Grocery expenses. Bah, humbug!

I haven't really had a grocery budget for several years. If I want something, I get it. No problem.

We all know what's happened to grocery prices in the past year or so, and I'm getting tired of walking out of the store over $100 poorer than I was when I walked in. Every single week. Just for me and Cliff.

OK, so I've figured out problem number one: Walmart. I go in with my "grocery" list, diligently shop for the store brand, check out the almost-expired meats for bargains, and wonder why it's costing me so much. But honestly, I do know the problem.

It's the non-grocery items. Oil for several tractors and two vehicles; bird feeders; big plastic containers for storing out-of-season clothes and quilts and mementos; even clothing, at times. Of course the oil and containers must be purchased. But I think it will be better if they are kept seperate from the groceries.

I'm going to work at shopping in regular grocery stores. The prices are higher, but they have good weekly sales, and I tend to walk out with exactly what I went in for; no extras. A blogger told me long ago I should patronize my local businesses, and I've half-heartedly done it... sometimes. I was jolted, last week, to see that a local grocery store in nearby Oak Grove that's been there since the '60's is shutting down because they just can't take the competition from Walmart. I'm going to make a real effort to buy my groceries anywhere but Walmart. No, folks. I don't hate Walmart (except the Blue Springs one... ha!). I just want to stick to a budget, and perhaps keep one of our local stores from closing. The following is a snippet of news I read in our local newspaper:

Norby and Phamie Corn honored at Thursday night football game

Norby and Phamie Corn, longtime owners of Corn's Apple Market, were honored prior to the Oak Grove-Holden football game Thursday night.

Hank Melhorn, announcer for the Panthers, read a tribute and thanks to the Corns for their support.

"Everyone in Oak Grove is aware that Corn's Apple Market, a landmark establishment, has closed this week after serving the community for almost 50 years.

"Phamie and Norby Corn are with us tonight, and Oak Grove R-6 and the community want to say thanks and wish them well as they enter a new chapter in their, and the community's, life. Phamie and Norby are representing the Corn family. Norby's parents, Mona Lee and Carl, assumed full ownership of the store in 1964. Norby and Phamie are graduates of OGHS classes of '70 and '72. Norby became the manager, with Phamie's help in 1980. Carl and Mona Lee, for better or worse, were also looking over Norby's shoulder." Read complete story in Focus on Oak Grove.

I'm switching back to plain old Folgers coffee, unless we're at Sam's Club where I can buy those tasty coffee beans in quantity; and we only go there about every six weeks. My grind-your-own habit isn't cheap (thanks a lot, A.J.). When Edna was here Tuesday, she told me about the coffee she buys at Save-a-Lot, so I may check that out. We drive by there on our way to the other local grocery store.

I'm going to pray for a good garden year in 2009. If I only can tomatoes, it'll save us a fortune. It's amazing how many tomato-based foods I make: chili, stews, jambalaya, gumbo, casseroles. And canning my own means I can leave the salt out. Did you ever check a lable to see how much sodium is in your store-bought canned tomatoes and sauce? It's horrible!

So, let's see how well I stick to my plan. I'd better not have any more grocery bills over $100! After all, it's just me and Cliff, and I buy very little meat beyond chicken leg quarters and ground beef.