Grocery Budget Challenge: Week 3 Results
19 Feb
This was the toughest week so far to stay under our budget of $150. Yesterday was my son’s 4th birthday and tomorrow we’re having a little birthday party. Never the less we just scraped in. Due to some planning early in the month, I have been including a few party purchases every week for the past few weeks which eased the burden this week.
I’ve continued to try out more home brand products where we would usually buy a known brand as thus far we have not found one that has suffered quality or taste wise. We’ve been happily surprised to find that the home brand tomato sauce, tomato paste and packet pasta are every bit as good as their expensive counterparts.
Next week we’ll round out the month and tally the results. I think we have made it under budget all too easily so far and I’m wondering if we can make further reductions to bring the monthly grocery allowance in from $600 to $480. Next month we may just aim for this by shopping fortnightly instead of weekly for everything but fruit and veg and see how much difference that can make.
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Hi Robyn, I like this series. I too, struggle to continually refine and reduce my grocery budget. I guess we have been on a strict grocery budget for more than 10 years. It was one of the first things I did to get my financial house in order. Looking forward to hearing if spreading out your shopping trips helps reduce your bill!
Happy B-Day to your son! Hope he had a wonderful party!
I like Costco for the fact I only have to buy paper towels and such once a year.
First of all, happy birthday to your little one :)
I´m happy that you´re starting to see some results with the method I use.
As I mentioned before, in some items, white brand products and supermarket brands have very similar quality as known brands.
My theory is: We pay more for certain brands because they have higher advertising costs (ex: TV advertising) and consumers are the ones who pay for their advertising costs.
See you soon :)
Mizé
.-= Mizé´s last blog ..My Job: Contract Renewal =-.
John I think it’s an area where it’s all too easy to overspend. Yet with just a bit of planning and discipline – lots of money to be saved and I know that makes you as happy as it does me! :) Thanks for the well wishes he had a great time.
Vange, there’s only 1 Costco in Australia ( finally opened last year in Melbourne ) the rest of the country is waiting for expansion and it’s set to open up the market here. Coles/Myer and Woolworths have an absolute stranglehold on supermarkets and just about everything else for that matter including petrol stations, bottleshops and hardware stores! Apparently we’ve been hit with steeper rises here in Australia than the rest of the western world for the past 10 years despite being so resource rich! It’s a joke.
Mizé Thanks for the well wishes. So far so good with the challenge. Think we can push it a little further – we’ll see next month. I think you’re spot on regarding the advertising/ higher prices of the well known brands. Still following you closely. Congratulations on your contract renewal.
Hi again! Just couldn’t help but notice your comment about Woolworths having a stanglehold on the market there in Australia. That is a name I haven’t heard in along time! Here in Virginia Beach, VA, the last Woolworths closed it’s doors over 20 years ago!
I will say this, if Costco is able to open more stores, they will give those other chains a real run for their money! I love Costo, Sams Club and BJ’s wholesale clubs. BUT, you have to buy right, because some things ARE NOT a deal and can be purchased for less, on sale, with a coupon :), in the regular old supermarket.
It’s called the “five and dime” in the States yeah?
Coupons have just not taken off here and I don’t understand why. Maybe Coles and Woolworths have conspired to keep them out as they share the market! We have weekly specials but not the coupons that I read about on a stack of blogs. Doing the coupon thing well (not getting tempted to buy stuff you don’t need) from what I’ve read would save us a lot.
Just sent you an email :)
Hey Robyn- It’s already the 21st of the month, and We have only spent, $132.00, which leaves us, $268.00.
We get “paid”, on the 11th, and 15th. With no complaints from our “landlords”.
Peace Out, Superhero!
p.s. Still lookin for the costume 8>)
.-= Don E. Chute´s last blog ..FEDERLIST FRIDAY 2.19.2k10 =-.
Hey Don,
Good stuff mate. Keep up the good work.
Robyn
PS Have to dig the costume out – you’ll have to continue to be patient