Trying to Develop a Price Book

As I read through numerous blogs and other sites concerning frugal living/saving money the one thing that stands out is the use of a price book when grocery shopping. I have a good understanding of the basics behind using a price book, my dilemma comes in as to how to use one.

Here is my situation in regards to shopping (this also holds true for any type of shopping not just food and household supplies.) I live in the middle of nowhere--literally. Closest major city is 3-4 hours away (Pittsburgh and Buffalo) two minor cities are within an hour drive. In my town we have 1 grocery store, a Dollar General, a Rite Aid, and two other locally owned pharmacies; we also have a locally owned butcher.

Within a 30 minute drive we have a Super WalMart and one more grocery store, another butcher, and another Dollar General. For a 60 minute drive you can add two more grocery stores another Walmart and a KMart. Y'all see where I'm going with this, not many options to work with.

So how do I make a price book work for me?

Below are some articles pertaining to price books that have got me to think that I may be able to adapt a conventional price book to my situation.

• Starting a price book--Price Book 101
• Developing a Price Book
• Grocery Price Book Spreadsheet
• Starting A Pricebook
• Make A Price Book: Power Tool For Supermarket Savings!"
• Grocery Price Book Spreadsheet--I have not downloaded this yet, if I do I will let y'all know how it is

So for now I will be gathering data, primarily shopping at our local Dollar General and Walmart; I will be attempting to include the other grocery store. Meats I get wholesale through my employer so I only need to deal with household supplies, dairy products, and non-perishable foods.

Wish me luck :))

I Wonder if This is Still Possible

I keep this link, and a few others like it, handy just in case of a major disaster. But I wonder if it is still feasible with the way prices have gone up. (Please note that this article was written in 2001 and no update has been done.)

Just for kicks I'm going to do a bit of "research" this weekend when I do my shopping.

UPDATE 8/30/08: I just returned from W****** where I do a majority of my grocery shopping. Based on my findings, this emergency list is not possible at $10 if you have no items in your pantry (ie. an odd can of tuna, or a can of veggies). My cost for this list as written below was $18.30. BUT if you live in an area that sells smaller packaging you may be able pull this off or at least knock a buck or two off the total. (Keep in mind your unit cost will higher but your aiming for total cost.) I will highlight in green were you may be able to cut some costs. Also you may be able to beg, borrow, or steal small scale items like salt/baking soda from family and friends if your situation gets to this point.

Taken from "Surviving on a Budget: $10 Grocery List" By Liss Burnell © 2001.

Shopping List:

• Baking Soda (article has a link to make your own)
• $ .48
• Eggs (assuming 1 dozen/change to 1/2 dozen)
• $1.64
• Flour (assuming 5# bag/some stores may have a smaller convenience store size)
• $1.94
• Fruits (purchase what is on sale--I "purchased" 1-banana, 1-peach, 1-nectarine, 1-apple)
• $1.26
• Hamburger (assuming 1# ground beef)
• $2.43
• Rice or Ramen Noodles(assuming a 1# bag of rice)
• $ .88
• Margarine (assuming 1# sticks)
• $ .68
• Milk (assuming 1/2 gallon/quart or smaller)
• $1.91
• Potatoes (assuming 5# bag-only size available/would definitely look for smaller bag or even go with canned whole potatoes)
• #3.97
• Salt
• $ .33
• Vegetables (assuming canned-1-corn, 1-peas, 1-green bean)
• $1.50
• Tuna (assuming 2 cans)
• $1.28

The Menu: ***Please note: original article has links to these recipes

• Scrambled eggs in a Biscuit
• Fruit Smoothie, Hash Browns
• Muffins, many kinds...
• Pancakes, Fruit
• Potato Pancakes
• Tortilla with scrambled or fried eggs inside
• Donut Muffins
• Rice Pudding
• Tortilla with anything you have on hand in it
• Tomatoes/onions/hamburg etc.
• Shepherds Pie (Hamburger/gravy over mashed potatoes/corn)
• Veggies in gravy over rice
• Baked Potato and Vegetables
• Scalloped Potatoes and Vegetables
• Oven Baked French Fries & Salad
• Vegetable Soup w/ or w/o Rice
• Tuna/ Pea Wiggle (serve over toast or biscuits or saltine crackers)
• Scalloped Potato/Tuna Casserole
• Popovers fill with: tuna pea wiggle recipe or gravy/veggie mix
• Chicken Pot Pie

Will update this over the weekend after completing my research! Items "purchased" will be store band products.

***** Just for reference: an alternative $45 Emergency Menu for 4 to 6. As stated in HHW's article this menu more realistic as it does not assume you have any items already on hand. (Prices used are from 2006).

My OMG!! Moment from the Other Night

So what has me so excited you may ask?? As silly as it sounds, I am re-discovering my freezer! Now that I have y'all confused and scratching your heads, let me explain.

For the past few months I have been experimenting with meal preparation for my partner and I; I work 55+ hrs a week from 11AM-11PM, my partner is working 3PM-11PM. Sit-down meals are rare even on weekends, so I have been trying to find a solution. My usual routine would be to prepare a few casserole type meals or what I call "put together meals" so my partner could re-heat an item on her lunch break. Not a reliable answer to our problem for 2 reasons.

Way to much waste. It never fails, I'll make a nice dinner, P doesn't come home for lunch. Or, I'll pull stuff from freezer to cook next day, then my work schedule changes (ie. called in to work early/late) and I forget that I have meat in frig to cook. I don't know how much this has cost me but I'll guess close to $60 a month if not more.

My possible solution(s) have come from various blogs and websites I have been reading. So to all of my fellow bloggers and site owners thank-you :))

1. Freeze any and all leftovers immediately, even if I think I'll take some for lunch the next day.
I have the nice option of ordering my meats (beef.chicken/pork) at wholesale through my one employer. No more gross pre-packaged stuff from W*******. Better product decent price.
2. By purchasing my meats wholesale and in larger quantities I have been able to prepare, pre-cook, then freeze items that normally I would try and make during the week. For example--meatballs, meatloaf, hamburgers, ground beef for tacos etc.
3. As with the ground beef I have been experimenting with some pre-cooked chicken recipes that could easily be re-heated in microwave or toaster oven in less than 10 minutes--I need more ideas
4. Everything gets saved and frozen for later use. Scraps, bones, juices from roasts, pan drippings, veggies trimmings, etc.. Usually end up in soup stocks or gravy base

Not a big list but a beginning. So far it's helping but I have many quirks to get rid of to try and please my partner eating preferences. As far as saving money it should help, if my estimate on money thrown out is correct. I have more reading to do!!

When I came accross this article I had to take a second look. Altho I use cost per pound I have always looked at food items in terms of cost per serving; it has always seemed more natural to me. Finding this article has helped re-affirm something I have done for a long time.

Cost Per Serving versus Pound by Ellen Lawson Ferlazzo; a different type of tool to cut your grocery bill.

"When you are exploring different ways to cut costs in your grocery bill, one of the things you start paying attention to is the cost per pound of various cuts of meat. You probably see some things that are selling for less per pound than you are used to paying but perhaps the cut of meat is unfamiliar and you are not sure whether something is a good deal or not. How do you compare two different cuts of meat? You want to look at the cost per serving rather than the cost per pound. If something is cheap, but you throw away a lot of bone and fat, then you're paying more per serving than you might realize."

Check Your Unit Pricing

Don't Make This Shopping Mistake at the Grocery Store - It'll Cost You

This is so very true:

Watch what you buy at the grocery store. We've come to expect that the super large size packages of different products are the best deal on a cost per unit basis. It's one of those common knowledge kind of things. Everybody just takes it for granted that the larger containers and packages are a better deal. Except that, in more than a few cases, it's just not true. The larger containers are not a better deal. In some cases they're substantially more expensive. So, in effect, you're getting hit from both sides. Not only are you paying more for the product, you're also buying more of it. Sometimes far more than you need, or would typically buy at one time.

I have discovered that Walmart is about 50/50 on this issue. Dollar General you definitely have to watch as the packaging is "deceptive" on some products (ie. candy). Our local store's prices are horrendous to begin with, I dread even going in the store.

Another Useful Article

Efficient and Frugal Food Shopping

Be Picky--since I love to cook using prepared items is not an issue. Altho I do use some packaged meals (ie. Hamburger Helper) I am trying to develop good alternatives that I can make myself.

Use What You Have--Not a problem for us. Everything I buy has a reason I am usually good at purchasing just what I need AS LONG AS I HAVE A LIST!! That is the key.

Make Lists--I am finding that currently this is the KEY to controlling my grocery bill. It's when I don't make a list I have a tendency to "buy stupid."

Shop Online--not even an option. Where we live there are no stores that that allow online ordering with delivery.

Make A Game of It--not an option for as written in the article. But I do try to make a game by seeing how well I can stay on budget. Wish they would develop a way for us rural folks to be able to do this without having to drive hours away. No stores in our area take internet coupons, even those further away are iffy on this issue. I wish we could use internet coupons, but not much that can be done.

Link to original article: Shave$150 a week off your grocery bill: Attention shoppers: You're paying too much for food

Update to Grocery Shopping is so Much Fun

Previously I showed how we are trying to really watch what we spend on grocerys. I have to say that so far so good. By really thinking about what to make for our meals and taking into consideration leftovers etc. I have been able to to maintain what I feel is a fairly descent grocery budget.

I still have some tweaking to do as far as snacks and not cutting it so close to running out before we can get to the store again. With working 2 jobs and now the prospect of my partner returning to work full-time for the next 2 months, I need to maybe plan 1-2 extra meals just in case. I am trying to also stock up again on some foods but with limited freezer space it is difficult to do.

Overall I am pleased with my efforts. For the past month I have been able to keep our grocery bill to about $120 or about $40/wk. I don't think that is too bad considering. There is some room for improvement but that will hopefully come with time.

Grocery Shopping is so Much Fun

Spent two hours last night figuring out our menu for the next two weeks, what needed to be purchased, an looked to see if by chance any bargains where available at the 2 other "local" stores. Walmart prices were the lowest.

So off to the store we went. Took our youngest nephew; he and partner browsed other parts of the store while I hunted for the best prices in grocery section.

Goals I set for this trip--STICK TO MY LIST and COMPARE UNIT COSTS FOR BEST PRICE!!

Overall I think I did ok--I originally made a two week menu but due to poor planning on my part I only was able to tweak one week. Plus as I thought more about this one week menu I realized that much of what I will be making will have leftovers. My partner and I are good about not wasting anything so I decided to see how far I could safely stretch this menu. My goal was no more that $80 for food products.

So here was the menu I came up with starting with Friday (3/9/07):

FRIDAY--Hamburger Helper (leftovers taken for my lunch at work)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-box Hamburger Helper, shredded cheddar cheese

SATURDAY--Saucy Pork Chops, homemade parm noodles, veggie

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-porkchops (2-4), pasta, parm cheese, powdered milk, veggie

SUNDAY--Slow-Cooked Roast Chicken, Doodle Bugs, veggie

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-whole chicken, potato flakes, veggie

MONDAY--Ghoulash, Indian Fry Bread

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-1 lb grnd beef, elbow macaroni, 2 cans tomatoe soup, 1 onion, 1 green pepper, shredded mozzarella cheese

TUESDAY--Chicken w/ Broccoli and Ramen Noodles

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-chicken breast (2), frozen broccoli, ramen noodles, shredded cheddar cheese

WEDNESDAY--Hotdogs and Pan Fried Potatoes

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-hot dogs, rolls, canned potatoes, onion

THURSDAY--Chicken Broccoli Casserole

INGREDIENTS NEEDED-chicken breast (2), frozen broccoli, miracle whip, eggs, bread crumbs, shredded cheddar cheese

So my overall shopping list looked like this: 1 lb elbow mac, 2 tomato soup, SWP, 2 onions, 2 6pk ramen noodles, cheddar cheese (compare prices), 2 frozen broccoli, frozen corn,3 packs of hotdogs (BarS is the cheapest), rolls, 2 can potatoes, pork chops (4-6 depending on size and cost), 1 lb ground meat, Hamburger Helper, whole chicken, potato flakes, chicken breast (compare prices), Miracle Whip, mozzarella cheese (compare price), parm cheese, powdered milk, milk, soy milk, bottled water, diet soda (3 cases), 12 pk regular soda, bread, margarine, Special K, Oscar Mayer bologna, 12 oz chocolate chips, pretzels, drink mix.

Almost everything bought is store brand, there are a few exceptions as I have tried the store brand and did not like the quality or taste. As for beverages, this is a sticky situation, I do not like water!! All I drink is soda altho I can stomach some drink mixes. My partner drinks water but only bottled!! So as you can see we do spend alot on drinks but we have tried to compromise by using store brand.

All told I budgeted $80,,,and the grand total (minus cat food)= $78.75 (44 items sold @ $1.83/item.

Now I'll have to see how well this streches into two weeks.