Sometimes, when I am grocery shopping, I will get this flashbacks to the early days of the rumpus. The days of toilet paper and egg shortages. The days when the only pasta in the entire store was $3 for 12 ounces and I bought it no questions.
These days are behind us, evidenced by the improved selection and availability at both my local Kroger and Costco. But these fear flashes, they don’t care about facts. They don’t care about reason. It doesn’t matter to them that I can see a case full of eggs. These fear flashes grab hold of me and whisper, “Sure, they have eggs today. But who knows about tomorrow? Maybe someone will come and buy all the eggs and you’ll never get an omelet again. Remember back when you had to ration eggs? This will make that situation seem like a dream, because this time? This time there won’t even be enough eggs to ration. You’ll be eggless. Forevaaaaaaaaaaah.”
These fear flashes are the worst.
In an effort to quiet the fear flashes during their villain monologue, I buy the thing that I don’t really need but am worried I’ll run out of at some point in the future. I buy the eggs or the canned tomatoes or the baby food, even though I know I have the eggs and the canned tomatoes and the baby food at home. Because it quiets the fear flashes and makes me feel a little better.
Until I get home and I see all the eggs, canned tomatoes, and baby food. Then I feel bad for spending money on items I already had plenty of.
But I’m also trying to be kinder to myself during the rumpus. So instead of beating myself up over the eggs, I’ve developed a little game to play when I am grocery shopping. I call it: Need or Panic?
It goes like this. When the fear flash starts, or when I think I should buy seven of something, I have a deep breath, and ask myself: need or panic? I think through what I already have in my home, and what we ate a lot of this past week. I acknowledge that yes, food was once slightly scarce. But then I look at the well stocked shelves and I exhale. If I need it, I buy it. If it’s panic, I do not.
Gerber baby food is on sale for $1 a pouch. How many should I get? 45? STOP! Need or panic? Well, I do need some. But not that many, because the Teacup is really moving on to solid foods more. But there is a $2 coupon off eight. Ok, need eight. 45 was panic.
Oh look, there is lots of pasta available! Get 200! The budget will understand! STOP! Need or panic? Well, we ate pasta once last week. So we probably only need to get one to replace the one we ate. 200 is panic.
Wow, this fancy cheese is on sale, I should buy a big block. Need. Total need.
- Avocados (4)-$5
- Bananas, 1.49 lb-$.82.
- Boar’s Head Pepperoni, .75 lb-$6.93.
- Clementines, 3 lb-$3.99.
- Gala Apples, 4.36 lb-$5.62.
- Gerber Baby Food Pouches (8)-$6. In-store sale stacked with $2 off eight, makes each pouch $.75.
- Grape Tomatoes (2)-$3.38.
- Haagen Dazs Ice Cream, pint (2)-$4.98. Buy 5, Save $5.
- Heritage Farm Chicken Breasts, 9.51 lb-$18.94
- Honey Bunches of Oats (2)-$5. In-store sale.
- Johnsonville Sausage, 2 lb-$7. In-store sale, $3.50 a pound.
- Kraft Salad Dressing (3)-$2.97. But 5, Save $5 promotion. Guys, remember promotions?
- Kroger Heavy Cream-$3.99.
- Kroger Pasta (1)-$1.
- Pepper Jack Cheese-$3.29.
- Private Selection Bread -$1.99.
- Private Selection Wildflower Turkey, 1 lb-$7.71.
- Red Gold Canned Tomatoes (2)-$2.
- Red Grapes, 1.53 lb-$1.51.
- Red Leaf Lettuce, .93 lb-$1.57.
- Reypener Gouda-$3.89. Manager’s Special.
- Salmon Filets, 2.34 lb-$14.02. In-store sale, $5.99.
- Silk Almond Milk, .5 gal-$1.99. Buy $5, Save $5.
- Simple Truth Organic Garlic Powder-$2.41.
- Strawberries, 4 lb-$3.76. In-store sale, $1.88 for 2 pounds.
- Apps I’ll submit to: Fetch Rewards, CoinOut, Ibotta ($.25 off Strawberries)
Total Budget: $75.15
Total Spent: $122.24
Deducted from Next Week: $47.09
What do you do when you the fear flashes come upon you? What item are you most well stocked on? Share 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!