Ouch!

Did the monthly grocery shopping couple days ago and still smarting from the price stickers. I try to spend $150 each month though some months (especially during garden season) is less and a few months I might go over a few dollars. This month went WAY over. I spent $288 ! I knew I would go over this month being I only spent $98 last month but sure didn't think I would spend almost double. Needed to stock up on all the baking goods and this was the month to purchase paper towels, toilet paper, shampoo, and conditioner. I also got our turkey for Thanksgiving, 50lb bag of dog food, 20 lb bag of cat food, light bulbs, and lots of batteries for our different size flashlights. I couldn't believe how much the prices had jumped since last month. How do people with families, no garden or stocked pantry make it? Rice, flour, beans, coffee, cornmeal, and tea, things that most every family use had gone up at least 20 cents and couple items went up over 50cents. I try to get items on sale and am not a brand name shopper. I do look at labels and try to get things with the least amount of additives. Orange juice was on sale so we got 5 gallons. It freezes well. Part of what made the grocery bill higher was purchasing meats. The freezers were starting to look a little bare so I got packages of meats that were on sale. Pork chops, roasts, ham, chicken, hamburger, fish, hotdogs, bacon, sausage and even found a couple of steaks marked down.  Of course turkey was cheap. We got a 18lb turkey for 9.98. I thought about getting two but will watch and see if they go on sale after Thanksgiving and get a couple for the freezer. Won't have to purchase meats next month unless I see some good sales. We have lots of canned and frozen things from the garden, eggs from the hens, milk from the goats, and almost all my cooking herbs I grew and dried myself. Without those things I am sure our monthly bill would be much bigger. I just can't understand how the average family make it. We don't have house or car payments that the average family has and since we heat with wood and have our own well for water we don't have those expenses but still have to be extra frugal to make it. Families with children have to be struggling paying their bills and still having money for food. We are blessed to be able to grow and produce some of our food. I just pray for the families that can't have a garden and are struggling to put food on the table. Hopefully the economy will start to get better soon and families won't have to worry if they should pay a bill or put food on the table.