A girlfriend of mine was sharing an usually unpleasant story about a recent grocery shopping experience with her 3 ½-year-old. She wanted some words of wisdom – from me of all people! So I gave her some tips that work for us. And since I’m hardly the expert, you might want to share some wisdom of your own.

What works for us:
Truman and I have an agreement. He can have one thing, whether it’s cereal or a toy car that falls apart or some Crush Cup yogurt he will lick once and then toss away. But if he falls into a violent fit, then that one item goes away.

I also consult with him constantly while shopping. I did this when he was too young to talk back, and now that he can it’s even more fun to hear his logic. I say, “Should I get the Breakfast Blend or the French Roast? What do you think?” He says, “I think you should get the blue, Mommy.” I say, “The blue is decaf. We can’t get the blue. So is it the yellow or the red?” He says, “Is French from the country France, Mommy? I like France. What’s decaf? Why can’t we get the decaf?” And so on.

I also started giving him one of those long, thin reporter pads and a pen so he can “write down” and “mark off” his own grocery list. One time, when I glanced away to riffle through packets of ground turkey, he wrote all over his face with the pen. So be prepared for excitement like that.

As crazy as it sounds, I actually prefer grocery shopping with my son these days even if he causes the Windex Wipes display to knock over. Call it our mother-and-son bonding moment, but I actually miss him when he’s not there in the buggy with me.

(photo, JWJourney)

Post from: Blisstree

Pain and Pleasure at the Grocery Store

Two years ago we, a family of four, were able to eat for $100 a week. I thought that was a lot. At some point I realized groceries had become so expensive we raised the budget to $150 so we could stop feeling guilty for exceeding the budget every single week. Except now we’ve noticed we’ve been exceeding even that.

As I’ve been shopping lately I’ve noticed a few tricky trends.

Juice boxes went up 50 cents but they stuck a Sale sign behind them to make me believe I was getting a deal. The garbage bags I drive across town to buy are now thinner. The food is coming in smaller packaging for the same price.

I find myself walking through the store questioning my memory. Did the diapers really go up $5 in one month or am I imagining things?

Grocery prices are just blatantly and unapologetically higher – a lot higher.

We ran a budgeting analysis and here’s what’s really happened – I’ve been continuing to buy our usual basic food and we’re up to. . . I’m too embarrassed to tell you.

My husband has decided it’s best if he takes over the grocery shopping for a while.

It’s not me – really.

He’s sticking to the budget, but the results are depressing. It’s like we’re back to being right above the poverty-line – which we struggled and worked to escape.

It’s disappointing to realize, when he comes back from the store, that we’re back to the really crappy generic chips instead of the baked ones I was buying. That we may find a use for Ramen Noodles again. That the kids are going to drink more sugarless flavored drink because milk is too pricey. Welcome back to creative cooking a casserole with whatever’s left in the fridge on Thursdays. We’ve been here before, so at least it’s not shockingly new ground.

I know I’m not the only one suffering from sticker shock at the grocery store. I heard on the news we’re experiencing the worst food inflation in decades. Lingering war = price of gas = price of groceries. Right? The Times of India has a story from April 6 by Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar,

“The problem is that world prices have skyrocketed. And we live in an era of internet-savvy farmers who know exactly what food prices are in Chicago and London, and adjust their own actions accordingly.” Farmer greed?

“The problem is being compounded by global panic. Two successive droughts in Australia, plus the diversion of one-third of the US maize crop to ethanol, have led to shortfalls in world production and low food stocks,” states the article.

It does lead back to the price of oil, seems everything does these days.

I’m an American who wouldn’t have a huge problem with going to war over oil. Of course, I want such a war to make oil cheaper and more accessible and I want to stop paying for such a war if it’s having the opposite effect. I want to reduce our desperate dependance on oil by developing more realistic technologies FAST. I don’t like being lied to, but I grew up with a military father who regularly uttered the words, “It’s classified,” so I can accept not having all the information.

I have no problem with militarily kicking terrorist ass. Or fascist ass for that matter. I’m a military brat not a passifist. Truthfully, I’ve been apathetic about the whole war.

But now its seriously effecting my personal economics and so now I’m voting the oil barren/cowboy Bush and his Republican friend McCain out. I don’t care for the way it’s effecting our nation’s economics either – putting a war on the national credit card for a few months I can deal with, but charging on it for years of futility is a definite no go for me.

I’m so hoping that our next President will address the oil/war situation in a more effective and economical way. I’m sure she will. Her husband, Bill, had no national deficit and a big fat savings account, they share a family budget so it’s likely their fiscal policy will be similar.

I’m so grateful that my family is one of the really, really lucky ones. During the past few years our income has continued to go up. Other families, I know, are suffering this extraordinary inflation without an increase in income.

In that case, there are only three choices – put more on the credit card which will bite you in the ass in less than 30 days, make more money or drastically reduce living expenses. I’m going to make more money. Check out ThriftyMommy and SimplyThrify for ways to reduce your expenses. My funny friend Jennifer from jlogged writes a lot about ways to cut costs and stay on budget too. She has a way of making it seem fun.

My night snacking issue seems to be temporarily resolved though, – we ran out of popcorn and there won’t be any more until payday. The generic cheetos he bought are just too gross for me to put in my mouth. Okay, I ate some anyway, but ick.

Post from: Blisstree

Off Grocery Detail

I think it’s because Walmart just has too many choices. I wander up and down the aisles frustrated, with my face all scrunched up, hissing at the kids to be quiet, I’m trying to think.  

It takes forever because I can stand in the cheese refrigerator for more than 10 minutes comparing the price per ounce and the calorie per serving of each string cheese choice. Then there’s 20 minutes choosing between cold medicines, soap, shampoo.

It’s the same problem comparing brands of lunch meat, bread, chips, snack foods, tortillas, every stinking thing in the store.

By the time I come out I feel like I’ve been beat against the wall and I need a nap. I feel like I need a Phd in nutrition to read all the labels on the backs of every item that goes in the cart.

I always spend too much and who knows if it will even pan out in the end.

Sams is delightful. Cheddar cheese or part-skim mozzarella? There is one package of cheese sticks - buy it or don’t. They sell only two bags of frozen bags of vegetables, one choice in sausage, one brand of cows milk and one brand of soy.

I enjoy the fewer choices. I like the swiftness of the buy it or don’t shopping experience. I enjoy only having to buy toilet paper once every few months. I enjoy buying paper towels once a year.

And frankly, Sams still has samples that the kids and I truly enjoy.  

Post from: Blisstree

Fewer Choices Please