This is how I look when I think about going to cash only for groceries! LOL! BTW- That's one of my favorite movies!
Thank you all for your responses yesterday. They really helped me to continue thinking through my whole grocery plan. The keys things that I want to change are the frequency of the trips to the store and the day I do my menu planning and head to the store. (IE: planning around the recent store flyers). Read previous post Here.
However, you gave me another thing to consider, and that was using cash only. Yikes! I can't even believe I am actually considering it! It's slightly frightening, because it's such a control issue for me. It's like giving up control, of those "what if I overspend? What if I don't have enough money at the register??" questions. I know that seems completely backwards, and I am trying to figure it out myself. I know if I use a calculator, and I tally everything up, I will actually be the one in total control of the budget. But what if I want to buy something else, and I don't have room in the budget? That's what I'm talking about....I want to buy what I want when I want (within reason, not like a big ticket item or anything, I'm talking about TGIFriday's frozen appetizers on sale 5 for $8)....that's the control I mean.
But then I also thought this: It can actually be fun, if I set the grocery budget on the higher end. Everything I don't spend in that envelope gets rolled over into the next week. When I finally have enough built up after about 4 weeks, I can put it in savings! Now some of you may already be doing this, but for me this was such a novel idea...you'll have to bear with my light bulb moment. lol!
Thank you all for your responses yesterday. They really helped me to continue thinking through my whole grocery plan. The keys things that I want to change are the frequency of the trips to the store and the day I do my menu planning and head to the store. (IE: planning around the recent store flyers). Read previous post Here.
However, you gave me another thing to consider, and that was using cash only. Yikes! I can't even believe I am actually considering it! It's slightly frightening, because it's such a control issue for me. It's like giving up control, of those "what if I overspend? What if I don't have enough money at the register??" questions. I know that seems completely backwards, and I am trying to figure it out myself. I know if I use a calculator, and I tally everything up, I will actually be the one in total control of the budget. But what if I want to buy something else, and I don't have room in the budget? That's what I'm talking about....I want to buy what I want when I want (within reason, not like a big ticket item or anything, I'm talking about TGIFriday's frozen appetizers on sale 5 for $8)....that's the control I mean.
But then I also thought this: It can actually be fun, if I set the grocery budget on the higher end. Everything I don't spend in that envelope gets rolled over into the next week. When I finally have enough built up after about 4 weeks, I can put it in savings! Now some of you may already be doing this, but for me this was such a novel idea...you'll have to bear with my light bulb moment. lol!
Posts
3 comments:
To add to your thinking: I don't add anything up while I shop. And I get extra things if I need them without wondering if I'll be overbudget.
Here's how: the groceries are the first thing that I take out of my money. Since I am cash only on everything, the cash in my purse is more than enough to cover all kinds of groceries. I get what I want and need, then if I go over what I wanted to spend, I am more limited on what I can do the rest of the week.
I would rather not be in a bind at the grocery store and instead cut out lunch out if those are my choices.
I try to spend about the same amount each week, so I'm rarely surprised at the total at the register. I usually am within $20 of my intended total. That's without any adding of anything ahead of time. If my budget were so tight that I didn't have $20 wiggle room, I might be more inclined to pre-plan better.
Lastly, there are some weeks when I don't spend much. For instance, what you saw me get on Monday is all I'm getting this week. I had enough food for all my meals already in the house, so I didn't have to get anything other than my stockpile items. So, I still have a good amount left in my groceries section of my envelopes. I'm ordering some stamps with that grocery money ;)
Oh my goodness what Karen does is so what I do.
I used to always go grocery shopping on the same day every week and buy the same things. Mary Hunt author of Debt Proof Living suggested going one day later each week. The only problem we've had is perishables, namely milk. So now we go grocery shopping 2 times a month with a milk stops in between. We went from spending $240 a month to $130.
Post a Comment