June 2009

So the goal I set for myself this month was $300 for our family's groceries, household supplies, and baby needs (such as diapers).  As a reminder, my family is two adults, and two adorable toddlers (a 3-year old boy and 1-year old girl)! 

Guess what?  I did it!!  We spent $298.91 this month, which means we actually have $1.09 left over!  I am really excited because this is the first month I actually made it – no excuses, no mishaps.  I am pleased I set a challenging, but do-able goal for myself.  Here are the numbers for the month:

Total shelf cost: $700.81
Coupon savings: $162.54
Other savings (sales, rebates, etc.): $433.31
Savings rate: 61.83%
My out of pocket: $298.91

And lest you think we're over here eating rice and beans, let me tell you, we've eaten well this month – casseroles, baked chicken, enchiladas, pastas.  Plus, we've also been enjoying all the wonderful summer produce which is such a bargain right now.  Our kids have gotten to enjoy some of their favorite, name-brand snacks, and my husband has enough tuna to last him several months. 

One of the things I'm passionate about is helping you to make a meaningful difference in your bottom line each month – not just finding a "good deal" here and there.  If you would like to understand more about how to set saving and spending goals, I recommend you read this post I recently wrote for Deal Seeking Mom.  I've also created a free tracking spreadsheet you can download – you'll find it on the left-hand sidebar of my blog.  This is identical to the one I created for myself awhile ago.

In the world of couponing, it's easy to get bogged down by transactions and deals.  I encourage you to see the bigger picture!  We still have six months left in 2009 - why not decide now to create some saving and spending goals to kick of July 1st?

Photo credit Flavio Takemoto

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