Feeding the Family!

Hello again.  I'm sure everyone is gearing up for their Thanksgiving Dinner.  It adds up quickly depending on how many you are feeding!!!  Months like this are an exception to my grocery shopping but I usually stick to a pretty rigid list.  I can feed my entire family for under $400 a month easily, usually around $350.  Do we have a lot of prepacked snack foods?  No.  For "treats" I buy 2 packages of choc chips a month and make cookies.  When I make cookies it's my husband and kids choice how long they last.  If they eat 6 a day then guess what, they won't be around much more than a day.  When they are gone, they're gone.  Period.  Same with Pop-Tart (which I buy generic, Best Choice).  My son loves them.  I buy 2 boxes a month.  When they are gone, they are gone.  I "big" shop once a month.  Right after I get paid I go to the store and spend approx $230.  Then throughout the month I go back for bread, milk, eggs and on occasion that one thing I don't have to make either a meal that is out of ordinary for me or just something I hadn't planned for.  I pretty much buy the same things every month.  Of course there are those months someone wants a special meal or you feel like treating your family to something special.  I'm simply stating in general this is my philosophy on grocery shopping.   If you feel like your family isn't getting full I have 2 words, Bread & Potatoes.  We have potatoes at almost every meal whether they be, baked, fried, mashed, french fries or scalloped.  Make them a part of every meal, they are fillers!  Also, bread butter and jelly.  If you have leftovers take them with you for lunch the next day.  I work full time so I take my lunch a lot.  If I don't take lunch my local grocery store deli has a $1 item every day, so I can literally eat for $1 + tax every day!   When you are in the grocery store most of the time their is a store brand (generic) product that is the SAME THING!!  Really it is.  I very rarely buy named brand and I save a ton of money.  Now, I have found certain things that aren't as good if not named brand like diapers and feminine products but even baby formula is the same!  If you don't believe me ask your pediatrician.  The store brand is the exact same thing.  You just aren't paying for the advertising and fancy labels the named brands have. 
Another great saver is coupons.  Sometimes I can save up to $10 in coupons and sometimes only $1 or so.  Just depends on what I need and have coupons for.  Most of the time even with a coupon the named brand is still more expensive.  Also, I don't buy my shampoo, toilet paper, kleenex and other such products at the grocery store.  Go to a place like Target or Walmart for those things.  I make a trip to the grocery store and Target every month.  I always make a list once again taking note of the needs and wants and I stick to it.  My younger sister, who gave me the idea to start this blog, is usually with me and can testify that I stick to my list MOST of the time.   Of course there is always those times when you want to buy something for yourself and or your kids or splurge on an item.  I do that too!  but I always make sure my families needs are met first.  It's just a simple change in mindset and it will save you money.  Okay, done rambling for today I think!  Everyone have a great day and thanks for reading!!! 

Oh, one more thing before I go.  If buying holiday gifts online, research research research.  You can save tons of money by searching websites for the same product!