Want Vs. Need

I'm going through my grocery receipt right now. I don't WANT to, but I NEED to. It's kind of like that journaling thing I mentioned before.

I actually enjoy part of the process.

1. Write down the item
2. Write down the amount

But I don't like step #3. Is it a want or a need? I guess it could be a luxury too. Some items are harder to figure out than others. If you have my personality you could obsess about it. I try not to, but seriously, take coffee. It's definitely not a NEED. We can get those nutrients elsewhere (well, really are there any "nutrients" in coffee anyway).  However, I want to have coffee in the morning so I need to have it on hand.

Look at the fruits you are buying. Bananas - cheap and a lot of nutrients. Oranges - not so cheap right now, but a lot of nutrients. Can you get those nutrients elsewhere? Why are you spending $3.00 per pound for grapes when you could buy bananas for $.59 per pound? Not sure how much the peel of the banana is, but even if the cost is $1.00 per pound you would save money buying bananas. Now, if you don't like bananas and won't eat them, how about apples? I can get organic apples at Azure Standard for $1.00/pound right now. Very little waste and they taste incredible!

I buy frozen blueberries from Azure Standard every month. I pay $7.18 for 4 pounds (I share the box with a friend). Are they worth $1.79/pound? Yes! Those nutrients I haven't been able to find anywhere else for such a low price.

One way to lower your grocery budget is to look at the nutrients in the item to see if it's worthwhile to buy. For example, I pay $3.00 for organic spinach. Definitely worth it when you find out how good spinach is for you. Not so good if you end up throwing half of it away though (oops!)

Back to my receipt - here it goes....by the way we are all different. What is a need for someone might be a want for someone else. Some of my "needs" aren't my needs, rather my husband's need which makes it a need for me to buy. Could I say need one more time in that run on sentence? Remember if my writing drives you crazy, stop reading my blog. It's NOT ever going to be perfect. Hopefully better over time, but don't hold your breath.

Store 1:

• sunflower seeds $2.29 not sure I want to have them on hand so I needed to buy them - they are my "oh no" I need to leave and forgot to eat something food!
• grapes $.98/pound $2.24 need
• white flour $1.29/5 pounds need (not really a need, but need to have it on hand for those in the family who still eat grains)
• cucumbers $.50 need (not many nutrients, but kids love them in their lunch)
• 10 pounds onions $3.00 need
• canned mushrooms $1.00 need (husband loves these, must have on hand at all times)
• 3 cream cheese $1.00 each need (well, 1 was a need 2 are for my "pantry" I want to buy a different brand next time without so much junk in it, but I'm not sure it's worth the price)
• milk $1.99 need (mental note - when you pay for something make sure you leave the store with it!!!)

 Store 2:

• 1 gallon whole milk $2.48 need (yogurt and YEAH, I left the store with my milk this time!)
• 1/2 gallon 1% milk $1.67 need (for my husband...we usually throw away a few cups of this milk, but they don't sell 1% milk in quart sizes)
• water for making kefir $1.18 need (that will be another post)
• cheese $1.98 need
• organic spinach $3.00 need
• white sugar $3.12 need - uggg I hate this, but I'm still buying it. Trying to tell myself that it's better than buying convenience items. I haven't bought sugar for a while, but used most of mine when I made homemade maple flavored syrup. I need to buy a bunch of sucanat, but haven't bit the bullet on the price yet. My attitude is that sugar in any form is not good for you so why spend a bunch of money on the "better, but not good for you substitute." My attitude may change one day.
• jasmine rice $2.28 need (I'm not going to buy brown rice anymore. I'm no longer convinced that it's "healthy" because of the way our bodies digest it or don't digest it. I send rice with black beans for the kids school lunch usually once a week.
• cheerios $2.24 need (husband loves cereal)
• tuna fish in olive oil - yeah, olive oil! $1.12 need for kids' lunch
• 2 avocados $1.96. I want to say need, but I'm not sure yet. I am the only one who eats these and I could probably get the nutrients elsewhere.
• bok choy $1.89 need - healthy stuff, now if I can just figure out what to do with it. Suggestions appreciated.
• green leaf lettuce $.94 need
• turnips $1.54 need  (see bok choy - what do I do with it?)
• whipping cream $2.48 for the cream without any extra added junk. Ingredient is ummmm CREAM! Again, I want to say need. Truly this week it is because I didn't have it last week and I want to know if I'm allergic to it so I'm drinking a ton this week to see how my body reacts. Did I "need" 2 of them? I'm thinking this is probably a want bordering on luxury, but I don't want to admit it :-)
• Sweet potatoes $1.30 need
• bananas $.54 need
• Total spent at both stores $54.00

You can click over to my post that shows what we are eating. We have a freezer full of veggies and meat as well as farm fresh eggs (YIPPEE SKIPPEE DIPPEE the chickens are done molting!) and pantry items. I do need to stop at the gas station to pick up 4 packs of sausage for the month of October. Gas station? what?!? It's a small gas station that has local sausage links for sale. They are sooooo sooooo soooo good!

So I may have spent $10 that I didn't really "need" to between the avocados, seeds and cream. Something to ponder anyway....

I hope this post encourages you to look at your receipts and add up how much extra you are spending a week. If it's "only" $2, that's still $104 per year that you didn't have before!!! If you take that $2.00 and put it into your bank, your waistline AND savings account would be much better off!!!
This post is linked to:
Money Saving Mom
Grocery Cart Challenge