Here’s my grocery budget totals so far this month.
Grand total spent out of pocket:
$12.17
This amount has fed two people – and a few guests – since the beginning of September. This also includes household items, like toilet paper, foil, cleaning supplies, etc. But that’s the total spent before factoring in my profit.
Cash profit:
.-72 cents change back from catalina yesterday
.-7.29 overage – I still haven’t figured this one out – anybody?!
Subtotal after cash profit: $4.16
But as anyone who’s been following my blog knows, that doesn’t factor in my profit in ONYOs – “On your next order” store coupons. An “ONYO” is a coupon that is good for X amount off your next purchase, which prints out at the register. Special promotions where you can earn these type of coupons happen often. The big one for me this month has been the Safeway promo where you earn a $2 ONYO for every Glade plug-in that you buy. These coupons can be used like cash, for anything in the store (except “prohibited items”, which I believe are alcohol, cigarettes, and stuff like that). Each ONYO promotion works a little differently, but this kind can be “stacked” together, meaning that if you make an $8 purchase, you can use 4 of the $2 coupons, making it free.
So how many ONYOs do I have right now? $78 worth. Meaning that I have spent $4.16 on my groceries this month, and earned back $78 in store credit to buy whatever I want. Not too shabby!
Before I went to Safeway the other night, I headed to the gas station, and spent the last of the cash that was in my wallet. I smiled when I looked down at the thick stack on ONYOs – which I also keep in my wallet – and realized that I didn’t need cash. I went to the store with an empty wallet, and paid for everything in ONYOs and spare change out of my coin purse. It’s truly gratifying to be able to save so drastically – especially when I think back to the beginning of this year, before I discovered the joy of coupons, and would spend $600 to $800 a month on groceries, easily.
