Guest post by Anne Simpson of Authentic Simplicity
Saving money on groceries has been such a way of life for me, it’s almost like it’s in my blood. It started when I was a child, watching my mother clip coupons as she attempted to feed her family of 11 children on a pastor’s tiny salary. Even as a single girl, I clipped coupons and shopped the sales when it was my turn to buy the groceries for myself and my roomies (who also happened to be my sisters!).
Now a married adult, I have learned even more about shaving the grocery budget as I went from a dirt-poor newlywed (with a brief stint as a “DINK” – Dual-Income-No-Kids) to an almost-dirt-poor-mom of children with food allergies. For several years, I managed to feed my family of four on a budget of only $200 a month.
Even now, our monthly food budget is only $250, but I am still able to buy things like grass-fed ground beef, farm-fresh eggs, and certain organic fruits and vegetables. Considering that the US Department of Agriculture estimates that a family of four on a “thrifty plan” will spend more than $500 a month on food… I’m thinking we’re doing a bang-up job with our grocery budget! [Read more…]