Frugal week report

This week, I didn't spend as much on groceries, because I didn't have the monthly "Big Shop." But I did stock up, as planned.

Groceries: spent $66.76, saved $19.49; which equals 30% saved.

I also got a free tall coffee with empty Starbucks ground coffee bag, which is another $1.85 saved. (This is a great deal: bring the empty bag to any Starbucks counter for a free tall drink.)

As I planned, I bought brown sugar, flour, butter, chicken broth, aluminum wrap, baker's chocolate, and walnuts, all on sale. With vanilla and baking soda from last week, I am ready now to bake muffins, cookies, and pumpkin/spice bread for the holidays. And maybe for the next three to four months. Still have to restock spices, but I plan to wait until December for that: the bulk spices aren't on sale, and I have to buy several new jars too, although my rack won't hold them.

Yesterday I also received my most recent "ebate" from Ebates in the amount of $46: that will go directly into long-term savings! (i.e., the mattress fund.)

I did spend money on some household items, however:

• A bike rack for the car, the "girl's bike" converter (grrrrr!), and a safety vest (ORANGE!). Upside: now I can get Bella's annual check-up. Downside: I'll look like a dork. A safe dork, but a dork.
• 2 martini glasses and olive picks. Love to make martinis at home, but no proper glassware. Instead of buying 8 or 12 however, as in the past, I bought 2. One for me and one for a guest, or one for me and one for the dishwasher. Win, win.
• Cupcakes at Sprinkles, for me. Because I needed them. And the salty caramel will go away too soon.

I also joined the bike store's co-op. Since I was paying over half (!) of the amount needed to recoup the lifetime membership fee, and since I have a bike that will always need "stuff," as the salesman so elegantly put it, this seemed a smart notion. The store is a national chain, on-line too of course, but they sell camping gear, clothing, and even maps as well as biking "stuff." That's where I got the vest, and I had been looking for a while. I re-coup 10% of what I buy, so over time this seemed a smart option of earning back actual money. We'll see.