need help minimizing overhead when making trips to the 'big town' (LONG)

[Early Bird]

We live in a very small town; and about once a month, we travel to a much larger town about an hour away.

When we do, we pack in a lot of errands. For example, yesterday was:

*Home Depot [aka Hardware Store #1] (from the time we hit town till noon)
Walgreens
Electronics Store. (DH ran in alone)
lunch (at a sit-down restaurant. came to $42. ouch.)
Hardware Store #2 (DH ran in alone)
Hardware Store #3 (DH ran in alone)
Target
Michael's
Bookstore (DH ran in with one child)
*Sam's Club
Electronics Store #2.(DH ran in alone)
Big Lots (DH ran in alone)
JoAnn's Fabrics (I ran in alone)
Electronics Store #3 (DH ran in alone)
Hobby Lobby (I went in w/ the kids while DH was in Electronics Store #3).

We left the house at 9:30 a.m. and got home about 8:30 at night.

Now, we did a bit of splitting up. And some errands only took a few minutes, like DH running in to Electronics Store #2. But some errands (like Home Depot and Sam's Club) took a couple of hours apiece. Very few of the errands were fluff.

(My trip to JoAnn's Fabrics was the only really optional part. DH and the kids stayed in the car and listened to a book on tape. And I was quick. I also wanted to get to a specialty needlecraft store, but, again, it wasn't a priority, so I didn't make it.)

But it was still a long, tiring day.

Here are my dilemmas:

* 1. Cost.
It costs us about $15/day to eat at home. (Well, food and HBA and household cleaners and laundry soap). When we go to town, we usually spend around $50 on eating out. (lunch out, then a snack later at Sam's Club). So, we spend an extra $35 in eating out.

We spend about $10 in gas for the round trip.

So, a trip to town costs us roughly $50.

DH counter argues that we hardly ever eat out. And that, like most people, we enjoy eating out once or twice a month. And eating out is relaxing when we're in the middle of a very busy day.

* 2. Exhaustion.
Between the 2 adults, we went into FIFTEEN businesses. We had to prepare lists ahead of time and unload after-the-fact. I try to get a book-on-tape that we'll all enjoy from the library.

Quite intelligently, this time, we started with the BORING hardware store. DH needed my opinion on a number of items, so we had to drag the kids with us. (Sometimes DH drops me and the kids somewhere like Big Lots, where we can browse while he gets hardware).

BTW, I have never driven to town. I'm a nervous driver, so the thought of going while DH is at work doesn't really work for me.

* 3. Time
If we hadn't spent all day in town, we could have been doing something productive, like vacation planning, or house repairs, or even just playing Monopoly with the kids!


I am strongly considering that next time, DH can go alone without any of the rest of us. I can give him my Sam's Club list and a cell phone.

I'm also thinking that paying internet shipping charges could be worth it, instead of popping $50 for the extra cost of eating out and gas when we make a trip to town. We could have bought some of the hardware on the internet -- at roughly the same price. And I'm sure I can find nice yarn shops online.

So, please, give me ideas to reduce the tremendous amount of overhead on these trips to town!

[canadian gardener]

I think your idea of cell phone, list plus hubby is a good one.

But I also agree with him, sometimes you have to spend some to save more.

So if this is a big budget helper, don't worry that it costs you a bit of those savings. You are still better off.

My sister taught me that.

She lives way out of town, 6 kids, and for years at least 2 were in diapers, and one was nursing.

So she would do a McDonalds moment with the kids for an early lunch after hitting the Salvation Army and before the Grocery Store.

She said it saved her way more, because if she got tired and quit and went home, she still had to buy groceries, and 2 trips were more costly than one.

Having the kids take a food, washroom and play area break at McDonalds saved her bacon in more ways than one.

My sister is the savviest most frugal gal I know, always thinking and she felt that if you did the big town trip (she is only an hour out too) that it was worth it to get it all done at once even if it meant McDonalds.

Being too worried about getting every last savings isn't frugal if you quit in frustration or exhaustion. Better to accept less than perfect and keep going.

Back to hubby and the list, it depends. My dh would come home with all kinds of interesting extras he was sure we needed at great extra expense.

Your mileage at home may vary LOL, depending on the dh factor!

[Kimberlina]

We live about 45 minutes from the "big city" and I send DH into town with a list and the cell phone when we need to buy something there. He calls me before he leaves to make sure nothing else has come up.

DH and I both work in the city, but I don't have the opportunity to go shopping there often (I work second shift and don't have time between dropping DD of with DH and work to go to the store, and a lot of stores are cllosed by the time I get out of work) but DH can go during his lunch. If I want him to get groceries there, I will make sure I send him in with the plug-in cooler. I just send him an e-mail of what I want him to buy/price for me.

Why on earth do you need to go into that many different hardware and electronics stores? If it is to save a dollar or two, then you need to ask yourself if it is worth the time. If it is to compare to see if you can save a dollar or two, then you should be using the phone to find out before you eveleave the house. And if it is just to compare the different itms, you should be able to get almost all the info you need off the internetl. The last two cars we purchased, we took a test drive, of course, but the purchase was all but made utilizing research from the internet. You can almost always get all the specifications you need.

If you are going to continue making trips like this, you should probably consider making food to take with you, even if it is just snacks. That way you might spend less if you DO buy other food.

If I left my house to go shopping and didn't come back for that long, I would just tell someone to shoot me now, lol. I couldn't handle it. 3-4 hours being gone shopping is MORE than enough for me, and that includes the 1.5 hour drive. My grocery shopping needs to take less than an hour, there and back, or I would go nuts. I don't know how you do it....

Oh, and I meant to say earlier that I sometimes send DD (2) with DH when he runs these little errand expeditions. She like to get out of the house and I can either get a lot done or just hav some peace and quiet while they are gone.

[PrairieRose]

We live in a small town and go into the 'big city' about once or twice a month. I sometimes have a super list of errands but have learned lately that I am saving money by not making so many stops. It seems to me that we can't resist at least 1 'small' impulse buy at almost everyone. Ssssooooo we make a very "detailed list" of MUST haves and the other stuff, we either do without or try to find closer to home. The stores closer to home (we have a bigger town near us) don't have near the selection and don't run great sales BUT the temptation is much less as well. I've also found this to be true in helping me save grocery dollars by shopping at our higher priced local gro. store. If I don't see it, I don't buy it. We aren't really missing anything that I'm not buying either and I am saving money by staying out of the supermarkets and super walmarts.

Now with all that said, if you are buying things you need, waiting for the sales and stocking up, making no impulse buys I think it's helping you in the long run even if you are eating out and paying more than you feel you should for food for the day. I agree that you do sometimes have to spend money to save/make money and, afterall you deserve a treat every now and then. Frugality doesn't need to feel as if you're in prison. If the dinner out isn't making you go in debt (say as in charges on a credit card that you aren't paying off in full each month) and if you're not letting bills slide to eat out, then enjoy it! Don't go overboard or crazy and give up eating most meals at home but enjoy the treat of eating out on ocassion. JMHO

[Early Bird]

Oh! To answer the question about hardware and electronics:

It turned out that two items we expected to find in some stores weren't stocked.

(A keyless entry front door lock at the hardware store ... and Readable/Writable CD's. [I think that's what DH was looking for at the electronics stores.]) We had expected EVERY hardware/electronics store to carry these.

Actually, the first store did carry the lock ... but only for special orders.

10 years ago, we put one on our old house ... wonderfully convenient, and no probably getting finding then. Strangely, they must have gone out of fashion. I think DH will have to internet order one.

[forestdale]

I know those big shopping trips. When we lived up north we did one every month. Our kids were little then, we weren't frugal at all and we spent up big. We left at 7am and got home around 6pm.

The other ladies have given you great advice already. I'd just add that you need to get out of the house occasionally so why not look on the trip as a day out for everyone. Try to have a break in the middle of the shopping where you can all relax and enjoy being together outside your home. Taking a packed lunch will cut down on the costs but even if you have to buy lunch, I would see it as an investment in your family.

BTW, the book on tape is a great idea.

[Mamaw]

I think I would just enjoy the occassional meal out. But if it really bothers you, maybe you can go along with DH on alternate months. That cuts the trips down from 12 a year to only 6. Might be a compromise that you both are happy with. Then you can really enjoy the occassional nice meal out together.
Frankly, I would love it if DH would do the shopping but he tends to "find" alot of items, ( think hunting, fishing, boating) that we sure dont need! LOL

[SHOPGIRL]

Hmm... The option of sending your dh to do all the errands isn't a bad idea-if he is willing. My dh would never go to more than 2 places for me.

It also depends if you like shopping, getting out, etc. . .

As for the meal out; you could possibly find a cheaper restaurant.(Check out www.restaurant.com, you might find a gift certificate for your area.) Or, like many others have suggested, just pack a lunch in a small cooler. My mom always takes a little cooler with her; sometimes it has water, pop, and sandwiches. Having a healthy snack is so much more convenient when you're taking a long trip.

You might want to check out the Internet to see if you can find similar items; often you can get free shipping or at least find a coupon code to save you $$$$ on the entire order.

You can save time shopping at Sam's Club by ordering your items online. It's called a Click and Pull. You order the night before, then you just walk in the store, find your cart by the customer service area, take the receipt up to the cashier and within 5 minutes you are out the door.

I'd mention to your friends or family if they are going to the city to let you know, maybe they can pick you up a few things.

I currently live in the city, but I grew up in a rural area. Whenever I go home, I always call to see if there is anything the need.

Finally, $50 a month really isn't that bad. If you look at it as a family outing/mini vacation, the money spent might seem more worthwhile.

[FreesiaE]

I read some great ideas so far! I really like the idea of packing a lunch. Maybe you could make a super big, special breakfast before you go-pancakes, eggs, etc; whatever your family likes. Then pack a lighter lunch and do it picnic style in a local park (assuming good weather of course). I also find the the earlier in the day I get the stores, especially on a weekend, the less traffic, more parking spaces, etc. are available, saving me both gas, and headaches! Are you making lists of items you need before you go so you can coordinate it with a particular store? You may find that you may only need to go to a particular store only once a season, rather than every month. Many items are available at megastores, so even though, for example, a bottle of drain cleaner is $2.99 here as compared to $2.59 at the hardware store, are you really saving any money by trucking it across town? Have a great day!