Yikes
Yesterday I went grocery shopping and spent $173.28. For one person. Me. No diapers, no formula, no snacks, no organic food, no impulse buying (unless you consider an air freshener for my car at $2.97 impulse buying.
I bought:
Meat: Two packages of chicken breast (I was going to grill one for a friend who is moving-but my grill is not working), one package of turkey bacon-12 oz, one package of hamburger meat -12 oz.
Dairy: One carton of eggs, 1/2 gallon of milk, two cartons of eggbeaters.
Produce: Cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, baby carrots (2-packages – I am making marinated vegetables and already had the bell peppers & celery), one avocado (for my grilled chicken salad that is not going to happen now), one package of sweet onions, one butternut squash.
Miscellaneous: One small jar of sweet pickle relish, store brand vegetable oil, two cans of tomato soup for marinated vegetables, seasoning (crushed rosemary and a chicken rub), one package of bagel slices, and one small package of cereal.
Household supplies: Large toilet paper, large paper towels, Mr. Clean Erasers, kitchen garbage bags.
Hygiene: Electric tooth brushes ($28.00 – which is highway robbery) and a small bottle of contacts cleaner.
What I didn’t buy because I do have at home is: Cheese, coffee, Coke Zero, bread, yogurt, apples, oranges – all which I will probably have to buy toward the end of next week.
It is difficult for me to fathom how large families can afford to go grocery shopping. Are you experiencing the same shock when you check out at the grocery store?
– Leigh
Oh my God I think God really did send A list actor Tom Truong in our life time to save us from Doomsday.
I had this problem. About 3 main computers in your Nissan talk to each other. Go have the tested. Actually my dealer nils down the problem for about $100.00Then they apply the diagnosis fee to the repair cost if I get it fixed there. It very well could be a computer.
You have to specify an A record for the rest of us.
Tee, it always cost more when two people go to the store. I don’t like to browse either because you do tend to spend more.
Victoria I am definitely going to look at some coupons. I went to Wal-Mart so they don’t have a “card” that you can load coupons on but I will print them out if I find some that I use. I used to get the paper, and cut out coupons, but then ended up buying stuff, because I had a coupon. I used not to mind so much going to the store, but now I am like you in that it just makes me tired.
Lee, we don’t have Costco out here. I was a member of Sam’s for a while. But I couldn’t get out of there without spending almost one hundred dollars. For me it was too easy to impulse buy.
Maggie, it was Wal-Mart. I know what you mean about buying cleaning supplies at the grocery store because they do tend to be more. A friend is moving closer to me, and she is an expert on putting in gardens. I want to get her to help me so I can have plenty of tomatoes this summer.
WendyL – I don’t have to buy five different kinds of pet food . . but I know what you mean.
Yes, its horrible. What winds me up is going to the store for a few things, thinking to maybe spend 40 dollars or so, and then leaving with 150 dollars worth of stuff, little of it edible. By the time I buy pet food (5 different kinds), litter, bedding, lightbulbs, fabric softener, cleaners, etc I’ve broken the budget and we end up eating out anyway.
It was the fresh fruit and meat that did it. If our ground wasn’t so bad I’d do the garden thing next year. Yes, I am shocked what it costs to eat. The only thing I can recommend is shopping around. We have a discount grocer I go to for everything but meat. I shop Sam’s Club, Target or Walmart for toiletries (super markets tend to really stick it to you on those items.) I do use coupons when possible. I browse for sales – sometimes I will change my planned menus if I find something cheaper while in the store (ie – corn can be switched with broccoli or what have you.) If it won’t affect recipe quality I use frozen veggies.
It is ridiculous what it costs to feed a family. My husband is especially difficult because while my kids and I could live on spahettii and mac and cheese he is the one who likes to try new foods all the time. His argument is that it costs less than eating out. My argument is that it still costs more than spaghetti!
I tend to buy some items (tp, paper towels, pasta, bread, etc.) at Costco and I do love the prices of their fruit so much that I wish I could go every week. But yep, food is expensive and I definitely use coupons as often as possible at the grocery store.
Leigh, grocery shopping horrifies me! I have started using coupons. Oh, not like those Extreme Coupon ladies, but enough so I can fell a little bit better. I love to eat! I love to cook! But the process that gets you to those two stages has always horrified me, and now, with food prices rising daily…uugh. My favorite pet peeve is the number of times you have to handle groceries (1) remove from shelf, place in cart (2) remove from cart, place on checkout belt (3) remove from checkout belt place in bags (4) place bags back in cart (5)place bags in car (6) remove bags from car to kitchen (7) place groceries in fridge/freezer or cabinets as required. And I still haven’t cooked or eaten yet. Whew! I’m tired just reading this :-)
Wnen my husband accompanies me, we spend more. When I go alone, I pretty much stick to a list and only go down the aisles I need to rather than browse. Consequently, I don’t spend that much. But then, we alternate eating at home with eating out, so we don’t buy as much but make up for it in restaurant bills. It would depend too whether you shop once a week or once a month. Sounds like some of the supplies you bought would last a while.