I have been reviewing my household budget, looking for ways to trim the proverbial fat from it and have decided to stick to 75 dollars a week for groceries. If I did all the shopping this would be a snap, but, as I have said before, TheHub likes to stop at Publix on his way home and never will buy just that one needed item. Already this week he has brought home 20 dollars worth of snack foods. I will make up for it, but I can't do it if he does his usual stopping for things we don't need. As a result of the food inventory I took yesterday, we are going to be doing a boatload of pantry/freezer/refrigerator
clearing before I do any major shopping.
The only exception I am planning on making to this budget is 2 rather large events we are hosting. In mid January I am having 30 or so people over for either lunch or an early dinner. The time is a little uncertain, but they are coming and I have budgeted accordingly. Since this is officially entertainment, I am putting this in the T and E budget, rather than our food budget. The other hit to the food bill will be during the summer when Son3 is supposedly coming to town with several of his friends. Again I am putting this in the T and E budget, because it is entertainment (for them at least) and I will get some impromptu music/dance/drama from the visit. (Plus a boatload of laundry and clean-up)
So as soon as I finish posting this, I am off to ThePig where pork butts are 99 cents a pound, to buy enough for 30 people. (That's why I have a freezer right?)
Wishing us all a successful and lovely 2017
Hosting and feeding 30 people? Colour me awed.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the buying of snack food/optional extras too.
My partner LOVES Costco. And invariably brings home bulk packs of things we don't need (on either the wallet or the waistline fronts) and can't store.
I would not mind an occasional surprise shopping but he does it nearly every day in varying amounts. Right now I have 3 bags of tortilla chips stored and he buys another every single time he goes to the store. Oh well! I guess we will have some variation of tacos one night.
ReplyDeleteWaistline? What is that? I seem to recall having one decades ago
So glad mine doesn't do this...it would drive me mad! Of course when he did buy actual groceries at the store and not snacks it was stuff like canned potatoes....Seriously, who buys canned potatoes? lolz
ReplyDeleteI remember we always had 1 can of potatoes in the pantry growing up but I never recall eating them. I guess in a crisis situation Mom thought a can would be a good idea.
DeleteMy husband isn't a snack buyer, but he buys SO much produce. I grew up in a family where you grew your own, canned & froze the bounty. We might get 1-2 fresh items a week. My husband likes to have no less than 5 kinds of fresh fruit & 5 kinds of fresh vegetables on hand at any given time. It's a great plan for health, but gets expensive!
ReplyDeleteIt gets expensive plus over buying produce can create waste in a hurry if it is not all consumed right away. I still would take produce buying over snacky junk.
DeleteGood luck! Those are some pretty big gatherings -- fun, but I imagine a ton of work. Michael doesn't ever go to the grocery store except on the rare occasions I can convince him to combine trips or stop by after eating out, etc. Sometimes this is frustrating (I have no one to blame the extravagance and treats on but myself!) but usually I like having almost total control.
ReplyDeleteControl is key, especially if you are trying to maintain a particular budget!
DeleteWhy is it that we always find at least one Christmas decoration after everything else is packed up and put away? I've taken to storing them in the wicker chest where I keep gift bags and wrappings, etc.
ReplyDeleteI, too, budget separately for big gatherings (parties, prayer gatherings, etc.), but I add it to the grocery budget for that month. It works out well for me. As for all those bags of tortilla chips, well, I guess you could serve them with salsa when you have your gatherings?
The people coming here are, for the most part, not from the south and want to experience some true southern cooking.
DeleteI had not thought of using the tortilla chips, but I am going to have something called redneck caviar and it would make a great dipper. Thanks Bless!
Budgeting would be so much easier if our other halfs listened to us, right? :) We still need to take down the exterior lights, something that I may have to ask my Mom to help me with next week (to hold the ladder) since hubby is out of town. I hate to ask him when he only has 1 day off and is flying from 5am Sunday. We never have big gatherings..but it was extra expensive when the kids were over at Christmas, especially the liquor bills (they are adults now)
ReplyDeleteIt would be Cheapchick! TheHub called tonight and was going to stop by Publix to pick up some OTC medicine. Fortunately I knew that Rite Aid has a store brand that is the same medicine but is the cheapest in town and it is just a block from Publix. Yay!
DeleteGood luck getting those Christmas lights down. Be careful!
My husband almost never enters a grocery store. My girls tell me that when he does, he wanders apparently mesmerised and especially in front of the meat.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your entertaining!
Be glad Kylie! A husband who likes to shop is a dangerous person!
DeleteI've waited for a couple days before putting the Christmas bins because, like you, I always find some decoration I've forgot and just as I am typing this I see a swag I forgot. Darn! I put the boxes away yesterday. Sigh...that's some major cooking you'll be doing for a crowd of 30!! I think I'd have a heart attack!
ReplyDeleteWhy does it happen like that. I am still finding errant decorations and I didn't use 1/4 of my usual decorations!
ReplyDeletei am actually fine feeding 30. It is like cooking for 2 but with bigger pots, and I have some big ass pots!
My daughter's birthday is Friday, on Epiphany..., so she doesn't like me to take down the decor until after her birthday. I guess it'll happen in pieces this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI am still finding little bits and pieces of Christmas. It seems like I find things for a couple of weeks
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