Apr 24, 2008

Grocery Bill Event

It is happening. There is food ration even in the U S of A. Look where oil politics have brought this world into. People are struggling in many parts of the World due to this global food crisis. U.S is the most gluttonous nation of all. Even here, the crisis is creeping into our daily lives in alarming rates.

To be prepared, like everyone else the first thing that came to my mind is to check my grocery bill.

I buy my weekly supply of groceries on every Saturday. I am going to check my grocery bill from next week starting Sunday 27 April to next Saturday May 3rd. I will spend like how I do it in normal times. Then I will start the same thing the following week, pinching every penny, thinking about how to get the most of something, looking for cheaper alternatives, planning ways to cut short my grocery bill from Sunday the 4th to Saturday the 10th.

I will compare two weeks bills online on my food blog. I will update most days on what I cooked for these two weeks. This way I can share my tips with you and collect ideas. The intention is simple, this will make me and you and them learn how to live smarter in changing times.

If you want to join me, come along. Or you can just watch the show or do something similar in the following weeks.

26 comments:

notyet100 said...

i am in,..:-)

Unknown said...

QUite a fantastic thought Inji...here too regular provision prices are soaring...and everyone is blaming it on the animal called iNFLATION...when you say grocery do you mean provisions as well as fruits and vegetables?

Inji Pennu said...

Everything Nandita, I am including every thing what I cook with and consume on a week.

Unknown said...

thats a nice idea

Uma said...

good idea. I will be watching the show.

Divya Kudua said...

Very nice idea..I want to reduce my grocery bill amount too!!

Arundathi said...

Thats a great idea - I'm gonna do that here too and see how much of a difference it makes. i'm amazed everyday at the prices of veggies here...even a simple capsicum is so expensive!

ms said...

Yep, I read that the price of rice has doubled in the last year. I am really worried at this trend, especially because it is hitting the staples. Economic times reported that Walmart is limiting the sale of a 20 pound bag of rice to one per customer. I like this idea of tracking expenditure, and I also look forward to your suggestions - is buying in bulk better? Costs of in season veg versus out of season? Wow one long comment. Thanks!

Rajitha said...

i know..the bills are atrocious...i just walked out the other day with just a bag of groceries and $72.00 lighter..all in 5 minutes...i shudder to think of it!!..this is a great idea...

indosungod said...

Inji, great idea.

I went back to check last years grocery expenses to this years it is 25-40% more.

Siri said...

great idea Inji. I agree, the prices are soaring and this way I can watch out what I have bought each week.

Siri

Revathi said...

awesome inji. I always wanted to rant about the safeway bill and the perfect chance to do it.

Rajesh &Shankari said...

Excellent idea inji.

Kumudha said...

Going vegan is a great way to end world hunger and also to reduce global warming...

It is pretty easy to thrive on a vegan diet in United States...

Inji Pennu said...

Hi Kumuda, Actually vegetables cost more than meat in U.S. Meat is very cheap.

Kumudha said...

Inji,
Being a vegan is not only good for the environment and the animals, it is also great for your health. Many diseases can be avoided by being a vegetarian or a vegan...

Inji Pennu said...

Kumuda
People in Okinawa islands (Japan) have the longest lifespan and they are not vegans :)
Anyway let us not start on vegan/nonvegan issue here please. It is about grocery bills :). We can discuss it later.

Kalai said...

Awesome idea, Inji! :)

Anonymous said...

Great! I am not a wise shopper, and I run to the grocery shop more than once a week! I waste some produce every week, especially vegetables. Right now I have enough stuff to last for at least 3 weeks, but I know I'll be making a grocery store visit within a few days(needs to get milk and yogurt, but I am sure there are other stuff in the store that will attract me, and make it into my cart.). And I know if I follow this event, it's going to be a big difference for me.

Sig said...

This is an awesome idea Inji... I am ashamed to admit it, but I am the worst grocery shopper in the world... I never plan my purchases, and just pick up this and that when I am in the store... and lots get wasted too... :( I am in no position to offer any advice, so I will just watch the show... :)

Anonymous said...

Great and very timely topic for an event... I regularly read many of the food blogs and I was wondering why nobody brought this up...

Dori said...

I live on an extremely limited budget and have to plan my grocery list to the penny, and I cannot waste a bit of food that I buy...this sends me to the store at least a couple times a week to buy produce so that I will not have any spoilage from having it for too many days. When I find sales on food I can freeze, I buy it on sale and freeze it. When I find non-perishable items I can store in the cupboard, I buy it on sale and store it. To think that my budget is going to have to get even tighter is a bit of a pain but I'm sure my mom taught me a great deal on budgeting especially during harder times as she grew up extremely poor. This is a great idea to get people thinking and give others idea's on how to make their food money stretch further.

Shah cooks said...

no meat and fish in this list? can i join ur event? sounds fun and i am a very bad planner!!so this should help me get organised.

Anonymous said...

kumuda,
You are right ! people in that japanese island have the longer life span but not the animals/fishes they eat. They die early. Don't ask that will it make a difference. It will make a life or death difference to that animal which is not hunted for food.

Sirisha said...

That's a fantastic idea.I'm In...Let's go for it

Anonymous said...

loved your blog. This is my first day in blog world. urs is in my fav list. by the way, I have same problem of reading $2.99 as $2.