Spending money hand over fist--can't figure out how!

[cappuccinosmom]

OK, if someone actually saw our expenses, they'd laugh at my concern. But to me it feels like a lot to walk out of a store with $48 on the reciept. I'm not buying extravegantly, and I'm buying useful things but....it still seems like too much. And grocery spending is up too, though I haven't really changed anything.

One thing that is getting me, I think, is the idea of "stocking up" on good deals. So, I stock up on one thing one month, but the next month there is something else that needs to be stocked, and it could go on forever, me spending lots of money stocking up. :

[TattooedMama]

I know what you mean Maggie. That happens for me at Costco. Yes I might have walked out of there with a 2 month supply of raisins and butter.... but I just plunked down a lot of cash out of my grocery budget. It KILLS me too!!
This time of year I am always shocked at how much it costs me in baking supplies. Chocolate, nuts, honey, flour, etc... it adds up.
I always make homemade baked good trays as holiday gifts to be "frugal" and am dismayed at how much it ends up being. :

[BetsyS]

I think the cost of groceries has really gone up in the last couple of months, too.

[Free Thinker]

I stopped going grocery shopping a month or so back b/c it was too hard on my to push the cart all around, so DH does the shopping for the next few months until I"m back to my normal self. I think the prices have really gone up, plus he buys some things I never would. If the price of gas goes up the cost of all foods goes up as well. I also notice I do more baking in the winter, and am not getting as many fresh veggies from my garden or friends' gardens. That really makes a difference in the budget, too!

[Shoe]

If you haven't already, check out grocerygame.com. I've been using her system for 23 months now and love it! There is a whole thread on stockpiling on the message boards and people have posted pictures of their stockpiles for everyone to ooooo and ahhhhh over. You won't be sorry!

[polyhymnia]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I think the cost of groceries has really gone up in the last couple of months, too.

I think so too. I wish I had time to track specific items - I REALLY wish we could get electronic copies of our receipts that I could just import into Excel or something

[AngelBee]

:

[newbymom05]

I read a post on another frugal forum where the poster had tracked receipts for the last 5 years and said her grocery costs were up 30% from two years ago.

[wonderwahine]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I think the cost of groceries has really gone up in the last couple of months, too.

three staple items in our grochery list have gone up around $1 each. A loaf of bread used to be 26c for us, now its suddenly $1.20, same brand and size.

[Simplicity]

The cost of groceries has gone up. Especially if your buying items that are shipped and transported long distances.

We do what ever we can to buy locally.

[traceface]

The cost for a pound of butter has *definitely* gone up, by 25% or so, in the last 2 months

[rainbowmoon]

our food bill has basically doubled in the last year! :

[gentlemango]

Our grocery bill has doubled in the last 4-5 yrs too.

[Mom2Wilmo]

DP and I were just going over our budget today (normally I handle the money but I am ready for him to help me since I am tired of being the mean ogre). He was very frustrated b/c while he is making more money (he gets a yearly raise) we are still very streched. I had to explain how much food has really gone up and gas and well it seems all of our other bills have gone up too. Property taxes alone have driven our mortgage up $50 a month from 3 years ago.
It is very frustrating but I think that everyone in middle class America is dealing with similar issues, especially one income families.

[baileyandmikey]

my sister does the grocery game and saves tons of money, has reduced her grocery bill by nearly 40% this year

[Amys1st]

The grocery game is fine if you buy processed foods etc.

If its that much of an issue, take cash to the grocery of what you can spend and see what is eating up your budget. You will be surprised how much silly things you throw in the cart when its on a card or debit. But if you have only so much cash on hand what you buy. Try it for a week and slowly add it into a habit.

[Usually Curious]

I joined the grocery game last week. It really helped me to see the lists color coded and where to find the coupons. I was able to stock up on some convenience foods but it will not help much if you cook from scratch. Still, it is fun.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I think the cost of groceries has really gone up in the last couple of months, too.

Yes. It's not like I didn't notice that grocery prices have gone up, but 20 cents, 50 cents, 80 cents, here and there adds up. I've been wondering why I'm so over budget the past couple of months and I just realized two days ago that the rise in prices is 90% of the problem.

[rainbowmoon]

yeah, our milk, butter, produce,etc has almost doubled within the last year! it's crazy! :

non organic milk alone is nearing $5 a gallon where I am! absolute crazyness!

I used to be able to shop for $200 per month for me a two kiddos. now it's $400 for the bare min. per month. they are getting bigger (and thier appetites are bigger too it seems) but we also buy less convenience (ie;frozen) food and WAY more produce than we did a year ago too. I bake our own breads,etc.

groceries have gone WAY up where I am!

we will join a CSA in Apr for $500 and it will run until Oct. through the one local farm here in southern az that offers one! also hoping to aquire a pg goat this spring as well. (ie;milk/cheese) we have our own chickens. ducks and 2 goats thus far. I just need to grow produce now and plant fruit!

[rainbowmoon]

what kinds of food do you buy using the grocery game and what stores do you shop at? :