Friday, March 13, 2009

The Grocery Challenge: Making the Most of your Money

Hello world!

This morning's post will be another quickie. I went to sleep at about 1am and I'm up very early getting ready to head to work to finish my research before driving a couple of hours to court. I've earned my weekend bloggies! :o)

On to the post . . .

As most of you know for a little while now I've tried my best to stretch my grocery-shopping dollar. While the boy and I are blessed to have good secure jobs there is no doubt that in this economy (the r-word) we should all try to be a little wiser with our money.

Getting more bang for your buck is particularly high given rising grocery prices. And it's not only in my neck of the woods (Canada); recently Zesty of Zesty Cook wrote a post entitled "Are Grocery Prices Over the Top?" Most readers stated that they too have seen prices increase. From bread, to milk, to eggs . . . everything is more expensive!

And so I have challenged myself! Every week I read all of the local grocery store adverts and make an effort to shop sales whenever possible. I am also avoiding going to the grocery store as often as before. When I shop I also go with a list - that way I only leave with what I intended to get!

Want to see this week's haul?


Grand Total? $61.09!! Not bad at all! :o)


That total includes: 1.5kg of beef (I'm cooking it pot-au-feu style in the slow cooker - I'll get several meals out of this), Almond Breeze, Yogi Kombucha Green Tea, thyme, smoked tofu (a new and much loved discovery), three garlic heads, mushrooms, 5kg of gala apples, yogurt, two cans of diced tomatoes, two massive bunches of bananas, about 7 small carrots, one bag of whole-wheat flour, a large bag of frozen mangoes, two massive bunches of kale, and one large bag of spinach.


How about you? Have you also noticed grocery prices increasing? How are you coping? Do you find yourself going vegetarian as a result?

6 comments:

Krista said...

My grocery bills have definitely increased. Instead of buying pre-packaged snacks for lunches, I'm buying bulk and dividing it myself. Same goes for dry goods such as rice, pasta, lentils, etc. HELLO Bulk Barn!!! I'm also buying more frozen veg then fresh and steak has been put on the back burner!!!

Leah @ Simply Fabulous said...

I love this post! Steve and I are always trying to save money when grocery shopping. We always look for the sales and try to make meals that will give us a couple of nights worth. Were not going vegetarian but we do have many meat-less meals or buy the faux-versions of meals which are usually cheaper!

http://simplyfabulousnow.wordpress.com

Aron said...

I quit eating meat a few months ago, not for the money reason but I have found it saves us a lot of money!! My husband isnt a veg but now he only eats it out or at other people's houses :)

A Toronto girl out West said...

Krista,

We've been doing the same things with snacks. Take yesterday for instance - I almost bought oatmeal cookies for the boys but decided to make something instead.

And frozen vegetables are definitely the way to go - at least for things like broccoli!

Leah,

Have you found food to be a lot more expensive in England?

I have a friend who lives in Kent and she used to say her parents used to find it cheaper to go to France for the day, grocery shop, and have a meal out rather than just go grocery shopping in England! Apparently they could get WAY more bang for their buck in France!!!

aron,

Why did you quit eating? I have to admit I have days where I'd consider it. And other days when I feel like a full out meatarian (sounds nicer than carnivore).

Today was one of those "I could live without meat days."

Marianne (frenchfriestoflaxseeds) said...

I would never go vegetarian just because it was cheaper - not my style. Plus I'm not giving up my seafood EVER. Mmmm, seafood. I just pick and choose what I'm going to buy meat wise based on price, or if I'm really having a craving.

I'm surprised that only cost $61 though! But I guess I have a harder time buying some things in bulk, because if they are perishable, I'm the only one here to eat them up.

A Toronto girl out West said...

Marianne,

I hear you. See I think I could give up everything but the seafood. I do think I will eat more of a veggie lifestyle though. Mostly 'cause I'm going through one of my periods where a lot of protein isn't doing it for me.

And yeah I was impressed too - lately my local Save-On has been my friends. Pretty well everything I've been buying has been on sale. Waaay cheaper than Superstore or Safeway!