Groceries
We are living here in Alabama and building a house. While we are doing just fine financially, I'd love to challenge myself to lowering our grocery bill. Every dollar I save on groceries is going into an upgrade on the new house.
In Maryland, Michael ate breakfast and lunch at work. I cooked very little and he mostly had cereal for dinner, if anything. Now he is working from home and I am in charge of his meals every day. Also, we have zero baby sitters, so we eat out as little as possible. While I thought this would save us money, it really hasn't! It has cost us way more. I am shopping at Walmart mostly, and I think that's my problem. (Walmart makes you think they're cheap, but they aren't.) Not to mention Michael likes to have steak several times a week and doesn't like sandwiches for lunch. I'd like to spend $500 a month on groceries. I think it's possible - Kara eats hardly anything and I cook just about everything from scratch. This should really help. So here I am to record what I buy to keep myself accountable.
Since our credit card billing cycle ends on the 19th, and all our bills are paid by then, I consider the 20th the beginning of a new month. This starts our November grocery budget.
I was on vacation through the 26th, so I got a free week this month. (Thanks, mom and dad!) I left Michael at home though, which means I came home to a wiped out freezer and pantry. So, time to stock back up!
10/26 - ALDI
On my way home from Florida, I stopped at ALDI for a few necessities:
$0.06 - Paper bag (I should have dug one out of the trunk, but it was so rainy and windy!)
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
$2.65 - Pop Tarts (Michael's breakfast)
$1.89 - Block cheddar cheese
$0.99 - wheat bread
$0.85 - hamburger buns
$1.19 - tortilla chips (isn't this a necessity in your house?)
$0.85 - tax
Total - $11.43
Then two days went by and I did some real shopping.
10/28 - ALDI
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
In Maryland, Michael ate breakfast and lunch at work. I cooked very little and he mostly had cereal for dinner, if anything. Now he is working from home and I am in charge of his meals every day. Also, we have zero baby sitters, so we eat out as little as possible. While I thought this would save us money, it really hasn't! It has cost us way more. I am shopping at Walmart mostly, and I think that's my problem. (Walmart makes you think they're cheap, but they aren't.) Not to mention Michael likes to have steak several times a week and doesn't like sandwiches for lunch. I'd like to spend $500 a month on groceries. I think it's possible - Kara eats hardly anything and I cook just about everything from scratch. This should really help. So here I am to record what I buy to keep myself accountable.
Since our credit card billing cycle ends on the 19th, and all our bills are paid by then, I consider the 20th the beginning of a new month. This starts our November grocery budget.
I was on vacation through the 26th, so I got a free week this month. (Thanks, mom and dad!) I left Michael at home though, which means I came home to a wiped out freezer and pantry. So, time to stock back up!
10/26 - ALDI
On my way home from Florida, I stopped at ALDI for a few necessities:
$0.06 - Paper bag (I should have dug one out of the trunk, but it was so rainy and windy!)
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
$2.65 - Pop Tarts (Michael's breakfast)
$1.89 - Block cheddar cheese
$0.99 - wheat bread
$0.85 - hamburger buns
$1.19 - tortilla chips (isn't this a necessity in your house?)
$0.85 - tax
Total - $11.43
Then two days went by and I did some real shopping.
10/28 - ALDI
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
$2.95 - Half gallon organic milk
$2.29 - frozen biscuits
$1.99 - coffee creamer
$5.39 - 4pk tilapia (Michael loves these as an alternative to chicken)
$2.29 - pizza (I want Michael to like this kind, but I doubt he will)
$1.99 - 3 lb Gala apples
$1.99 - 3 lb Gala apples
$0.99 - bag of limes (I need these in my house at all times now)
$2.29 - 6 pk toilet paper
$19.85 - 250 piece chocolate Halloween candy
$1.69 - 4 lb sugar
$1.39 - ketchup
$6.99 - houndstooth umbrella (I couldn't pass that up!)
$1.69 - generic Splenda for Michael
$1.99 - eggs
$4.72 - tax
Total - $63.74
Not too bad considering $19.85 + $6.99 were Halloween candy and an umbrella. Which means my total for groceries is closer to $34.75.
Then I had too many things on my list ALDI didn't have (and they were all for Michael - meaning top priority for me), so I tried FoodLand. I had never gone to one and thought I'd give it a try. I loathe Walmart.
10/28 - FoodLand
$5.98 - pizza (this is the kind Michael likes and eats several times a week - I hope he starts liking the cheaper kind at ALDI soon! Or he could drop all the bad food all together....)
$3.18 - individual frozen lasagna for Michael
$3.08 - decaf tea bags for Michael
Then I checked the meat aisle for deals:
$2.69 - ground beef - special price
$2.30 - ground beef - special price
$12.79 - filet mignon - special price
$2.40 - tax
Total - $32.42
I'm up to $107.59.
Which means I have $392.41 to spend by November 19th to stay in budget. You think I can do it? Is it too easy and I should lower my budget to $400?
P.S. I am dying to start couponing again, but here in this rental I have no room for a stock pile. Not to mention, I am the one who will be moving it across town in the spring. We shall see if I can restrain myself. Maybe, maybe not. Publix is awesome for couponing......
Comments