Learning to Grocery Shop on a Tight Budget

I have a family of 7.
Yes, that's 5 kids and 2 adults.

We also homeschool.  Which means we are home for 3 meals and 2-3 snacks every single day.  We don't eat out, except on the very rare occasion.  This helps tremendously with our budgeting, but also means that if I don't buy it, we don't have it.

During our journey of learning to budget these last few years, I have learned that our "Grocery Budget" is an area that I can get pretty carried away in, if I'm not careful.  Just to clarify, my "Grocery Budget" is anything I can buy at my local Kroger.  So this includes food, of course, but also pet needs, toiletry items, some small office supplies (envelopes, paper clips, pens, etc.). So, the bill can add up quickly if I'm not mindful of each and every item I am purchasing.

I have gotten in the habit recently of doing a good sized grocery shop every week and using the Kroger ClickList to pick it up.  This has been a huge game changer for me.  I can shop on budget, know exactly what I'm getting, avoid impulse buys, stock up on sale items, and get my groceries and get right back home. Game Changer.

Fast forward to the month of May when I decide I want to buckle down, eliminate all excess in all possible areas, and put all of that money towards debt freedom...  I realized that by doing one simple thing I could majorly reduce my grocery spending!  You ready for it?...…

MEAL PLANNING!

So simple, but soooo impactful!  So I have tried my hand at meal planning all 3 meals each day, as well as snacks for the month of May, and it has drastically reduced the amount I'm spending at the store!  The other part of being extremely mindful of where my money goes is I have found that I would rather go into the store myself (don't pass out, Mom!) and see where I can reduce my costs even further by scoping out sales not listed on the app and/or choosing off-brand items. Shopping in-store myself also saves me the $5 fee for the ClickList service.

An example was last Thursday.  I needed a few things to get us through the rest of the month.  My Kroger List (I just use the one on their amazing app!) said I was looking at around $119 in items, before tax; however, I knew I had $120 to spend. I took a friend's advice and only took in the cash I wanted to spend.  No debit card to bail me out if I went over on my budget!  Y'all it worked like a charm!  So I went into the store, did my due diligence, and walked out only spending $106.11!  And I was able to snag 4 things I simply wanted that weren't on my list!  Go me!

So, lesson learned here is "Where there is a will....there is a way!" And also I have learned to be much more involved in the day-to-day spending.  It makes all the difference!

Now, I have a little bit left over in case we need a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread before our next payday, as well as some major self-confidence that I really truly can do this!  And if I can do it, you can too!

Here's to DEBT FREEDOM, Y'all!

Click here to follow my journey on IG 

They just keep adding up!

Just when I think I have everything accounted for and a plan in place to achieve Debt Freedom....I find another bill laying around, or tucked away, or one arrives in the mail! So FRUSTRATING!

So I add it to the list, crunch numbers again, and set sail toward the future I desire. One where I owe no one anything. One where my money is my own and I get to choose what happens with every single cent. I know I'll get there. I am simply ready to see marked progress.

May is halfway over and once everything finishes hitting, and the new statements come out, I'll be able to see exactly what our NEW debt-owed number will be. And I am very excited for that small, measurable, step!

Here's to being willing to look our debt straight in the face, even when it's hard and uncomfortable, and attack it!

Debt Freedom.... I'm on my way. 

Click here to follow my journey on IG 

And so it has begun...

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  -Lao Tzu

I have been a budgeter for several years now. (Budgeter?...Budgetee?....Person who budgets?) It has been imperative as a small business owner, with a family of 7, also with 1 horse, 5 chickens, 3 dogs, and 2 cats. Basically, I live on a farm. Against my will. Because my husband and children love animals, and I love them so I have a farm. (I enjoy it, but don't you DARE give my secret away!) But I digress...

Recently, I have been more and more impressed in my spirit to become 100% debt free.  So, I have been on this journey of discovering what that would take, what that journey looks like, and realizing what that would do for our family and for our future.

I sat down and gathered up ALL of our debts. Put them down in a list. And hyperventilated. HOW did we get this far into debt, and NOT EVEN REALIZE IT? Man, it adds up fast!

I am going to go out on a limb here and say, I am probably not the only person on the planet that this has happened to.  I know that debt is an epidemic in America; therefore, the majority of Americans are probably in way deeper than they even realize. This gives me hope. It also pains me. That is why I am blogging my journey. Because if I am here, and others are here, maybe we can encourage one another and find our way out together. That is my hope in all this.  That along my journey to DEBT FREEDOM, I can bring someone along with me.  That we can climb out of the hole, and stand up on top of the mountain, together.

If I am farther along on this journey and you have just found me, I pray that this very first blog post encourages you that You can do this!!!!

DEBT FREEDOM JOURNEY 
Started: May 2018
End goal date: September 2022

Debts gathered and counted up.

Budget set.

Plan in place.

Now, it's simply one foot in front of the other.

The journey has begun.

 Click here to follow my journey on IG