But that's ok. This isn't a boohoo post. I know (KNOW) we are pretty lucky to have what we do. I know we are better off than so many. I know we have so (SO) many temporal blessings and full bellies and warm bodies to show for it. We're doing just fine. So don't feel bad for us, honestly.
But all that said, the plain facts are we have to say, "We can't afford that" all the time. Just about daily. I started a running tally of the things we may add to next months budget (because if we didn't budget for it this month, pretty much it'll get pushed to next month.) And today, as something else came up, I mentally started crossing things off that list. The list of things I hoped to be able to buy come next Thursday.
I'm not going to lie, it's been a hard thing for me to learn to say, cheerfully, "We can't afford that." Don't get me wrong, I've never been a huge spender. In college I kept a pretty tight grip on my money (especially considering I was responsible for paying my bills and tuition). And I always saved some at least beyond that. But I've always also been able to splurge a little here, a little there and not feel guilty about it. I have always been able to buy things for other people and not feel guilty about it.
Anyway. It's hard, but it's got to happen (and I'm getting more cheerful about it). I keep trying to think of ways and places I can shave back our spending that will allow us to have more money in other places. I know we can't have it all, so what can I give up in order to get something else?
We don't really eat out (unless we have a gift certificate). We don't spend any money on movies or video games or recreational activities. We don't buy ourselves clothes hardly ever (with the occasional exception being for Raymond, as needed).I make most of the gifts we give. Pretty much we pay our bills.
And so every time it comes down to the food budget. Now, when I lived alone, I didn't spend all that much on food. I ate a lot of stuffing, salsa (wal-mart southwest. Mmmm.), frozen peas, and cereal. I was busy and didn't cook hardly ever. I didn't care. I could make due just fine.
But since I've been married and started feeling responsible to feed Jeremy and now Raymond, I have a hard, hard time not spending too much money at the grocery store. Every single month it's a battle. A race to finish under my budget (which to give me some credit isn't huge to start with... but it's doable). But then I'm standing there and want to buy things I know we like to eat. Who wants to eat mac and cheese everyday? What is living if you can't buy fresh strawberries when they're in season? Or some pudding as a weekend dessert?
And not just that: even if I'm only buying things on my menu (and I do have a menu and a list every single time I go), I still over spend. So I've decided I must be trying to make too expensive of food. Too much meat. Too much cheese. Too much of something. I can't really figure out what though. So I've thought about sitting down and figuring out the actual cost of each meal I menu for (as in lasagna: noodles=$X, cottage cheese=$X, can of tomatoes=$X etc). But does that make anyone else want to cry? Although I really and truly am considering doing it.
Or maybe I should be using coupons. But to be totally honest I have absolutely NO interest in it. Nor do I want to be sifting through them every time I'm at the store. So I just need to be better at shopping the sales? (which I do for the store I shop at most) Or going to three or four different stores and shopping all their sales? (Again, make me want to cry.) Or making more vegetarian meals? (although, fresh veggies can be just as pricey as the meat... Jeanine, I'm still thinking about Bountiful Baskets) Plant a garden? (Which I really, really want to do. A few potted tomatoes and herbs are in the plans)
Or eating beans and rice every day. (If only I had a live-in Honduran cook.)
Thoughts?? What do you do to cut back your grocery bills?
15 comments:
This sadly enough is the area I actually feel like I am kind of good at. I generally use to spend between $200-$250 on groceries. Now that Chase is eating more and really the boys too (plus doing school lunches) I spend closer to $300. I think that is pretty good. Especially for 5 people. Anyways, maybe I will email you some of the things I do. And I DON'T coupon shop. To be honest it isn't that much cheaper for me because I don't always buy name brands anyways. Anyways, I will email a couple ideas. But, this is what works for me. Not everyone. Because I don't eat gourmey (sp??) meals very often. But, we do eat sit down meals almost every night.
I know exactly how you feel. I just stumbled across this site a few weeks ago (http://letmeplandinner.blogspot.com/) and have been enjoying it. I haven't been doing everything she does, but I have been taking ideas from it and have been making yummy, but inexpensive, meals. I've been trying to work on a $50 weekly grocery budget, which sometimes works. So this has been helping. Also, when I write my menu for the week, I look to see what I have in my cupboard, and check the ads to see what is on sale. Then plan my menus around that.
A few weeks ago I was at the store and found chicken, pork chops and pork roasts on ridiculous super sale. Like, the roast was something like 79 cents per pound. A bought two roasts for about $4. I spent a decent penny on all of that (because I really stocked up), but haven't bought meat again for weeks, and still have about 3/4 of it. I probably won't need to buy meat again for another month. So look for deals like that and stock up when you can.
Well, I think the above two comments hit it on the nose. I used to do the coupon thing, but like Tasha said I don't buy a lot of name brand products. I do use the coupons that my store sends me though. Also, I try to plan menus around what's on sale. Stocking up when it's a really good deal is great too. I recently bought a bunch of fresh tilapia when it was on sale (so much cheaper than the frozen kind I usually buy).
That said, it can be rather eye opening to roughly calculate the cost of a couple of the meals you make often to give you an idea of what some meals cost versus others. But sometimes, I just don't want to know. ;) Good luck and keep us posted on what new strategies work for you!
here is another blog for you. its sheshopssmart.blogspot.com and another suggestion bountiful baskets. they have a drop spot in your area. you pay 16.50 for a basket that has around $50.00 worth of produce in it. 50% fruit 50% vegetable. its a co-op that purchases food from the same place the grocery store does but you get it at their price. I absolutely love it! if you would like to look into it go to bountifulbaskets.org or email me any questions. catharine_butler@yahoo.com
good luck on stretching your budget.
oh also walmart price matches all grocery sales.
bountiful baskets is awesome! i actually work it every other sat. from 6:30 to 8:30 and the saturdays i do i get a free basket. so look in your area and see if they need workers. i try taking the cash with me that i am willing to spend and also i don't really do coupons but i do check out all the adds for the stores in the area and i do the coupons they send. I also check blogs that will tell me good deals and if its worth it I will do those coupons. Also i started making my own laudry detergent. super cheap and last forever. This is a hard subject and i still have yet to master it or figure out what really works for me..but sounds like you are doing some really good things.
Shaving the grocery budget is my nemesis too. I don't know why it's so stinking hard?!? Anyway, I do coupon shopping and sale shopping. I also mostly grocery shop at Walmart simply because it's the cheapest overall. The other thing is to only shop once per week. Side trips always cost me way too much. I am going to check out these blogs people suggested too. Good luck!
This has been on my mind a lot also. I really did not want to do the coupon thing, but after reading on sheshopssmart.blogspot.com, I really think it would be very beneficial. You get the coupons from the Sunday paper and I guess it takes about 5 months to save up those coupons, but those 5 months you start using the coupons. You use the coupons for things that are already on sale so it makes it extra cheap and also on this website she tells you what coupons are going for that week and where to use them. I plan on starting this, many people I know do it and save lots of money, so I will see!
Coupons do work, and they don't have to be a hassle necessarily, particularly if you only clip the ones you might actually use. First you have to figure out what is a good price, though, and that takes a few weeks of browsing the ads to get a feel for it. The main thing I do is cook from scratch, buy frozen veggies instead of canned so you can better control how much you use (since there's only 3 of us), and I rarely use the amount of meat a recipe calls for. I usually only use 1 chicken breast or 1/3 lb ground beef in a casserole. I have found that saves money AND calories! I'm excited to check out these blogs, though!
I really like pinchingyourpennies.com. They have grovery ads on a blog post once a week. You can look through it all on one page and they give the prices star ratings so you can know if it's really a good deal. They also list what coupons are available on the same list.
Isn't this one of the hardest parts of being 'responsible' married parents!!? I have spent 8 years working on it and STILL work at it. I always have things that break the budget at the grocery store! I think you should do the bountiful basket this next Monday and then plan meals around it. I plan my meals on Saturdays now after I pick up the basket. We split one with my inlaws, so that works great. We get fresh produce every week for 8 dollars. LOVE IT!!! Cansas is trying it this week too, so we'll see what they think.
NOW, my new thing (that wont work for everyone) is we bought a cow and a pig!! To raise and slaughter!!! Just kidding. I bought them from a farm and it should provide us with enough meat for the year. 1/8 of a cow and 1/4 a pig. I didn't want whole chickens for everything so I am still going to buy those. It is a BIG expense up front and we have the freezer for it. When I break it down it makes my meat 35 dollars a month and then my produce 30 a month. So 65 of my 200 budget is on the most expensive things. I am pretty excited about it (doesn't come til June) but I am hoping it will cut down the expenses too.
I think that you do a great job and eat pretty cheap meals (cheap in price not quality:)
you know me, but I do shop two or three stores everytime to get the best prices. I can't do the Walmart price match thing, with Sadie and la la its just too much chaos for me at checkout.
But also I stock up and buy a bunch from the case lots sales as well.
hopefully any of that helped!:)
Oh one more thing. I might start doing this, but the jury is still out on it. But, I heard a lady talking that she plans two week menus, but shops every week. She said that she plans all the meals on Tuesdays (when the ads come out) then shops wednesday sales. She said it has cut her bill down because she says I have 50 for this trip. I am thinking about it. I find the more I go to the store the more I spend, but I am giving it a debate.
I have been really resistant to coupons for a long long time, thinking it was only for really processed foods and expensive brands, but in the last few weeks, I've made some halfhearted forays into it and discovered that it's pretty easy and really can save you a lot of money. Who knew?! :)
Ooh! Totally one of my favorite topics! Even though you already have some great comments, I'll just chime in.
Shopping from sales, buying in bulk, and cooking from scratch are what do it for me.
We also aren't technically broke. Lots in savings but we're currently on a tighter budget. I've found that even shopping from sales can make you overspend, because there are always yummy things on sale. I also have to think, do I really need this particular sale item to make meals this month. Is it a splurge item or a basic ingredient?
If you haven't done it before, a price book is a great tool. Even if you just do it for a few months to get the prices in your head for your frequently purchased items.
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