Grocery prices

Used to be we could shop for under $100 a week. Now we average around $130-$150.. There are just two of us.. however, we do have pets that like to eat..
 

QuickSilver said:
Used to be we could shop for under $100 a week. Now we average around $130-$150.. There are just two of us.. however, we do have pets that like to eat..
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Before the kids started coming in February,we had a dry spell with no kids since last October and yes,we were spending $150 a week max. It was very consistently right around that number. But then the kids came and now with grocery prices going up,we`ve climbe to $600. I know if it were just the two of us again,it would still probably be close to $200.00-shouldn`t be that high but Wes doesn`t like leftovers. As far as our pets,now that`s another story. The pets pretty much run about $100.00 a week. Hay has gone through the roof because of the drought!
 
I could not sleep last night because after reading about the insane amount of money you spend on groceries upset me. I realize that I'm only looking at it from the perspective of trying to keep 2 people fed, but your annual cost of food is more than I spend annually on all my expenses put together.

I commend you for wanting to help these girls, but at the same time ask if you are not doing them a major injustice. Bringing up these girls is a major responsibility, that life is hard work and that they may not always be as fortunate as they are now not that some of them don't already know that.

You could be teaching them things that they will never learn in school . . . budgeting, frugality (not cheapness), gardening. Instead of throwing most of the allowance you get for caring for them into food, could you rework your spending? Might it even be able to save up a couple of thousand dollars out of that allowance for the time comes when they leave you? Or do you have to provide an itemized statement of expenses since they are foster kids?

Below are 3 sites that I suggest you frequent as I am sure that you yourself will learn much from them.

The first is a site called the Frugal Living Forum. The women you'll find on this site are the warmest and friendliest that I've come across and amongst them all are the most brilliant when it comes to living on budgets. There is one woman who cooks gourmet on a budget. Give them the number of girls you look after, the amount of the allowance you get for each and they can break it down as to how much and what to spend it on for food, clothing and entertainment . . . and as I said above, perhaps even allow you to give them a small nestegg when they depart. They can be found here:

http://forums.about.com/discussions/Frugal_Living/ab-frugalliving?nav=messages&redirCnt=2

The next two sites are run by the same people; one is for budgeting and the other is for grocery shopping/meal planning. You will find a great deal of information here also.

Grocery Budget 101
http://www.grocerybudget101.com/content.php

Budget101
http://www.budget101.com/content.php

And if you can take in as many girls as you have you apparently have property on which you may be able to garden.

In any event, these sites contain volumes of information that you will be able to pull from.
 
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Mrs. Robinson said:
Before the kids started coming in February,we had a dry spell with no kids since last October and yes,we were spending $150 a week max. It was very consistently right around that number. But then the kids came and now with grocery prices going up,we`ve climbe to $600. QUOTE]

You can say no. Looking after 1 or 2 girls is more than enough and a big enough responsibility.

And your husband doesn't like leftovers? It's time to say "too bad". Some things are better the 2nd time around.
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When I was in military school, we had to eat all that we took. Our food was not dished out like in the military. We had like a buffet line and we took as much or as little as we wanted. However, every plate had to be clean before dropping it off. If I left food on my plate, I was given demerits. The more demerits, the fewer privileges. This is how I learned to like cooked broccoli and cooked cauliflower. The only food that I threw away and I only did it once was Harvard Beets. For whatever reason, as soon as I put them in my mouth I thought that I was going to heave.
 
I never had broccoli or cauliflower growing up as my mother did not like either and in fact she won't touch any type of beans except green beans. It wasn't until I met my husband's family that I got to try broccoli and cauliflower and really like it. I also like beets. I like them plain, made into a salad with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and I even like them mashed into potatoes . . . but then I guess I'm a bit weird in that regard.
 
Thank you for the links,Logics! I will definitely be checking them out today.

Yes,I could say no-and know that the kids will be going to a group home-institutionalized,really-as there are not near enough foster homes for all the kids in need of placement. I tried,believe me. In fact,I am currently not even "legal" as when they relicensed our home a few months ago,I had them not even inspect my third bedroom as I said that I wished to reduce my license to 2 children. I had only had it upped to 3 for a time last year when I took in a brother to two girls that I already had so that they could be in the same home. So it`s very easy to SAY "just say no"-not so easy to do.

As far as my husband and leftovers.....there is a reason (and a valid one) why he doesn`t like leftovers. His mom was a child of the depression-very poor family,8 children. She would clean out the fridge and serve whatever was in there-no matter how old,even if it had a little mold on it. can`t blame him for being turned off. But,he is the breadwinner here,hardest working man you are ever likely to meet.I say he can eat what he wants. It`s really a moot point anyway-with the appetites these girls have,there ARE no leftovers,and if there are,they eat them for lunch the next day.

We do live on property where we could grow our own veggies but currently do not for the following reasons:

1) We have ONE outdoor water spigot.We rent at the moment,so not inclined to put in more.

2) We grew veggies at our last house,same neighborhood. Everything was eaten by deer,turkeys and who knows what other critters-those were the only ones I caught red-handed. I saw lots of work and some money go right down the drain several times until I finally gave up.

3)We are on a well here,so the water restrictions currently in place in California do not affect us,however,we have such a poor quality of water that we have to have a salt based water softener system. Plants do not do well when watered with this water-in fact most die.

And finally,just a note on the chances of being able to send a child home with any kind of nestegg.....the cost of having a child in your home far exceeds the amount of the stipend that the county sends you. Think rent paid for extra bedrooms that you wouldn`t need otherwise,propane for hot water for all the extra showers and laundry,bed linens and towels,toilet paper,soap,shampoo,toothpaste and other toiletries,not to mention clothing. Our 16 yo girl arrived with the clothes on her back-as most kids do. When detaining a child,social workers don`t like to take the time to gather up clothing. Our county gives a clothing allowance of $86.00 per year-woohoo. Try clothing a child for a year for $86.00. Other counties pay up to $400.00-a little more realistic-but this county has not yet caught up with the times. But even at that,in spite of many,many requests being made,I have yet to se a clothing allowance of any amount for any of these children,and they have been with us for months. So all clothing I have purchased has been entirely out of my own pocket. Mind you,I am not complaining (well,maybe a little) but as you can see,there is no "extra" money to send them home with. And if there was,the agency would advise against it. One little boy we had,who eventually went home was,as it was found out,using his $5.00 weekly allowance that I gave him to buy toilet paper for the household when he went home for weekend visits. Toilet paper!! His sister would save up her $10.00 allowances and then give the money to Mom so Mom could pay her cell phone bill so the kids could reach her when they wanted to talk. Nice,huh?
 
One little boy we had,who eventually went home was,as it was found out,using his $5.00 weekly allowance that I gave him to buy toilet paper for the household when he went home for weekend visits. Toilet paper!! His sister would save up her $10.00 allowances and then give the money to Mom so Mom could pay her cell phone bill so the kids could reach her when they wanted to talk. Nice,huh?
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Ths is so sad. <shaking my head>
 
It's really sad. I've helped my sister's family for the last 30 years and it has cost plenty. Unfortunately, it's not getting any easier.
 
AprilT said:
Well it appears those price increases have definitely hit again, a dozen large eggs increased from last weeks around $2.69 to $3.27 sale price.
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This is just the beginning. This Avian flu is still killing off increasingly larger numbers of chickens...and may even be spreading to some of the turkey farms. Egg prices are up over 40% in just the past month, and could easily easily be double last years price by mid Summer. Eggs and poultry products are in for a rough ride for at least the rest of this year....and that depends upon how soon the producers can get this avian flu eliminated from their flocks.
 
Don M. said:
This is just the beginning. This Avian flu is still killing off increasingly larger numbers of chickens...and may even be spreading to some of the turkey farms. Egg prices are up over 40% in just the past month, and could easily easily be double last years price by mid Summer. Eggs and poultry products are in for a rough ride for at least the rest of this year....and that depends upon how soon the producers can get this avian flu eliminated from their flocks.
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Which led me to this article about feezing fresh eggs. A bit tricky, but might be worth it?
http://www.incredibleegg.org/egg-facts/eggcyclopedia/f/freezing-eggs
 
RR, thanks, I've tried the egg freezing thing, I used to do a lot of cooking with eggs and bought them in bulk, it was a horrid experience except for just freezing whites. the yokes don't fair so well.
 
AprilT said:
RR, thanks, I've tried the egg freezing thing, I used to do a lot of cooking with eggs and bought them in bulk, it was a horrid experience except for just freezing whites. the yokes don't fair so well.
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Gosh, really April? There was some special thing to do w/ yolks. I might give just a few a try, but at least I know not to expect too much. Whites by themselves just don't do it for me and I'm not even a big egg eater. My grandson is though... Thanks for your input.
 
I used to buy the dried egg whites, nothing is as tasty as the fresh egg, but, I'm thinking of buying the dried whole eggs since I use them for a lot of cooking when I make low carb products. I don't know, I'm giving it some thought. I'm looking over the cost and seeing it it's worth it, plus I wouldn't have to worry about the broken eggs I end up throwing away have the time that happens before I get them home. LOL! They won't stand in for my breakfast eggs nor deviled eggs, but for baked goods and maybe scrambled and omelets they might work out ok.
 

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