I used to run away and not respond when Brett would say we need to go over the budget. Yup, I really would..like a little kid. Embarrassing as it is to admit. I hated talking about the budget. All because I felt like it was impossible..not easy, hard to keep. I felt like all the pressure was on ME. I was the one going to the grocery store, I was the one at the stores so it must be all my fault it we don't stay on budget..RIGHT? Well one day I decided to grow up and stop pouting and actually listen to Brett's ideas and take the time to understand why a budget is so important and EASY to follow.....IF you take the time!
WRITE it down. That's all it takes..for me at least. If I write down what I spent at the grocery store or any store. I am aware of what I am spending and know where I am at. I have my own little black book and I put my receipt in it to help me remember the exact total.
GOAL! We have a goal...it's a worth while goal. It's a worth it to write it all down goal. It's what helps me to not forget. I like having a goal! I just wish I wasn't such a baby before! I guess it's good we get to learn from our mistakes so that we can really appreciate something when we learn from it!
SO this is my question: How do you grocery shop? That is my major trap. I am a terrible grocery shopper. I plan to go and then the next day I will be back for something I forgot..which will then mean I buy more stuff because oh yeah, I need that or that looks good for maybe later in the week and I end up spending way more than I meant to.
Last week I went to Costco and bough 7 gallons of milk..yup 7...as one person commented while I was loading my car..you should've just bought a cow, it's cheaper. The thing is I thought it would get us through this week too but nope I just went downstairs and saw we only have 1 more gallon left down there..that will NOT be enough until sunday for sure. I also buy 2 loaves of bread at a time but that is so not enough which I guess means I need to buy 4. WoW, It's amazing how much food we go through. I know that there are smart people out there that have good ideas..so I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing with me. So teach me, fill me in on your tricks and tips!!! Thank you so much!
Last week I went to Costco and bough 7 gallons of milk..yup 7...as one person commented while I was loading my car..you should've just bought a cow, it's cheaper. The thing is I thought it would get us through this week too but nope I just went downstairs and saw we only have 1 more gallon left down there..that will NOT be enough until sunday for sure. I also buy 2 loaves of bread at a time but that is so not enough which I guess means I need to buy 4. WoW, It's amazing how much food we go through. I know that there are smart people out there that have good ideas..so I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing with me. So teach me, fill me in on your tricks and tips!!! Thank you so much!
9 comments:
Ha, except you can't just fit that kind of conversation in a comment box. But good for you for not running away -- I'll try to think of a great email or link to send you. Good luck!
It takes a little time, which is why I do it at night after the kids are in bed. But I write down what meals I will be making each night of the week for two weeks. Then I write on my grocery list each item I need for each different meal (if we are having roast each Sunday: 2 roast, 4 cans cream chicken soup...etc) I do the same as you and buy 7-8 gallons of milk...keep a couple in the fridge and freeze the rest. Same with bread. Grab 4 loaves and freeze 2. Think of lunches...PB&J, hot dogs, mac and cheese, chicken salads, eggs (if usually buy big flats of those at Sams or Costco. I just look at everyday for two weeks at a time and plan meals for each day and write down what ingredients ill need. I have the same problem...occasionally ill forget something or ill need that extra gallon of milk before tomorrow morning and Ill have Danny swing by and grab it on his way home from work. That way A: im not having to load all the kids up for a gallon of milk and B: I wont be tempted to buy extra junk...lol. he's usually good about only getting the few items I need, so we aren't spending anything that wasn't needed.
About the milk thing. Two thoughts - call me a bad mom but I don't think my kids need more than one glass of milk a day. We eat cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese and ice cream almost daily (not the ice cream - my kids only wish we did) so I only let them have one glass at one meal each day. Second glass to drink has to be water. So we use 2 gal. a week (mostly for cereal) for a family of 7. Second thought, running out of milk isn't that big of a deal.
Bottom line for saving money at the grocery store. Only go into the store when you do your big shopping for the week (or 2 weeks) no matter what. Don't go back, period. Use what you have and be creative. I shop every two week now. First week I use mostly fresh veggies and perishable fruit. Second week is mostly frozen veggies and longer lasting fruit. Everything else can be frozen until you use it.
Good Luck! if you're not in the store, you're not spending money :)
I like the milk comment above. That's how my family was but Erik's was totally not (as you know) So i am not sure that rule will be able to fly in our home but it def. would save money and water is just as necessary! What works for us is this...(granted I have 1 child you have 5, but if you saw my shopping cart you would think I was shopping for 12) Anyway- I do one big grocery trip every 2 weeks. You may need to do it every week. But determine how much of the essentials you need (ie: 6 gallons of milk a week, 3 loafs of bread, 2 blocks of cheese et.) And have a pad of paper on the fridge and everytime you run out mark it down. anything you run out of anything you use often WRITE IT DOWN. Then you know how many you need to replace it. I also hate planning meals so instead I just look at my books and determine about 10 meals i think sound good (for 2 weeks) then i make a list of the ingredients i need for them and get those as well. So i always have all the ingredients to make at least those 10 meals in any order that i feel like, whenever it sounds good. Although i would reccomend using the stuff that goes bad faster first. ie Cilantro...i use those recipes first. So then i just have to go to the store 2 or 3 more times in those 2 weeks to get fresh fruit and veggies or milk or stuff like that...quick trips. It will help you save money if you do this and then stick to your list of the essentials and the ingredients. I mean if i go down the cereal isle and remember i also need granola bars get them...but mainly stick to your list. That's another thing I would put under your essentials staying stocked up on snacks. I always check my pantry before i go and make my list with anything i am getting low on. goldfish, granola bars...and i keep those items all toghether in buckets and jars so i can just refill them....wow i am really rambiling now and not sure this makes sense. Hopefully some of this will help. if not call me. ha! good luck! Budgeting is hard!
Lisa, It is one of the hardest things to do for us - to follow a budget. This past year, Larry and I set a goal to start learning how and to follow a budget. Boy, it toook a lot of failed attempts, but I think we're finally getting the hang of it. THe food part is one of our BIG downfalls, and as Larry puts it, "We gotta eat!" I think what really really motivated us was to always have in the back of our minds that we really really want to live on just what we make. Also, writing down everything you spend and keeping track of it is very important. We found that what really worked for us, was as soon as we spent or bought something, we would come home and subtract it from the "food amount" or the "Gas amount" or the different category amount that we had set for the month. It also helped for us to take an average of what we were spending on food over a period of about 6 months time and then try to stay just within or under that average. We've been trying to gradually get used to spending less and less to live within our means. All of the above comments on shopping with a list are so important. It is so hard to just get what is on the list, but I am getting a little better...just keep trying! You'll figure out what works best for you!
With 5 kids and 1 on the way we got through 2-3 gallons a week. That includes any used for cooking, all our cereal etc. I was SO surprised to read how much you bought in one week! WOW! But then the only real milk drinker we have is my almost 2 year old who goes through his own gallon of whole milk weekly. Not any of us are milk drinkers. I would be shocked if any of my kids ever asked for a glass of milk. I know this is so not helpful, I'm not giving you what you asked for. I was just fascinated by how much milk you got. Oh, and I always blow the budget with my grocery shopping. It's so hard not to. Good luck.
So, I came back to check, and had a thought or two. Allison is right on, when you run out of something, it's time to get creative, usually you really surprise yourself at how much you didn't need to run buy after all and get great new ideas. Second, a weird thought, Scott always wants to do something for Lent (why??), but I think I'm going to use "Lent" as a reminder to start using up all my backlog of food or food storage that is somehow forgotten or unappealing. That could be a nice food budget reboot, especially after the holidays which always get me used to buying specialty items and treats.
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