Looking at where my family falls into this, I am asking myself can we do better? I will admit I am not one to plan my shopping based on a circular as we are consistent on what we do buy. My spouse is not one to use coupons or club cards either. We have to accept the new reality otherwise we can get stuck in the loop of what groceries used to cost. The same goes for life expenses. Hitting the guidelines without shopping sales, clipping coupons, etc. seems more manageable. Do you have any suggestions for better organizing shopping lists like how a store keeps inventory? I would like a more efficient way to maintain staples/lists by categories in order to streamline shopping. We used to shop online however with rising costs most of these services have increased fees and tips for shoppers (which can really add up if using multiple services) that it has become a question of financially weighing on which convenience service to choose because there is never a one size fits all solution. Ever since enrolling in your Budget Breakthrough course, I really had to examine online shopping habits as convenience makes it easier time wise as a busy mom. It also comes down to not only financial but what my time is worth. For example when we lived in the city and our apartment did not have laundry, it was either go spend time in the laundry mat or have them pick it up . It is also interesting to me after having conversations with friends who grew up in other countries how it was more acceptable to have outside help with household tasks from childcare to cleaning but here in the United States besides costs for these services we as mothers are wearing multiple hats. I can really appreciate an old movie where a governess is running a household.
It sounds like you have a great start if you have a fairly consistent grocery list and aren't relying on circulars or coupons (which we can all be very inconsistent with). I'm not sure if you've taking my grocery budgeting course, Five o'Clock Fix, but I have a worksheet in there that helps you organize and streamline your grocery list based on the different grocery store categories as well as track prices. I will email it to you and see if that helps.
Instacart and such can definitely add up, not only with the fees and tips, but also because the actual costs they charge are often higher for ordering online than in store. I feel lucky to have found a local grocery store that allows me to order online and pick up at no charge, and the price for the groceries themselves are the same as they would be if I went into the store and picked them out myself (this is one of the blessings that came about during COVID.)
I agree, it definitely takes some serious thought to find the balance between the convenience that allows us to show up for our kids and managing our budget! There are lots of areas where I gladly pay for convenience. I actually started looking to see if we have any laundry services nearby after I read your comment! Great idea! I'm glad that it's not just me that has somehow absorbed the stigma of paying for help at home. Where does that come from?! (I'd love to hear thoughts from readers on that!) I'll be writing more about how we can find a bit more balance as we prioritize all the different facets of our lives. There are certainly no easy answers though, are there?
Looking at where my family falls into this, I am asking myself can we do better? I will admit I am not one to plan my shopping based on a circular as we are consistent on what we do buy. My spouse is not one to use coupons or club cards either. We have to accept the new reality otherwise we can get stuck in the loop of what groceries used to cost. The same goes for life expenses. Hitting the guidelines without shopping sales, clipping coupons, etc. seems more manageable. Do you have any suggestions for better organizing shopping lists like how a store keeps inventory? I would like a more efficient way to maintain staples/lists by categories in order to streamline shopping. We used to shop online however with rising costs most of these services have increased fees and tips for shoppers (which can really add up if using multiple services) that it has become a question of financially weighing on which convenience service to choose because there is never a one size fits all solution. Ever since enrolling in your Budget Breakthrough course, I really had to examine online shopping habits as convenience makes it easier time wise as a busy mom. It also comes down to not only financial but what my time is worth. For example when we lived in the city and our apartment did not have laundry, it was either go spend time in the laundry mat or have them pick it up . It is also interesting to me after having conversations with friends who grew up in other countries how it was more acceptable to have outside help with household tasks from childcare to cleaning but here in the United States besides costs for these services we as mothers are wearing multiple hats. I can really appreciate an old movie where a governess is running a household.
It sounds like you have a great start if you have a fairly consistent grocery list and aren't relying on circulars or coupons (which we can all be very inconsistent with). I'm not sure if you've taking my grocery budgeting course, Five o'Clock Fix, but I have a worksheet in there that helps you organize and streamline your grocery list based on the different grocery store categories as well as track prices. I will email it to you and see if that helps.
Instacart and such can definitely add up, not only with the fees and tips, but also because the actual costs they charge are often higher for ordering online than in store. I feel lucky to have found a local grocery store that allows me to order online and pick up at no charge, and the price for the groceries themselves are the same as they would be if I went into the store and picked them out myself (this is one of the blessings that came about during COVID.)
I agree, it definitely takes some serious thought to find the balance between the convenience that allows us to show up for our kids and managing our budget! There are lots of areas where I gladly pay for convenience. I actually started looking to see if we have any laundry services nearby after I read your comment! Great idea! I'm glad that it's not just me that has somehow absorbed the stigma of paying for help at home. Where does that come from?! (I'd love to hear thoughts from readers on that!) I'll be writing more about how we can find a bit more balance as we prioritize all the different facets of our lives. There are certainly no easy answers though, are there?