grocery schedule anyone?

[hsmamato2]

Hi- I'm really good at getting bargains, and matching coupons with sales for groceries,just dicovered the joys of Aldi's... BUT... I don't like how often I'm shopping. No matter how much I save, (and I do!) I still feel like I could be overspending b/c I go too often- does that make sense? right now I spend between 300-450 a month for 4 (ds has wicked allergies and requires some special stuff) my shelves are stocked well after last months huge sales-
what kind of schedule do you have for shopping? How often, and for what? How to determine when to buy what? Is it silly to try to go like 2x a month? thanks for any advice

 

[Nicolepa]

what kind of schedule do you have for shopping? How often, and for what? How to determine when to buy what? Is it silly to try to go like 2x a month? thanks for any advice

I only go grocery shopping when the sales warrent a trip. Mid October I made a menu thru November and shopped for everything that wouldn't spoil. After that I only went to the store when the sales were worth it. I think I have been 2x since the begining of October. If there aren't lots of things on sale that I need to stock up on then I don't go. I think I only spent $200 for October groceries. Normally I go 1x a week .

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I go twice a month, on the 1st and the 15th (roughly) of each month. It works well for us. I make a list before I go of 15 dinners based on what I have at home that I can use. I usually make one trip in between big trips for milk. We usually spend $700 a month (family of 7) using approximately $30 worth of coupons each trip, but with alot of the meal ideas I've gotten from the DISers I've pared down to $550 this month, even with our Thanksgiving meal items.

I do find that if I have to go in for anything else I tend to pick things up just because they look good or are on sale and end up spending more than I should so I try to just stop at a gas station for milk or ask Dh to get it on his way home from work.

 

[staceyfe]

Since the price of gas has increased, I have decreased my trips (groceries and everything else) to 1x/week. And you know what? I've decreased my spending by quite a bit. I average about $175-200/mo for a family of 3 in food. My spending on everything else (clothes, impulse (read-stupid) buys, etc.) has also substantially decreased and I have more time because I'm not out shopping.

 

[hsmamato2]

Thanks for the replies! I think what I need to work on is what I use and how often, I tend to decide the same day what we'll have to eat, based on what's in the house, so when I see good sales, I go more often than I actually need to- b/c if the milk's a good price, then I see the eggs, or whatever, and get a cartful every time! And even with saving, that can be what's causing me to get too much..... I'd like to try and get down to a 2x a month schedule...