Where'd all our food go?? I have plenty of cheese for quesadillas. No? How does a peanut butter and jelly quesadilla sound? A little intriguing.... I may have to try that.....
I sent Chris grocery shopping on Tuesday night. Where did it go?? We were out of the house almost all day Wednesday. I was sick Thursday and Friday so we grazed all day. Saturday I was running around like a headless chicken trying to get everyone to soccer games and then I worked most of Sunday. I get home around 4 to discover that! Ah!
I spent a lot of time online on Friday since I was sick exploring the new homeschool forums I've been told about my a few friends. One of the threads that caught my eye was an observation of how our dollar is not stretching as far as it used to. Other than the obvious gas prices, almost everyone chimed in talking about food prices. That we've all been duped because if the price hasn't increased the size of the product has decreased.
I have a friend on facebook who has gone way deep into the couponing craze. I think it's awesome he is getting money back when he checks out or spends pennies on a hundred dollars worth of stuff, but I look at what he's getting and there's nothing there that I would use. From what I've seen him post, it's freeze dried packaged foods, tuna, and name brand deodorant..... Call me a snob, I'm fine with that. I do not like freeze dried food (okay, one exception being mac n cheese because the girls refuse to eat it if I make it from scratch and it's something even Chris will cook). I don't eat tuna (I think that's due to a childhood trauma, if I attempt to eat it I puke). I don't use deodorant (I know ewww.... I'm a dirty hippy). Oh and he had three things of laundry soap one day..... I have only found one high efficiency laundry soap that doesn't clog my washer and result in a serious funk (seriously, never get a front load laundry machine, so not worth it).
We used to eat and drive on $100 a week when Tamarin was born six years ago. Now it costs me about $45 a week for gas and I think we all know $55 won't get you very far at the grocery store these days. So, what do you do to stretch a dime? Lots of people were standing their ground on buying what they've always bought despite the increase and making up the difference elsewhere. I have to admit I don't even check the organic produce right now. I won't give up my vice of organic maple syrup, though (did you know they can put up to 3% formaldehyde in the other maple syrups? I found that out from a dairy farmer).
There were people talking about thinning juice and milk which breaks my heart. I can't imagine. Another said she skipped breakfast and lunch and only ate what her kids didn't. I used to do that, but for me it was more a waste issue than a money issue. Today when I go to the grocery store I'm going to make a point to pick up an extra $10 to drop off at a food pantry. We're a little tight because we are in preparation mode for medical bills that will come with Tamarin's birth, but we are by no means that tight.
So two questions today: What do you do to stretch your money at the grocery store? Anyone else want to join me this week and give $10 worth of food to a food pantry? Call it a challenge. If we can afford to buy things we don't NEED then I think $10 is not asking too much.
PS. I did not take the time to proofread or edit today's post, please forgive any idiocy therein. I don't have time right now because I have to get to the grocery store.....
I wish I bought all the great good for you foods and organic fruits and veggies, I keep telling myself we will eventually get there. but let's face it, I have two boys and a husband at home. we are not eating super healthy. if we get all the food groups on the dinner plate, I'm happy. but I have managed to keep my monthly food budget for four around $170/month. crackers tortillas snacks chips and various other dried goods I buy at the dollar tree. milk bread giant bag cereal peanut butter etc I buy cheap as I can at Walmart or Kroger depending on sales and meat I buy at the butcher. that last part sounds crazy expensive but really its not. the butcher usually has meat pak deals that work out really cheap for great quality meat. and I have often been able to negotiate price with him if I was buying a lot of something like Hamburger meat. I know where his cows, etc..come from and let's face it...Walmart meat,yuck. that's how I do.
ReplyDeletePeople look at me crazy when I say I get my meat at a butcher too! If you know what days they usually cycle their meat it's way cheaper than big box stores!! Exactly right, you know where it's from and what's in it which is incredibly important.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's amazing you can do it on $170 a month!! I just dropped $230... we'll see how long that lasts us. Chris spent $60 last week, but most of that was frozen pizzas and breadsticks which all disappeared since I was sick :p