Stretching the Food Budget
Mothers seem to be the main custodial parent in a divorce and mothers aren’t always the parent who makes the most money, so it falls to mothers to find ways to economize and stretch that budget. This turns out to be quite a learning experience for both you and your children if you work it correctly.
Are you aware that in a supermarket, there are intense marketing strategies at work to encourage you to spend lots of money there? If you learn the strategy, you can stick with your food budget more easily.
Before you read on, it might also be of great value to explain to your children that the ads they see on television are about making money, and don’t necessarily have their best interests at heart. Those prepared foods might be tempting, but they aren’t the most nutritional or cost effective. This could avoid scenes inside the supermarket if they understand your approach up front.
Here are some basic ideas that will help you stretch your food budget dollars.
Make it at home. Pre-made foods are more expensive than those you make at home.
Eat it fresh. Fresh fruits and vegetables are less expensive and more nutritional than canned or frozen ones.
Grow it yourself if you can. This is by far the most cost effective. You can freeze the excess.
Look on the lower shelves. Higher priced items are right in front of your face. Generics are on the lower shelves, and they cost less.
End cap displays are necessarily cheaper. They are there to tempt you. Stick with your list.
Shop the Center Aisles first. They contain the essentials. The outside aisles are tempting but not necessarily essential.
Discuss with your kids before you go inside the store. Let them know that you will not be buying things off the list. Ask them what they want to be put on the list and see if it fits your budget. Products with kids appeal are displayed at their eye level and it can create hissy fits unless you set the rules ahead of time.
Ignore the smells. Those cinnamon rolls make you drool, but you can make them yourself at home less expensively.
At the check stand, you are again bombarded with things you don’t really need. Be strong, and stick with your list.
It’s wise to sit down with your children and as part of their learning, educate them on the wisdom of eating fresh vs. prepared foods. Once in a while as a special treat, let them have something prepared. Let them help you make out the list each week. What would they enjoy for lunch? What would they like for dinner? Their participation will eliminate in-store acting out. When they become a little older, you can give them the budget monies, a calculator, the list, and let them do the shopping for you while you wait. It will help them become good, value-hunting shoppers, too.
Len :: Jun.28.2009 :: General ::
