Comments on: Mother Hubbards Cupboard Has Now Been Restocked http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/ Simple Living... Frugality... Gardening... Cooking From Scratch... Knifty Knitter Projects.. And More. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:54:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: lightening http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1448 lightening Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:12:00 +0000 http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1448 That's how you do it - you just try to go a little bit lower each time. I find it easier to focus on something small each time. It might be the electricity bill one month or how much we spend on meat another month. Just babysteps until things become habits and you wonder how you used to spend as much as you did. :-) That’s how you do it - you just try to go a little bit lower each time. I find it easier to focus on something small each time. It might be the electricity bill one month or how much we spend on meat another month. Just babysteps until things become habits and you wonder how you used to spend as much as you did. :-)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1447 Anonymous Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:54:00 +0000 http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1447 Wow, you are really going well! Excellent. My aim at the moment is to try and stick to a budget and even aim below that if possible. In fact we are just trying to aim for everything to be a bit lower - electricity, petrol, etc! Wow, you are really going well! Excellent. My aim at the moment is to try and stick to a budget and even aim below that if possible. In fact we are just trying to aim for everything to be a bit lower - electricity, petrol, etc!

]]> By: Kin http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1446 Kin Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:00:00 +0000 http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1446 That's very true. When it was DH and I our grocery spending rarely topped $80 (we ate out 3 nights a week due to dancing commitments), and even when it was just 3 of us (not that that was very long) we didn't reach $100 a week.<br/><br/>$125 is quite a lot for me, having not tracked much before. Although with a few exceptions (meat choices mostly) I think I'm on quite good ground with our groceries. <br/><br/>Although it's alwasy more when I'm working outside the home, because I use bought snacks for the kids daycare. When they're at home I just feed them fruit or homemade snacks (that I can't send to daycare). I am enjoying making "baked treats" (some are even healthy) since I've been home this time That’s very true. When it was DH and I our grocery spending rarely topped $80 (we ate out 3 nights a week due to dancing commitments), and even when it was just 3 of us (not that that was very long) we didn’t reach $100 a week.

$125 is quite a lot for me, having not tracked much before. Although with a few exceptions (meat choices mostly) I think I’m on quite good ground with our groceries.

Although it’s alwasy more when I’m working outside the home, because I use bought snacks for the kids daycare. When they’re at home I just feed them fruit or homemade snacks (that I can’t send to daycare). I am enjoying making “baked treats” (some are even healthy) since I’ve been home this time

]]> By: lightening http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1444 lightening Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:07:00 +0000 http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1444 I think that's great. I can imagine things would be more expensive where you are. It'll be interesting to see what happens once you do move.<br/><br/>And to me it's not about spending the least amount when compared to what anyone else spends (although I know direct comparisons can help formulate a bit of a goal or idea of what *can* be done). It's about analysing your own spending and deciding if there's room to move. My goal is to get the spending vs fulfilment equilibrium right so we're spending the least amount of money but still finding life enjoyable if that makes sense.<br/><br/>We all have different things that are important to us as well as different challenges and opportunities. So the best comparison really is with yourself isn't it. I used to spend $X and now I spend $X. Or - the family is expanding and growing, prices are going up, but my spending hasn't increased. To me, all of the above are things we can be proud of ourselves for achieving.<br/><br/>You know, I would hate for anyone to say cut their grocery spending from $200 a week to $180 a week and think to themselves it's not significant because Jodi only spends $100 a week. Of course it's significant because there's $20 a week that's not being spent unnecessarily. :-) (I've just pulled those figures out of thin air as an example). <br/><br/>Everybody's progress on the journey toward frugality counts in my opinion. I feel the same way about environmental issues. Every change people make counts. Small changes add up to big progress. :-) I think that’s great. I can imagine things would be more expensive where you are. It’ll be interesting to see what happens once you do move.

And to me it’s not about spending the least amount when compared to what anyone else spends (although I know direct comparisons can help formulate a bit of a goal or idea of what *can* be done). It’s about analysing your own spending and deciding if there’s room to move. My goal is to get the spending vs fulfilment equilibrium right so we’re spending the least amount of money but still finding life enjoyable if that makes sense.

We all have different things that are important to us as well as different challenges and opportunities. So the best comparison really is with yourself isn’t it. I used to spend $X and now I spend $X. Or - the family is expanding and growing, prices are going up, but my spending hasn’t increased. To me, all of the above are things we can be proud of ourselves for achieving.

You know, I would hate for anyone to say cut their grocery spending from $200 a week to $180 a week and think to themselves it’s not significant because Jodi only spends $100 a week. Of course it’s significant because there’s $20 a week that’s not being spent unnecessarily. :-) (I’ve just pulled those figures out of thin air as an example).

Everybody’s progress on the journey toward frugality counts in my opinion. I feel the same way about environmental issues. Every change people make counts. Small changes add up to big progress. :-)

]]> By: Kin http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1443 Kin Wed, 11 Jul 2007 06:21:00 +0000 http://www.lighteningonline.com/2007/07/10/mother-hubbards-cupboard-has-now-been-restocked/#comment-1443 Well done! I was wondering how you were managing.<br/><br/>I'm on a "keep under $125 a week" mission at the moment, and doing quite well. Having stocked up on meat it leaves me $85 a week for everything else, and I'm doing really well. not once in 7 weeks have I gone over that. And there's only one more week to go before the meat needs to be restocked (and to be honest, I will still have 5 meals or so left at the end of the 8 weeks). <br/><br/>It's not been as hard as I've though. If I worked at it I could probably manage under $100 a week. Especially when we move next year and groceries are cheaper (despite feeding an extra head ;)). We'll see what happens. Well done! I was wondering how you were managing.

I’m on a “keep under $125 a week” mission at the moment, and doing quite well. Having stocked up on meat it leaves me $85 a week for everything else, and I’m doing really well. not once in 7 weeks have I gone over that. And there’s only one more week to go before the meat needs to be restocked (and to be honest, I will still have 5 meals or so left at the end of the 8 weeks).

It’s not been as hard as I’ve though. If I worked at it I could probably manage under $100 a week. Especially when we move next year and groceries are cheaper (despite feeding an extra head ;)). We’ll see what happens.

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