Friday, March 4, 2011

Rising Prices

In a little less than 2 weeks, the price of gas has gone up 20 cents a gallon. My next worry about gas will be rationing. I remember the gas lines in the 70's and the odd and even days. I would take the car and wait on line for my turn at the pump and hope there would still be gas when I got there.

My son was about 3 at the time and he quickly caught on to the situation. He would line up all his cars, trucks and wagon and play "gas line". It seemed cute, but it also made me realize how quickly a child can pick up on current events and how they affect him.

Now the rising gas prices present another challenge - rising food prices. Back in the 70's and 80's I looked at the high prices as a challenge. A game to see how much I could save. I guess it's time to remember those money saving ideas.

I would stock up on sale items. Sometimes I would have as much as 6 boxes of cereal or pasta or 6 pounds of coffee. I even learned how to cup-up a chicken since a whole chicken cost less than chicken parts.

My situation is very different now. Instead of family of four, I live alone with my two cats. It's time to start the game of how much can I save on food this month. I figure if I cut back on the treats I buy and make smaller portions I can win two ways. I'll save money and lose weight (hopefully).

My first step is to do supermarket shopping only once a month unless I'm expecting company. I don't know about you, but I have never in my life just bought what I needed. There's always something else that looks good or is a great sale. I do look a little strange though when I buy 30 or 40 cans of regular cat food. In fact, one day some man asked me just how many cats I have. I said just two, but I don't like to shop too often.

What tricks do you have to win the game and beat the high cost of gas and grocries?

2 comments:

Staci said...

I think stores are set up just to get us to buy things we don't need. For instance, have you ever noticed where the milk is in stores? It's always at the back, in my experience, so you have to walk past everything else to get to it, which in turn leads you to believe you NEED a few of those things you walk past.

It is beginning to seem its less expensive just to eat out than cook. Some of the groceries I regularly buy have went up 20% in the last couple of months - and now with the fuel prices, probably going up again. Dollar menu, anyone? :)

Anonymous said...

I don't have any tips to save at the grocery but I will look for whatever you can share. High gas it here to stay and will hurt our ecomony for sure. linda