Should old groceries be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should all our budgets be forgot
And auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, SavEars
For auld lang syne
We’ll buy all o’ the food we want
For auld lang syne
And surely you will coupon some
And find manager’s specials too
We’ll buy all o’ the food we want
For auld lang syne
You guys, that song is long. Did I know how long that song was? I did not. It goes on pretty much until the next New Year, when you have to start singing it all over again.
Speaking of the new year, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I’ve been very busy with January Toy Clearance at Target, and Christmas Clearance at Hallmark, but the family’s still gotta eat, you know what I mean?
And we have been anxiously awaiting the new year for one reason and one reason only: New Grocery Budget!
Yes, my friends, the time has come to talk of budgets and things. The day we’ve all been waiting for.
In the past, when we’ve increased our budget for reasons of child growth, we’ve just upped it ten dollars and called it good. But that was when our children were very small humans, who ate what was in front of them, didn’t have specific dietary needs, and enjoyed portion sizes similar to those of a small bird. Not only do we need to to accommodate the Teacup’s incoming teeth and her move to solid foods, we need to accommodate the Glass Slipper’s constant, ravenous appetite and the Frying Pan’s low to no carb/high fiber diet. And somewhere in there, we need to remember Mr.B has Type 1 Diabetes, and I don’t care for pork all that much.
So for the month of January, we are conducting an experiment to determine our grocery budget. Each week, I can buy whatever I want/need with no budget concerns whatsoever. Obviously, I’m still shopping to the sale, still using coupons when I can, still tracking down those manager’s specials. But the goal is to get what I need each week for four very specific diets, without overly constricting myself. This also means, challenging as it is, that I need to lay low on stocking up on things. At least for the duration of the experiment. Then, at the end of the month, we’ll average all the trips together and voila: our new grocery budget.
Now, you might be tempted to ask, “Girl, how can you afford to just magically up your grocery budget? Does money fall from the sky where you live?” Not hardly. Here is how we do it: some years, like this one, Mr. B gets a raise. His raise started in 2020, so that will accommodate our grocery needs perfectly. Other years, like last year, and the year before that, there were no raises, but we still needed to adjust our grocery budget. So we moved money from both our Home Fund, which covers household goods like toilet paper as well as home improvement projects, and our Entertainment Fund, which covers things like eating out and going to the movies. There is a reason Kristen B Sees Movies only happens a few times a year. Entertainment money usually goes somewhere else. To our tummies.
I went on this grocery trip with a twinkle in my eye and an auld lang syne on my heart. I can’t remember the last time I shopped without a budget. It has to have been over five years ago, before I did the Saving to Disney course. But even having all that freedom, I didn’t go crazy. Though I was tempted to get the fancy, name brand sausage, I tried to stay within the means of products (store brand, sale prices) while mostly increasing my quantity.
Though, between you and me, I did take a little walk on the wild side and try some new products. Gotta get your kicks where you can, amirite?
- Bananas, 1.81 lb-$1.07.
- Bell Peppers (3)-$2.57. *Digital Coupon* for $.40 off Orange Bell peppers. Strangely specific coupon, but I’ll take it.
- Blueberries, pint (2)-$5.
- Boar’s Head Sandwich Pepperoni, .5 lb-$4.25.
- Clementines, 3 lb-$2.47. In-store sale!
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 10.56 lb-$21.02.
- Kroger Milk, .5 gal (2)-$1.98. 21 cents cheaper than a full gallon!
- Kroger Sausage, 1lb-$2.49. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- London Broil, 2.02 lb-$8.06. In store sale, $3.99 a pound.
- Mom’s Best Cereal (4)-$5.96. Originally $2.49 each, a *Digital Coupon* (that I added in store!) brought them down to $1.49, for a savings of $4, a 40% savings.
- Merry Estate Gouda-$7.14.
- Private Selection Honey Ham, .25 lb-$2.30.
- Private Selection Wildflower Turkey, .5 lb-$3.82.
- Private Selection Wheat Bread-$1.99.
- Red Leaf Lettuce, .66 lb-$1.12.
- Simple Truth Almond Milk (2)-$4. $2.50 each, $1 off 2 with *Digital Coupon*.
- Simple Truth Baby Food Packets (10)-$10. In-store sale, $10 for 10.
- Simple Truth Coriander-$2.41. In-store sale!
- Simple Truth Fruit Spread-$2.99. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Simple Truth Honey Graham Crackers-$2.09. *Digital Coupon* for $.50 off.
- Starbucks Coffee-$7.99. Now Mr. B is addicted. Though, he is correct in saying it’s cheaper than actually GOING to Starbucks.
- Strawberries, 2 lb-$5.
- Vidal Onions, 2.21 lb-$2.19.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, Ibotta ($.20 Off Any Item), CoinOut
Total Budget: 1 Million Dollars
Total Spent: $105.42
Total Saved: $29.88
Okay, first entry into the experiment! Week One, $105.42. That budget is a thing of beauty. What do you think next week’s will be?
I’m dying to know how to change your grocery budget according to growing children and dietary needs. What systems work for you? Share them with me 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 five 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!