It’s been almost a year since I started budgeting more strictly for groceries and using the online Pick ‘n Save flier to plan my Wednesday trips. My method is rock-solid. I rarely overspend or mismanage our food budget, yet I’ve significantly increased our organic dairy and produce intake. I am really proud of how my family, and especially my three little girls, eat.
So it came with some shock that my last two shopping trips have been significantly over budget. My last trip was $200 — way more than I normally spend in a week. What is going on?
The party factor
I reviewed my lists, and I found that my last two trips contained a lot of items I don’t usually buy:
- Chips and dips (I curse the genius behind potato chips and french onion dip)
- Snacks and treats (yum for s’mores)
- Soda (mostly Coke products)
- Produce (especially berries and melons)
The reason I’m spending more is simply because we have a packed social calendar of summer parties, and I usually bring something to share with the group. Helping out the host and joining in on the fun is something I really enjoy. Plus, I love a sandwich with chips and soda in the summer. It’s my summer downfall.
I’m also hosting my own party next week, and I’ve been stocking up on essentials. Technically, some of that overage in my grocery budget could be picked up by my entertainment budget, since the food is being used for parties and such, but I’ll just chalk it up to summer fun and get back on track later.
The produce bill has been higher lately, too, just because there is so much in season right now. My kids love fruit, so I’ve been buying much more than usual.
I didn’t expect to spend more this summer, but I’m enjoying our time so much that I don’t mind. I know it’s temporary, and we can handle the higher bills for now.
What about you: Do you spend more on groceries in the summer? Or are the winter holidays the time to splurge at the store?
My grocery bill today will be significantly lower than usual — I expect to spend about $75-$80 on this week’s trip. That should offset a lot of the overage I’ve been experiencing. If I can do this again next week, I’ll be right on track again!
I love knowing that a little attention to the list and finagling the details can pay off this way.