Stretching the Grocery Money

Groceries are getting outrageous!  I figure the only way I can stay on budget it to: 1. Stop eating, 2. Get rid of the children, or 3. Find some creative solutions.  Since there is not way I’m about to stop eating and my husband says I can’t get rid of the kids unless I can get back all the money we have invested in them so far (and I don’t see that happening).

The only thing left for me to do is to get creative.

1.      We are going to plant a garden.  It’s already fall, and most people are putting their garden tools away, but we are going to buck the tradition and plant a fall garden.  It will also be done in a new way – using a square foot system instead of rows.  This means it will be easier for us to extend our growing season even FARTHER and maybe even into a year round program.

2.      There will be lots of pasta in our future.  Meat is getting more expensive, and unless I stumble on some that is on sale, the odds are that we will be eating meatless much of the week.  We may even try making some of our own, fresh pasta to get the kids more involved in the process.

3.      Drink more water.  It’s amazing how much money we spend on convenience drinks – even the ones that we buy at the grocery store instead of buying at a gas station.  I’ll promote drinking from a sports cup each day and trying to fill it up four times with water.  If it’s a competition then the kids are much more likely to get excited about it.

4.      Waste not, want not.  Not only are we going to eat the leftovers, but I’m going to plan meals that will incorporate the leftovers (call them “planned-overs”) so that it won’t be the same meal all week long.

It’s not a lot, but it should help me squeeze a little more distance out of my grocery budget.  What are your tips for surviving these amazing prices?