Is it possible to get through a day with spending a dime?

[Anonymous]

Wegman's milk is $2.69/gallon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wegman's milk is $2.69/gallon.

I am not going to drive 15+ miles for a gallon of milk. Even if it were free.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you move the grocery visits and the thrift shop visits into categories for food and clothing budgets? And then see if you are spending too much in those categories or not?

I don't see what the difference is between spending smaller amounts in small shopping trips versus big amounts in bigger shopping trips. I hate doing bulk shopping trips, and with kids involved its really not possible. So I grocery shop several times a week and pick up enough for the day and the next. I pop into stores when I have time and get the items I need, not try to do all the back to school clothes shopping in one fell swoop.

If you have a problem with how much she's spending on food total or clothes total, address that. But whats the big deal about the frequency?

[Anonymous]

With teenagers it does take 2 trips to the grocery store, because we use two different groceriy stores. Little expenses do add up-- Starbucks, ect. The children's clothing is expensive. If your DW is able to thrift shop that one, good for her. If it is just junk, well, another story. My DH alwyas says, we never budget -- he means HE never budgets. We are cash only, so that is a plus. The medical and children's dental is also a budget buster. But children's dental is well worth it in the long run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you buy it at our local Hispanic Supermarket on Tuesdays it is $2.95. So, yes it is still $2.95 per gallon if you know where and when to shop for it.

It's regularly priced at $2.99 at Food Lion. Every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you buy it at our local Hispanic Supermarket on Tuesdays it is $2.95. So, yes it is still $2.95 per gallon if you know where and when to shop for it.

It's regularly priced at $2.99 at Food Lion. Every day.

Yes, but then you have to shop at Food Lion.

[Anonymous]

I would have a difficult time going shopping every single day! What on earth would I buy? Unless I start dividing my weekly grocery list into 7...

I stay at home and economize pretty aggressively. Absolutely no impulse purchases, and no social shopping. Everything I have to buy are essentials.

Your wife is probably bored, and if she has been lucky enough to never have any reason to save, well... there you go.

You two need to sit down and work out a stricter budget, and some volunteering activities or other things your wife can involve herself in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you buy it at our local Hispanic Supermarket on Tuesdays it is $2.95. So, yes it is still $2.95 per gallon if you know where and when to shop for it.

It's regularly priced at $2.99 at Food Lion. Every day.

Yes, but then you have to shop at Food Lion.

Well, we all make adjustments, don't we?

[Anonymous]

If you have money, there is always something to spend it on. What some people do; they don't have milk for a couple days until they get paid. They wear the jeans that they don't like instead of buying a new pair. They use an old sock (laundered) and water to clean the window instead of paper towels and Windex. And, yes, they buy the cheaper milk at Food Lion instead of the nice organic milk at Trader Joe's. It's just a different lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

Your "other" category is too big--if you use more categories, you'll have a sense of where the money is going. Much easier then do decide where to try to trim.

[Anonymous]

How many kids and how old? I doubt she is spending it all on herself. I'm just wondering if diapers, soccer cleats, kids haircuts, etc. are all on your "other" list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not so much spending on groceries, per se. Why not do the grocery shopping once a week with a list? It seems DW spends more when she "pops in" for a $2.95 gallon of milk and walks out the $75 in groceries. That might not seem like much, but then do that 3 - 4 times per week and that starts to be real money. Ditto on the trips to the thrift shop - $80 once a week, not so bad. But $80 3 - 4 times per week starts to add up. The latter seems to more "shop" therapy than buying things actually needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: It's not so much spending on groceries, per se. Why not do the grocery shopping once a week with a list? It seems DW spends more when she "pops in" for a $2.95 gallon of milk and walks out the $75 in groceries. That might not seem like much, but then do that 3 - 4 times per week and that starts to be real money. Ditto on the trips to the thrift shop - $80 once a week, not so bad. But $80 3 - 4 times per week starts to add up. The latter seems to more "shop" therapy than buying things actually needed.

You are absolutely right OP - she should do 1 big grocery shop once per week, and if you also shop 1 other grocery store, make that 2 trips total per week and that's it. I swear, your DW is my DH - every time he runs out to "grab just 1 thing," he spends $50 on garbarge - like junk food and crap we don't need. I buy the same groceries every week. I never waste money on crap because I have that 1 time to get everything, so I don't F it up. Put her on a budget - I think for a family of 3-4, if you eat at home everyday, $175/week should be enough to cover EVERYTHING.

And, to cut back on the trips to the store, I do "Subscribe & Save" on Amazon, where I get a hefty discount on essentials like paper towels, diapers, toilet paper, wipes, and K-cups by having a regular delivery once per month. It's probably cheaper than Costco, and delivery is free. If you sign up, that's less excuses to go to the store because you ran out of whatever.

Finally, how shit! She spends hundreds of $$$ per week at the thrift store??? She sounds like a shopaholic. That is insane. It should be more like 1 trip every month or 2, and that's only if you need essentials that you cannot afford like you have no kid's clothes that fit or you need a new table - not to just browse. In fact, IMO, nobody should ever shop to just browse.

[Anonymous]

OP Are you making it through the day without spending a dime? My guess, no. Don't hold your wife to a higher standard than you set for yourself. She may not be working outside of the home, but she is working nonetheless.

FWIW, try coming home to no toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant. dirty socks and underwear because of no detergent, etc. You would be surprised how all of this crap adds up.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am a SAHM and some days I don't spend money at all (take kids to preschol, clean the house, lunch at home, play with friends, cook dinner) and other days I have to do grocery shopping,take the kids to the dr, pick up a prescription, buy a birthday gift for party, etc.

The thing to avoid is the mindless spending, is she eating out because she's bored or is it a situation where her choice is take the kids to eat to avoid the meltdown at the pediatrician's office, etc. If she is spending money because she is bored and eating out is almost daily, then you can most certainly curb spending there.