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Already behind on the food budget

September 8th, 2012 at 03:46 pm

I told my family we would be on a strict food budget: $720. As we have enough vegetable and animal protein to last us two weeks, I figured this would be easy. But I did a Costco run, and even though I missed about four items it came to $106.84, with $15.24 of that being vitamins (that should save me the $15 I would have spent on B-complex separately). So we have spent $182 so far in the first seven days.

With the Costco run we have $10 left in the month for coffee. I went to Cash&Carry for whipping cream and saw that the price went up by 10% since my last visit in July, and butter went up by 20%. These are the lowest prices around, according to my price book. So my coffee now looks like early Michael Jackson instead of later. I may have to run to the supermarket on the pretense of buying a doughnut and slip some half'n'half from the Starbucks kiosk into my drip.

We also ate out last night, as I was occupied creating a stock comparison worksheet, but at a highly-rated burger joint with very inexpensive offerings. $29.08 for three, and that included fresh and hand-dipped milkshakes.

So today I buy vegetables, fruit, luncheon meat and a little more dairy, and hope to spend less than $23, with a $5 coupon from a weekly circular.
Update: $40.11 I spent, but got $5.00 back. The males went with me, and we bought frozen vegetables. Other than eggs, I should not require any food items this week.

Debt so far:
VISA $583.66 due Sept. 27
Signature Visa: $61.24 due in mid-October (I did enable online bill payment, so I anticipate this will be paid on time)
Target: $120.93 due Sept. 21

4 Responses to “Already behind on the food budget”

  1. snafu Says:
    1347117204

    You have a generous food budget. What makes a burger joint 'highly rated? Do they publish sodium and fat content of products? Has your physician recommended using vitamin supplements? The research has been extremely negative since there are no standards or regulations for either composition/product or country of origin for the multitude of components in these products. We are being told only to use these with careful monitoring with blood work under the care of a physician because of confirmed deficiencies. Our doctors are telling us that good nutrition is most important. Supplements are the new thing to fear.

  2. PauletteGoddard Says:
    1347125176

    Highly rated for me means over a dozen reviews on Yelp.com, with no grade lower than a four-star. Independent non-chain burger places do not publish sodium and fat content of foods where I live, only fast food chains and places like Starbucks.

    I'm used to reading comments from people who live well that the cost of living where I live is higher. Except from people who live in New York City, Alaska and Hawaii, of course. But in most parts of the country electricity rates are higher, and our fuel costs and property taxes are comparatively lower to offset some of the food costs.

  3. Homebody Says:
    1347222575

    Wow do you live close to me? I have a Cash and Carry too where we are starting to buy our half and half and milk because we like it better than Costco (the taste of skim milk).

    Sometimes sticking to a budget is like sticking to a diet. The minute you try to cut back you go nuts, anyway I have done that! Haha.

  4. PauletteGoddard Says:
    1347226835

    @Homebody I find also that stating things like "I should not require anymore food items this week" guarantees that three hours later I will notice one egg left in a carton, or food planned for meals this week rotting that I thought was still good.

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