MARTHA-GROCERY SHOPPING

People have been asking about family grocery shopping.  As we have a farm, we grow as much of our vegetables, fruit, etc. that we can.  Also, we raise cows, chickens and pigs for our meat and eggs.  I have tried to raise herbs, but I kill them, so I now get them from Jean. 

On Sunday, we get the local newspaper for the news, but also for the coupons that come.  I have a box that I cut the coupons out of the paper and put them in the box. Some coupons that I don't use, I pass on someone else. I also check to see what stores have sales.

Before I go grocery shopping I figure out my menus for two weeks.  I check and see what we have in the house and what I have to purchase. I make up a grocery list that I take with me.  Also, I eat before I got to the grocery store so I don't buy things we don't need.  I try to go alone grocery shopping or take as few of my children as I can with me.  That may sound mean-but I don't have them talking me into things we really don't need.  I must hire a driver to take me to the store and I can go through the store faster alone, then I can with someone with me. 

With such a large family, I buy a lot in bulk, so I don't have to go back and forth to the store.  When going, I usually go to Aldi's as that is the closest surplus store.  Sometimes if there is a big sale on something and I want to stock up, I go to Save a Lot that is a little further away.  I also will buy dented cans-make sure they aren't badly dented.  Some stores have day old breads, rolls, etc.  Even though I make my own, if the price is right, I buy some to put in the freezer in case we run out and I don't have time to make them. 

In the store I buy what's on the grocery list first.  Like many people, we also have a desire for junk foods, but they come if I have enough money left from our needed grocery. Brands are brands to me in most of my items-I don't look for special names especially if something is on sale.  There are some exceptions, but most of the time it doesn't matter.  Our junk foods are soda pop, pop corn, Twinkees (they're mine), etc.  I am so glad Twinkees are coming back-they were my favorites from the English world. 

When checking out I stand right there and watch the cash register.  Sometimes cash register people make mistakes when checking items out.  When I get home, I go over the sales recipt with the groceries again to make sure everything is right. I unpack the groceries.

As far as junk foods go, I buy a certain amount and when they are gone-they are gone until I get to the grocery store again and if there is enough money for them.  Soft drinks is the big problem especially with summer coming.  We make root beer and ginger ale, but there's nothing like a Coke or Pepsi sometimes according to the children.  At first they use to drink them all down during the first week that I bought them, but now they realize they have to make them last longer. 

Money for our regular groceries comes from what we make on the dairy and farming.  The junk food comes from part of the money I make from the vegetables I sell from the garden, cakes and pies I make for people, etc.  If I don't sell anything-we don't get anything. 

We make our own bread, cookies, cakes, pies, rolls, etc. although, like I said I keep a couple loaves of bread and rolls in the freezer just in case. 

I hope this helps on how we save money.  Joseph has never said anything about the money I spend on groceries.  I try to not to waste the money.

Be With the Lord,
Martha