I am certainly glad I am doing a pantry challenge this month as there has really been nothing to tempt me in the grocery adds all month.
I mean horrible offerings. Really no loss leaders to speak of at all. It is kind of scary. But I think this is here to stay for a while.
I was able to get plenty of fresh food at the food bank yesterday. Again I could not beleive that no one was there and it was close to closing time. There were tables and tables of food. It is such a shame.
1. potatoes both yellow yukon gold and russets
2. cabbage
3. oranges
4. apples
5. celery
6. carrots
7. the biggest radishes I have ever seen and bags and bags of them
8. raw beets
9. bananas, which will need to be frozen or used in breads and muffins
lots of canned goods and breads.
They are now taking many things to the post office to try and get people to take them before they throw them out. It breaks my heart, but I took what I could use. I know this place really helps my neighbor.
I am going to try and make homemade pizza tonight, but I need to pick up some mushrooms, I have everything else.
I am also going to get my nails done at 5 as I finally have some money to do them. It has been 6 weeks and they are falling off. I hate spending money on this but it is a have to with my medications thinning my skin.
One of the ways I save the most money is by trying to live on a cash basis. I know many of you claim you never have cash. If you write a check, or use a debit card, you will always spend more money at the grocery store or where ever you are shopping. If you have cash you have to watch your pennies.
Go get cash at the beginning of week or pay period. Get as much as you think you will need for things. I needed my nails done, but I did not have enough cash and had to wait until it came in or until the next pay period. Now that I have it I can get them done.
I will go to the store and buy milk as we are out and I will pick up mushrooms, if I go in with cash I will not buy other things that I think I just have to have. Now if I found a killer sale on say meat, I would use a check, but it would have to be a really, really good sale, for me to do this.
This system works for me and allows me to fill out my charts and save money in my challenges. I always pray when I am paying for something with a 20 dollar bill that I don't get 3- 5's back. When this happens it is like crap ( one of my favorite words). Now I have less cash to spend.
Try this you will be amazed at how much you save. Well unless you don't need to or don't want to.
Ain't I just smug....
Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.
Kim
We keep hearing on TV and elsewhere that so many children go to bed hungry every night, and that we should give to various programs. Yet, we hear things like your food bank can't get rid of good stuff. Don't the under privileged know where the food is available, or what's the problem that it can't get to where it's needed?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand it either. It baffles me. I think a lot of food insecurity is in the larger cities and not out west in smaller towns. People pay more attention here where the population is not as dense. But it is discouraging.
DeleteI'm kinda glad the ads are crappy, so I don't have to spend too much money. I got sticker shock at Walmart this week again. The small cans of mushrooms now cost more than what the bigger cans cost in 2020. Crazy!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little jealous of all that fresh produce you got. I'm surprised they have so much food left over.
I know, I hate to go to the grocery store and see what prices are. I am always surprised by how much food will be wasted. I am happy to see that they are taking the fresh food now to the post office to try and get rid of it.
DeleteIt's odd that the food bank there has so much. The one where I live always runs out of produce before everyone who needs it is served. Patrons here line up starting at 6 a.m. to get in as soon as they open at 10, to be sure they get vegetables and fruit. By the time it closes, at noon, all that's left are specific items held back for special needs clients who can't get in early. Celie
ReplyDeleteWell, these very small towns in Idaho, and Washington, have monthly food banks based on the # of people living in the area that fall at or below the poverty line, so foods are based on those #'s.
DeleteHi Kim! I know what you mean about the food. Shelves are empty, and the things that are there are so expensive! We never use a debit card. Our children don't either. Too easy to spend unnecessarily! Hope you enjoyed your pizza! We had pierogies.
ReplyDeleteWell I opted for toasted tuna fish last night as I was getting my nails done, but tonight it will be pizza.
DeleteI know many of you claim you never have cash. If you write a check, or use a debit card, you will always spend more money at the grocery store or where ever you are shopping.
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree. I don't spend more. I take a list and buy what I need. And I travel free because of the points. I carry no balance and pay no interest. Broad sweeping statements are seldom correct.
Oh Elle, you are my dream person. You have great self-control and we should all be like you. TELL ME YOUR SECRET... I AM DIEING TO KNOW!
DeleteI started tracking every penny spent in 1999 using the principles in "Your Money or Your Life". Becoming a "mindful spender" over time is key. I don't buy what I don't use, I buy very few items in a can or box or bag but rather, I buy ingredients and as much fresh as possible. (I can't stand the taste of canned veg or fruit and those are expensive compared to frozen anyway).
DeleteI really dislike shopping and I don't go up/down every aisle. I get what's on my list. I will go to the meat dept and look for unadvertised specials but that's really the only time I'll buy "off list". I got a spiral sliced ham for $0.97/lb instead of $3.97. That's an unplanned purchase well worth the cost.
Sales have been crappy here for a very long time and with prices ever rising the sale prices all seem to be the old regular price.
ReplyDeleteSure glad that we have a well stocked pantry.
God bless.
IT IS JUST LIKE THAT HERE ALSO. Even potatoes are high. $4.00 for 10lbs unheard of.
DeleteSmuggidy smug smug, lol. ( But you caught me ) I know I often spend more than intended, then I do challenge games with myself. Like last and this week- I challenged myself so hard to not spend, I got Covid to keep me home. Bad jokes aside, we all do what works for our brains. It might be different now, but cash always seemed to disappear when my kids were home, so I just never had much on me. I should think about sales and loss leaders more, but just don't. I hate shopping, and hate figuring out price differences even more. Part of why I like Aldi. No choices. Just buy it or don't.
ReplyDeleteYou are right we all do what we do. Yes cash when you have teenagers is always a dilemma. God forbid, you had to give them a 20.
DeleteGrocery ads are always bad at the middle of the month. People who depend on ss checks shop at the first of the months and ad are better.
ReplyDeleteI started using a credit card because of covid. I hated it. Now, I will probably never go back. However, I know I don't spend more and then only buy loss leaders/sales/bogo/coupons. I know sales will get better, so I try not to spend too much.
I am not arguing or challenging you, but what makes you skin thin and how does the trip for nails help your problem? Asking for a friend. lol
I have a terrible habit of picking at my cuticles, it is a nervous habit. When I wear acrylic nails they are too thick to tear at the skin. The meds I take thin my skin and make it very easy to bleed. Then I get infections, easily from the immune suppressors I take, then I have inflammation from infection and.... It is a vicious cycle. But if I keep on acrylics this seldom happens. I think they should be covered by insurance:)
DeleteI solved the cuticles that I would pick at and the tears I made picking at them. I keep cuticle scissors to solve these problems. However, I had tips for 3.5 years and that helped break the picking at skin, cuticles, and nails. I found a little place where the nail is rough and picked at it until I had my nails down to nubs. I have not conquered the picking at cuticles, nails, and skin habit. But,I always have an emery board and cuticle nippers with mehttps://outmywindowtoday.blogspot.com/logout?d=https://www.blogger.com/logout-redirect.g?blogID%3D6809809639444040308%26postID%3D1537916822310311975. Thanks. Just wondered.
DeleteThe ads are not good here this week either. I'm glad I don't need anything. I do have a problem that you caused. I am wondering what to do with my 2021 5's. I did .not set them aside for anything in particular but had to move it so I could begin the 2022 collection.
ReplyDeleteI think you need to save them for a plane ticket to DC so that you and Slug and Sis and myself can get together and PARTY!!!!!
DeleteExcellent suggestion!
DeleteI'm sure we do spend slightly more by using a card, but you'll pry it out of my cold dead hands. ;-) It makes tracking really easy for us, and we earn rewards on our purchases. We also pay the balance & don't pay any interest or fees. It works for us. If we were on a much tighter budget, I'm with you, it would be a good method in ensuring prioritization.
ReplyDeleteAnd, totally agree, the ads suck right now.
You are in a much better Fianacial place than me, but I think when I get there, I will do the same thing. You are my idol.
Deletewe no longer have a local bank branch. To get cash we have to drive 30 miles one way to do so. Most the stores around here are no longer giving cash back either as they couldn't get cash when the crap started. My kids say they do their shopping as order on line and pick up so when they see the "budget" amount hit they stop shopping
ReplyDeleteThat works for many, and I wish I was that disciplined but alas... How are you feeling?
DeleteI'm someone who rarely uses cash, but I try (and almost always succeed!) at keeping my grocery bill under a certain amount each week. I'm cheap as can be and proud of it! Other than groceries a trip to the craft store this week to buy yarn for a time-sensitive project (knitting blanket squares for the children of a friend who recently passed away), I don't buy much at all (and I rarely shop online). I'm kind of a non-consumerist- which certainly helps these days. I completely agree with you that the grocery ads are terrible these days. Understandable, but still a huge bummer.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're grabbing what you can at the food pantry! I hate to see any food go to waste. Last year when my daughter was fully remote, we went over every Wednesday to pick up weekly school meals. While we didn't *need* them, it was explained to us that the more people that participated, the more funding they would be promised so that they could continue helping the kids that did need it. And I'm ALL about making sure my neighbors have what they need! :)