Donald Duck water bottle.  It was on clearance for over 50% off.

This month I have done lots of reading (I am a prolific reader but find it hard to do with an infant).  I have been "napping" with my son so we can snuggle before I have to return to work.  Typically while he naps I am reading.  I have read several books that I received as gifts, but I do lots of reading online.  I love reading The Prudent Homemaker and Tablet Magazine.

Books I have read recently include:
The Undoing Project

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Wearing the Green Beret

The Nazis Next Door

Infidel

All of these books were excellent reads (if you're wondering) and they all express many different viewpoints and life experiences.  I didn't really care for some of the political slant to The Undoing Project (just didn't agree with it - but I still enjoyed reading the book) and my eyes kind of glazed over at some of the math stuff - but it is a fascinating biography and absolutely worth reading.  It is by the same author who wrote Moneyball, Michael Lewis.

I have a pile of books just waiting for me to read them - but I am not sure when I will get to them next.

Well we will leave it at that for now.  It is naptime, ie....reading time.   Have a wonderful week!!


2 comments:

  1. It sounds like you got some great bargains. I'm a reader too, currently enjoying A Man Apart, written about a man who inspired me greatly when building my home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing - I always like to hear about what other people are reading. I have a large and growing list of "books I want to read" - I always jot a title down when I hear about something interesting.

      Delete