Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Want-A-Peek Wednesday

Ah, Want-A-Peek Wednesday, how I thought this mid- week post would always have a grocery picture...

OK, the truth is that I have yet to visit the grocery store this week. Our family did host a last minute gathering of friends late in the afternoon on Monday- and I wished that I had something to snack-o-licious to throw together with 10 minutes ETA, but as I have admitted before, I am NOT super woman, and so I asked my sweet husband to stop and pick up a couple of 2 liters and a couple of bags of chips. (Insert thankfulness that these items are NOT stockpiled in our house, because they wouldn't last long...).

Dave, also feeling the time crunch, decided to stop to pick up the snackies from our neighborhood convenience/liquor store. Two 2 liters, a bag of chips and a bag of pretzels... $12!!!

When I first asked Dave how much these items had cost so that I could add them into my yearly spending tally, I nearly tossed my previously consumed chips (cheddar and sour cream... yumm-o!) at the price! I wasn't upset- I was just suffering from sticker shock! You see, I used to readily pay those prices without blinking a mascara coated eyelash- yet it feels like so long ago!

But now (for the most part), I purchase pop and chips (and everything else) in advance of our needing them! I watch for these 'treat' type of items to be on sale, and guilt free, I will purchase a bag of Doritos when Meijer places them on sale for half off.

For me, learning to save didn't have to mean doing without, learning to save means altering the typical methods of shopping. And last minute convenience store shopping is sometimes worth the sticker shock!

8 comments:

Stevie

I KNOW exactly what your talking about.
My husband had a potluck at his work last week.
He forgot til that morning on his way to work at 5am so he stopped at the gas station and paid 3.99$ for a bag of lays.
I could of died!!
Sounds pathetic I know, but it makes me mad these places can charge so much and most men dont even care

ldholmes

I totally have sticker shock too when it comes to things like that - Last week I had the stomach flu - and after not eating for 36 hrs+ the only thing that sounded good was soft pretzels - My husband went to the store and 1 box and $4 later! Needless to say i savored every bite!

The Pohl Family

I get sticker shock in stores like Costco's. Yes we have a membership, and I am proud to say every time they stop to try and get us to update to "Executive", I can say "look again it is all gas". We buy very little within Costco's. We live across the street and to pay up to $.20 cheaper in gas per gal at times can be worth the membership (however my hubby had it pre-me). I will admit that we buy there individual wrapped chicken breast, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. But not much else there. Unless the coupon deal makes it well worth it, like the laundry soap I typically buy there.

Laura Webber

Thanks for chiming in and not letting me feel like I was the only one with extreme sticker shock!

Anonymous

I completely understand. Whenever I ask my husband to pick up something from the grocery, I get nervous to see the receipt and what I have to add to my grocery shopping tally... I must admit, however that he is getting better!

Michelle

Great Topic! I have had to learn to expect spending a lot when my husband "runs out the pick some stuff up." But I have learned to look at it this way-- the money was worth my time to not have to do it and I would not want my husband to refuse to go next time because of my sticker shock.

My husband, daughter and I were all sick with colds this weekend, and my couponing goes out the window when we need to get perscriptions, humidifyers, and conveinece food because I am too sick to even microwave anything. But luckily my saving the rest of the month balances things out.

Thanks for your Blog. Love it!

Laura Webber

Michelle,
Great perspective! Every once in a while- convenience is well worth the cost!

Staying Lean

I would definitely feel the same way. I felt that way when my husband cooked dinner for me for our annervisary it was great but the amount of money he spent for one meal (chicken enchiladas and spanish style rice) and a great alcoholic mixed beverage (very yummy peach sangria) was about a week's worth of shopping normally for us!