Let's just say I fell off the bandwagon pretty fiercely earlier this year. I stopped couponing and my meal planning was "Tonight, I feel like eating popcorn and steak..."
The truth is, we just don't have the luxury of living that lifestyle. Maybe some day I will, but it will always pain me to know when I slip up and how much money I can waste when laziness/crankiness/hunger strikes. It's just so easy to spend at the grocery store - right? I'm a sucker for a good food display.
Why yes, I DO need soup. Soup for all!
I'm preaching to the choir when I complain about the outrageous food prices. Heaven forbid I want to eat healthy and feed my daughter...grapes! I started swiping my debit card instead of sticking to our pay with cash principle and our food budget grew by at least 1/3. We squeaked by for a couple of months without noticing (or hiding like an ostrich in the sand). But reality caught up pretty quickly. So, I stopped hormonally shopping, pulled up my big girl undies, and got organized.
We're back to using cash and already seeing a major difference. I think we needed the reminder that Cash Speaks. On paydays we take out our food/grocery budget and make a plan. I'm doing some coupons again, but not with the fervor I once did. But it's going better with easing myself back into it and shopping the sales at Harris Teeter. I adore Souther Savers - do you use it too?
Have you had any good wake up calls when it comes to living on a budget? What helps you stick to your food budget?
No comments:
Post a Comment