A lot of us frugally-minded people can become obsessed with saving money, especially when it comes to buying groceries. Sometimes spending a little more money on groceries can actually save money. This came up a bit yesterday, when we went with some friends to a specialty shop in Lancaster, Pa.
While we were shopping, I was obsessively checking prices and calculating unit prices on everything. My friend, who is a very good steward of her family’s money said that she doesn’t really check the prices, she just gets what they like or need. That is when the old mirror got placed up in front of my face. Those organic apples I was debating over would actually save me money in the long run. Pound for pound, they were still less expensive than stopping for a snack on the way home. And the yummy looking granola would cost less than buying a breakfast sandwich or bagel.
Being too much of a cheapskate in the supermarket can cost you money. No matter how much that gourmet soup is, if you look forward to eating it, then you are less likely to feel the need to eat out. If all that you are faced with in your pantry is canned soup (and believe me, there is a good place for that sort of food; it has earned its keep in my frugal meal planning) then you might be too discouraged to cook at home. And, eating out, even at McDonalds or other fast food, is usually more expensive than preparing food at home. That extra dollar for the higher quality of meat may have you develop a preference for eating in instead of eating out. Sometimes, you just need to buy food because you like it and it is healthy.
Do you know what I mean?
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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