Food expense

[Wonderwiper]

Just a note on buying daycare stuff separately....you need to keep your personal receipts as well. If you get audited, who can you prove that you used those groceries for daycare????

[5 Little Monkeys]

I will have to think about how I want to do it this year. I don't cook every day for them either. I do my cooking for the week on Sunday's usually and the baking about once a month or so and then it gets frozen. I shop weekly for both dc and us as I shop sales and find the best deals this way (unless I make a trip to the states or costco). I have to shop weekly for produce and milk anyways.

I pay a lot at income tax time because I have low expenses (apparently being mortgage free is one of the biggest expenses I "lose" out on) so I do try to get my other expenses higher. Believe it or not, my grocery expense is actually higher this year than last! I buy a lot of used toys so my toy expense is low as well. I am trying to buy more new toys this year but when you are used to making money stretch, it can be a hard habit to break!!

[5 Little Monkeys]

Just a note on buying daycare stuff separately....you need to keep your personal receipts as well. If you get audited, who can you prove that you used those groceries for daycare????

That is a good point. I guess I should start keeping my personal ones too. However, I doubt anyone would believe me that I fed a daycare of 4 plus 2 adults for a year on $2000 :P lol. My daycare has a full kitchen in it so I just keep my groceries down there, never thought I'd have to prove that we don't eat it.

[Wonderwiper]

In an audit you have to prove everything.

[sandylynn]

All being said....I dont keep all my food receipts...cra told me to pick a reasonable daily amount per child...so I think 5.00 a day is sufficient