I always hear from people “Oh when the end of days come we are coming to stay with you guys…” or “You guys are so prepared…….” Well as a Sci Fi lover who has watched Jericho and many other futuristic type programs. I am now currently watching Revolution I can tell you we will never have enough food to feed the mob that would surely be at our door step…..it’s just not possible but being prepared surely puts you ahead of the game.
But you have to remember my husband and both work full-time, we are very busy with both of our children and I have a 6′ 4″ offensive line football player living in my house. I am frugal but I am a foodie however you won’t find this gal stocking up on a bunch of chocolate for the end of the world….let’s be real beans and rice are going to look darn good if that’s all you have to choose from and I love them even now when I have much more to choose from.
Prices are going up all around me…gas is a fortune, cable is going up, clothes are going up so this can happen to anyone where they look around and suddenly they are like
“hmmmm I am not as stocked up as I usually am this time of year.”
This past week I knocked over about a 5 lb bag of oatmeal that was housed in a jar that I keep on top of my fridge. That was a huge loss grocery wise since its one of my main staples I eat I take all of this very personally and seriously but also it almost fell on my foot and glass shattered everywhere. Luckily I did not get hurt even with glass scattered all about my feet but I was so “PEEVED” about losing all that oatmeal. My husband said something that made me think though he said “It’s a good thing we are not so hungry that we aren’t going to dig around all that glass to find some oatmeal to eat”. There are people on this planet who would as sad as it sounds.
Back to my topic though here’s the thing I work full-time I love hanging out with my kids and in the garden with the successes and failures but right now we are low on food. One we did not can as much this summer, two I refuse to keep my freezer fully stocked during hurricane season, three I sent some food to my daughter’s house not much but a few things, four I haven’t been shopping like I should and a big reason is I can’t stand paying some of these prices.
Interesting to note that our variety of groceries has definitely changed over the years we had one year where we ate shrimp pasta all the time, lately we are getting better prices on steaks than hamburgers and yes that governs what we eat on our homestead.
If we have a ton of kale in the garden we eat a ton of kale, same with cabbage and other produce we grow and I can tell you we will be eating lots of jerusalem artichokes soon.
We adapt and are flexible with the times. So this week I told my husband the Viking in My Life we are not purchasing extra food we are going to use what we have and that means no extras and we need to get stronger every week because this is the time of year I am so tired and stressed from work I want to throw the towel in and order take out which is not good for my nutrition plan or for any of us.
When my husband and I lived in a small town in a more rural area in Central North Carolina I usually had about $60.00 a week for groceries sometimes less. I would often get so frustrated and exhausted from my effort to make sure my kids never felt that we were lacking and that my husband felt we had delicious and filling meals. You know what? I succeeded my 20-year-old daughter told me the other day she never knew how tight things were and she actually just thought I was frugal at Christmas just because I was frugal and that made me feel good it means that I created the illusion of ease that every Mother hopes to impart to her daughter but as she got older she did learn that it was a lot of work and now I see her on her own putting her budget plan into action and I am impressed with her.
Actually my next post I am going to share with all of you is the system we used and how we kept our head above water for those six to seven years on a shoe string budget. A lot of us are falling on hard times and even those of us with jobs have to start minding our P’s & Q’s both corn, beef, and gas continuing to go up this year.
With this in mind I am going to join in on Canadian Budget Binder’s “The Grocery Game Challenge” this week. I haven’t spent much already so it’s a good week to show off my shopping and bargain hunting skills! By the way when you read the blog post this week from Mr. CBB at Canadian Budget Binder he gave me such a nice compliment and I really hope that you all feel this way when you leave my blog. I hope you all feel at home here and that this is a place where we can connect and share homesteading ideas.
This is what he wrote:
“Ask my mate Karen at Lil Suburban Homestead what is involved with gardening and I’m sure she will give you an earful. I’m not going to lie she has taught me a thing or two this year and I certainly enjoy her blog simply for the personal touch that she brings to it. Karen treats me, one of her fans like I want to treat all of my fans, and that to me makes me feel at home.”
-Mr. CBB – Canadian Budget Binder.com
Have a fabulous Tuesday! Remember if you know my motto…”If you own a home your a homesteader!”
Fondly,
Related articles
- What’s lurking in your fridge? (lilsuburbanhomestead.wordpress.com)
- The Grocery Game Challenge September 17-23, 2012 – Bring On The Rain (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Become a Better and Less Wasteful Grocery Shopper (couponshoebox.com)
- 5 tips at the grocery store that will save you an extra $100 a month (savings.com)
- 11 Tips to Spend Less on Eating In (wisebread.com)
This post was linked to the following amazing Blog Hops:
Thanks for mentioning The Grocery Game! I also have Kim an Optemetrist who blogs at Eyes on the Dollar in the USA who started to post. I really wanted to stress that you don’t have to be Canadian to post it’s all about sticking to the budget.. and it works. I look forward to your shop and hope some of your fans give it a fair shot! -Mr.CBB
Yes I am taking pictures of all of our budget meals this week and hope to inspire people! I love your Grocery Game posts!
I’m sure it’s just paranoia, but I told the Handyman close to the same message. Keep your paws out of the pantry and eat out of the fridge and freezer right now. 🙂 I would hate it if we got a storm and lost some of what I hoarded over summer sales.
I guess we have both been in storms….and know the consequences of an over stuffed freezer. 🙂 Tomorrow night I am using up some ground pork in my 3 bean chilli!
Karen, If I had a dollar for every time a relative told me a similar thing (ie: If the poop hits the proverbial fan, we’re heading you your place) I’d have a nice fat wallet! Well, here’s the deal, pretty much non of them are actually “Welcome” to arrive post tragedy and sponge off of us…I know a lot of folks say it meaning it to be a compliment, but seriously, I began to fear that people would start arriving at my house if some tragic event happened…and it got me thinking…these days when folks tell me that now, I don’t just chuckle. I now respond clearly that they need to prepare for themselves…I am not taking on anyone as my responsibility in an emergency situation is solely to my family. Not that I would not assist others, but I am not willing to feed house and take responsibility for family members who refuse to do so for themselves when many of them are far better financially suited to the task than I but are too lazy to do the leg work when it matters…NOW.
Great job instilling the virtue of frugality in your children… our young ones will NEED these skills much more than we ever did.
*anna
Anna I know what you mean it is alot of hard work. This morning I put chilli into a crock put with tomatoes I canned and I take pride in that. 🙂
excellent post! i feel like you do about storing the staples instead of the extras. i also feel like you did if i lose a food storage item!!
I had to laugh at the comment-er above telling her dh not to eat the food storage- I say that every day too!!
Tami thank you! We probably think alike in this regard…..I say place VALUE on your food storage but be smart about it. Thanks for coming on over here 🙂
Superbly done Karen Lynn! Watching your blog and your homestead blossom has been a joy and I’m so happy to be a part of it along with all of your other friends… Thanks so much for all you share each week at Dandelion House.. and keep up the good work… and by the way… congratulations on your diet changes. I loved what you wrote about getting your ‘ stuff ‘ together and eating more healthy…
Debbi thanks so much! I love having the opportunity to be able to link up at your beautiful blog which by the way I consider to be one of the most beautiful blogs on the internet you truly have a gift! I so appreciate your kind comments and I truly have become a new person and homesteading and the homesteading community has been a HUGE part of that. I love connecting with other kindred spirits like you! I will be back next week to link up! 🙂
Hi Karen, I always like to read what you are up to. For the last year Rod and I have been really stocking up on food. Fortunately we are able to buy cases of things and I do can a lot so already planning what to put in my gardens. This year when ever I see Chicken breast on sale I buy several bags then can them. Plan to also can some beef and thinking being Easter is around the corner, so thought I would buy extra hams and can them. Hopefully we can get fish this summer and I will can that also. Why am I doing so much ? Well I have five children and 7 grandchildren. A couple of my girls also put extra food aside, but the grandchildren are doing good to get their weekly food, so I want to be able to help them, Even with all I have, not sure with all of them how long it will last. But I keep planning and will keep adding to my stash. Your right we will be eating lots of beans and rice. Thanks for all your advice Karen. Your cousin in North Idaho, Sandy
Sandy glad all is going well in Idaho! Wow I didn’t know you were keeping up with our blog that’s great 😉 Sounds like you and Rod have some amazing stuff going on in the garden we are hoping to can some more meat up this year….it is also nice for when you don’t feel well you have instant meals….hopefully between all of you if we do ever have an economic crisis you will be set and if not you will just be eating lots of superior food and that’s good too! Talk soon! I was just thinking about you the other day!