Debating a way to pay more on the debt

**nodmicks** · 09-28-2011, 02:38 PM

I was thinking about this last night . What got me thinking was another poster saying they were only going to buy milk and eggs for the next few weeks.

I do pretty well staying in my grocery budget. I budget $350. That includes cat food, dog food , chicken food and personal products like TP and shampoo. I figure if I have a pretty full freezer and a quite a bit on hand. I was debating using everything up to buy as few groceries as possible to have more $ on debt. I figure if I use the stockpile I could save about $200 a month for a month or two. So theoretically an extra $400.

However I'm a tiny bit freaked out about not having the stockpile in case there would be a down turn in income . Dh makes 75% of our income. I am also a bit worried about the climbing prices of food if I am not taking advantage of rock bottom deals to stock up.

So what do you think. Is it worth it to deplete the stockpile or is my security gland just getting in the way?

**krbshappy71** · 09-28-2011, 02:53 PM

Rather that depleting, how about telling yourself, "I will use up the oldest of the stockpile EVERY day until I am up to XX months." For example, you have 6 months of stockpile food. You use all cans/pasta/ingredients that are dated up to 4 months old. Then you would still have your 4 month old food but not your 6 month old food. If a crisis happened, you would have 4 months of food left, but you had 2 months of not having to buy much groceries, paying on debt, and it would be a good indicator of "how well do I stockpile? Am I stocking up on the food I actually enjoy eating?"

Another tactic could be "I feel good about my stockpile, I will not ADD to it for the next 2 months. I will buy what I absolutely need of groceries but will not buy those cans that are on sale for 10/$10 for the next two months.

I separate out my dog and pet food, and household from my groceries budget so I can see exactly what is FOOD. It all comes out of the bank, but I like to see precisely what's food, what's household, what's animals and control those budget accordingly. I have then been able to pick up items from Freecycle for household such as shampoo, and I like being able to see how that directly helped that category's budget. You may not be spending as much on food as you thought, maybe its another area you need to cut back on, y'know?

**nodmicks** · 09-28-2011, 03:11 PM

I love that idea but I have to confess I have nothing dated and have no clue how long the stockpile really would last. I'm not very organized about it. I have always just really stocked up on good sales.

For food products I need milk, some produce , potato and fruit weekly regardless. We dont eat many grains so those fill in.

I do know how much is food vs paper pets etc. I just lump it in the $350. I know where to cut on food but honestly am clueless where to cut more on these categories but am open to suggestions

I ran the averages I spend in those categories and here they are. Oh and we are a family of 4 with 3 cats, 3 dogs and chickens

Pets~
litter (buy 40 lb at Sams of generic) ~ $11
cat food walmart ~$12
dog food (2 eat beneful the other eats Evo 1/4 c 2 x day) ~$30
organic chicken feed 50 lb ~ $15

Paper products~
These I buy when on sale for $4-6 for 1 double 12 roll pack. I honestly do not know exactly how much we use

Personal products~
( I'm a stylist so the price is great)pro hair products at supply store when stock up sales approx ~ $15 averaged monthly.

Deodorants, toothpaste , lotions , makeup etc since I do stockpile when sale ~ $12

Laundry soap and cleaning about $13

**shoiji** · 09-29-2011, 01:28 PM

Have you tried cleaning more with vinegar and water?

Since it is now fall there should be more sales on produce, especially canned or frozen. Try to take advantage of that. Also, try looking at new recipes your family may enjoy. You can use up part of your stockpile and may even end of replacing some items. I will make fruit salad with a can of pinneapple, fresh 1 apple cut up, and grapes. It really makes a lot of salad and is cheap. Try using your stockpile in this manner.

Find a permanent magic marker and starting writing down the date you open a shampoo bottle, lotion bottle, soap dispenser, etc. so you can see how long it lasts for your family. You might want to invest in foam soap dispensers. You end up using much less soap. I am not picky about what type of liquid soap gets added to the foam soap dispenser. So when I can get free or just for pennies shampoo or dishwashing liquid I use that.

Personally I am at the point where a good stockpile gives me a sense if security. Depleting the stockpile without having a plan to replenish it for me would be scary.

How much debt are you trying to pay off? Will the $400 make a large dent? I would also suggest looking at your buget and see if there are other areas you can cut back for two months.

**brenda67** · 09-29-2011, 04:16 PM

I'm stocking up more than I ever have before..I'm afraid that my dh will be seeing a furlough or a paycut in the next few month's and he is the main breadwinner in our family now..I'm paying only minimum on ALL dept's for now until I see what the future has in store for our family..I think everyone better stockup NOW! If I feel comfortable in the next few month's financially I'll be paying extra on my Electric Bill & Car Insurance that's about the only thing I will pay extra on..