Shopping

Grocery shopping is more like a marathon than a sprint.  You really have to prep and get ready.  So let's see, you have your lists ready, they are labeled for the appropriate store, you have your shopping buddy my teen aged daughter) close at hand and you are OFF!  Now, if I say it once I say it 100 times...DONT BUY IT IF IT'S NOT ON THE LIST!  Now, I totally mean that...unless. :)  Unless you have REALLY forgotten to write a necessity down.  I am not talking about those new Pillsbury Halloween Cookies that cut out in the shape of little ghosts.  I mean you forgot you put on your last smear of deodorant this morning and it is NOT on your list.  That kind of necessity!  You start by hitting the store to purchase the cold things  (frozen and meats) and run home to do a drop. After you drop your cold/ meat items, go for the rest and go BIG!  This part usually takes me around 4 hours to finish.  It is long.  It is hard.  It is good to get it over with because when it's done, it's done.  I always go home with all my goods to a team of helpers who KNOW where everything goes.  We work together to sort and carry all our goods to their destinations.  I will also point out that grocery night is either eat out night (if our budget allows) or Aldi take and bake pizza night. 

Oh, one thing I cannot forget.  COUPONS!  I hardly use them.  Here is why.  I use many generic brands.  I find that we like them just as much (some better) and that most coupons still cannot beat the generic prices.  On brands that the generic just will not do, I look for mail coupons and I print coupons off sites like couponsuzy.com.  I DO NOT use coupons for things I would not normally be buying to begin with.  If I did that, I would be SPENDING money just to save a dime and that doesn't make any sense to me.  This month my total bill with 4 stores, food, toiletries, diapers and ALL was $820. During the month, I will have to get additional bread and milk each week but that is all.  It will add approximately $100 to my overall monthly bill.  That makes a grand total of $920 for our family of 10 for 1 month.  I'm not sure what everyone else in America spends but I think that is pretty stinkin' good!

 Whew....are ya'll tired?  I AM TIRED!!!  I think I'm gonna go see what's for dinner!