Part 4 of Once-A-Month Shopping ~
Shopping Day is going to be exhausting no matter how you slice it. At one point in time, I was going to 3 different stores to buy everything I needed. When I am pregnant, my husband asks that I choose the one store where I can get everything and buy from there exclusively. This will have to be a decision between you and your husband, but remember, your time and energy is worth a lot.
The next decision that must be made is whether or not to take all the children or just some of the children. I will be honest with you…even if you are a small family, you will most likely need more than one cart; therefore, needing a helper of some sorts. At one point in time, my husband was able to come and help, so we took all the children. Occasionally, I have taken all the children by myself. Now, I typically take my oldest to help out while my husband stays home with everyone else. I honestly can’t say that one way is better than another. They all have their merits and their downfalls.
Of course, this aspect of shopping day cannot always be a matter of preference. Sometimes you have no choice as to whether you take all or one of the children. If this is the case, make sure you start your day when the children are the least likely to be hungry or tired, have set rules in place (who sits in the cart, who holds onto the cart, no whining for food while in the store, etc), and be prepared to NOT get all the shopping done in one day. If you don’t set your expectations too high for Shopping Day, you won’t be disappointed when you have to head home without everything on your list.
Next decision is what vehicle to take based on how much room you need. For those of you with one vehicle, this is a no-brainer. Our family has my husband’s work car and our minivan (now a 15 passenger van). If you are only taking one child with you, then a car may do because you will have several easily-accessed seats as well as the trunk space. Our minivan just about doesn’t do the trick because our seats have quite a few car seats attached to them (and I really dislike pulling them out and putting them back in). Also, shopping at one store with all the children in a minivan just doesn’t work well. When we shopped at several stores with all the children, we had to stop between stores and unload.
Quick reminder: CLEAN OUT YOUR VEHICLE!
Do not try to do a once-a-month shopping trip with a trunk or cargo space full of junk. For those of you who have seen the Dugger docu-dramas, you may have noticed that they take a seat or two out of their 15 passenger before their shopping trip. This is a feasible idea when you have older children who can help with this task, but for a family of mostly littles, it just doesn’t seem doable. But, I have no doubt, you will find some way that works.
Now, you are FINALLY ready to leave the house! Don’t forget, if you are shopping at a warehouse type place (like Aldi), you will need your own bags and boxes. And of course, don’t forget your money and your Master Grocery List! Another thing you will need is a good, working pen. I know, that seems like a silly thing to say, but trust me, a 4 page shopping list WITHOUT a pen is a NIGHTMARE!
Once you have a working knowledge of the layouts of the different stores you will be going to, you can arrange your list accordingly (until they remodel and completely confuse you!) I would also encourage you to price check if you are choosing to go to more than one store. The easiest way to do this is to simply jot down the price at each store next to each item you pick up. Don’t beat yourself up if this first time you buy tomato sauce for $.10 more than you could have bought it for down the street…it’s a learning curve.
As you work your way through your list, mark things off. I have also realized that when working with a list this large, it is easy to visually lose track of those items you haven’t gotten yet, especially after you’ve gotten almost everything on that particular page. When I get down to just a few items on a page, I circle those items. This also helps me to see at a glance what I didn’t get at my one store because they didn’t have it in stock or it wasn’t to my liking (like the strawberries this last time…all moldy…yuck!)
I also choose to shop with 1 cart until I need the next cart. I then send my oldest to get the next cart and we proceed to fill his up as well. For our size of family, it takes 2 full carts to do our monthly shopping.
I am also going to add in here that patience is a virtue. This kind of shopping is not to be done on a day when you must rush and not to be done with the mindset that you have to get in and get out as fast as you can even if you truly aren’t on a time schedule. Even if your actual shopping is flawless, you will somehow find yourself in a checkout line that comes to an utter standstill with 2 people ahead of you and 2 people behind you. Freaking out now would be ridiculous. Take a deep breath and be patient. You’d want people to be patient with you if it were you holding up the line…and someday, it probably will be you.
Now, for some reason, bags of groceries do not fit as well in a cart as loose groceries, so you may have to be rather creative to get all those groceries you just piled into your cart back into your cart once they’ve been sacked. Head out to the vehicle and unload, making sure you and those who are helping you are aware of the finer points of stacking groceries (hint: bread does not fair well at the bottom of the pile). In fact, give this crash course prior to entering the grocery store since stacking rules also apply when putting things into a cart.
The next step of Shopping Day is my least favorite…putting the groceries away. In fact, it is not uncommon for me to find all the cold stuff, put it all away, and leave the rest to be done the next day. I do not have any children old enough to stock a pantry properly, so the entire job of putting pantry items away is mine. Soon, I hope to train my oldest to do it, but he is just not quite there yet. (3 years later, we are there!)
A quick note about my pantry. In our previous home, we had no real cupboard space. This required me to buy heavy duty shelves to place in the kitchen as well as utilizing the space beneath our buffet. If this is your plight, then use those creative brain cells and figure something out. One home we lived in had linen shelves above the washer and dryer. I kept my towels elsewhere so I could use that space to store canned goods since there was very limited cabinet space in the kitchen itself. In our new home, I was very excited to find that what I originally thought was a coat closet in the dining room near the garage door was actually an already shelved pantry! That is another option…fix a coat closet up with shelving (ours is just metal brackets and boards) and store your coats in your closets or on hooks somewhere else.
No matter what form your pantry takes, I would highly encourage you…no, I command you!…to make it neat and usable. This doesn’t mean alphabetizing the cans, but it does mean having things in some sort of order, so they are at your fingertips and easy to see. A hodge-podge of a pantry will not be utilized as it should be and you will not save money because you will forever be buying duplicates of items you already had on hand but couldn’t see because of your poorly organized pantry. I say this as someone who has been there, done that. Learn from my mistakes…please!
We also have 2 refrigerators and an upright freezer. However, this is not necessary. We did without for a long time; however, now that we buy our beef 1/2 a side at a time, the freezer is necessary. The refrigerator came with the house, and has proved to be a nice addition. But, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel they couldn’t shop once a month successfully without the extra appliances. It is possible. I have done it.
Now, you are fully stocked and ready to cook for the month. And, as was said in one of the comments, even if you don’t make exactly what is on your menu list, you still have enough in your pantry to make something.
To me, this is what being fully stocked is all about. If I suddenly need a specific dish that I didn’t have on my list, it is rarely a big deal because I still have the ingredients on hand. If I have to take away from a meal that is on the list because of this impromptu meal, I simply cross the orginal meal off my list so I am aware I no longer have the ingredients on hand to make that dish. This is what I do anyway once a meal has been prepared and I am out of those specific ingredients. I also keep notes on my Meal List as to whether or not a meal was liked or disliked…a smiley face means it was well-received by all and a dish that has been scribbled through means I won’t be serving that again!
So, that is Shopping Day. And this, my friends, is the end of the series on Once-A-Month Shopping!
Once A Month Shopping Series:
Introduction
Master Meal List
Master Grocery List
Shopping Day – this post
FREE Once a Month Shopping Master Grocery List
Michele says
This sounds just like how we shop except we shop twice a month. I *can* go alone but at this point we are starting to need two carts so usually my husband comes as well as all the children. We try to make the day as fun and stress free as possible and dinner is always sandwiches and chips so no cooking in needed after such a long day of shopping! :0)
Mrs. Klause says
Obviously milk, eggs & yogurt have to be replished throughout the month. I am assuming that oncea-month shopping requires the family to eat mostly frozen or canned veggies. Is there something I am missing? Our family eats primarily fresh fruit and veggies as sidedishes with out meat. I can see once-a-month for the bulk items but I don’t see how a weekly trip to the market is unavoidable. Am I missing a component here?>>:0)>Mrs. Klause>http://www.clothedwithscarlet.typepad.com
Anonymous says
I don’t cook once a month but one thing I have found helpful is cooking all my meat at once. I boil my chickens, fry up all my sausage, cook my ground beef etc. Then I cut it up after it cools and put it in labled bags in the freezer. This elimanate some heat, I only mess with raw meat once and it’s my biggest time saver for dinner. Just plop it in the dish I am making. I usually cook casseroles, soups or stir fry – that way 1 chicken goes for 2 meals. This is one of those things for me like once a month shopping for you – I hope I can try to shop once a month soon – I have wanted to several times, I just don’t have enough cash at once. I am going to work on it harder though.>>Esther
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
Mrs. Klause,>In response to your question about fresh veggies, milk, eggs, and yogurt, we tend to compromise a bit. I can make eggs and milk last 2 wks before going out for more. At one point in time, we made a weekly run for raw milk. We currently do not have a reliable source close enough to home for raw milk. We do buy fresh veggies, but often, once it is gone, we go to frozen and canned. Same with yogurt, which is not a real hot commodity around here anyway.>>We do still go out and grab a little something here and there, but usually that is when we are out with my husband for the evening anyway and I just run in the store and back out. So, yes, in many ways, this way of doing things is a way to keep from “bulk” shopping nearly every week…something that takes up a lot of time. A little run here and there is not nearly as time consuming.>>Hope that clarifies a bit! 🙂
Tabitha says
Don’t know if this helps, but making yogurt at home isn’t too bad. It’s mostly hands off but great on a day you are home or right after work so it can culture overnight. (I’ve done both since I used to work before staying home with the kids and home educating.)
I’ve done the crockpot method from crockpot365 blog, but that didn’t work in the winter. It’s great to set a timer and let the crockpot do it’s thing. I’m thinking the jars in the cooler will be the way to go with the hot or cold Texas weather. If you try it, use whole milk that has NOT been ultra-pasteurized. (Yogurt can be made raw, but we just use kefir grains for raw milk. This is also great in smoothies. Raw milk yogurt doesn’t tend to get creamy like regular yogurt.)
I also learned that eggs can be frozen. I believe you scramble them before freezing and then they can be used as normal once defrosted. We are gluten free house so we haven’t tested this yet since we go through 2 dozen eggs a week minimum for just the 5 of us. If you find a great deal on eggs this could be worth a web search for how to information.
I really appreciate your blog. We will have 4 children this Fall, and I have a preK kiddo moving up to kindergarten in our home school. I saw the once-a-month shopping posts and am working on this now. I think it will help stretch the budget and avoid the “out” house issue we have been struggling with lately. Eating out a bunch during one week really messed us up and it will take a couple of months to recover because we are prepaying for the birth center for the next 5 months. Ack! Just overwhelmed and really appreciate all the experience you share with us. Thank you.
Amy says
Thank you for all the information!
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
That’s absolutely fine with me, Lauren! ~Amy
Jenny says
You inspired me! I did it this week and have such a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. =) I’ll still do my weekly farmers market trips for fresh produce, but that’s an outing I enjoy. We did get some funny looks when we pulled our 2 overflowing carts up to the counter at Costco. We assured the cashier that it was for a full month and she giggled that she didn’t think my 4 littles could eat THAT much in a week. LOL>Thanks for the tips and the inspiration.
Lauren says
Thank you so much for this series on once-a-month shopping!!! My hubby and I are coming up on our first anniversary, and I’ve learned a lot about homemaking in the past year, but still have SO MUCH to learn. Your meal-planning and shopping advice is extremely helpful and inspiring! I can’t wait to try it! >>Mind if I put a link to these articles on our blog?>>Love in Christ,>Lauren @ PearlsAndDiamonds
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
Sherri,>It was scary to think about at first. My husband gets paid 2x per month and we chose to shop at the time of the month when there is usually more money. Do you have a paycheck that goes further b/c there are less bills or there is an expense check included in your husband’s paycheck? >>I took my list and kept track of my totals, and stopped when we were close to our budget, making sure you have enough food to make most of your meals. What I have found is that the food is miraculously stretched.>>My biggest piece of advice is to do what you can. If you can’t do 1month, do 2 weeks. Then, try for 3 weeks. Really take account of your pantry and what you can do w/ what you have that would cut down on what you “think” you need. Just start where you think you can and ask the Lord’s blessing over your efforts.
sherri the herd keeper says
just trying to get all that money at once to make the initial jump seems insurmountable on a limited budget. How did you do this. Did you find you ran out of things when you first started shopping like this. Trying to figure otu how to stay out of the grocery store. I can easily see husband stopping for fruit and veggies and milk only. much food for thought
Serene says
Dropping by from MOMYS. Thanks for your very detailed explanation. We have one fridge with the freezer at the top for our family of 6+2. It is getting very tight in there and we only shop once a week. >>We tried shopping once every 2 weeks before when we lived in a rental apartment which came with another fridge. That was helpful.>>Once a month shopping requires lots of planning and once a month cooking requires lots of stamina. Lol! >>Serene in Singapore
Nicole says
I read about a site called http://alice.com. I have not used it but it seems worth trying. They have free shipping and I did some price comparison w/ Costco and their prices were lower. It seems like a great option for those who are far from good market choices.
Your post is very inspiring. I feel like I am running to the store everyday!
Amy says
I signed up for Alice over a year ago, but I found that it is all name brand and we have an Aldi here that is still cheaper. I had a hard time finding the things I really would need there, so I gave up on it, but perhaps I should look at it now…I’m sure they’ve expanded!
Angeline Miersma says
This is great! I will be giving birth to our fourth and I’m thinking now may be the time to learn how to shop less frequently. The coat closet conversion to a pantry is a great idea since we have no pantry and little cabinet space. Also, I wanted to add, that when I bag my groceries at Aldi, the children and I bag according to where they will be put away or by categories (frozen meats, dairy, shelved goods)…I assume that can still work for once-a-month shopping.
Carrie says
Thank you so much for your website. I have spent much time here today after searching “liquid laundry detergent”. My one year store bought supply that I obtained FREE through couponing is on its last container so I’m going back to making my own. I have read MANY of your posts and really enjoy them. I am looking for ways to continue to save for our family of six and you have stirred up many ideas. Thank you so much.
Subscribing now!
Blessings,
Amy says
Welcome! 🙂
Carrie says
I know this was posted a while ago, but my new most favorite shopping trick is Sam’s Club’s online shopping service!!! It’s a free service for members and is so great! You just click and order the things you want on your computer, choose the time and day you want to get them and then remember to swing by that day and time-ish to pick them up! Some sweet lady does all of my shopping for me now and I even hug her sometimes!!!! =) If I have my 3 boys with me when picking up, someone almost always helps me out to the car and loads them for me!!!! Hopefully that helps someone. It’s AWESOME!!!! It’s also helped our budget because if I overspend, I just delete items! I’ve tracked some of the prices on things and since I make a lot of things from scratch, and buy a lot of convenience things with the Sam’s coupons, I’m really not spending that much more than I did when price matching things at WalMart with 3 littles and now I don’t have to shop with them at all!!!!! Totally worth that trade! =) It’s also totally ok to just order milk, eggs and produce! No order is too big or too small!!!! Game changer over here!
Rachel says
Yay for once-a-month shopping! My life became so much easier when I started doing this. Another tip: do NOT bag your groceries at Aldi! This is a colossal, unnecessary waste of time. I skip that whole step by just wheeling my 2 full carts out to my minivan where I transfer the loose groceries into boxes (not bags) that are waiting in the trunk. (I store a couple of Rubbermaid tubs, a few crates, and a large cooler in the garage for shopping day. I also pick up a few empty cardboard boxes while I’m shopping in Aldi.) As I box at the van, I sort the groceries depending on where they’ll be put away — storage pantry, kitchen, freezer, etc. So much easier than taking everything out inside the store, bagging, putting it awkwardly back in the cart, having a bag fall off the cart while going out to the car :),and taking it all out again to load it into the car! I noticed the Duggars doing this and I’ve never looked back!
Reggie says
I strongly encourage any parent to attempt taking all their children with them to do grocery shopping at least occasionally. Why? Because inevitably you’re bound to HAVE to due to babysitter, spouse, etc being unavailable. Trust me, being completely unprepared for that experience is like being thrown into the Pacific without a life vest. Also, give your shopping trip LOTS of time, especially, if like Amy, you are doing an entire month’s worth of shopping. If that is indeed how you approach grocery shopping, my advice is to just give it a whole day. If it’s summer, bring along coolers for cold and frozen goods and throw in stops at the local park/library/McDonald’s Playland for the children’s sake. And for winter, do the exact same minus the coolers. And for pity’s sake, if the children are big enough to competently hold a grocery sack filled with food, then by all means have them help unload while you begin putting things away in the house. Grab the eggs and bread yourself though. We needn’t be extreme here, folks.