Up, Up, & Away
We made our monthly grocery trip this morning and I am still in shock over the rising prices. Virtually everything we purchased has gone up in price. I was expecting the $1 increase for a bag of rice, but when a box of wheat crackers has gone from regularly-priced $1.17 to regularly priced $1.69, I just don't know what to think. I DO know I'll have to update all of the prices I have listed in my grocery list. I also think I'll have to look it over very thoroughly once it's updated and see if (or better yet, how much) we will have to raise our monthly budget.
Since summer is officially almost here, our shopping habits are going to change a bit. We are starting the month with only $221.19 worth of groceries. This will leave us more throughout the month for fresh produce.
One of the highlights of our grocery trip today was taking advantage of Kroger's gift card promotion. We purchased a $300 gift card and received an additional $30 on the card. Their program is: $30 for $300, $60 for $600, and $90 for $900. You are allowed to purchase a total of 4 cards of any denomination, and the promotion goes through July 31st. We will be purchasing two more $300 cards before then. Since $300 is our monthly grocery budget anyhow, we would passing up $90 to not purchase the cards. I don't know about you, but I sure wouldn't pass up $90 if someone wanted to give it to me. That extra money sure will be helpful with the new prices.
I am curious how everyone else is handling the rising food prices. Are you stocking up on certain items? Are you watching the sales more closely? I'd love to hear about it!
Graphic courtesy of allposters.com
6 comments:
Hi, Kate,
I loved reading your comment on my blog. Thanks!
I am so impressed by your new "3 Moms" blog. Wow! You ladies must certainly have been busy putting that together.
As far as rising grocery prices go, I've certainly noticed price increases, but I don't have much room to stock up (more than a couple months worth, anyway). I do watch for sales at our co-op (grains, baking supplies, meats, produce) and buy as much as I can then. I'm also much less likely to make an "impulse buy" on something "fun" that I might have bought a year or so ago.
In the end, somehow, we still have good food on our table. Maybe less variety, but still enjoyable and filling. God just keeps providing! :)
So... with the price of crackers, are you going to start making your own? :)
Blessings,
Michele
www.frugalgranola.blogspot.com
We are a family of 7--8 if you include my mom who eats at our house probably atleast 10-15 days a month. I am SHOCKED at how much groceries went up. I was going to try a budgetted amount for the month of May and blew it BIG TIME! I can see some areas where we could change..but honestly it is tough. I don't see how I can save anymore.
The 3 Mom's series was a big inspiration. I have been using coupons more, comparing prices to different stories and stocking up when they have a sale on things we use alot of (like spaghetti sauce). I also had to get over having certain brands. As an example, the spaghetti sauce. The brand I prefer went from $1.75 to $2.10 last month. That did it for me. I use atleast 10 jars a month. One of the grocery stories had a different brand on sale for $1 each. I got over my brand loyalty real fast and stocked up on the better deal. At this point...I have to.
I am also going to try some meals made from scratch. Do you have a good pancake recipe?
The rising food costs are brutal... i'm *trying* to budget and spend less, but with 4 kids it's so hard! I've started making my own bread as a loaf of bread is $3.00 and we go through a loaf a day.. so this is one small way we're saving a few dollars! :)
Man I wish stores around here would offer bonuses like that!
We've just been cutting back and couponing more. Oh and cooking more things from scratch!
Well, researching cheapness brought me to you (it IS a compliment!) and your 3 mom series. I've been incorporating the learning from you ladies and cutting back a lot. Cooking from scratch, making our own bread, and buying flour, etc. in bulk. Even driving an hour away and the cost of gas for that, I'm saving money on food. How sad is that? I'm really getting tired of everyone raising prices because of the cost of fuel. When the airlines start charging $15 for the first checked bag, well, that pushes me too far. My family will be packed into our carry on for our week trip to Ohio. No matter how I have to do it! That's my first reaction anyway, we'll see if I'm able to do it in reality!
Hi!
I'm a newer reader. I will share that I am now shopping early in the morning at the grocery store that is one mile from my home. I buy the large packs of ground beef that are reduced at half off and packs of chicken breasts that are reduced to half off (because they are due to expire). I bring home the meat and put in my freezer and smile!
I am baking bread and granola each week (no more boxed cereal). I bake almost everything I can from scratch, including soaking beans! I buy the basic veggies that are inexpensive like potatoes, onions, lettuce (by the head), large carrots, celery and the basic fruit like apples and bananas or whatever is a great sale price! We really stretch our meat too. Sometimes, I can make three meals from one small pack of chicken breasts. I make a chicken pot pie one night, chicken tortilla soup one night, and then chicken salad one night. I just cut the pieces very small :) We have made a meal schedule and are sticking to our "tried and true" dishes so I know what ingredients to stock up on when there is a sale. I am not experimenting right now because I don't want to buy extra ingredients or have a meal that is a flop and then get stuck with those items...does that make sense???
I'm loving the challenge of feeding my family healthy food on a budget!
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