"Getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter allows you to remember who you are. Simplicity doesn’t change who you are, it brings you back to who you are."

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Bulking Up Part One

Interesting thing happened yesterday.  I stopped at a grocery store on my way home to pick up a few of their loss leaders.  These are items that stores sacrifice to try and suck you in hoping that you'll buy a few more extras at regular prices.

I went in and noticed huge lines.  Thinking it's "payday" today for myself and everyone else I just went on in and got my items.  Then the overhead announcer came on..."Thank you for your patience while we get our registers back online."

I put my items back and left.

I've posted before about grocery shopping. (Yuck) 

I've read that some people only go to the store (once a month, twice a year, once a year.)

I spoke to SM about our grocery bills.  We both thought we were around the $600 a month area.  SM went back for the past 6 months and checked.  We actually spend around $700-$800 a month.  I find this unacceptable.  Maybe if we change our habits we can bring those costs down.

Now when we use the term "groceries" we're talking food, booze, paper products, pharmacuticals, pet food...pretty much everything that we buy to supply the house.

SM and I have discussed a new game plan.  We're going to buy as much as we think we'll need for 1 month in 1 shopping day.  I'd like to keep this bulk purchase to $500 dollars.  I'm going to allow $25 a week for perishables.  That bring us up to a total of $600 per month.

Not a severe diet, but a controlled one .  

We typically only shop Sam's Club, Walmart and Trader Joe's.  I told SM I want to shop Sam's more aggressively.  I think there are some things we buy in smaller sizes for convenience.  We'll need to change that mind-set.  We think we have enough room for storage.

So SM is heading in with me this morning while I do post-ops...(should be quick)

Then we'll head out a do the shopping bit.  I'll update later on what we spent and our impressions.

5 comments:

  1. I wonder how anyone can avoid going to the store for a year-wouldn't that be wonderful! I hate grocery shopping. Unfortunately, I'm not about to start growing my own oats,wheat and sugar, so I'm stuck.
    We spend $320 a month on groceries, which I guess for 2 is terrible (all my neighbors think so, at any rate!), but we do buy the organic produce and get our eggs/beef/pork from local Amish farmers --it's a bit more costly, but worth it for the quality and NO chemicals. I also like to support the local farmers. I couldn't imagine having to buy for a family nowadays. I have several friends that spend roughly the same and are buying for more people, but they buy a lot of generic brands and hubby insists on his Tide and Charmin and all that name brand stuff. Sigh.
    Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with- I'm always looking for ways to chop the bill without hubby griping!
    :D

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  2. What a great goal. Have you checked for any Co-ops in your area. You can usually get a discount the more you buy. We have a food co-op, like a grocery store, plus a different grain co-op that sells flours, oats, plus grocery type items. But if you were not looking for them, you would not know they were there.Sometimes it takes some investigation. Good luck.

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  3. I hate shopping...all shopping...period. I'll do anything to not shop...I buy all my meat on the hoof...I raise chickens, I have a huge garden, I go out to the fields when they are harvesting and beg for 5 gallon buckets or rice,corn,sunflower seeds, safflower, wheat, oats, tomatoes and I've been know to follow balers picking up broken bales of alfalfa hay to feed the animals...so I'm also cheap (and embarrasing according to my kids). BUT I do go bulk shopping at Sam's, Costco and WinCo 4 times a year: toilet paper, spices, salt, sugars, yeast and my husband's list of *garbage*: pretzels, cheezeits, Tilamock Extra, Extra sharp cheddar cheese, Colombo Salami, Dentine Gum....all those things I won't or don't know how to make at home! BTW the food co-op is a good idea...we had one in the 80's and it was fantastic. I got a call the other day to start one up again and I'm thinking about it.

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  4. UhOh, the bug is really getting you now!

    Don't beat yourself up to bad. Things get better with time and lots and lots of hard work out in the garden.

    Maybe I should have used three 'lots'.

    Hope no other shoppers cross your path today...hehehee

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  5. Sue...$320!!!!! You really need to come to my house a teach me a thing or two. There's only 2 humans, 3 pups and an old cat. And I spend $500+

    I asked SM if he's eating for two.

    He pats his belly "Yep...Me and my tapeworm."


    Jane...Good idea. I did a search and most of them tag themselves as "speciality - Health Foods." They've even got an "Earth Fare" listed which ain't cheap. Further investigation needed.

    Lynda...This is going to take some time as I really have no idea what it takes to get through a month let alone quarterly like you do. I'm seriously stunned, but that's the next post.

    APG...Hmmmm Lots and lots of people in my way. Lots and lots of my sanity slowly dripping away. Lots and lots of hard work (Amen sister!)

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