A Challenging Goal and My Grocery Budget for February

During the month of February, I set myself a pretty challenging goal:

 ONLY SPEND $200.00 

ON GROCERIES, TOILETRIES, DIAPERS, WIPES, CLEANERS

 AND ANYTHING YOU THINK YOU WOULD BUY AT THE STORE.  

$200.00 for a family of 5, two of which are in diapers and five of us that really like to eat.  You read that right.  Of course I used coupons and shopped the sales and became completely obsessed with reaching this goal.... Here are some pics of the grocery shopping trips - you know I like to take pics.

So, I'm sure you wanna know - Did I do it?  Well.... ALMOST.  I went over in a moment of weakness.  I put off getting somethings that I had to have in a timely manner and then I ended up picking up a few other things that I didn't really plan for and what do you know, I went over by $32.66.   BUT I SAVED OVER $800.00.  Here is the breakdown:

Date	Store	Original Price	Out of Pocket	$ Savings	% Savings
2/7/2014	ShopRite		$54.92	$68.40
2/7/2014	Weis		$5.58	$30.50	84
2/7/2014	Food Lion		$3.30	$1.87
2/8/2014	ShopRite		$10.32	$62.57
2/10/2014	CVS		2.48 GiftCard	$19.59	89
2/11/2014	Walgreens		3.88 GiftCard, .91	$7.18	60
2/11/2014	ACME	$1.79	$0.00	$1.00	100
2/11/2014	Walgreens		$2.00	$6.38	76
2/11/2014	ShopRite		$17.62	$80.14
2/11/2014	Martins		$2.00
2/12/2014	Rite Aid		13.77 GiftCard
2/14/2014	Food Lion		$4.62	$14.50
2/14/2014	Walgreens		$1.72	$13.88	91
2/15/2014	ShopRite		$17.75	$83.13
2/15/2014	Food Lion		$4.40	$16.38
2/15/2014	Martins		$2.50	$0.49
2/18/2014	Food Lion		$5.45	$13.00
2/19/2014	ShopRite		$18.29	$105.51
2/21/2014	Rite Aid		1.34 GiftCard
2/21/2014	CVS		.86 GiftCard 6.84	$19.60	74
2/21/2014	ShopRite		$10.13	$98.75
2/22/2014	ACME		$8.55	$12.90	60
2/22/2014	Martins		$32.49	$3.69
2/24/2014	Martins	$29.97	$10.92	$19.05
2/25/2014	ShopRite		$11.79	$71.16
2/25/2014	Walgreens		1.39 GiftCard
2/25/2014	Walgreens		$2.68	$9.89	75
2/26/2014	Rite Aid		5.30 GiftCard
2/27/2014	ShopRite		$3.45	$62.16
2/27/2014	Martins	$9.43	$2.18	$7.25
Date	Store	Original Price	OOP	Savings	% Savings
			$232.66	$828.97

What I've learned for March - 

• I need a slightly bigger budget.  After all, March has 31 days.  So I'm shooting for $250.00.
• I'm super thankful for ShopRite and there dollar doubles promotion.
• I go to the store a lot.  Thanks to my wonderful husband for working so hard so that I can do that.  
• Saving money is an awesome feeling.
• I think I like budgets.
• Cash is the way to go.  It is so easy to see what you have remaining when it is right in front of you. 
• I need to go buy some Diet Coke - I just drank the last one!