Bulkin' Up!

 

Warning: this is going to be a LONG blog. 

There, you have been warned.  Read ahead at your own discretion.

 

Yes, it is just Derek and myself living in our home.  No, we do not have any children.  Yes, we shop at Sam's!  Yes, every single time I walk in to buy groceries I feel like I am grocery shopping for the entire country of Nepal.

 

 

While we were dating and engaged, obviously we spent a WHOLE lot of money on groceries.  We were stocking my apartment and his house thus needing double of everything.  Then when we got married, we kept our same buying habits. Buying a lot....all the time...spending a lot of money and time.  Something had to change.

 

We started with buying more than one week at a time.  Instead of going to Target every week and getting just what we needed for that week, we started shopping for as close to 2 weeks as we could.  Outside of shopping for longer periods of time, we had to set a budget.  We are a family of two with one full time income (a teacher's income at that! If we lived in Chicago this wouldn't be an issue, but we don't).  After attaching a monthly budget and spacing out our buying habits we came to the realization that buying in bulk is our best option.

 

First let's talk about budget.  When Derek and I were shopping every week we were spending $100 every time we walked through the doors.  That is $400 per month!  For two people, that is just absolutely unacceptable and extravagant.  We had to do something.  The first month or two our budget went from $400+ per month to about $300-400.  We were buying the same things we always eat but just the larger container which is cheaper per unit. 

If you are having a problem with finding the best deal, look at the price sticker that is on the shelf.  In REALLY small letters you will see "Price per unit". 

 For this item, the price per unit is $1.19 but you are buying the item for $1.79.  Let's say that the item is 24oz and next to it is an item that is 30oz for sale for $2.00 and the price per unit is $1.22.  You are paying $0.04 more per unit but are getting 6oz more.  The better deal here is the $2.00 item.

 

Secondly, make a list.  Derek and I have a magnetic clip on our refrigerator that we keep a piece of scrap paper and a pen attached to.  When we start to run low on anything we write that on the paper.  That list is what we then take shopping with us.  We may buy shampoo this month but not again until December.  Shampoo may go on sale next week but we don't need it and it will go on sale again.  Stick to the list. 

 

Thirdly, only go to one store.  Gas is at an insane high right now.  You don't want to start and stop your car four times going to four different stores just to get the best deal on toothpaste.  By the time you have used your gas to get to that cheap toothpaste, you have paid the same amount as if you had just bought it with a coupon at the first store.  Maybe this week WinnDixie has meat and produce at the best rate...go there for all of your groceries.  Next week, it could be Target.  

 

Yesterday I went to Sam's Club and bought 3-4 weeks worth of groceries and spent $189.  Here is the breakdown:
 toilet paper: 42 rolls (I think, maybe 32) anyway, enough for a whiiiiile
dawn: 3, 30oz bottles
chips: 30 individual bags

cookies: 30 individual bags
protein bars: 18 individual bars
vegetables: 4 bags of frozen broc/cheese and 8 cans of corn
meat: 1 6lb bag of chicken and 1 9piece container of pork chops
eggs: 18 size large
pineapple: 6 cans (each can is separated into 5 small Rubbermaid's=1 can/week)
juice: 2 large bottles come together
face wash: 1 set (2 24oz bottles come together)
bread: 2 loaves are in 1 bag together
milk: 2 gallons
bananas: 1 bunch
Ziploc: 1 box = 4 small boxes = 254 total bags
toilet cleaner: 1 box = 4 containers of cleaner
brown sugar: 1 7lb bag
jimmy dean sausage: 1 box = 24 sausage patties
apples: about 6lbs

When I get home, I separate all of the meat into the Ziploc bags. The chicken breasts are SO big that one is the correct portion size for both of us. Same with the pork chops. 
  

 

 

Our biggest success is the pineapple.  Derek carries pineapple in his lunch everyday.  We use to buy at Target a 4 pack of pre-packaged pineapple for $2.00.  That means 1 day a week he does not get any pineapple or we have to buy 3 packs for 2 weeks.  Now we spend $7 for 6 cans.  Each can is equally separated into 5 Rubbermaid containers.  That is $7 for 6 WEEKS as opposed to $6 for 2 weeks!

 

Good luck! Have fun!! I hope my adventures can help you save money and time.