Saturday Spending

Well, once again I went a week without going to the grocery store. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't go, since there were things I needed like chicken. And a new pressure canner (not that that's a grocery, but you know what I mean). Nonetheless, I didn't go.

I am starting to think I may need to structure my entire system differently, having a monthly budget instead of a weekly one. Mainly because it seems like I don't go to the store for weeks on end, then, not surprisingly, I go far over the weekly budget (though strangely I don't typically spend more than one extra week's worth). What do you guys think about this? Should I set things at $100-120/month (This seems like a high monthly budget for two people, to be honest, even though that's what I bumped things up to. And which of course negates the occasional fifth week of a month and which will probably cause me to reduce the total monthly budget in addition to the extra occasional week), or should I stick w/ the $30/week and just accept that as I'm a grocery camel who only goes to the store when I'm really, really out of things, I will probably go over certain weeks?

Give me your thoughts on this, please.

Comments

  1. Claudia6:17 PM

    I'm definitely not a camel. I go to the store only on the three days I'm in town for work, combining errands to limit gas consumption. Also, I can get what produce looks good, to buy and use it fresh. Keeping a shopping list of staples we run out of between times.

    That said, I think my spending is over the top. Your post encouraged me to check the last three months. We are only two, but I do feed extended family several days a week. And, shopping almost solely at the Natural Foods store is probably also to blame. Still, I do think more veggies, legumes and pasta are on the horizon for us.

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  2. Joanne7:01 AM

    Wow...if ONLY I could spend only 30 bucks a week! I'm impressed. Why don't you try it out for a month? You could always go back to the weekly budget if it doesn't work out!

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  3. Allie11:15 PM

    Claudia,

    I sometimes do think about shopping more frequently, but for me personally it's a financial nightmare when I do. The idea I always have in mind is that I'll just get what I need for the next couple days, but in reality I wind up buying every little thing that appeals to me, and I spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the course of a month (whereas in reality I can live easily and tastily on $40/month for just me).

    I hope though, by looking at your spending (and possibly even tracking it), you might be able to eat the same qualities of food, but less expensively. It's tough though when you're also feeding other people, even though I think it's amazing that you do that!

    Joanne,

    I think I'm going to. If I set the budget at $80-100, and I simply start a one month period with it (probably $80, to be honest), then I don't really ever have to worry about going over (it's likely I'll be way under that way) and I won't feel odd when I sometimes grocery camel and don't go to the store for weeks.

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  4. Gwen1:44 PM

    I think that having a monthly budget for food makes a heck of a lot more sense but then.. that's what I do so yeah. I do shop weekly, but the food budget is calculated monthly since some weeks are more expensive than others and I find that it evens out better if I think of it on a monthly basis.

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  5. Allie11:55 PM

    Makes sense, Gwen. I've been using a different system, and so the monthly budget thing is still a little difficult for me. In a lot of ways I prefer a weekly budget, but we'll see how I feel once I've had the chance to adjust.

    ReplyDelete

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