Question of the day?????

What kind of shopper are you? I was thinking about this this morning as I was going through my weekly ads trying to figure out what I want to do for groceries this coming week. Do you buy what is on sale and plan your meals around that or do you just buy what really sounds good? I am on a pretty strict budget. I have to buy all of our groceries, personal products, paper products and cleaning products for around $600 a month (150 a week) for our family of 5. I shop every 2 weeks and generally buy whatever products we use that are on sale. I take advantage of the double coupons and the super double coupons at my local grocery stores and I also use the cash register coupons they give me and any coupons I can get out of the newspaper. I am also willing ot go to several grocery stores in my area to get what they have on sale. I try to only buy the sale Items I went to that particular store for, though so I can save money. I have a list of meals I can create with certain ingredients that go on sale a lot and this helps. I also do a lot of crock pot meals which usually stretches my money out if I plan carefully. For example, pork roast one night can be turned into pork sandwiches the next night and can also be added to a caserole on a third night. Buying the pork bulk reduces my overall cost and I end up saving a lot in the long run. There have been times where i have actually saved as much as $70 using coupons this way. So what is your method? Do you have any secret shopping tips to help us frugal shoppers save even more? Happy Shopping!!! Hugs, Jaimee

I need to come and take Jaimee lessons on how to shop. Everything is so good about you/ I am so jealous lol. love,Cindy Is your house always imaculate too?????

I wouldn't say everything about me is good. I am a work in progress. If you read my profile you will see many of my glaringly obvious faults. I guess that is part of being human though. We all have areas we can improve in. I am just grateful that my husband has the ability to show me some much needed grace when I mess up. As far as the groceries go, It is a matter of wants vs. needs. I am constantly having to ask myself if it is really something I need or just something that would be convenient and nice to have. We are one income so I really don't have a lot of chioce in the matter. I grew up in a situation where there were often months with my dad out of work (he was a construction worker and many times there was no work available) and we really has to make do. I can remember eating pork and beans because my mom could get them on sale for 4 cans for a dollar. I hated them, but it was nourishment and we couldn't afford to be picky. I think that taught me something about getting as much as you can for your dollars. Plus, I think it important to show good stewardship with everything God has blessed us with. Once upon a time, before I had kids, my house was immaculate. Now I try to keep it clean, it often has piles of paperwork on the horizontal surfaces because I choose to spend much of my time doing things with and for my kids. They are my priority. I think I would regret trying too hard to keep the house perfect at their expense. There is a season for everything and this is not the season for me to have a showcase to live in. Most of my friends have a similar amount of clutter around their houses so I feel very comfortable having them over. Thank goodness! Note to all Ohio members: If I invite you over, pay no attention to the little piles on the counter tops! LOL How is Eric? When did you say he gets his first fill?

i generally plan my meals and then look thru the sale adds to see if anything i have planened for is on sale. I love to look thru the coupons and cut them out, however i always forget to use them. duh! when i look thru the ads i sometimes see something that is on sale that i really want so i will usually adjust my grocery list or menu to include this. I find that if i make a menu out first, that i get more for my money. I usually go to one store only unless there is a great bargain at another, then i'll hit both. For some weird reason i love to grovery shop.

I enjoy it as long as I don't have the kids with me. I had to take them on Monday because we were out of everything. We arrived at the store at 1:15 and didn't get out of there until 4:45. That is a very long time to be in the grocery store with 3 kids! This was a trip I could have done in 1 1/2 hours.I was pretty proud of myself though, becasue I left with 2 carts full of groceries and I was $50 under my budget (only spent $250). That meant I had enough extra to get my hubby a b-day gift. His birthday was yesterday. I bought him one of those cool labeling machines.

Jaimee I am spoiled, truly. My hubby does the majority of the shopping. I don't think he uses coupons, we pretty much buy the same stuff, much to my kids dislike ("Theres no good junk any more, all there is is protein protein protein") Which isn't true, he still buys them goodies....Lordy KIDS!! I hear daily..."there's nothing to eat here" of course we are loaded with stuff. They just want that quickie fix thing...I will say they are eating much better than they used to! We kinda have that role reversal thing going on here...He is more domesticated than I am. Like I said I am SPOILED!!! I don't know if he has any secret shopping tips at all. Being that he works nights, he goes when he gets off work and I wake up and the "food fairy" has vitisted my house once again! Val

LOL at the food fairy!!!! Wish my hubbie were more domesticated (one of his few faults) If I send him to the store and ask him to get the BIG package he brings me the size that will feed a small army. Case-in-point, the man once brought home a gallon size container of mayonaise when I asked him to get the big jar and another time he went to the liquor store to get some Bailey's irish cream and ended up bringing home a jug that practically needed a wench to be lifted!

Jaimee, I am pretty spoiled too, must admit. DH does almost all the grocery shopping. We clip coupons (only for those things that we actually use) and then hit the sale ads from Meijer and Kroger's. I usually make a list, especially now since I have special food requirements ... then he goes during the day or over the weekend if he can't sleep (works nights, long hours). We tend to "stock up" on things so usually there's a pretty wide variety of things to cook around here. I am still only cooking a little bit, but partly because if we don't eat immediately when I get home, Danny has to leave for work and misses his dinner! So dinner is almost on the table when I get home. But I'm slowly working on preparing side dishes and stuff that can be quickly re-heated to take some of that load off of him finally. SOOO, we eat what is on sale - eventually take it out of the freezer or whatever. Take care!!! Kitty B. RNY 12/13/04 251 / 215

ok, it's official, your the woman that I hope to be some day!!! By the way, nice picture, what a hottie. Cheryl