A little experiment I tried today at the grocery

**Cricketlegs** · 08-06-2007, 11:53 PM

I decided I ONLY wanted to spend around $100~~give or take either way on THIS trip. I plan for $300 this month.

I went into my store and I looked at the number of ISLES with anISLE having 2 sides of food.

My store had 14 isles plus the dairy, produce, and meat sections.

I took my $100 and DIVIDED it by the number of isles--14+3=17

Comes to about $5.80.

I then tried to stay within $6 on each isles. That means BOTH sides not each side.

4 ailes ~didn't need anything from--laundry soap, paper products, cleaners, and other house items.

That $20 I put in the Meat section.

I did end up getting premade chicken on myway to checkout.

I got a buggy of good food, only items I needed (I NEEDED THAT CHICKEN ALRIGHT!!!) and my total--$103.87.

You would be surprised by how much needed food you buy when you CAN'T buy the "other" stuff.

Pretty cool huh?!

**sdrjeolsen** · 08-07-2007, 12:16 AM

great idea cricketlegs! Way to stay within budget. I never thought of doing it that way.

**baxjul** · 08-07-2007, 06:44 AM

Great idea! I'll have to try this! This is the kind of stuff that works for me!

**Daisygirl** · 08-07-2007, 07:07 AM

Great idea, I love making a game of it!

My oven is broken and I use those darn chickens all the time! They ROCK! Here sometimes after a certain # of hours they put them in the refrigerator section at 1/2 price, and then it is cheaper than buying one and cooking it myself!

**emily_hope** · 08-07-2007, 08:11 AM

Wonderfully fun idea. Sometimes, if you hit Walmart at just the right time, they are giving away those chickens.

**Dancing Lotus** · 08-07-2007, 08:20 AM

Thats a way that I never thought of shoping. HAy if it works Im all for it.

**Mom23boys** · 08-07-2007, 08:30 AM

What a great idea!! Congrats on staying pretty close to your budget.

**GMA21** · 08-07-2007, 11:14 AM

That's a fun way to shop & sounds like you raly did good, way to go.

**Little Birdie** · 08-07-2007, 11:48 AM

What a fun way to add variety and mental gymnastics to a boring shopping trip.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 08-07-2007, 12:27 PM

Neat idea!

**PB&J** · 08-07-2007, 05:09 PM

How funny! That is a neat idea. I try to keep a running tally of what I have spent, it is hard!

I aimed to spend $100 yesterday and spent $103, too! lol

**Cricketlegs** · 08-08-2007, 12:16 AM

Well for one thing I have to keep a tally on paper and for another when you do it this way you sure don't buy what you don't need because you have to spend the money on what you do need at that particular time.

I am sure it wouldn't really work all that great in an Emergency situation where your pantry didn't have the essentials. You know, the times when ALL you have 100 and you HAVE to feed a family of 5 for a whole MONTH, you have to have a meal plan, written list and a prayer!

So glad those days are over~~They STINK!

I wasn't buying milk, flour, sugar, or other staples of that type.

My hardest decision was tuna, soup, or spaghetti noodles VERSES canned chicken,apple sauce and taco shells! LOL!

I went tuna, noodles, and soup(heck they make a MEAL don't they???LOL)