Shopping, Bills, and Budgeting

[septemberskies]

How often do you shop for groceries and household items? Do you pay close attention to your bills and budget digilently?

I think I go shopping at least twice a week... I try not to buy too much stuff because I find that it goes to waste. I really try to buy things as I need it.

I am also trying to do better about my spending habits and place my self on budget. I am hoping to build a good nest egg for the future.

 

[Blank123]

I'm like you. Once or twice a week as I need to, and then I try to buy only what I need.

 

[Stravinsk]

Usually once a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less - usually depending on whether I wrote a list or not and there is something I need that I didn't think about last time I went shopping.

I try to bulk buy most of the food I eat. Stuff that doesn't perish quickly - dry beans, rice, seeds, nuts, large containers of oil etc. Fresh produce and meat are the items I wind up getting on a weekly basis. I bulk buy the meat though, and freeze it.

Anyway - I don't budget food - but I do eat cheap most of the time because of these habits.

Bulk buy @

Wholesalers who sell to the public
Farmer's markets
Some Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian stores

 

[K9_Trainer]

I'm sort of the one in charge of shopping in my household. Don't really have a budget, but I'm a pretty conservative shopper. I check ads and use coupons and get stuff when its on sale. My most recent trip to Von's, I saved 54% on my bill, it was $23 and I got quite a bit of stuff.

So really I go shopping when there's a sale. Got some good coupons I'm gonna go use soon again.

 

[VintageDon]

Since I eat all fresh vegetables (nothing processed), I have to shop at least once a week, but try to do it on the weekend. Have made friends with the butcher at my local grocery store, and know when 'meat sale' day is, and usually get a special pack from him from time to time.

I don't have a budget per se, but I'm pretty thrifty, and make sure 20% of every paycheck is a split direct deposit into my savings account, that way I don't ever see it as part of the check.

 

[Inkachu]

Grocery shopping several times a week. I don't like stockpiling things, so I'm always stopping here and there for a few things at a time, as we need them. Sometimes I think Josh eats more than I do...

I really stink at planning/budgeting... I've had to create my own budgeting spreadsheet on my computer to keep track of things. Even then, I still mess it up sometimes. But when you're living on pennies, you've GOT to keep track of everything, cause God forbid you overdraw your account .02 and then get slapped with hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees. That's happened to me more than once. At least I'm doing ten times better than I used to, lol.

 

[Amber.ly]

I go about once a week and shop for anything on sale. Rarely do I have a set list unless it comes to household stuff like laundry or cleaning supplies.

I don't have a strict budget for groceries because I mentally keep it under $30-$40 for each week. Yes, I eat little and cook even less. Cooking for 1 is just ridiculous.

 

[Reborn_in_Christ2003]

I usually bulk buy my groceries on pay day (1st/15th of the month), and freeze the meat that I don't need. I'm pretty bad about my budget so this helps make sure that I have food. :o

I go about once a week and shop for anything on sale. Rarely do I have a set list unless it comes to household stuff like laundry or cleaning supplies.

I don't have a strict budget for groceries because I mentally keep it under $30-$40 for each week. Yes, I eat little and cook even less. Cooking for 1 is just ridiculous.

I've found that cooking for 1 is harder than cooking for 8. I'm not sure why. It doesn't help I don't like left overs more than 2 days in a row.

 

[Tink]

I have been horrible at budgeting in the past, but I will get there.

 

[septemberskies]

I cook for 1 so I try not to stock up. I find myself throwing away more than I should which is lots of money out the window. So I've resolved to shopping once or twice a week. I don't think there is a way around it.

I also eat out a lot with friends. I'm trying to cut back on spending there.

I had a co-worker try to get me into couponing but seeing as it's just me, I don't think it would be beneficial. With couponing, you have to buy lots of one item at a time to save.... I don't see it really being a pay off for me because some items take me longer to go through than others.

Does anyone have a good website for budgeting or software to track expenses that they can recommend? I feel I need to be more responsible. I was even thinking about taking a class on it.

 

[septemberskies]

I usually bulk buy my groceries on pay day (1st/15th of the month), and freeze the meat that I don't need. I'm pretty bad about my budget so this helps make sure that I have food. :o



I've found that cooking for 1 is harder than cooking for 8. I'm not sure why. It doesn't help I don't like left overs more than 2 days in a row.

I think part of what bites about cooking for 1 is that there are often leftovers. You become tired of eating the same foods each day. Before you know it you're pushing around the plate from yesterday in the refrig and a couple of days later, it's in the trash

 

[Amber.ly]

I think part of what bites about cooking for 1 is that there are often leftovers. You become tired of eating the same foods each day. Before you know it you're pushing around the plate from yesterday in the refrig and a couple of days later, it's in the trash

YES!

This is exactly why I don't like cooking for just myself. Not to mention, spending the time to make a nice meal for myself alone seems weird and not worth the effort.

 

[white dove]

Usually once a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less - usually depending on whether I wrote a list or not and there is something I need that I didn't think about last time I went shopping.

I try to bulk buy most of the food I eat. Stuff that doesn't perish quickly - dry beans, rice, seeds, nuts, large containers of oil etc. Fresh produce and meat are the items I wind up getting on a weekly basis. I bulk buy the meat though, and freeze it.

Anyway - I don't budget food - but I do eat cheap most of the time because of these habits.

Bulk buy @

Wholesalers who sell to the public
Farmer's markets
Some Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian stores

Me, too! Perhaps it's our age, but I find that at this point, I'm just kinda done with grocery shopping. When I was pregnant, I seriously wanted to pay someone to do it for me. Anyway, I get into love/hate modes with food so I go into love/hate modes with cooking and grocery shopping... so I, too, buy as much as I can in one trip. I try to make it 2 weeks, but as you hinted at, it can get tricky with fruits and veggies. Meats, I freeze, as well. I love buying rice and beans in bulk too because I'm Hispanic, so I make that stuff regularly. I don't budget my groceries unless I'm really pinching it and then I'll stick to my list like hard-core. And then I figure it out in my head as I'm placing things in my cart just how much it's going to be so in that way I "budget" for it.


You're a smart cookie, september. That's wonderful to hear you're saving for your future, too. Me, I've been saving for my son a lot more and in my head, that's okay.. but it's a balancing act and I have to get that part down. I know I should get back into investing for my retirement, too.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Once every two weeks.. I eat a lot of subway because I can get the footlongs for $3. I just started saving.. it feels damn good to be honest.