Pinching Those Pennies - Groceries

In our home, I am responsible for keeping track of the budget, paying the bills, grocery shopping, and the like. I take this responsibility seriously. If Pat is out there working his hiney off to provide, it's my job to use what he's providing wisely.

With gas prices these days (they really are the cause of all our woes, aren't they?), it can be tough to make ends meet some months. I've been blessed with a best friend who is VERY wise in managing money, and she took the time to teach me a few tricks. Thanks, Christine!

Here's how to grocery shop on a dime (even for a large family)...

#1 - Establish your budget. How much do you have to spend on food? It's important to base this number on the reality of what you can afford to spend, not on how much you think you need/should spend, or on how much you've spent in the past. If you are on a particularly tight budget, it is realistic to spend $100-$150 per family member for the month. Really, you can do it!

#2 - Take that money out, in cash. I am notorious for spending twice what I planned to spend at the grocery store. It's easy to do with debit and credit cards. If you have only cash, and leave the cards at home, you have a fool-proof method to prevent overspending.

#3 - Make a meal plan! I know, the dreaded meal plan. I feel your pain. But without a plan, you are not in control of what you spend. (It may be helpful to do step five first, so you know what you've already got to work with when you plan.)

#4 - Create a detailed supply list from your meal plan. If you're making baking powder biscuits with dinner one night, you better make sure you've got all those ingredients on the list. It simply wouldn't do to be out of eggs, for example! Don't forget to note how much you'll need (for example, if you plan to serve frozen mixed veggies a lot, you'll want to write down that you need 2 bags).

#5 - Go through your pantry. Cross off items you've already got. That leaves you with your shopping list.

#6 - Price it out in advance. Go through the shopping list item by item jotting down the approximate price (it's always better to estimate a bit high - it would be embarrassing to estimate too low and not have enough money once you get to the cashier...been there, done that). Calculate it all out. Does it fit your budget? If yes, well - go shopping! (see step 8.) If not, go for step 7.

#7 - Go through flyers and coupons. Cut coupons for items you regularly buy (don't bother with those coupons that are 'a great deal' if they are for items you don't need - they'll just tempt you). Watch for sales. (Sometimes our stores will have 2-for-1 meat sales, where you can buy a pack of 3 pork roasts for $15-20 and you get the second pack of 3 for free. That's SIX roasts for $20 - for us, 3-4 meals worth of meat.) Some stores have certain discount days, such as 15% off on the first Tuesday of the month. There have been times where I've driven to four or five different stores to get all that I need for the month.

#8 - Shop slowly and carefully. Take your calculator and keep a running total. Shop ONLY from your list. Comparison shop - is the generic brand significantly cheaper? Maybe it's worth trying (though I don't recommend this for ketchup - Heinz really is better). I strongly suggest getting a sitter or leaving the kids home with hubs - children are distracting from this process and will cause you to make mistakes, and if they're anything like mine they'll be constantly badgering you to buy them items that are not on the list.

Have fun shopping on a budget! And take pride in it - rather than seeing it as a reflection of tight financial times, recognise that it is a skill and a talent and that you are giving a gift to your family (and your husband) by managing your resources wisely.

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies... She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar... She provides food for her family... She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness... Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." ~Proverbs 31:1, 14, 15b, 27-29