WARNING! THIS IS LONG, BUT I WOULD SURE LIKE YOUR INPUT.
Hi Friends,
Happy Monday. Today I want to pick your brain in an attempt to determine if I am normal. Okay, stop laughing. Normal, what is normal really? I am pretty sure I am not completely normal, but, I also do not think I am that far off of center. The subject is groceries and finances.
For those of my friends who are single, these numbers are going to seem astronomical, and those of you that shop for a family, you will see this is right in line with normal. The way I see it, if I spend $600 on a big grocery shop (big means we needed everything, meat, canned goods, staples, etc.) I expect that we will have enough food for all meals for a month. The only things we may need to buy are fresh vegetables, and breads as needed.
What I see happening in my family, is that there is such a strong desire for fast and easy, that no matter how much food is in the house, they still want to eat out. (I also think the addiction to the strong flavors of convenience foods play into this as well). It might be important to say that I queried this family about what they want to eat before I went shopping. We have cereal, yogurts, breakfast bars and fruit for breakfast. I also pre-make waffles and pancakes so they can just heat them up in the microwave or toaster. For lunch we have all kinds of sandwich stuff, salad fixings, fruit, and convenience accouterments like fruit cups, applesauce, crackers with peanut butter, and many other things like this. Dinners are planned, and not so much the issue.
Here is why all this is being discussed. The house is fully stocked with food from a big shop on Saturday. Sunday morning, Dave and Colton are leaving to go to a game tournament and as they are standing at the door, Dave makes the comment that he hopes everything will start on time. Colton chimes in, "If it doesn't, why don't we stop and get breakfast." I jumped in with the apparently insane idea that they eat breakfast now, at home! Dave said there was no time, so Colton grabbed a breakfast bar and off they went, planning to buy lunch out.
I do not have an issue with a day out for the boys, enjoying time together and having lunch out. What I do take issue with, is that we have worked really hard, all year, budgeting and watching our pennies. We just spent $595.00 stocking the house with anything you can imagine to eat, and they still are not eating it. Colton spends all of his weekly allowance on food from Taco Tree and the gas station. He needs to be saving money for snowboard gear, and he owes his mom $95. I am thinking, is it not responsible, and a bit on the selfish side to be eating out, and in turn, letting good, fresh food go to waste at home. Let me also mention that eating out includes energy drinks, snack food, and the like when you stop to get gas for the car.
Eating out is expensive. I would like to teach both of the boys (all three) that they could use their money in a far wiser fashion. So here is where I would like to know what you think. Do you think I am being obsessive about this? Or as Dave puts it, "You have issues." What have you done to try to tackle this issue with your family?
The reality is, as a mom, I care very much that my boys are eating as healthfully as I can provide for, and enforce. I also want them to have the other things in life that they want, and if they are piddling their money away two dollars, five dollars, and fifteen dollars at a time on convenience food, how will they ever achieve financial freedom? My best defense is that Oprah Winfrey, a gazillionaire, takes her lunch to work. She can afford to buy anything she wants, and understands the waste of money that eating out is.
SO, what do you think? Please reply to not only me, but to Dave as well. If you agree with him, and I need to lighten up, please, don't hold back!
Lots of love to all of you and have a great week!
Kathy
"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." George Washington
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