Budgeting for Monthly Shopping
D_Blackwell said:
I had fallen into a pattern of eating out a lot - trash food mostly, and thought that setting a budget might help me to eat better, and save some money also. I had no idea what I was spending on food; keeping track of nothing.
I have to ask, what do you think got you to the point of falling into that pattern?
Usually there's some hidden sign we don't always see that causes a change in our daily activities. Unfortunately it throws everything off balance and hence the domino effect takes place. You mention the pattern of eating out alot; I know exactly what that's like because I've been in the situation before and so has my husband. He works long hours as an IDX computer operator (still does) and before I stopped working my hours were horrible as a UNIX computer operator (50-60 a week) so it travels in the family - literally.
What changed things around was the fast food. Four years ago my husband was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes from his many years of eating habits; the fast food diet; not exercising (like he had the time to
anyway); but this wasn't an overnight cessation. He'd gone through this for years. Well over 8 at least.
What made it interesting was we had just started to change our eating habits into a healthier diet choice then all of a sudden wrath had no fury but just as well it was a wake up call for both of us and it made me realize that eating outside the home is okay but unless it is taken in moderation it can be regretful.
D_Blackwell said:
With no idea of what a reasonable budget might be (It's just me.), and internet searches not turning out to be much help, I wound up guesstimating a number. $300.00 a month.
There isn't anything wrong with using a budget however consider something reasonable. I'm not sure what type of prices that are in your area. Best suggestion I can make is get a membership at your local Sam's Club and take advantage of what they've got for bargains; purchase items in bulk. If you've got a deep freezer, take advantage of it. I'm not sure your living space however I would make use of the room you have and purchase things that are easy to store, priced reasonable and you will not run out of from pay check to pay check.
Things like:
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Napkins
Garbage Bags
Kleenex (in winter months and/or if you have allergies)
Depending upon your situation for a freezer will determine on your situation for meat. I rarely do any shopping for it at Sams (at least in the beef section) because from my experience there is no bargain until you start purchasing well beyond $400 and no one is going to purchase that amount unless you're in the catering and/or resturant business. The only two types that I've found any bargains on is with their chicken breasts and sometimes I can get a good deal on their whole pork loin.
Here the chicken usually runs about $12 to $13 (can't remember) but it's 21 oz worth and they're resturant quality so it's top rank, you're paying for something that is worth the price and will last. Since it's just my husband and myself I can make two of them and there's still some left over because they are so thick. They turn out excellent every time when cooking as well. For the pork loin it varies on price and weight due to the cut and fat content as I'm sure you know. Usually I can pick up a whole loin (no bone) for $16 to $18. They're wonderful because I can cut those up to whatever size I want in thickness or use it to make stirfry, etc.
Since I have the deep freezer I get the benefit using it because after I make the cuts everything goes right in the freezer and viola! Between the two, I'm good to go for a little over two weeks. I've also picked up things such as frozen meatballs that are premade (yes I'm lazy) if I'm skimping and don't feel like making my own. Great to have and quick for low cost spaghetti dinners throughout the week as a change of pace.
When I do go to the grocery store here in town I have been able to get a good buy every so often on ground chuck lean so I'll pick it up and use it for a mix (meatballs, hamburger helper, meatloaf, etc) I won't get it unless there's a good bargain on the price. The same goes for beef itself. We purchase 2 steaks for the weekend and only for the weekend. The rest of the week is reasonable priced dinners. My husband does the cooking so that's his thing.
D_Blackwell said:
Something of a 'sugar junkie', I have also instituted a rule against anything but 'home made' desserts (No bags of M&Ms allowed
), wresting a little more control there as well.
I think we all have that little bit of a sugar fit every so often. Heaven knows I still do
Anyway. Why do you say no sugar allowed? If you force yourself not to have it you know that you'll want to eat it even more. If you have it in moderation it may make a difference in how often you spoil yourself. Sometimes homemade desserts are worse in sugar content than the ones purchased in the store in my opinion. Nevertheless, there isn't anything wrong with having the sugar what you may want to consider is going the sugar free route if you're trying to keep your carbs low.
D_Blackwell said:
Today I was given the best resource that I have seen so far for getting at what a 'reasonable' budget might really be.
http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/FoodPlans/Updates/foodmay06.pdf Turns out that my $300.00 is almost dead on for the USDA definition of the 'Liberal Plan' for my age group. Though I am now making the budget and not feeling as though I'm suffering in the process, it still doesn't feel so 'liberal'.
One of the things that I'd been reading a long time ago rather shocked me after I got the thinking about it. I'd checked into the caloric intake for body weight for my height. There's been mixed reviews on the issue; some say it's great and others have their doubts.
D_Blackwell said:
So - the question is: What kind of budgets are y'all using? Do you keep track of $$ at all? Eat out much? Deliberately develop low cost, good yield recipes? What do people really spend? Does the 'average' person eat out more than they eat in? That costs $$$.
To answer your question, my husband and I go by his pay check yes but we also purchase things in bulk as I mentioned above. We take advantage of our deep freezer. He makes chili in bulk that gets put into the freezer for quick meals. I make an Italian spaghetti sauce (family tradition recipe) that gets frozen for meals. We purchase meats to put into the freezer.
He got me a crock pot I wanted for Christmas (one part of my Christmas present, looking at a stainless steel cookware set now
) about two weeks ago so now we have it to use and do bulk items with plus make dinner while he's at work - very easy to make dinners with, set them up and go.
There's a lot of things you can do to make low expensive dinners, it's a matter of finding the best place(s) to shop in your area and taking advantage of it(them).
Sorry so long but this is how we've done it and so far it's working. Final note. My husband is head of household now, I'm a graduate student and on hiatus from programming career so money is a little tight. We're caretakers of his grandmother and we're paying all bills plus since we're co-owners of the house we're putting out money for whatever is needed to keep the house up to par and fix odds and ends.
In the end, you find a plan that works for you and stick with it.
Happy Holidays!
Sue