Groceries in September

Two products I bought last week that I really like and that squirrel cracks me up. 

I always tell myself I'll keep track of how much I spend on food and I almost never do. I have discovered that if I'm going to track spending on anything, I have to do it in September or in February. Those are the only months where I'm any good at it. Everything else involves a holiday, a birthday, or a move -- in my experience anyway. 

Our groceries and basic household items are all wrapped together. It just makes SENSE to me and I asked someone with a large platform once about "paper towels", "dishwasher detergent", even "dog treats", and she's like "nope!"  and I'm all confused. Like, diapers or pull-ups? Where that does go in the budget if you buy them at Walmart? Are people not buying these things at the grocery store? If anything, buying a Truly Free box every two months cuts down on these weekly expenses for sure, because I'm not buying cleaning products. So I've tried to add up and then subtract what's random in each grocery shopping order or trip, compared to just food. That way, I can get an exact cost on just food. 

FUN FACT: I meal plan every week. Last week, I had my plan ready, was getting ready to order from Walmart, and Scott tells me he's "going carnivore". He was totally planning on cooking for himself but I was like "where is the point in that?" so I revamped some things last minute. He does make occasional stops at the store himself but I don't track that because I don't have control over it, you know? We do not even come close to tracking every dollar (I know several out there who track every penny), so solid, evidence-based estimates are good enough for me when it comes to food shopping. 

Mostly I just want to prove that I'm spending less on food than I think I'm spending and also that I'm using what I'm buying (the reason for the meal-planning). We're still in the stage of life where it's a capital E-Emergency if we run out of milk or bananas with a three year-old, so I usually end up at the store twice a week, no matter my best laid plans. 

9/2 Walmart $150

9/4 Kroger $43 (they have things I can't find at Walmart so sometimes I go in to fill the gaps)

9/8 Walmart $121

No date Walmart $86

9/9 Kroger $8 (this was for lettuce and something else I needed for dinner that night)

9/14 Commissary $171-30 (household expenses: see below) = $141 (I don't remember if this includes tipping. Probably not.)

I know that benedryl has red 40. It's really just to have on hand for bee stings. And I tried a travel size of micellar water. I don't know how I feel about it. I watched an Instagram dermatologist talk about how Dove is actually great for your skin and a perfectly find soap option. I have reactions (super itchy) from most mainstream body washes, so I always end up using the kids' so I'm going back to Dove for now. I used to use it all the time. 

9/17 Walmart $99

9/22 Aldi $41 (fruit and snacks for the week...Aldi is the place to go for that. This included a treat for a friend and a bag of candy)

9/26 Walmart $229- $29 (household expenses..see below) = $200 (this was the "i'm going carnivore" meal-plan)

The shaving cream and play-doh is for school purposes. Sutton's starting to learn letters this week. 

So even if I added back in general household products and needs, it safe to say that I spent less than $1,000 on groceries for a family of four in September. I know my kids are little-ish but our fruit and cracker expenses are insane. Sutton is a picky eater so we permanently stay stocked up on her staples. Wells will eat anything but as soon as she has something he has to have it too so we go through the same things very quickly every week. I don't "stock up" on certain items because I know as soon as I buy extra, they will decide they're not eating any of it. 

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Alright now you can try this in October!

Wardrobe Additions, January thru March

I tried to think of a catchy title. I could not. 

Basically, I try at the beginning of most years to be intentional with what I buy when it comes to clothes and shoes and then it all falls apart when I see the summer stuff 'round March or April. 

This year, I've actually kept a list. 

I've decided, given that it's boredom or whatever, to track clothing purchases this year. I've really zeroed in on using my closet efficiently; wearing everything once to work before repeating. and I'm about halfway through. I'm interested to see how much of what I have for "spring" will actually be worn. It's been a few springs since I've dressed for work each day. 

Wrapping up the first quarter of 2021, since I am a first-worlder with lots of time to think, here is what I bought and why:

Align leggings: This was a birthday gift from me to me. I will say they 100% live up to the hype. They don't fall down and you kind of forget you are wearing them. I don't wear them around the house, per se, but they are great for under tunics/long shirts when out and about. They are not for winter weather, though. Definitely not. So buying them in the winter and expecting to wear them outside is not something you should do (don't be like me). They are warm-weather/indoor pants for sure. (seriously)

Turtleneck: I bought a Target turtleneck because one can never have enough high-necked long sleeve shirts. I've gotten a lot of wear out of it this winter. 

A few springy Old Navy basics: a tee, some tanks for layering, and a pair of joggers that can also be worn to work. 

New sneakers: "They" say you should get new athletic shoes every year. I wear them a lot to walk dogs, to hike, out on errands, etc. They are generally my go-to shoes. Last year, I struggled finding any I liked and got Nikes in November 2019. I got new ones recently mostly because I've worn a hole in the Nikes and the cushion is pretty worn....I still can wear them for outside chores and walks but they don't work on our stationery bike anymore. I had a few Nordstrom gift cards, so I got these and spent about $20. 

Universal Thread dress: while Target has been a crapshoot in-store recently with clothing (seriously, go away Wild Fable), I was grabbing some Easter basket goodies online for Wells and came across this dress. It's adorable. I got my regular size and I feel like it's a bit big/loose but the length and tunic look might be okay with wedges. Plus, these things always shrink just a little. 

Thoughts? They don't have it in-store so I'd have to do an online exchange and maybe get a dress that ends up being too short in return. 

I don't usually pay full-price if I can help it, but dresses like this are indispensable almost year-round.

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I almost grabbed a zip-up from Walmart the other day but, while I loved the length, they didn't have the color I wanted (I wanted light gray, they had dark only in my size) and I do not like the circular zipper pull. I can't find it online. Maybe it's only in-store. I know it's only $9, and maybe I'm being ridiculous but this is how it starts and how clothes I've worn once end up in the donate box. 

Then, upon a trip to target.com to grab Wells some cheap sneakers, I came across this zip-up, which is exactly what I wanted, albeit full price. 

And I grabbed this sleeveless dress. 

Why does Wells get cheap sneakers? Because I already bought him his nice, new, and kind of expensive for a 2-year-old spring/summer shoes. Last year, he lived in Natives and sandals. He never put on actual sneakers so I didn't want to spend $30+ on sneakers he might not even get to wear before fall, and would subsequently grow out of. I never realized kids' shoe-buying had such strategy to it. 

What's your must-buy for spring?

How to budget...without a budget

Earlier this week when it was 70 degrees.  It's snowing today.

(All these clothes are old.)

Regarding budgeting...No budget.  I don't have one.  We have jobs.  We live within our means.  I don't even have a credit card actually.  Scott has one and since he makes most of the major purchases, like for the remodeling materials, he uses that and gets rewards points.  Aside from groceries, gas, etc, I honestly try to just watch what I'm spending and once in awhile I'll keep track of receipts just to see if I can find any trends.  Because, let's face it, we all go through periods where we buyallthestuff.  Sometimes it's nice to just take a step back.

1.  I'm really bad at pre-planning things I want/need to buy.  I can't say "$50 of fun money" and be done with it.  I know a couple who gives themselves each $50 of fun money a week (doesn't that seem like a lot?). I just generally wait until I really want something in order to buy it.  Plus, if an opportunity arises, sometimes you don't want to pass it up.  Plus, sometimes we need things.   If I can't stop thinking about it, I know I should buy it. I'm not an impulse buyer, really, so I generally don't budget things out.  I just justify them based on the idea that Hey, I didn't buy x, y, and z because I didn't really need those things anyway.  I do feel that I need this purse, and I haven't bought one in at least 6 months, so...

2. I set regulations for myself anyway (personal rules). For example, a few weeks ago, I had a coupon for the Athleta store in Lone Tree.  I like Athleta but they are expensive.  I figured I'd amuse myself on a Sunday afternoon by driving to Denver and maybe get a spring jacket or pair of tights or something.  However, on that Friday, Jett had an "accident" (or I did, depending on how you look at it) and I had to take him to the emergency vet.  That was $91.  I figured my karma-related punishment for being careless was now not getting to spend that $91 at Athleta.  Does that make sense?  I mean, we have to have rules we live by right?  Personal rules are important. How else could society function if we don't hold ourselves accountable (oh wait...)?  So I don't believe in pre-budgeting for shopping trips, but I do believe in balancing out what I'm spending.  Tit for tat.

3.  I don't eat out by myself.  Like, ever.  Scott and I eat out together once every week or two, but I never eat out by myself.  And I don't pick food up either.  I mean, once in a great while I'll grab Panera or something, but not often.  I have this thing where I think I have food at home that's already been paid for. 
I go to Starbucks.  That's my vice.

4. I rarely impulse-buy.  Or if I do, it's something I need or have immediate use for.  I think that moving every couple of years has kept me pretty honest in the regard of how much stuff we own.  I don't like packing up my stuff and moving it.  Less stuff equals less work.  But I do buy things that aren't on my list.  I'm terrible at sticking to a list. I always have a purpose for what I buy though.  I was at Target last week and saw a bottle of the Bona Hardwood floor cleaner I use for $9.99.  A nice big refill bottle.  It wasn't on my list, but I'd made a mental note that I would need to stock up again soon.  So I bought it.  Total impulse buy, but necessary too. The last thing I impulse-bought and now regret was a table runner at Target for $5 last summer.  It was on clearance and was yellow and gray and so pretty...and it goes with nothing else in our kitchen, living room, or either bedroom.  Talk about $5 wasted.  In my defense, I bought it with the idea that it would match the new kitchen when it was finished and the colors don't quite go now that it is finished.
I suppose my point here is that I'm not worried about breaking the bank over a pair of $150 shoes I find on a whim and just have to have.  Because that would never happen.  I'm too much of a control freak.

So that's my strategy that's not really a strategy.

Do you have any budgeting tricks or tips?