I am going out today with the intent to purchase all I think we will need from the grocery store for the next month. I don't know how it will work out! But I am willing to attempt it. I am planning to freeze the milk and I think everything else I can do OK with. any last minute advice, I am not leaving for a few hours!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 21, 2002

Answers

I would suggest you purchase a few odd things so that later in the month you have different things available when you run short of the normals. Maybe something like canned mackrel, hush puppy mix, ethnic meal mixes, basicly things you have not tried before. Have you ever had scolloped potatoes with carmeled pineapple topping?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 21, 2002.

But how will you take advantage and sales and loss leaders--my main budgeting help?

I once figured out that going to the large stores with membership like costco were not as cost effective as hitting two or three local supermarkets for their sales and loss leaders.

I don't make trips out of my way--I stop at the store on my way in to town (for instance to church on sundays and wed. eves). I ask my husband to go to one store that is near his office.

This has been very cost effective for me.

Now for you this may work--as I know that like us, you grow alot of your veggies and fruit. You even have alot of venison, right? And eggs. So I guess you'd be out looking for sugar, flour--basics, right?

Will you institute a little once a month cooking too?

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), March 21, 2002.

I do what Anne does, mostly,, buy most of teh things at bulk/Sams/GFS, then when I DO go to town,,ILl stop and get some specials. I also found most of the time, ,milk is less expensive at the gas station than the grocery stores,, unless they are runnning a sale. I also always check the managers met specials while IM there

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), March 21, 2002.

True Ann, I may pop in for these little odds and ends. I mostly shop at Aldi's and their prices do not change much. If there is an exceptionally good deal, I can always have my Mom pick it up for me and send it home from work with Cale.

I am thinking that the more I stay out of the stores it may help to decrease picking up all of those snacky type items you don't really need, and force me to cook more from scratch. I do have a freezer full of meat, and I have an extra refrigerator I can store fresh fruits and vegetables in. I might have to make it every 2 weeks. We will see how it goes!!!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 21, 2002.

The only adivce I have is to keep a shopping list going all the time. When you realize you are low on something, or would like to add something, write it down then, so that by shopping day, you really know what you need, and hopefully won't get home without something important.

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), March 21, 2002.

Melissa, you are right! The more you go to the store, the more you spend. Most all people get something they hadn't planned to get when they shop more often. My biggest problem, especially in the winter, is the fresh fruits and veggies of which we eat a lot for health reasons. We don't eat a lot of canned foods. We try to have a big salad every day. If I could just figure out a way to grow that stuff inside in the winter! Hope this works out for you. Even with my twice a month cooking, I still have to stop in between for fresh fruit and veggies this time of year.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.

Unintentionally, we started going to a once a month routine for shopping when we joined the local food buying club. (you probably all know what this is...if you don't I will explain it). It's a way to get good food (lots of it organic) and not have to pay as much as at the health food store.

I don't like to shop anyway, so I love the once a month routine of going and picking up the buying club order. It's more work, someone has to place the order, and everyone shows up and unloads the truck and puts each order together..but it has gotten lots faster over the years.

-- Cat (catcrazy@somewhere.com), March 21, 2002.

Well I am back, not unloaded yet but I am home,a nd it is getting colder. I actually "think" I managed to do it. I was really thinking all the way through the store! I did get a lot of fresh stuff, so I am hoping it lasts a good while. I love the freash fruits and vegetables.

Mitch I took your advice and looked for a few things that were a little different than normal.

Of course I can always pop in if I need to, but I just want to see how long I can go without going to a store, so today is Day 1. You guys can join in if you want... make a final trip then let us know how long you can go without buying anything!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 21, 2002.

WRONG! Tomorrow will be DAY 1. I must have left my brain in one of the stores...

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), March 21, 2002.

Costco is great for things like TP/ paper products, pet food, coffee beans, etc. and they carry some of the products our local stores do not carry at all. We go about once a month or so.

As for the other shopping, I go when I'm out anyway (checking the mail, for example) so it is not an extra trip.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 21, 2002.

Also, in some areas, they are doing web grocery shopping, but it is like $10 per order delivery, and they don't accept coupons at all. The delivery charge I can understand, and would consider using the service if it came out where we are, but not unless they accepted coupons.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 21, 2002.

I guess I use a combination of the above ideas. I am home bound and all local shoping is done by my home health care giver. I also hire someone to take me to the nearest larger town once a month and we hit Aldi's, Wal-Mart super center and usually the hardware and lumber yard. What I buy locally is what is on sale these items still beat the price at Aldi's. I use Wal-Mart mostly for the salt free and low to no fat products I need for my diet as the local store just doesn't carry them. I also get stuff from the local Dollar General. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gefozarks@centurytel.net), March 22, 2002.

I pretty much already do this. I go grocery shopping twice a month at a bag your own type store. I go to Walmart for everything else once a month. I go to a mall or similar place about once a year. Once every 3 months or so I go to the Japanese supermarket 30 miles from here. I'm not one to hang out and shop, more of a let's get in, get what we need and get out lol.

I could be really tempted here if I had a consumer mentality. There's a large shopping area less than 1 mile from here. Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, a new Big Lots, Officemax and about 100 smaller stores.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002.