I get this is a volcanic election year, but I’m just sharing facts.
The economy isn’t great. Inflation is ridiculous.
I’m an Aldi shopper and a few years ago, I’d buy the flatbread. I could make two pizzas out of that, a quick dinner. The cost? $1.25. Now? Last I checked, $3.59.
With that kind of math, it’s time to put into practice some smart grocery shopping.
One day I was in line and a guy remarked at one of my choices that I’ll share below. When I explained the reasoning, he was intrigued. By the time I wrapped up my mini Ted talk, there was a crowd. This news was news to them. Me? It was how I was raised.
So here are ten tips you can try to surrender any unnecessary expenses.
Create a meal plan
We have a whiteboard on display where I write what’s for dinner. When I know what’s for dinner, I also know what ingredients I need. This is way cheaper than eating out or going daily to the store trying to figure it out. I keep in mind what our schedule is each day and the weather. If it’s 90 with high humidity, I don’t want the oven on. If I’m making a big meal, I want to be sure everyone is home.
Make a list and Bring it
After I’ve figured out what’s for dinner for the week, then I write out what ingredients do I need that I don’t have. I use the app AnyList. My phone is always with me, so by creating my list on an app, I know I won’t forget it. Trust me, if you leave the list behind, you spend more.
Generic Brands are Your Friends
I relax by reading Reddit. One Subreddit was about work secrets. My jaw dropped when I read the confession that a husband worked at a warehouse and most of a certain item with a brand name is made at the same place as the generic. The only difference? The label. The label!! I admit there are exclusions. When I wore contacts, I did not use generic. My dishwasher tabs are name brand because I find the generic didn’t wash as well and left streaks. But for most of your grocery shopping including over-the-counter meds and supplements, go generic. Oh, another confession? A pharmacist told me there is zero difference between a night-time med and a daytime. It’s all marketing. So there’s that.
Don’t Shop Hungry
Trust me on this. If you go on an empty stomach, you will veer off the list and buy food you want but don’t need. You will spend more.
Speaking of Want
My parents drilled this into my sister and me. When we wanted something we saw on a commercial they asked if we wanted it, or did we need it? We lived a lot of years paycheck to paycheck. There wasn’t room for wants. Ask yourself before a bigger purchase, do I want this or do I need this? Are you in a lot of debt? Maybe you should ask that for every purchase. For my husband and I, we set an amount where we both not only asked but asked each other. It really curbed spontaneous spending.
Compare
This is where my husband excels. I tend to want to get right on and out so I often don’t want to be bothered comparing sizes and prices, but he’s right. There have been a few times it was cheaper to buy the bigger dog food bag because there was more food for less price. Take the time.
About the Membership Stores
Sam’s Club is what’s in our area and we are members. I believe the savings we receive getting gas lately pays for the membership, or close. However, we don’t shop inside very often. We are a family of three now. There aren’t a lot of bulk items we need that not only save us money but don’t perish. For bigger families, it’s a great place. For us? We tend to browse and start buying what we don’t need.
Stock Up if You Can
Although Aldi doesn’t have perks or sales, other stores do. Meijer can be a jackpot for us when meat is on sale and there are times when the price is so good I buy an extra. We have a deep freezer (also a good idea to overall save as on weeks the bills are high, I can draw from the freezer instead of buying) and store those extras.
Give and Watch
I have found when times are really bad and I’m having a hard time believing it will get better, I make myself give to a charity or a person in need. There is a saying that you “can’t outgive God.” I am a Jesus girl, so I believe that to be true, and I put it into practice. I remember years ago I had a real fear of not having enough money because things were super tight. I was at the store and a mom ahead of me had a few items on the belt but kept asking the total. She was taking things off the belt and apologizing to her young children. A quick scan showed me it was a $20 purchase, and I knew I needed to pay. I did it not for reward, but to show God I trusted Him. My card did not decline. In fact, when I give or give more, it might not look great on paper, but we always come out ahead.
If you are an evangelical Christian, I’m going to assume you understand the Biblical concept of tithing. This message is only for them. If you aren’t tithing you are missing a blessing. If you control the tithe and where it goes, my opinion is that’s a trust God issue. I used to skim on the tithe because I did so much here or there and guess what? We had financial storms I think could have been avoided. My husband the day his paycheck comes in goes right online and gives. As our pastors say, “We get to give.” It’s not about the church scamming us. It’s about giving God what is His anyway. Again, I’m only looking at the evangelicals on this one. Anyone else, try giving $5 to a charity or something similar. It really helps perspective.
No Credit
We use a debit card for our groceries, but I usually choose the credit option. The difference is the purchase is paid right from our checking. An actual credit card isn’t something I’d advise for groceries. If you can’t pay the total at the end of the month you should not be using a credit card. That’s how I was raised. I know some cards give cash back. I’m not versed on that, but we learned on the Larry Burkette cash in the envelope system. It’s hard but smart.
If you’ve never had a plan for groceries, I hope this helps. Can you think of anything I missed?
This substack is about surrender issues and chocolate. The chocolate? That cake at Aldi, like a bundt cake? So good. I haven’t had one in years, but it has been tempting. However, I stop myself with that one little question from #5…