Why I Quit Food Shopping Once A Month.

Hello All,

If you follow frugal blogs or know anything about America's Cheapest Family, you have probably heard of only going food shopping one time a month.  The reasons are obviously to save time, but also so that you aren't tempted to buy those impulse buy items... (my weakness is the donuts at the bakery)  It is a wonderful thing if you can swing it. 

I did this for many months.  I would pour over my menu for the month, look at the ads and create my "master" grocery list.  I would end up shopping at 3 different stores usually.  I would hit the grocery outlet first to see if there were any things on my list that I could score for really cheap.  Then I would hit Target for things like toilet paper, trash bags, deodorant and things like that.  I would finally hit the grocery store and be completely and utterly exhausted by the time I got home.  However, knowing that I was finished for a whole month was a very good feeling. 

When we started the business, things started to get a little bit more hairy.  We did basically the same thing except that we would span the shopping over three days and go after work.  You notice that I say "we" because I was no longer alone in the shopping.  I now had hubby and son to tag along... and let me tell ya, if you wanna bust a budget just take those two into an outlet grocery store where everything is just so yummy and cheap .... and "HONEY THEY'RE ONLY 50 CENTS!  So of course we had to have 8 or 10!  Those boys, I tell ya....

I noticed that I had less and less time to create the menu and master list, so for a couple months I created a weeks worth of meals and just multiplied it times 4.  Yes, we ate the same menu for a month straight... and it got so boring! Here's something else that got old.  Since I was more rushed in my meal planning phase I ALWAYS seemed to forget SOMETHING for the menu!  SHOOT!  It always seemed to be a small but very much needed thing too.... like butter.  Ya gotta have butta!  (that's me channeling my Long Island Medium Theresa!--never heard of her?  OK, moving on.)

So I finally gave in (and it helped that we now have 2 cars!) and started shopping on my days off each week.  I now can create a weeks worth of meals, try new recipes and still stay within budget.
If I'm low on something there are no worries, I'll just get it next week.  I still go to Target and the outlet store, but I only go once a month still for those.  I hit Costco every few months for bulk items like flour and sugar.  The bulk of my food shopping is at Aldi.  I'm sorry folks, but I love that place.  I steer clear of the processed stuff as much as possible and buy the whole foods.  You can buy healthy stuff for cheap, but that's a whole other post. 

So, there you have it.  Now am I against going shopping once a month?  Absolutely not.  It's awesome.  But, some families have the time, some don't.  I'm definitely in the don't have time in this season of my life.  That's what my blog is all about... finding that sweet spot between being a business woman and a homemaker. 

Until Next Time Friends!