About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Fun Monday - Shopping for Two

How do we handle the dreaded grocery shopping? That's the topic for March 8 Fun Monday. Our host is Gattina at Writer Cramps . Gattina herself lives in Belgium, but Fun Monday bloggers are from several other countries as well. Do we all go about this chore in the same way or do we shop differently, depending on our location? Here's the drill in Louisville, KY:



First the lists--my goal is to leave the house no more than necessary. It is not unusual for me to go out only once a week. Plus, I've figured out that any time you go in the grocery store you don't get out without spending close to a $100. So I try to limit the trips to the grocery by using a Master Shopping List. I made this template of everything I would likely purchase at the grocery in a month's time. I then print copies of the list and post on the fridge,marking the items as I use them up. Then once a month I'll go to the big "box" store(Kroger's)and stock up on all the non-perishable things. (BTW, I also have a Master Packing List for Travel, a Daily/Weekly Chore Schedule and a Master Monthly Task Schedule. We won't even get into what this says about my personality this late in the evening. . .)


Sister's List --in addition to my own grocery shopping I also help my older sister with this chore. she would be just as happy if I took this job off her hands, but I feel that she should continue to take responsibility for this as long as she is physically able. It can be very frustrating to take her shopping though because she never had a list. She would just careen up and down the aisles and then check out without getting nearly all the things she needed. Then on the way home she'd say something like, "The next time we go out I need to get this or that." It was driving me crazy.

To help with this problem, I made a master list of all the groceries she would normally buy and arranged the list by the aisles in the store where she does her shopping. I gave her multiple copies of the list on a clipboard so she can mark down what she needs to buy and then just take her clipboard with her when she goes grocery shopping. This helps some.

So, usually once a month we take our master lists to the mega Kroger's and buy all the non-perishables and staples. Then all I need to do once a
week or so is to go to Paul's Market, our really good local fruit and vegetable market for fruits, produce, bread and milk. Paul's is also a gourmet store which offers food products made in Kentucky from our local farmers--cheeses, sauces, honey, meats, pickles--with the Kentucky Proud label. When I took this photo last week, employees were busy setting up the outside sales area. In just a few weeks, there'll be spring vegetable and bedding plants for sale and other gardening supplies.


So there you have it--grocery shopping for two in Louisville. It's still a chore but Paul's especially is fun to go through for all the great fruits and vegetables. No excuse not to buy healthy! I'll check out your grocery places in the next day or so.

Fun Monday for March 15 -- I'm the host. Come back around on Wednesday for the assignment and sign up.

11 comments:

Gattina said...

Besides the fact that your are very well organized with shopping lists, we have exactly the same shopping attitude ! I think Aldi is slowly moving into the States too. There is already one store in Chicago.

janet said...

The master list is an interesting idea- one I should probably consider! I've never been to a Krogers, but hear great things. Paul's Market sounds terrific- we love to support our local farmers.

Sayre said...

Oh! Between you and Grace, I'm starting to like this once-a-month plan! And to me, the Master List is a stroke of genius. I must think about that as well - for many things. I like the Monthly Master List for things to do - like changing air filters or something because I always forget that stuff. I'm a list maker, so it wouldn't be a stretch for me...

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

That's so organized. I really need to type up a Shopping List like yours.

My husband or I do a large shop once a week. He loves shopping, I hate it, but whereas he'll only buy what he knows we need, I'll get all sorts of chocolates and treats - that no one needs - and end up paying far more than I need to.

joanygee said...

I thought I was organised and a list maker...but am not in the same league as you.
Aldi really seems to be in a variety of countries doesn't it?

Thanks for sharing...

gracie said...

You are super organized. We do not have a Kroger near us, the nearest one to us is a 30 minutes drive. I need to upgrade to a Master list. We have 2 Aldi's in our small Chattanooga and it is always packed especially on sundays

Jan n Jer said...

Wow Faye...you are so organized...I also make a list every week and pretty much stick to it. Once a week for my grocery shopping and other household items are all available at our local Walmart super center. One stop shopping is what I like.

Living Life said...

Cool, Faye. I love your list idea! I will usually jot down what I need on a fridge list. But it is not an organized list like yours!

Lane Mathias said...

I like your list very much. I'm afraid I've said exactly the same as your sister on the way home from a shopping trip.

At the moment I leave the list out on the fridge and add to it all week. Other members of the family add to it too (but I often cross off their additions, meanie that I am:-)

Lane Mathias said...

btw, your Paul's Market is a fine looking shop!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Count me in for 15th. It sounds fun.