Doesn't everyone want to spend less and have more time?
I have been very frustrated with the huge amounts of money and time I have spent just shopping for groceries. In the past, I mostly shopped at the stores in our town, and tried to stock up on the sale items. It just seemed to require so many trips, things would be out of stock, all the time checking ads and then the actual shopping. I know lots of people do very well with this method. But it was not really working for me, and instead of getting bargains and keeping stocked up - I just spending too much time shopping.
I've made several big changes
1. We did one big shopping trip to Sams, Aldi and Crest (a discount grocer in OKCity) and tried to buy about a month's worth of groceries.
We went Dec. 27, almost 3 weeks ago and I have not bought anything else since then
(except one bag of frozen cherries for a pie)
I have not been to Walmart or Walgreens or done any shopping at all,
except for a quick stop after Theo's vet appt. to get the cherries and one trip to a thrift store while I had time to spare between 2 events.
I would like to average $100 a week for groceries but that is probably too low. However we spent a little less than $300 on that big trip and still have a lot of it. It is too soon to know if this method will average out to that low or not though.
2. I gave up drinking soda. Big money saver as well as time shopping
3. buying extra milk and freezing it
4. buying produce that will last a long time - we are out of grapes and bananas, but we still have plenty of apples, grapefruit, oranges, clementines and canned fruit.
For produce, the produce from Sams is so fresh, it really will keep for a month. I wash it and then package it (well dried) in Tupperware or zipper bags.
5. Making all our bread
the last one has been very easy too.
My parents gave us money for Christmas and we used it to buy a large Zojirushi bread maker.
It makes the nicest bread too.
can you tell from the picture how big that loaf is?
It is big!
Gavin thinks it smells really good!
We have a Zojirushi rice cooker that we bought in 1990- it still works great.
After reading several blog reviews for the Zojirushi bread machine, I felt very confident choosing it even though it is more expensive than other makers.
The bread is delicious! I've baked 6 loaves and every one has been perfect.
Also, this bread stays softer and moister, even days later, than my normal homemade bread.
Thank you Mom and Dad, I promise you will love this bread too!
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| this does not have anything to do with saving money but I wanted to show you the set of Pyrex bowls my brother gave me for my birthday. I've been keeping this set on the counter and use them almost everyday for whatever I cook or mix up that day. |
I like spending less money but I am thinking the saving time is equally or even more valuable right now.
A lovely colour of pyrex bowls.
ReplyDeleteThat bread looks so delicious. To be honest, I've never heard of that brand of bread maker. I still have mine, not sure the name but I seldom use it anymore. I am doing it the old fashioned way. I do like big loaves of bread too.
I still shop the weekly sales. I might shop like your new method but it won't work for me. I have no car and must carry everything home. I also have no freezer. That limits what can be bought. Good luck figuring out what works for you.
We haven't shopped at Wal-Mart for a very long time ( over a year?). We occasionally shop at Pyramid & Target which are very close to the house. We normally go to Sam's early every Sat. morning before 9:00 so we miss the crowds. We buy produce, milk & other diary products, eggs, bread, meats, frozen fish/chicken, paper goods, etc. as needed. I stocked up on canned goods in the fall so I'd be ready for winter cooking. I love the produce at Sam's, always fresh. Today, we bought a huge 10 lb bag of beans. (I'll be doing a blog post about that on Monday.)
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with your big loaf of bread! I have never heard of that brand bread maker. I have had the same bread maker (Hitachi) for over 20 years, still works like a charm. You have inspired me to make more bread.
Smiles,
Carol
This may sound silly, but how do you freeze milk and defrost it?
ReplyDeleteWhat priduce keeps for a long time?I will have to check out our Sam's now! Have you ever shopped at a military commisary? I have one 30 minutes away and wonder if it's worth the drive and since it's in FL there are no taxes unlike here where it's 9%.
Your bread looks amazing & BIG! :) I've never heard of that brand either, but what do I know? I have a bread maker but have never used it....a litle intimidating and I know how to make it by hand, but a breadmaker would save me time.... I'm going to have to try it & see!
Gavin is adorable and I envy your Pyrex collection!
I completely agree with all of your points! Our grocery bill seems outrageous but it is for a family of six. I never have liked running to all the groceries to get the specials! It takes too much time!
ReplyDeleteI love Sams, too, and stock up monthly with their meat, especially.
The only fun thing I do from the local grocery (Kroger) is look at their scratch and dent bin each time I go. They greatly discount cans that have a dent! I've stocked an entire second pantry on dented cans and bent boxes.
I need to get my bread machine out! I don't seem to use it unless it's sitting on the counter! Yours sounds wonderful. Some times it really does pay to get the expensive one. You get what you pay for in that regard. The bread looks wonderful and Gavin is just a cutie! :)
Less trips to the store really do save money and time! Its so easy to be tempted to hit every store to get all the deals. I just can't do it any more. I try to concentrate on one grocery store and one drugstore (CVS).
ReplyDeleteYour money saving ideas are great.
Can't believe how big Gavin is!
Love the bowls. The bread does look big. Take Care. Keep us posted on how the groceries are going.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteYour method is something I am trying to do somewhat. I am going for every two weeks right now, but your plan sounds wonderful and it sure sounds like it's working well!
Like Debbie, I only go to CVS, and do have to go to a few different grocery stores due to food allergies, but I'm trying to keep it all more simple when possible.
Your bread does look awesome - and I bet it saves you time in the kitchen. With watching the little grands I am sure any time you save is a very helpful thing. Gavin looks too cute with the bread. :)
I usually try to do most of my shopping at Sam's. The variety, honestly, is lacking. Sometimes I make side trips to Walmart or the commissary to get different frozen veggies, but for the most part I rarely have to go back to the store once I've done my shopping for the month. The first month, I went over my grocery budget, but for three consecutive months after that, I was significantly under, because it was just topping off here and there on things we use the most of. I actually haven't been to the grocery store (other than for some coffee and creamer) since the first half of December. I've gotten spoiled in the interim. I just don't want to go LOL
ReplyDeleteI find keeping to my shopping list only and shopping at Aldi and Lidl are the best ways to save money. The quality of these two German stores are top and the price rock bottom.
ReplyDeleteLove your homemade bread! And Gavin is starting to look his baby face and looks like he is really growing.
Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi
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ReplyDeleteI commented b4 I was done. Let's try this again....I love less trips. It gives me time to work on my homemade gifts for 2012.
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ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteI love my bread machine. I made rolls in it this morning. I am working on getting my shopping organized too. I wish one store had all the items I need. I too get so tired going to so many stores.
Gavin is getting to be such a big boy.I deleted my other comment because I hit pulish before I was ready. Senior moment.LOL
Hugs,
Elizabeth
Rhonda, You are doing very well, with one grocery shop in three weeks. Not many people can do that.
ReplyDeleteI love those pyrex bowls, the nice thing about them is that you can mix up in them and serve in them as well, they are so pretty. What a nice brother you have!
Hugs, Cindy
Thanks for sharing your time and money hints. Love the bowls!
ReplyDeleteI use to try to save money by going to all the different stores with sales items that I needed, but finally gave it up to save on time and gas. It's much less stressful too. It sounds like you are going to do very well on the once a month shopping! The bread looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteYum! I love the smell of bread baking at home... that set of Butterprints are beautiful!
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