Grocery shopping has become a bit of a “challenge” for me lately. Not in a bad way, but in a “how-can-I-keep-to-a-budget” and still eat good way… “Good” meaning, healthy...with a few splurges.
And let’s just say it is getting more and more challenging each time I walk into the grocery store…I am amazed at how much prices have changed…weekly. And I know that everyone is feeling it. Just look at the faces in the stores. People aren’t happy. In fact, I have encountered more rude people in my trips to the store lately than I have in a long time. My Theory: the $ squeeze...it is everywhere. If you haven’t seen it, it WILL be coming to a store near you very soon!
But let’s be realistic here…Does it really equal out to almost $5 to make and transport a block of cheddar? A small one? I was just in the store yesterday and could not believe the cost of cheese…I almost passed out in the dairy section. Now I love cheese…but
paying $5 for cheese used to mean you were getting the good, in the bakery section cheese…not the Laura Lynn florescent orange cheddar block….And produce…I paid almost $1.50 for ONE Fuji apple a few weeks ago… But I guess if you pass on the cheese there is no need for the fruit…to…you know, keep you regular...so problem solved there…And let’s just talk about cereal…a box of cheerios was almost $4.00. Even the generic “Cheery-O’s” aren’t considered “cheap” anymore…It really was just blowing my mind…I remember when I could walk into a store and $10 worth of groceries could get you much more than a block of cheese and box of Cheerios…Come on now!
So in an effort to keep the food bill down, the past few weeks we have been getting the Sunday paper…not for the news, not for the comics; but for the coupons. A habit that my mom has ALWAYS had, and now, is being passed down…Yep, I guess you know you are getting “older” when a coupon for $1.00 off the good toilet paper get’s your blood pumping and heart racing! But folks, let me be the first to say...coupons work. If you aren’t using them, you are, well, not very smart…I saved $20 off my total bill yesterday on coupons alone. Not that I am bragging…well, ok I kind of am. I walked out of Ingles smiling and VERY proud of myself. I kept to the list, the budget, and used only the cash amount I had in my wallet. AND we had steak and potatoes for dinner last night. And enough food for this next week. It took me longer to shop and a bit more time to plan out this trip, but it was worth it in the long run...
Where am I going with this? Well, as I was driving home from the store….gloating…I couldn’t help but think, “My God still provides”; He is always giving us just what we need. We are living very comfortably. Yes, times are a bit harder…but He has provided me with every resource and opportunity to show wisdom. To make good choices. I believe He is shaking his people up. We live so extravagantly. We waste so much. There are so many people in other parts of the world that couldn’t dream of having a bowl of cheerios for breakfast…in fact, they don’t get breakfast. Come on church. If your hope and security lies in the cushion or lack thereof in your bank account, or in the amount of gas in your tank, or the food in your pantry, than you need to re-evaluate your trust. And you need to broaden your understanding of who God really is.
I wrap this up with this…I got home from the store yesterday and there was a check…in the mail…that Wes and I both had forgot about. And it was for more than the original amount we had paid. And I am convinced it was God’s provision for being diligent in the little things. For using wisdom…and really trying hard to be obedient…He is always watching over us…
Anyways…enough of my rambling…I think I will stop on my way home now and get a block of cheese. :-)
And let’s just say it is getting more and more challenging each time I walk into the grocery store…I am amazed at how much prices have changed…weekly. And I know that everyone is feeling it. Just look at the faces in the stores. People aren’t happy. In fact, I have encountered more rude people in my trips to the store lately than I have in a long time. My Theory: the $ squeeze...it is everywhere. If you haven’t seen it, it WILL be coming to a store near you very soon!
But let’s be realistic here…Does it really equal out to almost $5 to make and transport a block of cheddar? A small one? I was just in the store yesterday and could not believe the cost of cheese…I almost passed out in the dairy section. Now I love cheese…but
paying $5 for cheese used to mean you were getting the good, in the bakery section cheese…not the Laura Lynn florescent orange cheddar block….And produce…I paid almost $1.50 for ONE Fuji apple a few weeks ago… But I guess if you pass on the cheese there is no need for the fruit…to…you know, keep you regular...so problem solved there…And let’s just talk about cereal…a box of cheerios was almost $4.00. Even the generic “Cheery-O’s” aren’t considered “cheap” anymore…It really was just blowing my mind…I remember when I could walk into a store and $10 worth of groceries could get you much more than a block of cheese and box of Cheerios…Come on now!
So in an effort to keep the food bill down, the past few weeks we have been getting the Sunday paper…not for the news, not for the comics; but for the coupons. A habit that my mom has ALWAYS had, and now, is being passed down…Yep, I guess you know you are getting “older” when a coupon for $1.00 off the good toilet paper get’s your blood pumping and heart racing! But folks, let me be the first to say...coupons work. If you aren’t using them, you are, well, not very smart…I saved $20 off my total bill yesterday on coupons alone. Not that I am bragging…well, ok I kind of am. I walked out of Ingles smiling and VERY proud of myself. I kept to the list, the budget, and used only the cash amount I had in my wallet. AND we had steak and potatoes for dinner last night. And enough food for this next week. It took me longer to shop and a bit more time to plan out this trip, but it was worth it in the long run...
Where am I going with this? Well, as I was driving home from the store….gloating…I couldn’t help but think, “My God still provides”; He is always giving us just what we need. We are living very comfortably. Yes, times are a bit harder…but He has provided me with every resource and opportunity to show wisdom. To make good choices. I believe He is shaking his people up. We live so extravagantly. We waste so much. There are so many people in other parts of the world that couldn’t dream of having a bowl of cheerios for breakfast…in fact, they don’t get breakfast. Come on church. If your hope and security lies in the cushion or lack thereof in your bank account, or in the amount of gas in your tank, or the food in your pantry, than you need to re-evaluate your trust. And you need to broaden your understanding of who God really is.
I wrap this up with this…I got home from the store yesterday and there was a check…in the mail…that Wes and I both had forgot about. And it was for more than the original amount we had paid. And I am convinced it was God’s provision for being diligent in the little things. For using wisdom…and really trying hard to be obedient…He is always watching over us…
Anyways…enough of my rambling…I think I will stop on my way home now and get a block of cheese. :-)
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