The Cole Homestead

Answers to Questions about once a year shopping

Some of you have posted and emailed me many questions about my once a year shopping.  I will try to answer them the best I can.  I have by no means mastered this but every day is a learning experience.

Question 1

Thank you for posting. I have wanted to do this but just do not know where to start. What about fresh fruit and veggies this time of year?

I spend 50 dollars every 2 weeks on "fresh" items.  This normally includes 10 gallons of milk and what ever deals I can find on fruits and veggies ( fresh or frozen) Sour cream, cream cheese, and buttermilk.  This spring we are hoping to get a few goats and switch to goats milk for may of our dairy needs.  I can also be fun trying to make that 50 dollars really work for you.  Normally apples and cabbage are on sale.  Oranges have been pretty high so we have not had to many of them.  I can also buy 4 bags of broccoli for the same price as a bag of chopped lettuce.  We also grow lettuce in the house near a south facing widow along with our fresh herbs.  The rest in home canned veggies from our own garden. 

Question 2

How long did you have to save before you did you first trip. I was pondering the once a year shopping and I wondered.

I will admit that I did not save.  I have a small farm trust that pays on Dec 31.  It is normally enough to pay for my shopping if I am very frugal.  I plan not to use it next year since I will be saving all through the year.  I am expecting to save an estimated 1600 dollars over last year.  Each moth I will take what I would have spent in food will go into the piggy bank.  All ready for next January's trip.

Question 3

We were in walmart the other day and my daughter saw a family buying 10 carts full of stuff. I wonder if they are once a year shoppers.  Do you ever have trouble with the store not having enough of what you need to buy?
Last winter I stocked up with three months supply. I liked it and the children liked it. They get tired of having to run to the store. We are homebodies and would be very content with the once a year shopping.

Wal mart seems to normally have enough but some times I need both Walmart and Krogers.  Aldi's is also very well stocked.  The only item I have had a problem with is washing soda (only one store carries it and it is not a popular item) and vinegar.  No one ever seems to have enough vinegar.  I am wondering if it is time to learn to make my own.   I think I will wait till spring for that idea.  Too stinky for winter.

We are home bodies too.  My family likes it too.  There is never confusion over whats for dinner.  Never "Oh there is nothing to eat.  We have to go get fast foo."  That's not to say we don't eat out.  It is considered a special treat.

I hope this helped a bit.  Needless to say this seems to be working for us even though we have not gone a whole year.  We never did shop all that much in the first place.  Every 2 weeks was enough but once we heard about this idea 3 months sounded like fun.  I was a breeze and 6 months was even easier.  The confusion and panic seemed to be gone.  Again the only down side seems to be the funny looks.  I have never been asked by some many if I had a tax ID number?, a church supper?, a daycare?, a restaurant?, the rest of looks came form folks that did just that.  They looked.  I would have loved to see what they were thinking.  I am not a thin person.  I am a strong and very sturdy gal.  I sure hope they didn't think that I was going to go home and eat all of that myself!  Maybe they thought I was running a shelter (human or animal) or even making a a food offering to the little green men for Mars.  Who knows!