How I Grocery Shop

One year ago I changed the way I grocery shop. I did not realize how much I would need or depend on that method until this month.

Due to some unexpected expenses, after my shopping trip last week, I had $30 left in the food budget to get us to the end of the month...14 days.

My first instinct was to panic. After a few moments and calming my breathing, I knew I had to create a plan.

It didn't take long for me to realize I could do this. I could get my family through 14 days of meals on $30 because of the way I have learned to shop. I already had my plan in place. I just needed to be sure I kept to it.


Shop Sales Not Menus

Any given week you will not find my cart filled with what I will be serving that week. Instead, I have learned to look for what is on sale. When I find something on a good sale, I stock up. I have been known to buy 15 boxes of cereal at one time. A few weeks ago I purchased 6 tubs of salsa. Just last week I bought 7 dozen eggs.

Create Menus from Stock

Menu's are planned based on what I already have in the house verses what might be on sale any given week. When I buy a particular item, it is most likely for my stock pile to be served later on a different menu plan.

Produce, milk and other items that spoil are bought week to week. So many other things keep long enough to store until a later date. The eggs I bought last week have a date of August 24. We will eat them by then.




Storing the Stock

I have a small freezer and an additional older fridge. This allows me to buy extra fridge items. (yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, salsa, milk, lunch meat, etc.)

I do not have a pantry. I have shelving in the basement that serves as my pantry and stock location.

I *shop* from my pantry and freezer when menu planning. I try to use as much as I can from what I already have on hand.

Grocery List Contents

I try to make the majority of my purchases based on what is on sale and what we will potentially need and eat in the next months.

I have a few staple meals that I know are always favorites and the ingredients are easy to keep on hand.


This Month's Plan

Having only $30 left for this month meant that stocking on sale items would have to wait until next month. I already had enough food in the house to get us through 14 days.

It would mean no eating out. Not a problem. We rarely do that anyway.

It would mean thinking through and being more mindful of what we were eating and how much we were eating. That probably wasn't a bad idea to begin with.

I am making one more trip today for a few items we need to get us through next week. I already have it all planned out. I know exactly what it will cost. My carefully thought through list will keep me within my $30.

In the future I will share what I've learned about couponing as it relates to my method of grocery shopping. I will also talk about the differences in sale prices and identifying a good sale verses a better sale.

I am convinced that how I grocery shop has allowed us to be prepared and have more available on less money. How I grocery shop has taught me how to stretch our dollars.

Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have a trip to make to the grocery store.