See What This Week's Budgeting Brings

I hate weeks where there are so many things you have to have that your budget seemingly looks drained before you even get it.  I've not been doing this couponing / budgeting thing long enough to have a good 'stock-pile' of really cheap stuff just yet, so this should make for an interesting two weeks.  We're off to a good start though.  Here is what I have to have in the next two weeks: (notice that these things come out of my 'grocery' budget and are, generally, more expensive items)

- Trash Bags for the kitchen.  We are running WAY low.  These are an item I've not had to buy since we started couponing, so, honestly, I'm not sure how much I'm getting ready to spend.  (Just goes to show you that you don't pay much attention to what you spend on items when you don't budget for them.)  I know that we are really partial to the Glad flex bags, but we'll see what's on sale.  I've searched forever for coupons and haven't found any yet.  Bummer. 

- Dishwashing tablets.  We use the 'Finish' brand with the little red ball.  I just happened to find two coupons for these so I actually got them at Target today for $1.50 off.  Not bad. 

- Diapers.  We have a love / hate relationship.  I'm sure I'm going to be sad to not be buying them (means my baby is growing up), but they are so expensive.  Luckily, it's just been in the past few months that I've had to actually start buying them regularly.  We had a lot from our baby shower that lasted forever, and lots from family who buy them.  I bought these at Target today too... stay tuned to the bottom of this post to see my deals from there. 

- Paper Towels.  This is always a bummer to me, because I feel like this is a place that I'm not a great steward.  I can go through some paper towels, let me tell you what.  So, I have found a coupon for some Brawny paper towels, and they are on sale this week, so it should only cost me $6 of my $125 grocery budget.  (Bleh, $6 for paper towels.  Gross.)

So there you have it, trash bags, dishwashing tablets, diapers and paper towels, all from our grocery budget.  I hate it when that happens.  This is going to encourage me to get on stockpiling when these things are on sale. 

On a higher note, it's that time of year to start buying clothes for B (and us, if needed) for spring and summer.  Since he has absolutely nothing that fits him and is weather appropriate for that time of year (he's a growing boy, you know), this always means budgeting.  So, we've put some money aside particularly for this endeavor.  Lots of sales make it possible to stock up well.  

At Macy's I bought: 

• A zip up sleeper (24 months so he grows into it)
• A short sleeve polo
• A pair of athletic shorts

All for $11.60!  

We had a JC Penny Gift Certificate from Christmas so he scored:

• Another pair of athletic shorts (different color, he lives in these a lot over the summer)
• A romper.  (I'm not totally sold on such a 'little boy' look on such a big boy, but Aaron has mentioned having one for him and I'm not totally against it, so we did it.)

Out of pocket cost:  $0.

At Target for clothing we got:

• 1 short sleeved polo short
• 1 pair of jean shorts
• 1 pair of really cute striped 'railroad' shorts
• 4 different t-shirts

all for $25.  

Also at Target we did great (in my opinion) on diapers.  Jumbo packs of Pampers were on sale 2 / $17, so I bought two and had 2 coupons for $1.50 off, making it 2 / $14 and approx. .20 a diaper.  Not too bad.  

I also got Johnson's Buddies Soap Bars as a money maker.  I earned .06 on two of them ;)  I enjoy that.  

I'm grocery shopping tonight.  We'll see how that goes.  

-a