Challenge: To trim down the grocery bills by at least 33%

According to the US Department of Labor, the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries. This statistic breaks down to $177 per person a month. My family is not the traditional nuclear family. In addition to me and my husband, we have four children -- three teenagers, a two-year-old, and a mother-in-law. Applying the above figures, our grocery bill for a family of seven should approximate to $1239 per month. And astonishingly, it has regularly fluctuated in the range of $1000- $1300. My goal is to trim this monthly pile of receipts down to $830,(including diapers, wipes, hygiene products, and restaurant bills) if not less. Being able to frugally feed my nutrition-conscious husband and appease the voracious appetites of my teenagers will be my main challenge!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Tally

As I reflect on my recent grocery bill tally entries for the summer, I realize what a slacker I have been.  My quest for good times with my family over the summer came at a cost -- a few hundred dollars a month over target.  Despite trying restaurant.com, using coupon inserts for restaurants (or losing them, as I once did), buying from unfamiliar out of state grocery stores instead of hotel room service and gas station convenience stores, continuing to shop for sales and specials, I failed to achieve my grocery bill goal.

It reminds me of a time I was a bit depressed over a high school report card grade --  B+ for a French class, ruining my chance for straight As all year.  I confided with my friend, who, instead of consoling me as I had hoped, shrugged and smiled, "try harder next time."  So, that, is what I must do.  I must try to recap some of those lost funds by trying extra hard these next months to find the best deals in town, holiday or no holiday, road trip or no road trip.  

I'll be sure to share any good deal I find.

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