Save Money by Going to the Market MORE Often?

Finance and Frugality Friday

It is the 12th days of the month and I have been to the supermarket SIX times for a grand total of $362. So just to oversimplify, I've gone to the market every other day and spent $60 each time. Uh, that seems a little bit insane.

My defensiveness nature has just popped up to say "One of those trips was to the commissary where I spent $211 and got lots of staples like ketchup and cereal for cheap!" Ok, ok, I guess maybe that's ok. Except, I've spent $30 a day feeding Rob and me. And I cannot deny the real shame. We throw away so much fresh food. We spent $15 at the farmers market last weekend and brought home a bag of beautiful squash and red potatoes. A day and a half later the bag containing these items was still on the counter. And inside the bag? The squash was liquefied and covered in big mold spots. Why didn't I prepare something with this beautiful food the day I brought it home? Or even the day after?

Enough complaining. Here's the plan. Market every day for things that will be consumed in the next 24 hours.   Plan a meal and go and buy the ingredients for that meal. Try and base the meals on things you already have in the pantry or freezer.

I'll let you know how it goes.

How much food do you waste? Do you ever think of changing your routines to waste less?