So, in the two years since our daughter was born, I’ve learned I can no longer saunter through the grocery store, buying whatever I’m tasting for at the moment, and then repeating this process 3 to 4 times a week, racking up huge grocery bills and unfortunately wasting lots of food too.
But I didn’t really know what to do instead, until now. I’m sure this simple idea may seem like a no-brainer to many of you, but it was not to me: set a grocery bill goal (i.e. spend less than $85) for each shop and max out the number of meal ingredients you can buy for that amount.
What this means for me practically is taking a quick glance through the store circular that gets mailed to our house, and matching the sales items with favorite dishes (I have a list of 20 meals I make regularly), then shopping to make those meals.
I’ve really seen results with this. Our grocery bill has decreased by about 1/3 over the past 6 weeks, and I’m feeling just as satisfied in the cooking process, and inspired to weave sale ingredients into meals that can easily accommodate them (like hearty winter greens instead of kale in my kolcannon.) As an added benefit, I’m shopping less often because I’m stocking up 4 meals or so worth of ingredients– so I’m saving time too.
I think the psychology of the goal has a secondary benefit too, I seem to be more interested in coupons, and have been faithful at using my store card which racks up points for free groceries. Before, coupons seemed like they were always for garbage food I didn’t want, but now, I’m finding those one or two coupons that represent items we use regularly (like yogurt, laundry detergent, pasta and sauce) is making a dent.
I’m interested in your comments too! Please share what works for you!
I was cleaning the house (again, again, again) today… and while brushing the copious dog fur off the couch cusions, remembered fondly some of my most pleasant Saturday nights this summer.
See, this summer, my husband worked weekends at his second job, and we had a number of guests visiting and parties at our house… this meant Saturdays night meant I was staying home and cleaning for whomever was coming the following day.
After putting the baby to sleep, I’d pour myself a big glass of Red wine (sangria style!) and start dusting, vacuming… all with whatever the HBO movie was premiering that week. I “kindof” watched the movie, “really” drank and “actually” got the house clean.
Vacuuming was never so interesting, and I still can’t fluff those pillows without thinking about the movie “The Kids are Alright” which was quite good. Anette Benning’s performance when she discovered she’d been betrayed was so good, I had to just stop and sit and watch (while further sipping my wine of course).
So, cheap entertainment = doing something you have to do anyway + a movie + wine
So, my husband and I threw in the shovel and decided to dismantle the garden we’ve attempted to grow for years. Instead we used the dirt to fill in a little retaining wall to create the illusion of a bigger yard. Our little bit of fakery has actually landed us a true victory garden! In this spot, we have harvested a number of cucumbers, butternut squash, and even tomatoes. How many delicious, and truly awe-inspiring and free meals have been graced with these goodies!
This got me to thinking about other things we throw away without much thought. How much value– or the seeds of how much value –exist therein?
As a younger (and perhaps more creative) person, I had more time to see the treasure in that which was about to be tossed. I won awards for art made of dumpster-dived materials, and assembled a lovely living space with many discarded items. Necessity was the mother of invention then, but unfortunately now, necessity just seems a mother.
So, how can I (or you!) harness your spirit of creativity or invention today? What are you about to toss that may have intrinsic value with just a little polish, artful re-working or sun and water? I plan to report back a couple of brainstorms and practical ideas in the coming posts…..
When I moved in with my husband I was amazed at how full several of the cabinets were with cleaning supplies. There was cleaner, stripper, foaming no scrubber, bartenders friend, tarnish remover, spic and span, lestoil, pine sol, goo remover, window cleaner, dog butt wipes and the list goes on and on…. I truly don’t think he ever made it out of the grocery store without some kind of cleaning product.
So the other day, I’m cleaning the bathroom and decide to use this nifty oxy-foaming-no-scrub bathroom cleaner he bought to clean the tub. Really, all I have to do is spray it on and all that soap scum will be gone? Cool, I think. So, I start spraying, and spraying, and get into another odd position to spray the side of the tub just under me… I’m so thorough, I’m sure, I will not need to scrub a thing. I also can’t scrub a thing, because now my trigger finger and hand are achy from all this spraying. I also have a wheeze from the chemical smell.
This is modernity…. I stand and spray a plastic bottle of chemicals until my hands hurt to spare me from bending over and wiping the tub with comet….. I’m not sure if this make sense.
It also didn’t make things clean. I still had to scrub by hand.
Now I know why I kept my entire apartment clean for 6 years with 1) a meyers cleaning liquid (for baseboards, floors and walls) 2) comet or ajax (for tubs, sinks and really skanky spots) and 3) vinegar (for windows, coffee makers, and misc other areas that need a bit of shine)
I think that was cheaper…..
So, one of the things that has kept me from writing as often as I’d planned is honesty. Honesty with you, the reader, but also with myself. I believe that I am like most Americans who is at best, clueless how to live within my means, or at worst, unwilling.
I have put up ads on this site in hopes to draw some click through revenue (I have, though miniscule), and I have also continued to shop at the specialty food market for good balsamic vinegar and been unwilling to damper down my quality of life *too* much. Lucky for me, I’ve had this flexibility.
But what about the hundreds of thousands out of work who are trying to find a breath of low budget happiness? Will a blog truly help them?
Perhaps more of a shift will. A shift that anyone can benefit from, regardless of need. I think the shift is mindfulness. Or, to put it in language without catchy new age terms: if we do each thing we must do with great attention, it becomes an adventure.
I mean, folding the laundry and piling with great care and innovation. I mean chopping vegetables exactly to a specific size (because they’ll cook better, AND it is a mindful practice).
I mean, picking up little twigs that fell on the ground because of Irene with your toddler, and making a game out of it…..
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