How to spend less on groceries???

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-09-2004
How to spend less on groceries???
17
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 11:11am

I am really struggling to stay on our budget with groceries. I swear I go to the store and think I am doing really well and I still end up spending $150.00 a week (at least) I buy store brands and don't buy a lot of convenience foods but ... I have budgeted $450.00 a month for food and that is never enough. I do have a picky 2 year old and an 11 month old who is still eating baby food - which is expensive - but I feel like we should easily be able to eat and eat well on $400.00 a month. What am I doing wrong? Anyone have any suggestions?

Janet


Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-28-2005
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 11:30am
Do you do price comparisons? Lately I've been trying to make my shopping list from the circular ads. WalMart (and I'm sure most grocers) will match prices. Alot of WalMart's prices are better in general-especially if you are buying store brand-but dairy, produce, and meats I often ask them to price match. I refuse to pay $2 a pound for chicken breast, recently some stores had them for 1.59 and even 1.29 a pound, so I stocked up. Now I have lots in the freezer, and won't have to pay $3-4 when I need chicken and it's not on sale.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2006
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 11:49am
Here a suggestion i have an 8 month old and i make her baby food i buy carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, banana's etc. and i cook and mash them myself for her at home its cheaper and better for her than all that processed crap
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-23-2005
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 12:00pm

Hi there,

I know that this is an area where a lot of us struggle.

lvhunnie2005

Avatar for londonrose2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 12:02pm

Do you buy toilet paper, cleaning supplies, diapers, etc at the grocery store? Are they included in the $150 a week? If not, then I agree that sounds like a lot of money for 4 people.

Look over your receipts and see where the money is going. Do you buy a lot of fresh produce? Meat? Then start watching the sales flyers from the stores you go to and stock up when things are on sale. Also, plan your meals and snacks around what's on sale. We do buy a lot of fruit and veggies but I only buy what's on sale, and especially look for buy one, get one free offers. If it's something like strawberries or blueberries, I just freeze them.

I agree with making your baby's food. You can freeze that in batches also. It's easier than it sounds!

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-09-2004
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 12:20pm
For the most part that is just food. I try to buy paper products and stuff at costco and I usually get generic diapers at target or CVS. I'm starting to work on potty training my daughter so that I can cut out at least the expense of one set of diapers. I tried making baby food for Cassandra once and it was easy I guess I just haven't because with 2 little ones I feel like I don't have the time but I can make the time and I know it is healthier and actually Frank is starting to want table food instead of the baby food mush but since he only has 4 teeth it is hard to find things to give him. I know I need to plan better, I guess that it one of my big problems. I go to the store without a meal plan for the week and just buy whatever and I know that I spend more that way. I used to go to a discount store once a week in addition to the "big" grocery store and I know I saved money but now with 2 little ones time is such a big issue for me. I work 2 days a week and I won't take both kids with me to the store. I guess the question is save time or save money????

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 1:14pm

Is your family eating all of those groceries each week? What I'm trying to get at is I have a friend that spends more for her and her husband than we do for three people (and I'm pregnant) She goes and gets random things, brings them home and uses maybe half, sends her hubby out for the things she still "needs" and didn't buy and the rest go in her pantry and then the next week she does it all over again. We could literally all eat out of her pantry for at least a month or two with just milk, bread and produce purchases.

I always shop in my pantry first. I see what we have and what we "need" to make complete meals. If I shopped for 14 dinners and I only make 11 of them (say we go to my dad's or eat leftovers) Then I have 3 dinners and all of their ingredients already... so next time I only "need" 11 meals instead of 14.

I have to make a meal plan and really detailed grocery list otherwise I can't even shop. I can't just randomly walk through a store and throw stuff in a buggy.. I would be totally lost.

I sit down with the sales ads as well... and my coupons. I have quite a bit of stockpile so there are some weeks I only need meat and dairy. Etc.

Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 1:41pm

I always gave all my babies table food, just mashed it with the back of the fork or chopped it very small. One is now 6'5"--so I guess he didn't suffer any--lol. Three of the four are now taller than me. There is all sorts of stuff they can eat if it's cooked until it's soft--even without molars, babies know how to "chew" instinctively. Let them pick it up themselves, too, to improve coordination.

I totally understand how hard it is to shop with small ones. Mine were so active and loathed being in a stroller or grocery cart unless it was moving fast--lol. I used to wait to go shopping until after they were in bed at night. It was actually kind of fun, I could read labels, and take my time. I also swapped childcare duties with a friend one day a week so we each could get our errands done. One afternoon, all the kids were at my house and another afternoon all the kids were at her house. Worked out well.

I agree with the pp's about using a meal plan and using the weekly store ads for that meal plan. Also check out some of the frugal cooking ivillage sites and other websites and cookbooks.

Good luck to you...




Edited 2/15/2006 1:42 pm ET by momsacupcake
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 1:49pm

I wholeheartedly agree with making your own baby food. You don't even need fresh produce to make the veggies and fruit, you can use frozen when on sale...peas, carrots, etc are all frozen--you can even try mixed varieties out on him. The freedom you have with making your own is awesome. Since baby wants table food, you can roughly mash his food now (I always used a food processor)---make it a little chunky---add some pasta and some meat (ground, of course). Dont' buy those pre-made 'toddler' foods.........make your own freshly and easily.

Something I do (and I am the WORST at the grocery store---I start out with ,well, I'll just pick up this ONE extra........hahaha---) is try to make things I can reinvent over the week. If I make grilled chicken, I grill 2 pkgs, freeze one, and then make grilled chicken alfredo with asparagus (which is horribly expensive, right now, but you can substitute broccoli or squash). I buy a packaged alfredo mix---we don't care for the bottled ones, and I haven't found a way to make one easily yet..and BINGO 2 meals.

Or make pot roast--buy a slightly larger roast, then make it into soup 3 days later.

Roast a chicken or two, and take the leftover chicken, shred it off the bone and have bar-b-que chicken sandwiches 3 days later..........

Kids want chicken fingers and mac and cheese? Well then saute up some extra chicken breasts and put aside for Chicken Parmigan later in the week............(make sure to buy spaghetti sauce or ingredients to make your own)

Feel like splurging on a nice ham? then have ham sandwiches later in the week, Omelets for dinner one night (with ham, cheese and mushrooms.......or whatever veggie you like) and then make a big pot of ham and beans over the weekend.........one ham, at LEAST 3-4 meals.

Hubby grumbles over eating reinvented ham during the week? Well have ham on Monday, Ham and Beans on Sat, make sure you freeze the good part of the ham, then use it 2 weeks from then........it takes some planning, but not as much as you'd think. Then suddenly, you'll look in your freezer and have dinner for a week or more with things you've stuck in there.......it's awesome.

Always have SOMETHING quick and easy on hand for nights that you are sick, or kids are sick or you have activities...........it's boring, but good ole bologna or deli meat (a small amt) is awesome for quick meals. Beats take out in cost, or the cost of going to the stor for easy fix items.......always keep extra ground beef cooked up frozen (crumbled) and you'll have the makings for a quick pasta sauce, sandwich (loose meat sandwiches) or other casserole type meal.............if you don't use the deli meat, then you'll have the makings for a chefs salad---boil an egg or two, use some veggies and the deli meat.......

Other posters are right, and you'd be amazed with a little planning ahead what you can make for DAYS with what you already have at home.........be creative, and use what you have on hand...........what, only a box of rice a roni and a head of lettuce? Well, look in your freezer for that frozen chicken....make a little casserole out of your boxed rice, your previously frozen cooked chicken and make a salad as a side dish......

Now, I'm preaching what I often don't do............but I often do, and am so pleased when I accomplish it.............it's fun, creative, and you get to attempt new food items that YOU made.........

i know, this is long, but I love to cook, and I love coming up with creative cooking ideas. It's really fun for me. Now, look at my food budget, and I'm no hero.....I buy lots of snacks (teenage boys that demand something in their stomachs NOW)....So, I'm really bad, but as far as ideas, I have a wealth of them.

Oh, yougurt, a little frozen fruit makes an awesome 'treat' for your 2 yr old.......blend it into a smoothie, and YOU'LL be the hero........just watch for sales on frozen fruit (or fresh bananas---) and yogurt........easy fix, and if she's being picky, then let that be her meal.........nothing wrong with yougurt and fruit once in a blue moon........

Good luck, and sorry SORRY so long.........I love this kind of challenge and ideas!!
Shels

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-07-2005
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 2:13pm

I am a converted menu person! I make them every week! I also get the food and family magazine from Kraft Foods. In that there are recipes that have 2 main staples, like chicken and stuffing. Then it tells you the 3-4 add ins you need for the about 4 different complete meals. Easy and cheap! We love the meatball recipes too! A family size bag of frozen meatballs run about $6, feed my family of 4 at least 3 meals from on of those recipes! I only buy frozen whole chickens when they are on sale. I roast them and pull the meat from them and can get 2 meals out of a whole chicken. Sometimes this makes preparation faster because you don't have to wait to cook the chicken, it's already done! If something sits in my fridge for a few days I throw it into the freezer! Lunch! I also love the 30-Day goumet website. I haven't been brave enough to try the cook for a month thing, but they have great recipes that are cheap and easy and freezer friendly. I do always make a double and freeze the rest for another day!

If you do freeze stuff, remember it's in there so when you are getting tight on the budget you can always grab that stuff out of the freezer instead of figuring out something else to cook!

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Wed, 02-15-2006 - 2:15pm

I've skimmed through some of the responses, but haven't completely red them, so if I repeat anything I'm sorry!

My DF and I used to shop at Costco. After a year or so, we realized we weren't really saving any money. If anything, we may have been spending more. For example, paper products can be bought at Walmart or another box retailer for less. Costca sells brand names, which cost more to begin with. So the discount you get buying bulk doesn't always beat the discount you would get buying the no-name brand somewhere else. Say a 12-pack of Bounty costs $8.99 (it's been awhile since I've been to Costco - just throwing a number out there). You can get the Equality brand 12-pack at Walmart for $5.99. I think these usually even beat the Kirkland brand prices at Costco. Again, just an example and not necessarily an accurate price comparison, it's just something DF and I tended to notice after a while.

Next, take a calculator with you when you grocery shop! This was the single most effective tool for me back when I was struggling to budget groceries for 4 people (myself and 3 roommates) on about $120 a week. Enter the price of the item into the calculator as you add it to the cart, and keep a running total.

Also, "snowflake" any extra money onto next week's budget. Say you spent $139 instead of $150, so next week you can spend $161. Take the opportunity to stock up on a sale item!

HTH.



Image hosting by Photobucket





Powered by CGISpy.com

Pages