Drastically Reducing the Grocery Budget

Library of Congress: Mrs. Orville White making pancakes 1937, Minnesota.

One of the biggest expenses in homemaking is the grocery budget. We are often cutting down on buying food whenever we need money for an emergency.  It is difficult to save up for necessary expenses when money is scarce.

I was watching The Waltons on DVD.  Olivia and Grandma spent a lot of time in the kitchen preparing food. They made their own bread, soups, stews, and cookies. Each day the men would come in at the dinner hour (commonly known as lunch in some areas), after laboring in the mill. They would need to eat a filling, hearty meal so they could get back to work.  The family would work together to make sure there was food on the table at the appointed hour.

The children often walked home from school and were hungry. They could help themselves to vegetable soup which was simmering on the back of the cookstove. They could have bread and cookies. Then they would play, do their homework, or do their chores.  Later they would help get the evening meal on the table. It was such a blessing to see the entire family sit down together and pray before each meal.

A great deal of their food came from the farm. They had a garden, a cow, and chickens.  They would also spend a small amount of money at the grocer's for things like coffee, tea, and sugar.  They rarely had any money during those depression years so they had to be careful with what they did spend at the store.

There was a great deal of work going on at home to make sure the family had food.

At one point, in history, there were ration books for each family. They were allowed a limited amount of items at the market in order to be sure everyone had the basics for their household.

 

Library of Congress: A shopkeeper cancels the coupons in a housewife's ration book for the tea, sugar, cooking fats, and bacon she is allowed for one week. 1943, Britain.

 

Homemakers had to be creative with the little resources available in their kitchens. One would need to limit the amount of sugar and tea, among other things, to make it last through the week.   

One way to make tea bags last is to reuse them.  The first cup of tea is the strongest, while each successive cup is weaker. Yet, it is better than having no tea at all.

A way to avoid using sugar in tea is to add a little slice of lemon.   Honey is also an option but quite expensive.

Today, we are often having a financial crisis based on what is happening in our country and in the world.  The cost of utilities has risen.  Housing and transportation costs are up. The bills to maintain a family and household are very high. But the family and the home are still worth all the cost!

In order to pay our bills, in my home, we need to drastically reduce the grocery budget. This is a difficult challenge.  My current budget is $300 a month and it is far too low. This has to include, not only food, but also trash bags, dish soap, medicine, and general grocery items.  As of yet, I have not been able to meet this challenge. 

Since it is not working for me, I have to change my approach to cutting down the food bill. The hard part is when I would really like to have some special treat such as specialty cookies, cashews, bakery fresh dinner rolls, or hot chocolate. These are luxury items which I cannot afford in hard times.

Our kitchen must include some very basic items such as fresh fruit and vegetables, along with milk, butter, orange juice, and eggs. We have grandchildren who visit often and must have good, wholesome food. My husband and I are used to going without and I am happy to have a cup of peppermint tea with toast and an apple for the morning meal. But it gets difficult later in the day when one has to limit the use of food, in order to make it last the week.

We are able to get some of our produce from our little gardens. We also get some at the store when they are on sale. I am in the process of stocking up on canned goods when the prices are very low. But one can only stock up so much when there is not enough extra money to spare for such worthy endeavors. 

Writing up a weekly meal plan, based on what we have and what we can afford to purchase is a big help. This is an important method for making things last and knowing what we are going to be able to eat.  But it is essential to find a way to completely stock the pantry to have all we need for the coming winter here in Vermont.  

In order to meet this basic need I have to ration what we have on hand. I have to make it last so we can come up with the funds to do a little bulk shopping for the pantry shelves. I need things like coffee (for Papa), peppermint tea (for me), plain oatmeal, an abundance of canned items, and baking supplies. I will try to do this every week as much as possible. 

There are ways to make our life cheerful so we do not feel the pain of going without. We can set a pretty table to make it festive. We can eat meals at a leisurely pace to make them last. And we can go back to grandmother's method of making a sweet treat only once each week. Most of all, our prayers of thanksgiving, before every meal, give us a sense of contentment and rest. We know the Lord will always provide our daily bread.

May we all succeed in bringing cheer at home, investing our time and effort into the lives of our families. May we be victorious, with the help of the dear Lord, and do it all on a limited budget.

 

Mrs. White's parlour table.

Blessings

Mrs. White

 

From the Archives -

Taking Care of Four Generations in one House -  In Pursuit of Christian Duty.

Oh, How Much we Need this Blessing - Peace Be Upon This House.

A Record of How the Lord Provides - Reviving the Prayer Journal.

 

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