Last week I talked about strategizing going wrong.
This week I’d like to talk about accidental strategizing.
Lest you think I’ve got it all together because I write blogs about food shopping, remember that my most recent topics have been strategy fails and wins that happen by accident. It keeps me humble. ;)
But hey, I’ll take any win, even an accidental win.
If you’ve been following my shopping trips for the last year or so, you might have noticed a pattern. If you did notice this pattern, you’re a step ahead of me because I literally only recognized it yesterday. The pattern goes like this.
1st Trip of the Month: Feeling all shiny and new with the budget back to the set point, $75. Stay juuuust within the budget on a trip that is fairly well spread out, proteins, produce, dairy.
2nd Trip of the Month: Still riding that high from last week’s budget reset, inevitably go a little wild in either produce or protein, ending up over budget but not sorry about it.
3rd Trip of the Month: Starting to feel bad about that budget rebellion, trying to be good and stick to the essentials, but run out of some staple and of course it’s not on sale, and of course over budget again.
4th Trip of the Month: Duly chastened, and well stocked with most everything I need, I’m able to stay well under budget. If I’m really lucky, there is a teeny, tiny left over for the Disney Fund. I breathe a sigh of relief.
Rinse and repeat, we do this whole dance again the next month.
While inserting the weekly grocery trips into my budget worksheets from the Saving to Disney course, I noticed that the second week numbers jumped pretty high, with a much tamer number in the third week (last week). So then I looked at last month. Same thing. The month before? Same thing. You know what they say about things that come in threes: you’ve got yourself a pattern. Just to be sure, I checked the three months before that, and wouldn’t you know it? Same thing.
They say the first step is admitting you have a problem. The second step is figuring out how to not blow all your money on Swordfish.
March is a fun month to make this realization because with March you get a bonus week. This week, in fact. Recognizing my spending patterns and propensity to cut it a little close, I can make conscious efforts to stay steady. Sometimes we need to go over budget. There’s a sale on an essential, or there’s swordfish. Knowing when you are most likely to spend more will help you be conscious of the other purchases you are making that week that are less than needed. I normally pick up a can of two of tomatoes because I use them so often. But if I know that I am more likely to go over budget the second or third week of my trip, I can leave off the cans that time. This way I am still getting the food I need, and continuing to save my family money.
We do a great work for our families with the couponing and the budgeting and the apps and the savings. When we’ve been doing it a while (in my case, a whole year!) it can start to feel routine. We’ve seen all the sales, we’ve done all the coupon stacking. If you’re me, maybe you start to think you’ve got it all figured out. But as it turns out, a quick look at the numbers, and it turns out there are still ways for me to improve, to be a better saver and shopper.
At least I was able to learn this lesson privately and not on some public forum, like a blog read by thousands of people, amirite? ;)
- Bananas, 1.55 lb-$.85.
- Ben & Jerry’s, 1/2 pint (2)-$5.98. On sale with Buy 6, Save $3.
- Blackberries, pint (2)-$5.58.
- Boar’s Head Honey Maple Turkey, .5 lb-$4.99.
- Clementines, 5 lbs-$3.99.
- Creamette Pasta (2)-$.98. Buy 6, Save $3.
- Gouda-$3.09.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 4.37 lbs-$7.70. $1 off with a *Digital Coupon*.
- Honey Bunches of Oats-$1.79. Buy 6, Save $3.
- Kroger Canned Tomatoes (2)-$.98.
- Kroger Pork Meatballs-$1.99. $1 off with a *Digital Coupon*.
- Kroger Sausage, 1 lb-$1.99. $1 off with a *Digital Coupon*.
- Kroger Tortilla Chips-$0. Free with a *Digital Coupon*.
- Mangoes (2)-$1.98.
- Private Selection Marjoram-$1.94.
- Simple Truth Organic Ginger-$2.34.
- Sweet Baby Ray Buffalo Sauce-$.99. On sale, and additional discount with Buy 6, Save $3.
- Apps I’ll Submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta (.15 off Honey Bunches of Oats, .25 off Ice Cream, Any Brand, .25 off Any Item)
Total Budget: $63.93
Total Spent: $47.16
Total Saved: $23.41
Rolled Over to Next Trip: $16.77
Have you noticed a spending or saving pattern in your grocery trips? How long have you been smart shopping? Tell the truth, did you notice my patterns way before I did? Tell me all about it in the comments!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey three years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!