Yes. This is our most recent grocery bill. Fresh from last night's trip to our local Wegmans. In our "budget" (which we don't follow as strictly as we should), we have slotted around $75 for groceries each week. I feel it's possible to go even below that . . . but week after week we spend $85, $90, and more. Not only that, we typically visit the grocery store more than once a week.
Yikes!
We love to eat. What can I say? And being athletes who run (hah, get it?) a food blog -- we're bound to rack up high bills.
What do we buy exactly? Well, we do indulge a bit. Our most pricey items include avocados, coconut oil, cheeses (I love fresh mozzarella), nuts (more on that below), and Nutella. And bakery breads always tug at our heartstrings.
But I'm challenging the both of us to stop our careless spending. To really examine our cupboards and redirect our lust for certain foods. Over the next month, I'm hoping to get back down to our originally agreed upon budget . . . and hopefully go lower.
How are we going to do this . . . and still eat fabulous foods?
1.) Plan ahead. I tell everyone they should plan out their grocery lists and weekly meal plans before heading to the store. It's time to take some of my own advice. This involves sticking my nose in our cupboards . . . seeing what's really in there. Maybe planning to use a box or two of pasta. Inventing some new canned food masterpieces. Whatever. But making a grocery list/meal outline -- and checking it twice -- that's certainly the first goal.
2.) Develop staples. There are certain items (canned beans, wheat pastry flour, natural peanut butter, broccoli, etc. -- here's a good list that I'm planning to use as a guide) that make up the essentials. Vegetarian kitchen staples that are good to have on hand to create a variety of meals.
Right now, we're into exotics. We rarely make use of ingredients twice throughout the week. Maybe that isn't entirely true, but it sure feels like we're opening new bags of this and that at every visit to the kitchen. Developing staples will allow us to make better use of what we do have, so we're not tempted to rush out to the store.
3.) Cook smarter. Once a week, probably on a Sunday afternoon, I'd like to make a big pot-o-soup that could last for not one, but two full dinners. Soup is cheap. Chili is our favorite. It's filling and healthy. And if I calculate what I usually use in a chili, 1 can of corn (39 cents), one large can of kidney beans (80 cents), a large can of tomatoes ($1.50), water (free), salt (basically free), maybe some chopped peppers ($1.25 per pepper), etc. Basically, the whole thing ends up costing less than $5 . . . that's $1.25 a person (if you calculate 2 people, dinner for 2 nights).
And while we're on this topic -- I think we could make better use of leftover foods. Usually, I'm not a fan. I let Stephen be the "garbage can" -- eating everything I don't. But I'm sure our leftovers could be repurposed into another dish.
4.) Eat vegan. Yes -- we do eat vegan most of the time. But we do enjoy our cheese. However, cheese is EXPENSIVE! So, I'd like to say we'll likely only make one non-vegan dinner per week. Of course, this doesn't include meals out -- but that's another topic. Often, when we go on our second trip to the grocery store, it's to buy cheese. And, of course, if we buy cheese, we most typically must also buy bread, which leads us into . . .
5.) Make bread. I've fallen in love with the rosemary-salt bread at Wegmans. It costs nearly $5.00 a loaf. And I've eaten so much of it lately, I swear it's increased my waistline. Now when we want to nosh on fine breads, we'll make them from scratch. After all, our Garlic Tuscan Herb Loaf was awesome. And I'm sure I can adapt it to include the rosemary and salt flavors -- on the cheap.
6. Set a treats budget. We both have our things. For me, it's Nutella and Dark Chocolate Dreams (both are nearly $4.00 a jar). For Stephen, it's seafood. We need to set a budget for buying these items and stick to it. It'll be hard. But it'll make us treasure those blissful bites that much more.
These actions toward a lighter bill are all just a start. But if we can take at least $25 off each visit -- that's $100 a month. If we can stop going to the grocery store more than once a week, that's likely another $25. So, we're talking a $200 savings!
And another thing! What I wanted to mention about the walnuts (referenced above) is that here's yet another reason to READ YOUR BILLS. We never thought to really take a deep, dark look at our grocery receipt. But when I did (and it was only because I took a photo of the darn thing for this post), I noticed that we were charged for not just one, but TWO bags of walnuts. We only bought one. Scout's honor. But at $5.29 a bag, that's a pricey mistake on the checkout clerk's part. At this point, I think we may be stuck with it, though. How can we prove we have only one bag???
Has this ever happened to you? Or are you on your own quest to slash your grocery bills? Tell us all about it! We'd love the advice . . . and just knowing we're not the only ones out there embarrassed at how much we spend. So, leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.
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33 comments:
Bring the receipt in with you next time you shop and let the customer service desk know you were double charged. Unless you are dragging receipts in there every day they will take your word for it. Wegman's is great in that way!
:) Heather
Great post and great ideas! It seems like everyone's solution to slashing the grocery bill is to spend hours clipping coupons, but I just don't have time to do that. Really, I don't. I've switched to shopping mostly at Aldi, which has cut our grocery bill by at least a third. At LEAST. However, I'm totally with you on planning better and making soup to last for another meal. That's been on my (mental) list for a couple weeks now but I'm actually going to do something about it on Thursday (chili...yum).
So glad to know I'm not alone in this. I've definitely been annoyed with my bills the last couple months - it all adds up so quickly! But I think being conscious of it is the first step, right?
Another option is to not purchase everything at the over-priced Wegman's.
Great post, Ashley! I have found that shopping once a week has truly transformed our grocery spending. If we run out of something mid-week, we live with it and scrounge for food in our cupboards. So far our once-a-week trip has indeed saved us about $200 a month (which comes in handy when we have one of those pesky furnace repair bills)!
I launched a similar campaign for us about a year and a half ago. It has been monstrously successful. We keep to a far more minimalist budget than you folks--not shopping at Wegmans helps!-- and rely on a once/weekly dinner out for fancy treats like goat cheese and dark chocolate.
I would suggest shopping at a bulk food store--we like Pine Ridge in Bainbridge-- for your staples. Waaaayyy cheaper than you would think possible. Buying dried beans is a good money (and packaging) saver. Somehow, we've managed to wean ourselves almost entirely off grocery store produce, and it's saving us tons of money. In the winter, we buy carrots and celery for soups, and the odd citrus or root vegetable for a recipe. In the summertime, we have our garden, and I freeze and can food like crazy so we can subsist on it in the winter. Nothing beats a local tomato in February.
Anyhow, good luck, and I'm interested to see what this project looks like for you guys!
We did a major overhaul on our shopping a year ago, not only to save money but to in essence "go green" and do what we could to green not only our shopping habits, but our eating habits as well. As foodies, we love to enjoy food, and the process but somewhere we need to remember that purpose of food always comes back to a simple need for fuel.
I need to write on this at some point, maybe it will give people some ideas.
Thanks, Heather. I don't want to let this one slip. I mean, it's like $6! And that's another bag-o-walnuts!
Cindy -- I agree. No time to clip coupons. And often they are only for prepared foods. We try to shop the perimeter of the store as much as possible.
Shannalee. No. You're aren't alone. We are definitely with you. But yes -- we've both made the first step. Now begins the painful process of change. We'll still eat like champs, though! <3
Erin. Hahah. Yes. Furnace repair. Hoping to fill our pockets up again after that. And I'm glad to know that this tips helps!
Kristina: I'll have to check out Pine Ridge. Never hear of it -- so, thanks! And I agree that our budget amount could be even lower. But food is what we basically consider our entertainment :) Stay tuned for our progress -- and I may pick your brain on some other questions.
Jessica -- Thanks -- I'll keep an eye out!!!
I really enjoy this post. Being that we don't usually have a lot of money to spend hundreds of dollars on groceries every week, my husband and I spend $100 every 2 weeks on groceries. And maybe about $20 during those 2 weeks on snack things.
Here are some things we (I) do to make sure we don't waste money
1. I plan our meals in advance, and check and double check our pantry and fridge/freezer while making the grocery list.
2. I shop the grocery ad. Also my cousin gave me a few coupon sites that I'm addicted to now and they definetly help, especially when you use them while those items are on sale at the store.
The sites are:
www.coupons.com
www.freebies4mom.com
www.stretchingabuckblog.com
www.moneysavingmom.com
4. If you are lucky enough to have a Dollar Tree like we are, they have good snacks for cheap. For example: Italian Ices are like $2.50 at the grocery store for 6. At the dollar store you get 4 for $1. Completely worth it!!
5. We get those pesky junk mail ads every week with every grocery add, but it pays to look through it before you throw it away. You could get coupons out of it!!
6. We rarely eat out, and almost always pack our lunches. Wednesday nights are our pizza and movie night ($3 pizza from Little caesars & 2 movies from redbox $2 for a total of around $5)
7. And lastily I tend to make a lot of our dinner so we do have leftovers for the next night or for our lunches the next day!!
Hope this helps some! We all good use tips on saving money these days!!
We just moved to a new state so I had to find new grocery stores and adapt to new prices on a lot of items. A few have been mentioned above, but I buy dried beans and other staples like rice and specialty flours in bulk (cheaper per ounce) then cook up a big batch of beans and freeze them in single or double servings. We have a CSA share so I don't let myself buy vegetables other than onions and garlic since we have so many at home. We supplement with some frozen veggies -- tastier and cheaper than fresh when out of season. Only seasonal fruit comes home with me, and I try to order in bulk.
Not sure how many nuts you're buying, but I've found them cheaper at Trader Joe's and Costco and keep them in the freezer. Also, a lot of ingredients are cheaper at ethnic markets. Always buy ginger and soy sauce at the Asian grocery store for major savings.
Jen -- Thanks so much for taking the time to share those fantastic tips! You sound like you're right on top of things! I'll definitely take these points into consideration. I'm especially impressed by your $5 pizza/movie night! We thought ours was good ($10 pizza, $3 rent on Amazon streaming movies). You put us to shame :)
Stacy -- I never thought to check those little markets. Will have to add that to my list of things to do. And I know we should be buying our nuts in bulk. Hmmmm.
Hi Ashley, One thing I really love about your blog are posts like this one and the one about bills. As 20-somethings, it's really helpful to feel like there's a community we can learn from and share with as we figure basic "life" things out. Thanks!
I'm also really interested in being able to transform leftovers into a new dish the next day. I feel like this is a skill/art that I certainly haven't learned. Please let us know if you experiment with it!
thanks, jenn! i'm hoping to write more posts like this one. just those everyday thing we all think about, but that aren't necessarily "exciting" . . . right? :) and i'll be sure to post progress with leftovers.
Call the store & save your recipt, they'll credit you next visit. Happens to us quite often. One time we were charged $95.00 for a $5.00 bottle of scope. Nutella-luv it, switch to store brand. Very comparable in taste & half the price!
Oy vey grocery store shopping. I dread it! We only go every other week, but I usually find that I go in the middle of the week to pick up a few things.
Example: Yesterday I went to Ralph's to pick up some spagetti ($1!!). On the way back I noticed that their 16oz buckets of strawberries were 2 for $3 (holy crap!) and their angel food cake was only $2.50. Then of course I had to get some whipping cream. AND I was starving, so I grabbed some garlic bread too.
So, a quick trip that should have been $1 turned out to be $20. GAA!!
You should add onto your list: Don't go to the grocery store while you are STARVING. Never a good idea.
Living on a very limited budget, my husband and I try and keep our weekly spending on groceries between $30 and $40 bucks. One of the biggest things that we do (as you mentioned) is to evaluate what we've got in the pantry or fridge and base our meals around that. I also plan our meals around what's on sale in our grocery store (we shop at Kroger) that week. Most stores have their weekly ad posted online, so you can see what's on sale before you even step foot in the store and plan ahead what you want to buy!
Great post, as usual, Ashley. I NEVER check my receipt. I've been told over and over again by my mother-in-law that I always should---well maybe I would check it more often if my mother-in-law didn't tell me to. ;-)
Barb -- Will do. I want that $$$ back!
Amie -- That's what happens to us, too! We always end up finding other stuff we want to munch on. Always!!!
Michelle -- Wow! 30 to 40! I'd love to get down that low. Even when I was single, I spent like $50 a week on myself. What you've shown me is that we need to try harder.
Elizabeth -- Yes! Check it. I can't believe I found this error. Shocked...
Pick away! The Cheese Trap in Greene is also good for bulk stuff. I cut some coupons, too, and follow the store's sales-- and you're right, most coupons are for over-processed foods. We like them more for bath & beauty stuff, and kitchen products like aluminum foil and ziploc bags.
I've been trying to do more shopping at the farmers market on the weekends. Even if I do spend more than I set out to, at least it's on awesome stuff and not processed food from the grocery store.
You're totally right about eating vegan. It's so much cheaper, especially when you've got a well stocked pantry.
Don't mean to be a creep, but i think the omega-3 tortillas have fish oil in them :( I made this mistake far too many times with Wegman's products :( :( :(
It's all about buying bulk staple goods, for us--rice, dried beans, flour, pasta. And having a good selection of spices. Most of the time our grocery trips are to pick up new produce and dairy (lacto vegetarian here), tofu, or pet food. You can make a wide variety of meals with very few ingredients, it just takes a little creativity. I'd also recommend checking out the blog "Cheap Healthy Good". They recently had a prolonged conversation about eating well on a budget, but their entire blog is also devoted to that idea.
OMG. Anon -- You're totally not being a creep. You are SO RIGHT! I had no idea. I just read the ingredients. And we're eating Mexican for dinner. (First time we bought this kind of tortilla.) Sooo... Stephen, who eats fish, will eat them. And I will have a plate-o-mexican. Again -- you are totally not being a creep. THANK YOU!
Alex -- I will def. check out that blog. Thank you!!!
I use my local farmer's market for most produce and I shop around at different markets for different things. In my area, I find Trader Joe's has the best prices on spices and baking stuff. Whole Foods is where we go as a last resort place and to buy any produce not available at the market (or by the time we got there it no longer looked good). Also the ethnic markets for any food that might be considered ethnic and that I notice is always pricer at normal mainstream markets - plus, for things like Indian spices you can buy much larger quantities. The odd hard to find produce items are usually cheap at the little markets as well.
Of course I always try to look in the pantry. I have a problem with frozen/canned stuff so I try to avoid them. The only exception I have made in the past six months is refried beans and tomatoes. If it's not reasonably priced, looks good, and available in fresh produce I either find something to sub for it, leave it out, or make something else. (So it helps to have an alternate recipe or two in your head just in case.)
We go grocery shopping weekly but not to the same places - except for the farmer's market. We usually make it there every other week and have a $20-30 produce budget. Usually for that price we end up with three weeks worth of produce.
wegmans will refund the double charge...happened to me yesterday
Do you guys have a Sam's membership? I wish we had a store like that closer to us, but we do hit up Costco occasionally when we're visiting John's parents. I don't know how much memberships are, but maybe there's an educator discount or something? Or you could mooch off your in-laws' membership once a year like we do.
We try not to buy too many processed foods either, but we find lots o' stuff at Costco that lasts us FOREVER. Things we bought on our last trip: ginormous jars of Nutella, multi-pack of ketchup, huge boxes of granola (with flax, pumpkin seeds, etc.), huge bags of chocolate chips and pecans, multipack of tuna, etc. That was in October, if not earlier. Besides the Nutella and choc. chips (which prob should have lasted longer than they did--my bad), we still have plenty of everything left. All we really buy week to week are perishable items.
Serious Eats has a great feature called "Eat for Eight Bucks," and many of the recipes are vegetarian: http://www.seriouseats.com/tags/recipes/Eat%20for%20Eight%20Bucks. You can probably find lots of inspiration there!
Thanks again, everyone, for all the tips! I'm overwhelmed with all the quality responses to this post. <3
I certainly see the value in trying to decrease your grocery bills, though I think it's also important to think about where your food comes from. We had a great conversation recently at our house (I live with four women where we share all of our food and cooking) about what makes something an indulgence. The conversation was sparked by noticing that the red peppers in the grocery store are imported from Isreal. Is something an indulgence because it has traveled a long way? Because it's high in fat or sugar? Because we could make it ourselves (i.e. bread)? Because it's expensive?
It sounds like most folks are excited to get their food bills down as low as possible, but I would like to suggest that supporting local farmers and finding locally produced food is also important. I want to save money just as much as the next 20-something, but there are more considerations that go into my choices.
Good point, Jasmine. During the spring/summer months, we try to buy from farmers markets, etc. But we're also dealing with some major budget issues right now. However, we try to buy as locally as possible. And this extends beyond the grocery store and into our other purchases.
I live on a pretty limited food budget, and in fact that's what my food blog is all about! Lots f recipes and tips for making good food but not breaking the bank www.pennypinchingepicure.com.
Hi Ashley, we've been struggling with getting our food costs down too. We stopped buying cereal. Instead, I make whole grain cereal containing oatmeal/quiona/barley/wheat in our slow cooker. I play around with different flavours spice and fruit concoctions. Way healthier and much cheaper :)
Others have already mentioned buying produce from the farmer's market, but I don't think they've said how much better the quality is ie. it doesn't rot after being your fridge for a day. A good way to save money at the market is to arrive a little later in the day before the vendors pack up...I've seem them mark down prices just so they don't need to haul the unsold food home. Buying in season generally saves you money too, if the market isn't convenient for you.
Hope this helps :)
Thanks so much, Zibi! Great suggestions. Can't wait for the weather to get nicer and for those farmers markets to open up :)
Have a lovely weekend!
I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I used to carry a calculator with me- I haven't done that in a while but really need to. You can either start with your budget and subtract, or just add up as you go along.
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