My new goal...cut back on groceries!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
My new goal...cut back on groceries!
20
Sun, 11-08-2009 - 8:18am
After Maryann pointed out that I was spending a lot on groceries, I started to think that I was just taking the easy way out. Buying convenience foods to make life easier. I know how to cook, I know how to cook things from scratch, so there is no excuse. I've decided to try and cut down my grocery budget. If I cut it down from $150 a week to $100 or even $125, that would be a huge monthly savings. So this is my new goal. Plan meals, use coupons, and actually cook what I plan!! Yesterday I bought a huge chicken on sale for $8.99 and we had that for dinner last night. Today I'm going to take the leftovers and make chicken and rice (maybe barley) soup and possibly some meat for sandwiches this week. I know I've asked this question before, but how do you make your grocery budget streeeeetch?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2008
Sun, 11-08-2009 - 10:15pm

Well, I don't feel I can offer much advice. Our grocery bill is prety high. We have made no effort to cut down since starting our debt free lifestyle. We have focused on going to the grocery store more frequently, therefore cutting out wasting food. We too make extras and store it in the freezer for quick dinners. We try to be careful of processed and prepared food, but more for health reasons than money. We are currently trying to cut back on cereal consumption and processed meats. Again, more for health reasons, but it will be easier on our pocket book as well.

We often make our own pizza as described by galstorelady. The kids love it, especially on a Friday night. We use pita bread as crust, which is pretty inexpensive and they taste great. The kids don't even complain about the whole wheat.

Hmmm...I'm thinking we need to start trying to cut back a bit. In the past, when I have suggested this, DH gets crusty. But now that we have made so much progress and had some success maybe he will be a bit more receptive.






iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2009
Sun, 11-08-2009 - 11:39pm

Stacy...you are awesome at stretching a dollar...


I tend to shop daily...in small quantities...I love fresh fruit and veggies, deli meats


and little baked goods....


I enjoy little gourmet shops but I always go in with a budget in mind....


I spend about 300 dollars a month for one (but a third of dinners are for two)


Duke

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 8:51am

All great advice. I think what kills us in the grocery budget department is making all those extra trips. Usually we spend $150 in one large grocery trip and a lot of times, I only get around to that big trip every two weeks. But then by about Friday, most of the good food is gone and I'm making an extra trip where I'll spend another $30 dollars picking up extra items or items I ran out of. Or I fail to plan well and I buy everything I think I need and then realize that one of my recipes calls for an onion and I forgot to buy an onion so I go back to the store and pick up not only an onion, but anything else that looks good at the time. I think that when you are on a strict grocery budget, planning your meals is key! And planning them around the same ingredients. If I buy some fresh herbs, which are expensive, and only one recipe calls for that herb, then I will most likely use a 1/4 of the package and the rest will go bad before I think of something to do with it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 10:20am

This is where menu planning will come in handy Abbie. If you plan your menu for the week, then you can make your grocery list accordingly. You won't forget about that onion or whatever it is that you need, so no unnecessary trips to the grocery store to pick up something you forgot or didn't plan for.

You may also consider growing your own herbs next summer. Grow the ones that you know you use on a regular basis and then dry them. I do this every year. We enjoy fresh herbs during the growing season and take advantage of the dried the rest of the year. I even grow mint and cammomile for tea.

stacy

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2009
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 1:13pm
OK here
Lila
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 2:22pm

I think

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-13-2009
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 4:51pm

HI! i have been working on my grocery budget for awhile now! right now i am down to about 80 every two weeks for me, dh and our LO, who is 15 months. sometimes it is closer to 100 and last time i went it was 120. but i budget 140.


Order to be paid off

CC#1 - GONE

CC#2  - 1,000

Dentist - 780

Doctor  -7500

Other loans

Truck loan paid off in summ

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2009
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 6:54pm

My huge tip is have a well stocked kitchen, meaning get

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2006
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 8:13pm

As others have said menu planning really helps. The way I avoid forgetting the small but essential ingredients at the store is to make a draft shopping list that includes all the ingredients for the meals that I have on that week or fortnight's meal plan. I then check the cupboards to see what I already have so I can cross it off the list. What's left on that list is what makes it onto the list I take to the store.

Planning around the store specials is a great way to save money as well.

Lyn

bpeblink.gif picture by beautifulmandaPhotobucket


Lyn

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Mon, 11-09-2009 - 8:15pm
If you have not checked it out, definitely check out the frugal kitchen message board here. They have a lot of budget recipes and from time to time I seem to recall challenges where some will post what they have left at home and get ideas on what they can make with what they have!

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