Why I have to stay out of grocery stores...

I really have to stay out of grocery stores. I always wish I was one of those organized people that could plan all their meals for the week, do one big shop and be done with it. One of my problems is that I am in the store almost everyday. If I am able to skip a day, I view it as a huge accomplishment. I just can't seem to plan more then one day in advance. Yesterday, I really outdid myself though. Two stores in one day. The second time I didn't even need anything. I was just browsing...killing time while Will was at a soccer practice. I had done a pretty good shop earlier, but decided to wander into Trader Joes as it was right down the street. I really want to love that store, I know so many people do. Me, I can never figure out what to buy besides a few things.(They do have a great big bag of Haricot Verts for a great price!) So, I decided that I would just wander around and do some browsing. Nothing I needed, so I was safe. Or so I thought. Unfortunately, some things cried out to me:



Anyone looking in my cart would have thought I was strange, indeed. Chocolate Chip Dunkers(snacks for the ...um..the kids), Cinnamon Grahams(I liked the package and Mart loves them), Blueberries(on sale!), Raspberries(looked good), Chicken Fingers(sometimes the kids just need a chicken finger fix and the woman next to me in line was raving about them). So, I walked out with a full bag. Nothing horrible, but it did strike me that once again, I spent money that I really didn't need to. My new goal is to only shop 3 times a week(and no double dipping). Especially with spring coming and farmer's markets opening soon, I think this is very doable. I'd like to get to twice a week but that seems too wild and crazy at this point. Baby steps are needed. I am anxious to see what the bottom line looks like each week, I really do think I can save a substantial amount if I stay out of the stores. Judging from my trip around TJ's, I could be rich! I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I need all the help I can get!