My Grocery Goals....

A new year brings resolutions, or at least a shot at resolutions.  I actually love new beginnings, even if it is a new week, month or year.  I always lose steam on resolutions as the year goes on, so it is a good reminder to restart, in lots of different areas. 

For one, keeping track of my spending and making super serious goals, particularly about groceries.  I was doing very well at going through all the flyers, making lists based on that, but sometimes, I end up just going to the store and buying what is on sale, without looking through all the ads and price matching.  A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a book I had read through a while ago about cutting your grocery bill in half.  A few pages in I was reinspired to go at it again full force.

The first list of the year, I sat down for a super long time, easily over an hour or more, just making a meal plan, going through all the flyers, making the list, etc.  I then grabbed one of the kids, and off we went.  The idea was to see how cheap I could shop and make delicious, healthy meals, for just two weeks, possibly three, without going back to the store.  I would have shopped for a month, but it would have meant 4 carts.  I left with two.  Not to mention I don't have the space in my fridge for a month's worth.

I came home and added up all my savings that day and it amounted to over $80! A great reminder to persevere in this area as food is one of our biggest expenses.  I also sat down with all the kids and told them my financial goals for our family, particularly in the areas I control, food, clothes, restaurants, entertainment, etc.  I had already talked this all out with RM, it was just time to give the kids the update and make sure they were on board.

We talked about everything from hot water usage, to keeping lights off, to trying to go without "new" clothes (we already do that, but just a reminder), etc.  They seemed to be on board.

We are now into the second week of planned meals and haven't gone to the grocery yet, though I will have to go for milk and eggs this week.  I don't have room in our fridge for all the eggs and milk we go through!  We've eaten meatless (used beans) here and there and no one has complained.  I also purchased tons of clearance vegetables and, guess what, they taste the same as expensive vegetables.  I bought bulk popping corn and that is our main snack during the school day as well as apples and cheese.  Nothing fancy. 

I'm also tracking, partly for curiousity's sake as well as for purchasing power, how much we go through of certain items.  For example, if we go through a certain number of paper products each month, or even each year, and I see a big sale, I will try to purchase what I need for the whole month or whole year, or even 6 months, in order to save even more over the long run.  These are all things I've done in the past, but January is a great time to buckle down and see if I can do this over the long run.  Ready for this, I'm using pen and paper, not even a computer.  I rarely have access to one now that the kids are doing a lot of school on-line.  So I'm completely "old school" and I love it.  Although, I should mention that I use an app on my phone to also keep track of the spending, so I have both going on.

I'm keeping everyone up-to-date on how much we are spending each week, making them guess, and then showing them how "off" they are.  It is good for them to know where all the money goes.  I want them to be prepared for when they leave home one day.

I wish someone would come in each day and give me a pep talk.  I give them to my kids, who will give them to me?  So because that doesn't happen, I have to source out my own pep talks through books.  I don't search the internet as it takes me too long.  The book on grocery bill savings as well as another one I have called Miserly Moms have been a great encouragement to me.  They've been on my shelf forever.  I pick them up and the authors tell me what I need to hear each year.  There's my pep talk!  I almost feel like I'm accountable to them.  What if they showed up at my house and asked me about my budget?  So I act like they will.

I'm super excited to see how things go even just for January.  If I manage to cut our grocery bill in half, or even by just a little, it'll go a long way as our family is getting super expensive with the new school needs each of the older children have.  A year without fear and hopefully more money in the bank!