if you spend too much on groceries...

Dochas · June 2011

Why do you think it is? I think I've been going too often. I'm wondering if just being in there makes me overspend. I'm really surprised by how much I've been spending but I don't feel like I've been buying a crazy amount or weird things. I probably do buy snacks every time I go though so I'm wondering if I just don't go in - maybe the bill will go down?

It's really the only area we have to cut in so I have to try. And honestly I think we've been drinking too much and we can't afford that any more. In any way. lol

naflmj · June 2011

I'd say it's a combination of not making lists and going too often.

dana316 · June 2011

Most of ours, this month, was eating out. I've been working a little, and I'm just pooped...so eating out is just easier.

Other than that, it is my complete lack of meal planning. For me, meal planning is buying whatever looks good at the grocery store and hoping I get it made that week. Or, I'll get a wild hair and decide to make something and I have to go round up the ingredients.

I WILL do better next month. I'm not convinced that our eating out is going to change any time soon...but I can do better on the grocery thing.

mrsolsenk12 · June 2011

We were doing this for a while. It was a combination of things. We started only grocery shopping once a week, made a list of things we needed and stuck to it, plus we started shopping at a discount grocery store (Aldi's) and have saved a lot. I also don't "horde" in my pantry or freezer. Meaning i dom't buy things to have "just in case" because we don't end up using them and they go to waste.

ladychicago · June 2011

For me, it is buying too much stuff at whole foods. I go there to get organic produce and meat, but then I get lazy and just buy everything else on my list there. Bad idea. I went to Trader Joes on Saturday and paid like $65 for an overflowing basket, including fresh fruit and lots of dairy. At WF, that would have easily been a $100+ bill. So I just need to be better about shopping around for the best prices and being willing to go to more than one store.

AtlJuneBride · June 2011

I was doing this for a while. I started making lists and couponing. Now I go to couponmom.com every week and print out coupons and also I try to compare what's on sale at my grocery store to the coupons available so I get the best deal. I also clip them from the Sunday paper (you should see how excited I get when there's one in the paper and another I can print so that I can double up on them-you'd think I won the lottery LOL). Also, I buy generic on anything that I don't have a coupon for (and sometimes when the coupon doesn't make the name brand cheaper than the generic). It sound like a lot of work but it's really not-it takes me about an hour of prep per week. I saved $43 last shopping trip between coupons and sales and that was about 30% of my bill so I was able to keep it under $100 for 3 people, and I have been doing that since I started paying attention.

kimarino13 · June 2011

ladychicago:
For me, it is buying too much stuff at whole foods. I go there to get organic produce and meat, but then I get lazy and just buy everything else on my list there. Bad idea. I went to Trader Joes on Saturday and paid like $65 for an overflowing basket, including fresh fruit and lots of dairy. At WF, that would have easily been a $100+ bill. So I just need to be better about shopping around for the best prices and being willing to go to more than one store.

Same here.

dana316 · June 2011

ladychicago:
For me, it is buying too much stuff at whole foods. I go there to get organic produce and meat, but then I get lazy and just buy everything else on my list there. Bad idea. I went to Trader Joes on Saturday and paid like $65 for an overflowing basket, including fresh fruit and lots of dairy. At WF, that would have easily been a $100+ bill. So I just need to be better about shopping around for the best prices and being willing to go to more than one store.

That is why I am really glad that we don't have a Whole Foods. The closest one is a hour away, and that's just far enough to make me NOT go.

I would easily double my grocery spending there...easily...

Temp893722312503334 · June 2011

We buy too much convenience foods - frozen meals, 100 calorie packs etc. I think that is where our bill gets high. I also think that healthy food in general is expensive - lean cuts of meat etc.

emmyloustu · June 2011

dana316:
Most of ours, this month, was eating out. I've been working a little, and I'm just pooped...so eating out is just easier.

Other than that, it is my complete lack of meal planning. For me, meal planning is buying whatever looks good at the grocery store and hoping I get it made that week. Or, I'll get a wild hair and decide to make something and I have to go round up the ingredients.

I WILL do better next month. I'm not convinced that our eating out is going to change any time soon...but I can do better on the grocery thing.

Dana, you are seriously my soul sister. DITTO, DITTO, DITTO!!

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