January 2023 numbers

Hi everyone

Firstly, here are 2 great deals for Kroger shoppers (ends Tuesday 02/07/23). These 2 are Weekly digital deals, so be sure to clip your Qs before going shopping. Discount won't apply if you don't clip your qs beforehand. 

18 oz Quaker Oatmeal $2.49. Earn $1.50 Ibotta & $1.20 KC (Kroger cash) 20c MM  (limit 5)

14-24 ct Stayfree pads $1.49. Mega event discount will also apply so you will pay 49c per pack (limit 5)

The Quaker instant oatmeal is also part of the ME sale (can't remember the price, but I think it was $2.29). Get $1.25 Ibotta and $1 KC (values might vary by user). Limit 5

Here's what I did today

Kroger

5 x 18 oz Quaker oatmeal $12.45

5 x Stayfree 2.45

5 x Mission tortilla chips 7.45

1 x OM smokies 3.29

2 x 18ct eggs 11.98

Less OM free mailer Q (3.29)

Less eggs mailer Q (0.65)

OOP $33.68

Earned $7.50 Ibotta & $6 KC = $13.50

No free eggs Q from Kroger this month, but they did give me 65c off. Kroger egg price is comparable to Sams, so I decided to just get eggs at Kroger. I bought 2 packs in case the eggs price increases again.I noticed that Sams no longer has the 2 doz/$6 eggs that I bought last month :(

I also stopped at Sams, because DS was out of yogurt. He prefers Chobani drinking yogurt, so I just added a few produce items, snack box for him and ground beef (the frikkadel was so good, so I decided to make more). Used $50 gc (Ibotta) and $32.56 OOP.

My goal is to spend $250 on groceries this month. Last month was pricey, but I expected it because I stocked up on many items and I haven't done much grocery shopping since before Christmas. Prices are just shocking, so I'm stocking up on good deals to help combat inflation. I want us to continue eating well without breaking the bank. 

I've spent $66.24 OOP for February already. That leaves me with $183.76 for the rest of the month. Actually less, because my last Wags purchase will lower that amount by about $32. Well shucks, I can work with $150...lol I don't need anything next week (only drugstore deals to redeem rewards) and we have enough meat in the freezer. So there's only 2 weeks that I need to shop for. I can do this. I've just got to shop carefully when I go to the produce market. That place is bad for me :)

On to January's numbers

Groceries/HBA/Cleaning

CVS : $19.18

Wags : $60.85

RA : $12.05

Aldi : $38.08

Kroger : $109.06 

Meijer : $66.15

Target : $17.33

Sams : $359.26

Walmart : $90.89

Produce market : $46.33

Total OOP : $819.18

Earnings 

$41.04 Ibotta 

$7.50 KC

Total earned : $48.54

My earned drugstore rewards are not included in this amount.I count them when I spend it. 

I spent $60.85 OOP at Wags, but increased my rewards by $26. 

Before anyone is shocked by that number, let me explain. I've set a monthly budget of $500. However, that's what I need to average per month. I take my total for the year and divide it by 12 to see what we've averaged per month. Why? Some months there will be great stock up sales (like January) so I'll spend more, then other months will be cherry picking months where I spend less. 

MONEY EARNED (SIDE HUSTLE)

GCs Earned $10 - Microsoft rewards

Personal items (things we've had listed for the past 2 years) : $118.00

Drugstore items sold : $0

Total earnings : $128.00

As you can see, earning sites are slow as molasses. Also, I was sick for more than half the month, so not much was done.

YTD Earnings 

GCs (point earning sites) : $10

Ibotta : $48.54

Personal items : $118.00

Drugstore items : $0

Total Earnings (excl Ibotta) : $128.00

YTD EXPENSES (Clothing/shoes/accessories, Christmas gifts)

OOP : $103.88 (2 new coats/jackets for me)

Christmas gifts : $0

Gift cards : $150.00 ($100 Kohls, $50 JCP)

Total OOP $253.88

The Kohls gc is what I purchased at RA earlier this week (I guess that's a February expense, but I'm too tired to edit this post). I then turned around and used that gc to shop the clearance sale. I'll sell the items and add it to our income. I'll do the same with the JCP gc if they have a BOGOF sale again. I bought the gc, because I earned $10 EB (CVS) on it. That's $26 I earned just for buying gcs. 

YTD OOP (clothing/shoes/accessories, Christmas gifts) : $253.88

YTD side hustle income (personal, drugstore) $118.00

YTD Balance ($135.88)

Yep, I'm starting out in the hole, but there's method to my madness (as explained above). 

Small bills savings

$1 Bills - 96 + 24 (Jan) = $120.00

$5 Bills - $185 + $55 (Jan) = $240.00

$10 Bills - $90 +10 (Jan) = $100.00

Total YTD savings : $460.00

I cashed in half of my coins for a $51.19 gc. I'll have to get my behind to a store so I can buy more clearance to sell. Same with my CC rewards. I'm just waiting on some good discounted gcs. There's nothing I like right now.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I applied for a new CC through my other bank. It comes with a $200 bonus too. So I'll use that bonus for more gcs. I'm so over that other $500 credit CC. I'm going to close that account. 

So there you have it folks. The good, the bad & the very ugly of January. I've noticed that I always go over budget in January. I think it's because I don't grocery shop the last 2 weeks of December. 

Have a great weekend peeps! Stay healthy, safe & warm