Well, it's been a month since our family ventured onto Timbercreek Farms for our weekly fill of organic vegetables and fruits.So, I guess it's time to put my money where my mouth is. I've been shooting it off every Thursday, by sharing my creative ways for saving a buck in order in order to experience an industrious and prosperous life. Remember, I'm not at this to get rich. I do, however, want to experience freedom from the binds of financial stress.
I went back in time on good 'ole Quicken to see what we spent on groceries between 1-23-08 to 2-20-08. The total: $857. ARE YOU FREAKIN' SERIOUS???
Flash forward to 2009. From 1-23-08 to 2-20-08, I spent, drum roll please . . . $490!
Still, rather high, but at just around $114 a week, I'm certainly happier about it, than the $857 - for which I should have been eating steak. Good steak. Somehow, I don't remember purchasing any.
Now, too much gloating isn't good for the soul, so let me be honest and share that the $857 price tag probably included some diapers and household goods, that I failed to itemize. Zane isn't wearing diapers any longer, and I actually make a lot of household cleaners now, (baking soda and white vinegar can go a long way), so it makes sense that this number is ridiculously high.
I'm challenging myself to get that number under $400. That is my goal over these next 3o days. I'm not that person to buy canned veggie's and eat tons of rice and pasta, so I'm not expecting we'll be that family who can survive on $50 a week for groceries - but I do think that $80 a week is doable.
As for the waste I used to experience upon purchasing too much produce? Well, I must be honest, it has been difficult to get through all the leafy green goodness that comes to our door. We've had to get creative. And yet, unlike the past, I haven't found myself chucking an entire head of anything. Parts of a big leafy head which get all wilty (that's my own word) and sad? Yes. However, I am certainly not throwing away the amount of food that I used to.
Dare me to get that grocery bill even lower?
Where have you decreased costs over the last year?
Photo by Darren Hester
2 comments:
This is an area I've just recently started to tackle. I've been reading the $40-a-week blogs and the $60-a-week blogs, and they do have good tips. Not all of them are about buying canned veggies! But I still find them intimidating, and I doubt I will ever bring my budget down that low. Still, lower would be good.
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We're at $420/month for a family of 4 (two boys, 9 and 7) and living pretty large at that amount, I think. We do get invited to people's homes, but we also host a lot, so I think it evens out. The biggest thing that helps us is that I plan our menu (dinners) a month at a time. It cuts down on trips to the store, helps me buy in bulk and save money, and make the most of leftovers. We don't do much canned produce, mostly fresh or frozen. Plus, it keeps me looking for new recipes instead of scrambling at the last minute, only to end up doing the same 'ol, same 'ol.
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