Monday, September 24, 2012

The SNAP Results


Running Food Tally:  Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd September 2012
Weetbix (14 bics)                                1 pk = 72 bics for approx. $4.00                     Cost $0.78
Rice Cakes (8)                                     1pk = 5 serves for approx. $1.50                    Cost $0.60
Tea Bags (12)                                      1pk = 250 bags for approx. $5.00                  Cost $0.24
Apple (4)                                               each apple approx. 200g @$3/kg                  Cost $2.40
Milk (7L)                                              $1 per litre                                                           Cost $7.00
Grain Waves chips                            one pack @ $2.50                                               Cost $2.50
Instant Coffee                                     200g=$13; 50g used                                           Cost $3.25
Strawbs (2 pt)                                      2 punnets @ $1.69 per punnet                         Cost $3.38
Cream (280ml)                                   600ml = $2.25 (round up to 300ml)               Cost $1.12
Crispbreads (9)                                   1 pk = 36 biscuits @ $1.80                                Cost $0.45
Milo                                                       1kg = $8; approx. 100g used                           Cost $0.80
Lettuce (1/2)                                        Lettuce head was purchased for $1               Cost $0.50
Butter (500g)                                       250g Butter = $1.50                                           Cost $3.00
Lindt Choc (140g)                              Purchased @ $1.80/100g                                 Cost $2.52
Mayonnaise                                         estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.20
Tomato (1)                                           purchased @ $8/kg; 150g                                                Cost $1.20
Ham (300g)                                          purchased @ $16/kg                                          Cost $4.80
Tortillas (12)                                       purchased @ $3 for 12 pk                                Cost $3.00           
White Sugar                                        estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.70
Avocado (1)                                         purchased @ $2                                                  Cost $2.00           
Cheese slices (11)                                purchased 12pk @ $0.99                                  Cost $0.99
Arborio Rice                                       1kg pk @ $4; 250g used                                    Cost $1.00                           
Vanilla essence                                   estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.50
Onion (4)                                              purchased @ $1/kg; 6 to a kg                          Cost $0.67
Cheese block(1kg)                              purchased @ $8/kg                                            Cost $8.00
Corn kernels                                       400g can cost $1                                                 Cost $1.00
Cordial                                                 estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.50
Carrot (4)                                             1kg @ $1; 8 to a kg                                            Cost $0.50
Ice cream (2L)                                    purchased @ $2.49/2L                                      Cost $2.49
Cannalini beans                                  400g can cost $1.45                                           Cost $1.45
Mineral Water                                    1.5L bottle @ $0.88                                           Cost $0.88
Zucchini (1)                                         3pk purchased @ $3                                          Cost $1.00
Yoghurt (500ml)                                 1kg yoghurt @ $4.50                                         Cost $2.25
Taco seasoning                                   30g spice mix @ $2                                            Cost $2.00           
Ginger powder                                    estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.20
Mushrooms (700g)                             purchased @ $8/kg                                            Cost $5.60
Mince beef (300g)                              purchased @ $4/kg                                            Cost $1.20
Tomato Passata                                  purchased @ $0.99/jar                                     Cost $0.99
Chilli powder                                      estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.20
Garlic (3 cloves)                                 bulb cost $0.80; 10 cloves/bulb                       Cost $0.24
Chicken (150g)                                    purchased @ $7/kg                                            Cost $1.05
Soy Sauce                                             estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.20
Chicken stock                                      125g @ $2.20; approx. 40g used                    Cost $0.70
Celery (1/4 bunch)                             half bunch purchased @ $1.40                       Cost $0.70
Rump Steak (200g)                            purchased @ $10/kg                                          Cost $2.00           
Rice vermicelli                                   pk = $1.20; ½ pk used                                        Cost $0.60
Nutella spread                                     estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.60
Pineapple (can)                                   400g @ $2                                                            Cost $2.00
Egg (4)                                                  dozen purchased @ $2.00                                Cost $0.67
Sliced bread                                         2 loaves @ $1/loaf                                             Cost $2.00
Cheese & Bacon Balls                       purchased @ $1/bag                                          Cost $1.00
Capsicum (1)                                       purchased @ $4/kg; approx. 300g                 Cost $1.20
Deli Turkey (100g)                            purchased @ $14/kg                                          Cost $1.40
Noodles (2 pkts)                                  10pks @ $5.00                                                     Cost $1.00
Raspberry Jam                                   estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.50
Olives (1/2 jar)                                    jar @ $3.50                                                          Cost $1.75
Mozzarella (600g)                             purchased @ $5.50                                            Cost $5.50
Mushroom soup                                  can purchased @ $2.00                                     Cost $2.00
Tomato Paste                                      jar purchased @ $1.20                                      Cost $1.20
Bananas (3)                                          retail price $2/kg; approx. 400g                    Cost $0.80
Shredded Ham (1kg)                         purchased @ $7/kg                                            Cost $7.00
Spiral pasta                                         1pk @ $1.50; ½ pk used                                    Cost $0.75
Paprika                                                 estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.10
Sopressa (150g)                                  purchased @ $17/kg                                          Cost $2.55
Cream Cheese(250g)                         purchased @ $2                                                  Cost $2.00
Flour (SR & Plain)                             estimated cost                                                      Cost $3.00
Italian Herbs                                       estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.40
Sunflower oil                                       estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.50
Maple syrup                                        estimated cost                                                      Cost $1.20           
Vegemite                                              estimated cost                                                      Cost $0.20
Dried Yeast                                          280g @ $4.50; approx. 30g used                    Cost $0.48
Icing Sugar                                          500g @ $1.90; approx. 200g used                  Cost $0.76
                                                                TOTAL COST FOR GROCERIES:              Cost $117.91

 Other: Lunch order for Emily - $4.30; Lunch order for Emily - $3.30;
        Takeaway fish and chips - $20; Takeaway Indian - $50
                                                                TOTAL COST FOR EXTRA ITEMS           Cost $77.60

                                                                TOTAL COST OF FOOD EXPENSES        Cost $195.51



FAIL

My total grocery cost is not far off my target of $100, but the extras threw me right out to almost double my target.  Had we needed to, we could have made the $100 work.  In my calculations I included all food used, not what was purchased.  I think I ended up spending about $54 at the grocery stores during this week because I try to go to the shops as least as possible (thereby avoiding the impulse buys).  I estimate I will need to grocery shop by about Wednesday this week with a major shop, and I had bought most of my supplies the Wednesday before the challenge (spending about $130).
There were items in my total that were given to us (i.e. the bananas) or that I would not have bought if I were planning on a budgeting challenge (i.e. the avocado or the ice cream) but some items in these categories needed to be used, so it was better to eat and include the items than waste and exclude them for the sake of this challenge.  As a household we have very little food wastage (normally only if the leftovers get forgotten).
Also a lot of the items are part of a larger quantity - spices, flours, oil, spreads, etc so these do not get purchased regularly and the full expense of the item is very infrequent, so $3 here or $2 there is less noticeable - and most of these expenses were estimates based on the cost and how often I buy them.  For most spices the ones I have are up to 3 years old (and probably less pungent) so I would not normally factor the cost of these into a dish.
The 8 pizzas we made on Sunday night would normally feed the 4 of us for 4 meals, so if you count that instead of the takeaway Thursday and Saturday and still a leftover for Monday (which we have) the actual grocery cost could be accurate for us as a family.

I have learned a lot from this little experiment.  How about you?

No comments:

Post a Comment