I posted this awhile ago but it may help you when you settle down. http://www.thecentsiblelife.com/2009/02/04/grocery-price-book/

If you have a lot of time on your hands from now until the move setting up a menu would make things really easy for you guys. You could just do a weekly menu and then rinse and repeat.

I will say I am notorious for slashing the budget too far, but in your case it seems like a little more thought might net a hefty savings. I saw something recently that said that by just purchasing off the shelf like you are the same items cost nearly twice as much!

I’m not a fan of coupons since most of the items that have coupons are packaged foods, and we eat a fairly healthy diet. I use my price book, and shop approx monthly at each of 4 stores in our area. I combine 2 of the stores that are further away, but it only takes me 2 hours total shopping/travel time. I save time in the long run since I don’t have to go to the local (more expensive for most things) store as often.

My challenge, I like to eat products that aren’t as processed. I don’t like foods that come in cans, frozen, or in boxes. When it comes to produce that can be cheap, but for other things like buying organic hand pressed sicilian pasta instead of 99 cents barilla, that is expensive and in my head there is always that tiny voice that says, “You can over budget because it’s food that is good for you.”

Great job Baker at trying out a video post. it was engaging and nice to see the man behind the blog.

Comparison shopping doesn’t have to mean going to a lot of different places. It can mean shopping for different things at different times. Earlier commenters mentioned a pricebook. It is an invaluable tool. (This won’t help you in the next few weeks, but after you settle down.) Watch the ads and look for low prices on items. When you see a good price – and especially if you can coordinate with a coupon – stock up. Try to buy enough (assuming that it isn’t perishable) to last until that item goes on sale again. Only buy things when they are at a low price. When I make my list each week, I never shop for what I need for the week, I shop for what is on sale. Then I make my menus based on what I have. It takes a while to get started with this, but can really pay off in the end.

One other observation – don’t wait until the envelope is almost empty to institute the saving measures. Start saving when the envelope is full and it won’t empty as quickly. You used the comparison of entertainment. The difference is that when the entertainment envelope is empty you can stop going out, but when the food envelope is empty, you still need to eat! Too often we wait until we feel the pinch and then try to save. If we start saving earlier, we won’t feel the pinch as soon. Common sense, but we all forget it too often.

Good luck.

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We buy things we need in bulk at Costco. For things we rotate out weekly, like fruits and veggies, we find it more economical to buy it at a local produce stand rather than buy in bulk from Costco. We only make two stops to Costco and the produce stand by car. We don’t buy the cheapest tomato paste at Safeway, then stop at WF for oj, then buy toilet paper from Costco, then buy an apple from the farmer’s market. That would be ridiculous.

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We are pretty good about making a list. Like everyone, we occasionally slip up and buy something not on it, but for the most part this is a strength. Creating a meal plan ahead of time, isn’t though. That would be a pretty big step for us, but something that’ll be much needed once we expand our family even more.

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