Monthly Grocery Shopping Experiment

So, we are at the end of the first month of our monthly grocery shopping experiment.

While it was nowhere near perfect, it did make a big difference in how much we spent on groceries this month! You can read all about the experiment here.

The bad news: Went over budget! I grossly under estimated how much milk we use, how much baking I do, and we did a lot of unplanned entertaining.

The good news: I did not visit the grocery store anywhere near the 40-something times I did in June, nor did I spend as much as I did in June! I still have a few things in the freezer and pantry that I won’t have to buy this month.

So lets review the month of July, shall we:

Food Budget: $600

Shopping Trip July 7th $459.66 (Costco, Food Basics, Zehrs & Bulk Barn)

Farm Markets $100.00

Total Spent on planned shopping 659.66

Total Spent on unplanned shopping 276.84

Grand Total 936.50

What I have learned so far:

We still have a lot of work to do but that is why we are doing a three month challenge and not one month! I knew I would have a lot to learn.

Menu planning makes all the difference! It was so nice to have meals ideas AND ingredients at the ready when I got home from work.

We have to reduce our food waste. I bought kale and I really don’t like Kale and didn’t have a plan for it. I won’t be buying things I don’t have a plan for that I am not 100% sure we are going to eat!

I have to plan better for entertaining!

DO NOT SHOP WHEN HUNGRY! I gave in to my wants way more than I should have. I really did not need all that ice cream, chips and pop that I picked up during the unplanned shopping trips. But when Smartie ice cream is on sale I get weak in the knees!

Plan for August

We are shopping on Friday evening. I am still refining my list and have added $50 to the budget this month. It is, after all, still summer and I anticipate a few more barbecues with family and friends and will build this into my plan.