Oink
Jun 11th 2009
Julia LondonGoddess Grins & Julia London
Jack London and I have been very perplexed with our weekly grocery bill lately. Our grocery bill last week was $210 for the two of us and a toddler. The week before that it was $200. The week before that, it was $190. And the week before that, $185.
We feared we were oinkers, because who spends that kind of money on groceries?
We began investigating. At first, Jack accused Julia of buying too many pre-prepared meals. I said thatwas too damn bad, because I. Don’t. Cook. (We’ve been around and around this issue. Jack promised he’d do all the cooking, which was apparently just a clever ploy to get me to do his laundry, but somehow, I’ve ended up doing both. The laundry, I don’t mind, but I’ll be honest. That cooking thing is one of Those Things in our marriage that never goes away). But when we looked at the groceries when we got home, there was one pre-prepared meal in the sacks. Everything else we had to make.
We then decided the Cutest Toddler Ever was the culprit. Have you seen how much milk one of little kid can drink?!? And diapers! Ohmigod, when is someone going to potty-train him? (Your turn, Jack!) But it wasn’t CTE. That week, we didn’t buy diapers. He generally eats what we eat, liberally supplementedwith gummies, which don’t cost anything.
Then we said we were eating too much junk. Jack has to have his chips and salsa, and I have to have chocolate (which, by the way, he has been dipping into, which is enraging and the subject of a whole other blog). But outside of those items, we really didn’t have junk.
We finally decided that its our eating habits. We’re healthy! It is true that fresh fruits and produce cost more than chips and hot sauce. But when we agreed we aren’t going to change the healthy eating habit (actually, after some debate. Jack would be happy to live on corn dogs and chips and salsa for the rest of his life, but I won’t).
But the more we thought about it, the more we realized we’ve been eating the same way and buying the same sort of food for years now. It’s not us–it’s THEM. The grocery people have jacked up prices! The same grocery basket that used to cost us about $125 three years ago is now costing us upwards of $200. Granted, we eat most of our meals at home, breakfast lunch (me) and dinner, but that is a whopper bill. And granted again, we seem to always have those weeks where we’ve run out of all the cleaning supplies, or we do need diapers, or like last week, I bought a big giant tub of whey protein for protein shakes to the tune of $24. But for the most part, it seems to be just inflation.
Now we are trying to wrap our minds around the notion that we can’t control it. So what to do about these monster grocery bills? Please don’t say coupons. We’ve tried that route, but have you noticed where you have to buy TWO of something to get the 50 cents off? What do you guys do? Have you noticed an increase in your grocery bill? Do you have any tips to keep it reasonable? What else have you noticed is going up in price?
67 Comments »
67 Responses to “Oink”
Cail on 11 Jun 2009 at 5:55 am #
oh man, the grocery bill is killer. its just two of us, and its often upwards of 100. last week olive oil was the culprit.
my solution has been to get cleaning stuff and whatever they have from our list at target. we also have a garden so that cuts down on some of the greens and whatnot in the summer. eggs and milk are often cheaper at gas stations but we only go there when thats all we need (the mid week milk shortage)
Kim on 11 Jun 2009 at 5:58 am #
Yeah, that sounds about right. Groceries are going up outrageously. Sadly, along with the rise in cost I’ve noticed a decline in quality. Anyone noticed how icky bread is now? It taste like nothing but preservatives. I prefer to go to this amish farm and buy homemade loaves now. And ice cream. Anyone notice that one day ALL the ice cream cartons shrunk? All brands, all flavors, etc got a smaller container.
This isn’t the best solution but we’ve started eating out more. Our local restaurant has a super cheap lunch menu. 1/3 pound cheeseburger and fries for $3, sirlion with soup, salad or potato for $5. If we get it to go we can spend $6 on a high quality (they use everything fresh and they make their burgers from leftover filet and sirloin) lunch. I can’t make us cold cut sandwiches for that! Our chinese place has lunches for $4.50 (they used to be 3.95) with entree, soup, fried rice and egg roll.
For dinners we’re eating more casseroles where I can make the meat stretch. Again, not the best choice but what are you going to do?
Gillian on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:03 am #
I’ve already ranted to you on Facebook about this. I went grocery shopping Tuesday and came home with my blood pressure sky high. They raised the price on my mushroom soup–my no-name, store brand, staple of many a casserole mushroom soup– 20 cents in one week! Eggs are up 35 cents at least. Cereal is outrageous. And Deli meats? Fogettaboudit! Our roast beef is over ten dollars a pound.
I was raised on the farm, and have a freezer of beef, so we’re blessed there. (Although I have to listen to the eldest teen–the one NOT paying the grocery bill–how BAD for us red meat is.) One of my biggest savings tips is store brand items. At least buy it once and try it–you may never notice the difference. We buy the produce that is one sale for that week and plan meals around it. Our biggest downfall was convenience food–I swear we were never home before 9 pm in the month of May with all the end of year school activities, and we lived on Healthy Choice steamers. I know I should have used our crock pot more…but I was tired!
Susan M on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:17 am #
Ugh…grocery shopping…hate it! I either shop at Walmart (they seem to have the cheapest prices) or when the grocery store behind us has 10 for $10 sales I go there. And thankfully you don’t have to buy 10 of one item to get the sale price. I also only buy store brands with the exception of a few things. What we need to do is plan our meals better. Of course I keep trying this and DH doesn’t cooperate with me.
Lisa H on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:20 am #
Oh I am so there with all of you! My husband and I have two teenagers and one toddler. I can’t get by with less than $170.00 per week not including diapers, paper products, and cleaning products. I get all of that at WalMart. We don’t eat much meat. Most of our bill is spent on healthy foods like fruits and vegitables. My toddler loves his juice, yogurt, cheese and crackers, cereal and apples. Those things aren’t terribly expensive but they do add up. I probably spend $12.00 a week just on the toddler’s juice. My husband is trying to eat healthier consuming 5 fruits and vegitables each day. Since he’s been doing this, I am constantly out of produce. I go through 2 gallons of milk each week, and 1 case of Coke. (that is not ever coming off the list) We also use 5 loaves a bread each week, and 3-4 bricks of cheese. These are my staples, not including when I need special ingredients to make a special meal or cassarole. We too go out to eat once or twice a week. Subs or Pizza help cut down on our grocery bill.
Pesky on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:23 am #
If we are to believe the economists what will bring down the prices is if the following happens:
1. Gas stays down. (We are still paying for last year’s rise, if it’s high during growing and shipping season, it’s high ALL year)
2. Natural disasters stay fairly calm (No floods or droughts or hail)
3. The little pink economy fairly decides to smile down upon us and give us a freaking break.
I haven’t figured out how to lower it, I’ve just adjusted my weekly budget to cut other things. Oh! We also planted a small garden outside my back door so that tomatoes, spinach, peppers, zucchini and basil (yeah, I know but I use basil a lot when I cook) are taken care of.
LoriHandeland on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:30 am #
Don’t get me started on the disappearing milk, Julia. With a 20 and an 18 year old home for the summer, I can barely carry all the gallons into the house (actually I don’t. I shout “get out here and HAUL!”) and then it’s gone like it never was.
I eat a lot of fruits and vegetable and have found that Sam’s Club (not sure if you have those–like Costco) is the best for that. I think because of the volume sold the stuff is fresher and it’s a lot cheaper. There are just HUGE bags of everything.
What also helps is that DH is a big hunt/fish guy. We eat a lot of fish. A LOT. I also make chili, tacos, spaghetti sauce with ground venison.
Our grocery bill are still enough to give me a stroke every week. I can’t imagine what it would be if I had to purchase enough meat to feed them for every meal.
Gillian on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:39 am #
Oh, and I just remembered–Laundry soap! And heaven help me, color safe bleach for all those stains–if anyone has a good suggestion for a reasonably priced stain remover, I’m all ears. I stopped buying Clorox 2, as it’s outrageous. I like Arm and Hammer laundry soap, and it seems to do the trick on regular laundry. But stain remover is so expensive!
Margaret A. Golla on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:40 am #
The problem is that if you eat healthy, you can’t use coupons–since they don’t have coupons for fruit and veggies. You have to stalk the sales, or buy in bulk. I buy meat in bulk at Sam’s club, divvy it up and freeze in incriments. I refuse to drive all over town to find the ‘best deal’, which you end up spending the difference in gasoline and my time anyway!
Good luck! It sucks and we’re all in the same boat.
Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:03 am #
I just suck it up. Fortunately, these days I eat so little that I can afford to indulge on expensive treats (like capers for my salad). When you can only fit a few ounces in your tummy, your grocery bills shrink enormously! Half the time I just eat whatever’s left from DH’s meal.
Coffee has gotten insane, though, and I drink LOTS of coffee. Lots and lots, all decaf, which is also more expensive. Sigh.
We too tend to buy generic or store brand a lot. Also, I cook large pots of things (although now that dh is retired, he’s doing it) like chicken curry and beef burgundy and then we freeze it. That’s a good way to save on costs. Make your dh get a crock pot and cook big meals that you can freeze! *G* It’s also great with the whole not liking to cook thing.
Susan M on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:10 am #
Sabrina – we have a crock pot but I never know what to put in it! I need to get a crock pot recipe book or something.
nancyg on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:24 am #
Oh my gosh – I’m right with you ladies. And why do teenagers travel in packs and seem to be permanently attached to the living room couch during meal times? When I cook, it’s for at least an extra kid or two – so 6-7 people. During the school year, my kids bring PB&J at least 2X a week and (when applicable) leftover mashed potato & meatloaf sandwiches.
Even canned vegetables are going up – forget name brand, I use a lot of store brand items now. I buy our laundry detergent, paper products, soap, shampoo in bulk at Sam’s. I buy whatever meat is on sale that week. If it’s a really good price, like brisket or something, I’ll get 2 and freeze one. like, I got corned beef after St. Pat’s Day & a ham after Easter when they were discounted. The deep freezer in the garage has been a life saver!! I’ll buy & freeze hot dogs, burgers, & store extra condiments 4th of July week when they’re on special.
I haven’t seen the inside of Whole Foods in about a year – it was getting ridiculous!! $50 & I’m carrying out ONE bag of groceries. I buy fresh produce at the Farmer’s Market every week or at the “market” type stores. Not as big a selection, but the prices are very good.
Kim on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:31 am #
Count me as another fan of Sam’s Club! Their butter is a fantastic deal.
For laundry soap I let myself get what I want and its pricey. I can’t help it but I love that Tide total care.
We use our crockpot a lot too. Its a great way to make a less desirable piece of meat yummy.
Here’s a super easy and cheap crock pot recipe for nachos.
Brown 2lbs ground beef, drain and throw in the crockpot
Add 1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 jar of Ragu double cheese sauce
1 can of refried beans
1 bag of shredded cheese
Let it heat up and eat with chips. It also freezes really well.
Trish on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:49 am #
Grocery shopping… ish! I hate it but it has to be done. My husband is really good about watching the weekly ads for the area stores and we may drive around from store to store to get what we need, but we save money in the long run. And we don’t have to worry about wasting gas, I live in a small town where all the stores are within a 3-5 mile radius. Also, our local stores have canned good sales each fall and we jam the cabinets with beans, tomatoes, soup, fruit, you get the drift.
My husband is also a hunter and while I don’t really care for the taste of venison, the rest of my family loves it. We usually end up with enough meat to get us though the winter. The local stores usually also have great meat sales a few times a year and we shop those as well. The bill is HUGE but our freeze is stocked for months. Our weekly grocery bill is much smaller when we don’t have to shop for meat.
I live in Meijer country and that’s my store of choice overall. Great 10 or $10, the 11th one free. Can’t go wrong!
Ronlyn on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:56 am #
Seriously! DH and I were talking about this recently when I was trying to figure out why our grocery budget suddenly isn’t getting the job done.
Luckily I have a frugal DH who loves finding a “deal”. He works nights and is home with the kids during the day, so he takes the time every Sunday & Wednesday to go through all the sale ads. And he notes which store has the best deal on what. And he clips coupons. My contribution to this effort is to hand him a weekly grocery list (made off the weekly dinner menu) and then I just stand back and let him find the deals. He has a route that he takes so he’s not wasting gas going to all these diff. stores, he’s armed with his coupons, list and our 2 year old and off he goes. It’s AMAZING the amount he can save most weeks. Sometimes the sales aren’t helpful at all, but he does much better than I do (with my run in and grab the item I want off the shelf approach). He’s pretty much got us back on budget and has cut anywhere from $20-$75/week on the grocery bill. It’s amazing.
amy1242 on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:57 am #
I’m right there with you ladies! I buy the store brands and have a card where you don’t have to clip store coupons, with the card you automatically get the sale price on everything. Sam’s is great, but it’s a 30 minute drive, so I have to plan ahead and only go over to that side of town if I have more than 2 stops in the area. We eat pretty healthy, lots of fresh veggies (and the farmers markets will start in a couple of weeks, hurray!), so there’s no help for that, but I buy my chicken breasts in HUGE bags and save tons that way. My dh is also a hunter, so when we eat recipes with steak we use his venison and marinate it so it doesn’t taste so wild. I also started a garden here this year, with all my salad favorites. But some ding dang thing keeps eating my carrots. Do birds eat carrots? Gas prices are also on the rise again!
Lorena on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:03 am #
BTW, you can get fiendish numbers of crockpot recipes on the ‘net–one woman did a blog for all of last year, using her crockpot every day (I think it’s 365crockpot or something similar)–tons of recipes.
I’m eating healthy (not just less) for health reasons–staving off disaster, which is even more expensive, but it means that I CAN’T fall back on the cheapest of foods–pasta dinners, for example. Last weekend I went up to the local farmers’ market and spent $20 for veggies (Winter Park, for any of you locals) that was better and cheaper than grocery store fresh prices. I have limited freezer space, which doesn’t help w/buying in bulk. But definitely check out the farmers’ market near you Julia–there’s bound to be one. We have a local grocery store with really high quality store brands–that helps. Meat is my biggest problem–since I try to get it without hormones or other icky stuff, AND there’s only one of me with the limited freezer space, it’s hard to buy bulk. Because, you know, then I end up eating whatever I bought EVERY SINGLE MEAL because who can manage variety in bulk?
So I’m healthier, but poorer. At least I don’t have dr bills.
Pesky on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:06 am #
Amy, do you perhapse have chipmunks? Those cute little critters decimated my carrot and tulip beds. Chip and Dale indeed, more like the Cujo of the plant world they are.
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:28 am #
I am glad I am not suffering alone.
Kim — that is what is wrong with this country, when you can get a 1/3 cheeseburger and fries for less than you would spend on 4 apples here ($1 a piece).
Susan M, Jack London and I planned our meals this week, thinking that was the answer. It didn’t help us one bit. (not to be a Debbie Downer, but…)
Lisa H — the JUICE! Man those munchkins can motor through juice!
Pesky, we tried a vegetable garden one year. The squirrels ate everything. Correction — they didn’t eat everything, they took one bite out of everything and threw it down.
nancyg on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:28 am #
Amy – I gave up on a garden a long time ago. We live on a creek, so we get lots of “critters” – rabbits, possums, squirrels, ducks, etc. The 10-year old loves them (I know she feeds them on the sly), but they’re a nuisance.
Julia -
mostly I’ve just cut my budget in other areas to add to the grocery budget – now it’s dollar movies, library books & DVDs for the kids, annual passes for the parks & rec center, etc. I hit the “dollar wise” blog online for cheap activities like free days at the museum. I gave up my bi-monthly maid service awhile ago & now the girls have cleaning chores for the summer. That’s about all I can do these days.
The next item on my list is bottled water. I get the liter bottles to take to the gym with me, but the kids kept drinking them, so now I just refill “to go” bottles and keep ‘em in the fridge.
I also don’t keep soda in the house except for my diet coke (will NOT give that up), but the rest of the fam despises diet, so it’s all good. We make a lot of iced tea & lemonade in the summer by the pitcher-ful.
and juice boxes (heck, they’re expensive!) go by the wayside once the school year is through & I get gallons of juice instead
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:30 am #
Lori H and Trish — unfortunately, we don’t have hunters here. And meat at the farmer’s market is very expensive. But the produce and bread is fabulous.
Gillian — another huge pet peeve of mine is that if you want to use green cleaning products, you need a second job. It’s ridiculous!
Sabrina — I can’t remember the last time Jack London left anything on his plate, LOL. But I probably could get by on what the Cutest Toddler Ever leaves on his plate every day. Hmmm….I should try that.
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:31 am #
Nancy, do not even get me started on Whole Foods. No wonder their stock is down!
GASP–RONLYN–HOW DO I GET A HUSBAND LIKE YOURS???
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:33 am #
Nancy, we have a reverse osmosis filter system for water, so we don’t buy bottled water. And I will die before I give up the housecleaner. I will live under the I-35 bridge with my laptop. I have been spoiled for far too many years to even think of cleaning my house all by myself. That is my one diva thing.
crp on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:50 am #
1.I recommend checking outthe Hillbilly Housewife for recipes (homemade helper recipes and crockpot recipes) also a bread maker manal if you find one at a Goodwill or yard sale
2. see if your yown has a Bent and Dent store for non-pershible items that has ine denti (but still good) n it and they sell those for cheap or find what your local store does with that stuff and buy it cheaper
3. Check store coupons and internet coupons and shop with a list
4. Buy a small cooler for milk, etc. runs
4. See if your town has a church or organization in your town has an Angel Food minstery (no income requirements and you do not have to belong ro the chuch (a box of fresh food includes vegetables and fruits, I think for $25) THere’s a web site for Angel Food minstery where you can order your box online and then pick it up, I think. I have never tried this.
Mooslady on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:50 am #
I am feeding 7 on $250/week. This is up from $125, five years ago. Dairy and meat have definitely gone way up. I save money by avoiding all prepared food (except cold cereal and sandwich bread). We even make our own instant oatmeal and any cookies or desserts. I buy organic when I can get it, and don’t skimp on the fresh fruits and veggies. This month I started planning meals for a whole month so I could buy in bulk. Besides, DH only gets paid once a month. Honestly, me keeping the grocery bill down by fixing everything from scratch is one of the ways we pay for me to be able to not work outside the home.(There is also the savings on gas, professional clothes, liability insurance, continuing education and daycare.)
nancyg on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:54 am #
Julia –
I just about cried when the cleaning ladies left my house key on the front hall table!! I do my own bathroom, but absolutely refuse to go into the girls’ until it’s been cleaned.
I used to go to Central Market & Whole Foods – I call them “food porn” stores – but now I can’t afford to park in the lot! We have a Farmer’s Market type grocery store – Sprouts – that has cheap produce & good specials.
Do you get Wifi under I-35 down there? will have to check it out – especially if the girls don’t get these floors swept & mopped TODAY!! I constantly threaten them with moving to “a van down by the river”….
SuzyQ on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:08 am #
I have 3 major supermarkets, a Costco, a Target and a Walmart all within a few minutes of me. So I go through the sale ads to see who has the best deals. Since they’re so close to one another I don’t really waste gas.
Another thing I do is by extra large pieces of london broil or chicken so I can stretch it into another meal. I always make pepper steak out of the leftover london broil, and that can sometimes be two meals. So out of one piece of steak I get 3 meals. Grilled chicken leftovers make great quesadillas or fajitas.
Claudia Dain on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:09 am #
YES!! And I hate it. Everything has gone up (although milk, eggs, cheese around here have gone way down from a year ago). Have you noticed how the packaging is getting smaller while the prices are getting higher? This is most obvious with ice cream, my crack cocaine.
For fruits and vegetables, the lowest of the low, coupled with great taste, are those tiny little stands that crop up around here all summer long. The best prices! The best taste! And so much fun to shop there, too.
We have a freezer–you know, those gigantic ones– and when meat goes on sale, we scoop it all up and dump it in the freezer for later. It’s an amazing savings device. We have about 15 hams in there, found them for $1 a pound. You can get great deals on turkey as long as it’s not the holiday season. Ditto on bread; sometimes you can get great deals on bread. It’s just great to have the ability to buy at low prices and store for later. Having that freezer, which wasn’t cheap, has probably saved us more on groceries than anything else.
Kathleen on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:22 am #
Try going to the farmers markets for your fresh fruit and veggies. I find it is chearer. Of course depending where you live. I live in the heart of the agriculture centre of Ontario and we have loads of indoor and outdoor famers markets year round. And make your own salad dressings. I find that having the ingredents in the house is far cheaper over all than buying the bottled dressings. I buy this raspberry zest in a bottle and just mix it with a bit of oil and presto instant dressing and you are not trying to squeez the last bit of dressing from the bottle, so you throw it out and waste it.
Now of course there is just me to look after, but I am on a budget and have to watch my pennies. I go through all the sale papers for all my household items to see who has what on sale..
Kathleen on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:23 am #
Whoops, that first line should have read” its cheaper”..
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:31 am #
I think we need to get a freezer. That is what prevents me from buying deals on meat–no place to store them.
I haven’t been to Sam’s in ages. I will have to try that. And I have never heard of Angel Food Ministries.
Claudia, I do love the fresh fruit that comes out of the back of pick-ups. It tastes so much better!
Ronlyn on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:50 am #
Isn’t it awesome? He gets so excited when he finds good deals and loves when the recipt says he saved more than he spent. LOL.
The farmers markets are a great place to get good deals on produce too. Plus we just bought one of those upside down tomato plant holders, so we’re trying to grow our own. We’ll see how it works out.
And, yes! Buy a cheap freezer to keep in the garage so you can stock up on meat when it goes on sale. It’s saved us many many times.
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 10:34 am #
Kathleen, I recently started making my own salad dressings, too just to stay away from all the junk in the commercially prepared salad dressings. It’s amazing how little you need to make lettuce taste like something.
Ronlyn, there is nothing better than home grown tomatoes. Except maybe chocolate.
Susan M on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:22 am #
My DH wants to get a freezer to put in the garage. It would be so nice to be able to buy a bunch of meat when it goes on sale. We may start looking into used ones.
Lisa H on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:22 am #
or sex
Lisa H on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:23 am #
the above was in response to Julia’s “there is nothing better than homegrown tomatoes”
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:27 am #
Lisa H — it has to be really good sex
.
Susan M, we may join you in the search for a cheap freezer to put in the garage.
Claudia Dain on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:56 am #
Julia, truly, the freezer really has saved us bazillions. Most people put them in the garage, but we have ours in the laundry room/pantry, which is so convenient, plus the freezer doesn’t have to work so hard to stay cold when the temps around it are constant.
nancyg on 11 Jun 2009 at 12:42 pm #
Claudia:
I put the freezer in the garage so the kids will stay out of the ice cream…it’s where I store it. If I put it in the kitchen fridge, they can go through a carton like a pack of locusts, lol.
Julia:
Yup, you really need a freezer! I also buy big resealable bags of frozen mixed vegetables & green beans – it’s cheaper than the canned vegetables & taste better to me. Also, I can take out EXACTLY how much I need without having to open another can. I’ve got full hams, turkeys, and briskets in there for big family meals, plus when Italian sausage or ground beef goes on sale – watch out – I’m throwing elbows in the meat dept.
another good place for crock pot recipes is http://www.recipelink.com – just type whatever meat in the search engine; example – crock pot pork roast… easy shmeezy!
Claudia Dain on 11 Jun 2009 at 12:54 pm #
NancyG, my freezer is the non-auto-defrost kind, so you really don’t want to open it up much. I go in there once a week. I can’t remember why that kind was recommended to us; I think something about the depth of the freeze, maybe cost efficiency, less breakage? It’s been a great freezer.
Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Jun 2009 at 1:03 pm #
Julia, you’re not going to want to hear this particular tip, because it will remind you that you recently had a birthday, BUT our local Kroger gives 5% off all groceries on Tuesdays to citizens of a certain age (50). Hubby, who is WAYYY older than me *G*, pretty much only shops for groceries on Tuesdays.
Susan M, the thing with a crock pot is that you have to put WAYY less fluid than you normally would put or you have too much liquid and it’s too watery. I cook a lot in it, though. I use those crock pot liners and the clean-up is minimal.
SheridanLA on 11 Jun 2009 at 1:14 pm #
I try to hit farmer’s markets (there is one nearly everyday somewhere in LA..you can find listings and schedules to where they are and when) then I also hit the ethnic stores for beans, grains and rice… I can buy twice the basmati, etc for a fraction of the price… I am not paying for all the real estate, advertising and distribution channels of the large stores. Processed foods sound like a good idea, but for the most part, they are not.. cereal is one of the most expensive things (per serving) you can buy, so I opt for cheaper oatmeals, cream of wheat, fresh fruit and yogurt.
I also kind of go with the philosophy of a little meat and a lot of the other things. meat is the most expensive and we eat way too much of it.. a little can go a long way.
I also try to plan out using leftovers from the night before in the meal the next night (or take for lunch) then I am getting way more for my money.
Madeline Hunter on 11 Jun 2009 at 1:43 pm #
Julia, I have had perpetual sticker shock for about three years. I am stunned every time I go to the grocery store. Yes, it is THEM. My local grocery is now pricing fruit BY THE PIECE. What the heck! This isn’t a cute little corner fruit stand in NYC or something. It doesn’t look cheaper cause the number is lower, it outrages me that it costs that much for one stupid apple. Frankly, I don’t need to know what it costs by the piece. Do it by the pound and force me to do the math. Maybe I won’t and I’ll be less frustrated.
I figured out about a year ago that groceries had gotten so high that:
—It pays to grow your own veggies again. For a while there it really didn’t.
—If you clip coupons and watch deals, it may be cheaper to eat out. Who ever heard of such a thing?!
My solution, such as it is with 4 adult mouths to feed (time to kick the boys out, huh?) is to have cheap nights. That is when I cook the “feed a family for under 5 bucks” food that I learned to cook when I was in grad school. A little meat and a lot of something cheaper over a carrier food like rice or pasta. I still make tuna noodle casserole at least once every two weeks.
Madeline Hunter on 11 Jun 2009 at 1:47 pm #
Claudia, we NEVER get deals on bread around here. Never. We also have very little competition for the main grocery chain. People think I am joking when I say I live in the wilderness. . . .
Madeline Hunter on 11 Jun 2009 at 1:51 pm #
Oh, my, mention of housekeepers. I’m like Julia, I will never give mine up. I’ll clean other houses to keep mine, I swear.
I had to go without one for a number of years due to finances. The house was a disaster. Hey, I was writing when I wasn’t working. I did the bathrooms and kitchen but the clutter and dust bunnies were winning everwhere else.
My very first check from writing, the very first, I rehired my old cleaning lady. One day a week, which is all I need to keep the jungle at bay. I put my puny advance after taxes aside and it paid for her and little else.
Mari on 11 Jun 2009 at 2:10 pm #
We NEVER go out to eat unless we have a coupon. We never order soft drinks with our meals, just water.
Luckily, we live in the suburbs of a big city, so we have 5 different grocery stores very close by to choose from. Every week we clip coupons and then do comparison shopping via the store flyers we get in the mail. If the coupons are good and over $1 it is worth it to buy an extra newspaper to get more coupons. My neighbors and I also have coupon parties and give away and trade coupons.
When a store offers a discount, plus we have a coupon, we try to buy a lot of that item to get maximum savings.
I always keep a calculator handy to make sure I am getting a good deal (my brain calculator is faltering with age, LOL). Sometimes the “discount” stores are actually more expensive than the regular stores.
Judy F on 11 Jun 2009 at 2:53 pm #
We have been complaining about this for weeks at work. Its just me and the cat and any more my bill is from 75-100. And I have next to nothing in the cart. Grrr.
I need to start hitting the local market more to see what they have to offer.
A coworker gets her cleaning stuff at Family dollar says its much cheaper then anyplace else.
My cat has to have special food that you can only get at the vets. he has been on it 6 yrs now. It started out around 10.00 a bag now its 17.00 I keep telling him to get a job. LOL
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 2:55 pm #
you guys have inspired me. Get a freezer (I would have to put it in the garage, as the only place near the kitchen has been taken up by the wine fridge). Shop at Sam’s and farmer’s markets. Eat out more.
evlqn on 11 Jun 2009 at 3:13 pm #
I found that not only do we feed our two pre-teens but we also feed the neighborhood. Not just at our house but at theirs. We bought the kids pizza rolls this weekend and on Sunday afternoon they were all gone,wrappers included. When I asked where they were I was told they went to Tommy’s. Seems they got hungry so they raided our house for munchies and fixed it at Tommy’s. The juice and the chips went there also.
Be grateful the CTE can’t get to the neighbors yet
Claudia Dain on 11 Jun 2009 at 3:54 pm #
Madeline, I’m so sorry to hear that! We have grocery stores literally across the street from each other, lowering their prices to compete. I always go to each one, buy what they offer the cheapest. I’m all about saving that extra buck.
Claudia Dain on 11 Jun 2009 at 3:57 pm #
“My” farmer’s market is expensive! I don’t know what it is with them. I might as well shop at Fresh Market (insert choir music here).
Julia, I can’t wait to hear how it goes once you get a freezer. Wine fridge? You’re living large, girl. I always look at the price of wine and think, “It doesn’t taste that good.”
Judy F on 11 Jun 2009 at 4:14 pm #
Our local Biggs is having triple coupons from now till Sunday. I don’t care much for Biggs but for Triple coupons I believe I may go there. Our other Local grocery Krogers used to have triple coupons all the time, that hasn’t happened in ages.
I wish I could get a freezer but with living in an apt its not going to happen.
Karen Hawkins on 11 Jun 2009 at 4:24 pm #
Oh Julia, I feel your pain! I could eat cheaper if I would go to a less expensive store, but I LOVE my Publix. I know I pay more, but I DON’T CARE! Our grocery bill for two for a week is about $140, but when my son is home for the holidays or my daughter comes to visit, it goes up to oh, $220 or more.
Btw, I applaud Jack’s ingenuity in getting you to do his laundry in exchange for oh, nothing. What a scammer! Glad you’re keeping an eye on that guy!
samantha on 11 Jun 2009 at 5:30 pm #
The thing that makes me laugh is that my grocery store is running an ad campaign claiming how much they are slashing their prices. I am sorry, but if they are only slashing the prices on a dozen or more items it just feels like false advertising to me. I am just fed up with the prices and ready to just eat cabbage and potato soup for the rest of the year..
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:33 pm #
Samantha, that’s just cruel.
Claudia, I kinda forgot to mention the wine in the grocery basket.
Evlqn — does Tommy ever bring snacks over???
Judy F – for triple coupons, I might buy two of everything
Samantha, I agree. I have been drawn into the store on the promise of some spectacular deal that isn’t spectacular at ALL. But don’t eat cabbage and potato soup the rest of the year — that would be sad, as the CTE says.
Karen Rose on 11 Jun 2009 at 6:48 pm #
Julia, I had the same sticker shock a few weeks ago at Target. Both my kids are now home for the summer and were staring at me with big sad cow eyes. “We’re hungry! There’s no food!”
For once, they were right. DH and I had become accustomed to being empty nesters. Now we have to cook again. He does, anyway. When it’s my night, I have Pizza Hut on speed dial. The local pizza joints have specials that can feed us for sometimes 10 bucks. When I cook, the antacid cost would be at least five bucks, LOL.
So I filled up 2 shopping carts at target, mostly with (gasp) prepared foods. I figure I’ve trained my kids to use a microwave, so they can cook at least as well as I can, and they won’t come bother me when I’m trying to FINISH THIS BOOK.
When the Target tally was done, I almost died.
Sabrina Jeffries on 11 Jun 2009 at 7:40 pm #
Sheridan, you’re right about one thing–depending on what you’re buying at an ethnic food store you can get some stuff insanely cheap. Most of the stores carry spices in huge bags that are a fraction of the cost of the little jars in groceries. If you use a lot of spices, you really should check out the ethnic food stores.
Jamie on 11 Jun 2009 at 8:38 pm #
I can’t really help you on the BIG bill. But, I can say that coupons do help. Buying in bulk and then putting servings in a ziploc freezer bag helps. Mom and I get the BIG family size chicken, ground beef and pork and then seperate them into like three – four servings, which helps to save. Also look for those specials! Alot of times they will have steaks at buy 1 get 1 free!
I get excited when I allot money for food and go under that amount, but mostly I do exceed the allotment.
Those re-useable bags save a bit in money – not much money, but some. The freezer version of those bags really works! My aunt and uncle live 1 1/2 hours away from us. We got ice cream and frozen food that is only local to my aunt and uncle’s area and put it in the freezer bag. It all stayed frozen by the time we got home a little over 2 hours later!
One other thing – use those leftovers! Mom and I made four different meals from a pork roast. Yes, we got sick of pork by the forth meal, but they were all different and just had the pork in them.
Julia London on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:13 pm #
I am a firm believer in leftovers. Unfortunately, I am the only one in this house. You’d think I’d poisoned them when they get leftovers. All the moaning and carrying on!
evlqn on 11 Jun 2009 at 10:16 pm #
Julia, Tommy just brings Tommy and sometimes his twin Tabby. As we speak they are shooting hoops in my driveway. I hid the snacks.
evlqn on 11 Jun 2009 at 10:18 pm #
Our kids call leftovers second day food. I personally think somethings are even better second day.
Jo Ann Jansing on 11 Jun 2009 at 11:15 pm #
I have to vote on the side of coupons.. matching them with a sale can save you alot. I always buy extra then. If there are certain items you use regularly sign up at the manuf. site. They usually have regular coupons for their “members” Check sites like eBay. Yeah I know you aren’t suppose to buy coupons, but you can get great high value ones, and if a manuf. gave away coupons for free products alot of them will show up. I have a bunch of pets, so I check them out for coupons that are sent to breeders. Matching a sale with a 8-10.00 off a bag coupon.. you can’t beat it. I keep a broken freezer in the garage for storing pet food. As long as the door seal is good, nothing can get to it. That lets me stock up. The best I’ve done is 235.00 worth of dog & cat food for 56.00 … the check out lady almost fell over.
Most Krogers have started doubling again, but only up to a 50 cent coupon.. Kmart has started doubling every once in awhile, but its up to a 2.00 coupon.. so I watch for when that’s going on for household stuff.. 4.00 off will get alot of your cleaning stuff pretty close to free. Good luck.
Caffey on 12 Jun 2009 at 1:11 am #
We’ve noticed that too. We’ve been doing most of our shopping at those stocked stores, Aldi here where their brand is much cheaper! I honestly don’t think coupons will help buying the brand names. They end up still most of the time costing more even using the coupons instead of buying the store brand.
We too been going to the library weekly and getting movies free from there. My hubby watches alot of movies and likes to see some that he missed as well as some favorites. They really have alot there.
Its good to give ideas to each other. Thanks too!
Karen B on 12 Jun 2009 at 6:21 am #
I’m a single senior. I use coupons and buy what’s on sale, especially meat and 2-for-1s. Many of the Buffet restaurants now have take out. I always have a piece of aluminum foil in my purse which I put over the main course/salad,vegies etc so my dessert/bread doesn’t get soggy. When I get home I divvie it up and end up with 3-4 meals for $6.40 (used coupon, too!) Can’t cook for that price.
Julia London on 12 Jun 2009 at 9:06 am #
You guys have been incredibly helpful. I think this week is going to be a better week on the old pocketbook!
Paula on 12 Jun 2009 at 4:18 pm #
Sorry I’m very late to this blog but I spent yesterday evening sorting all the stuff for my elder son to go to Cub camp. It’s the first time he’s been away from home ‘on his own’!
My grocery bill has gone up and I’ve tried to get it back under control but it’s the meat and fruit and vegetables that are crippling me. My boys and DH (and I) all eat a lot of fruit and veg nad that is about 1/3 of my total weekly bill. It is a pity that salaries haven’t gone up in line with grocery bills!!
Julia I have a freezer in my garage and it does save some money as I can buy things that we eat that are on ‘buy one get one free’ and also things that are on offer.
Marie on 12 Jun 2009 at 10:38 pm #
I haven’t been on here in forever. Sadly.
Okay to the point. I’m just now providing meals. For 2. We spent 80 dollars in groceries, saved 7 in coupons and got oh lets see. NOTHING. I have bread, lunch meat, little hamburger, and cheese. I thought it was just me not knowing how to do the budget thing. (As a kid we had McDonald’s for every meal. I swear every meal!)
We got a lot of fruit. Apples, peaches, bananas but I refuse to cut out produce.