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Calling Dr. Freud.....

March 4th, 2009 at 07:06 pm

Okay, I have a weird shopping addiction. Can anyone help me?

As I have stated before, I actually HATE shopping of almost any kind. I LOVE finding bargains and using coupons. I have been fully raised to be a responsible thrifty adult.

But... I have the weirdest tendency to panic when I am out of something. If the milk gets down to a quarter of the gallon, I feel the need that I have to replace it immediately. I like to have a few of everything on hand so I don't run out. Maybe it is because I don't want to hear a whiney child (or husband) complain we are out of their favorite whatever.

This ends up costing us more money in the long run. I have a list, I go to the grocery store once a week. But if I see something about to run out, I run into the nearest store to replenish it and pick up 7 other items I'm sure we'll need soon, oh and a treat too. Stick Out Tongue I want to do a no spend day challenge, but I am at loathe to do it, because I would fail after a day. I feel like I need a support group for this? Any one want to join??

18 Responses to “Calling Dr. Freud.....”

  1. whitestripe Says:
    1236194199

    lol. maybe you are worried about things being out of your control. it doesnt bother me if we run out of something, but if we have something planned like a music festival or a wedding, i have to plan everything straight away otherwise i get into a panic about accomodation etc. Smile we each have our things.

  2. Petunia Says:
    1236195285

    Well. . . I'd like out of this little group, LOL. I hate running out of things too. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Mr. H is pretty rigid in his eating habits. That limits the number of "must haves" grocery-wise, but we truly must have them. I've tried to figure out how fast we eat these certain items and then buy them at regular intervals. It's been trial and error but it's working reasonably well.

  3. momsents Says:
    1236196842


    I would like to join this support group/club/call it what you will.

    I do well for awhile, then for whatever reason, I fail to plan which in my situation equals planning to fail. I shopped today at Aldi's spending $140 which should be for about eleven days worth of meals (though I have enough milk for a week).

    It is my goal to NOT set foot into a grocery store until next Wednesday, even if this means stretching the milk and have the kids drink water.

    Exemption to this: DH regularly spends $7 every Sunday for a dozen donuts from the store bakery and my Sunday paper. But I will limit him to those two items.

  4. North Georgia Gal Says:
    1236197262

    fortunately, my DH is prety laid back. He can create meals out of just about anything so I don't worry about running out of stuff. And if we do, than oh well, we move onto another idea. My problem is seeing stuff on "sale" and thinking I should stock up on it!

  5. nance Says:
    1236204643

    You can freeze milk. I do it all the time. I let it thaw for two or three days, in the refrigerator. Then, before you serve it, shake it up, and it's fine. Just don't re-freeze it! If I see milk is going fast I make sure I take some of the frozen milk out to thaw. Besides, I can stock up when it is a loss leader this way. I prefer 1/2 gallon plastic containers, rather that the gallon size, but have frozen that too.

  6. boomeyers Says:
    1236209373

    I'm glad to see I am not alone. Having the kids does'nt help as far as feeding and my DH is horribly guilty of wanting an evening "snack" and opening up something I have saved for a meal, so when I go to make it.... its GONE!! Ugh!

    Good luck Momsents, I'm eager to see how you do! I have thought about giving myself the "out" of say $5 and under for fruit or milk.

    And Nance, that is a good idea. I have tried to substitute with powdered milk, when I see it getting low, I mix some powdered in and shake it up. I am just not always around when they run out! Isn't it AMAZING how fast they go through things??? I thought having three growing girls would be cheaper than boys, but I don't know!! Wink

  7. scfr Says:
    1236215219

    My late grandmother, who grew up during the Great Depression, always put a couple spoonfuls of whatever she was serving for dinner in to the fridge "for later." My mom thought it was because she was afraid of running out of food, which is understandable. (She didn't waste the food; it usually ended up on the next day's lunch menu.)

  8. Teena in Toronto Says:
    1236260728

    When I see something on sale, my inclination is to by lots and lots of them, knowing it will be on sale again in this decade Smile
    Happy blogoversary!

  9. gamecock43 Says:
    1236262460

    I hate shopping too. For "needs". "Wants" is another story. But I keep 1 of things on hand. Learned quickly that Costco and Sams club purchases junk up the house and go unused.

  10. my english castle Says:
    1236296372

    It's not me I'm signing up, it's my husband.
    He freaks if we might run out of something--odd things like mustard, which we might not use for a week. I much prefer to go to the store just once a week, and usually have enough various stuff in the freezer to make decent meals. But the thought of running out of something we don't even immediately need sends him into a tailspin.

  11. SnoopyCool Says:
    1236304049

    I feel exactly the same way. When I lived up north, I remember my parents rushing out to get things if there was a snowstorm coming. Stocking-up, just in case.

    Problem is, I always feel the snowstorm is coming!

  12. Thrifty Ray Says:
    1236309730

    I can see it now....runner-outers annonymous, boomeyers; Founder and President.

    lol. I suffer from short term memory on these things...oops, forgot to replenish...get to the store and scratch my head...what am I here for??? as we run out of 3 other things before I remember.

    I swear I am a pro at improvising when I dont have it on hand...(soap can clean your hair but brushing it afterwards is no fun....guys deodorant stings...and lipstick can substitute for blush in a pinch.)

    Wink...I think you and I could learn alot from each other!!

  13. boomeyers Says:
    1236393042

    Snoopy, your in! Big Grin Ray, ummm creative! English Castle, sign him up! Teena, thanks! Gamecock, I'm irrational, so needs vs wants just does'nt sink in. Of course I need it, I'm like scfrs grandma. Like a Depression era hoarder! I did have one NSD this week! Smile Yeah!

  14. lizajane Says:
    1236400037

    I don't think it's bad to try to keep a few of certain things on hand. It seems smart to me! I (try to) keep a list on the side of the fridge of key items and when I open the last one, it goes on the list. For fast movers (milk, bread), that gives me a few days to restock. For others (like condiments, PBJ, coffee), I usually have a week or more to track down coupons and a store with a sale on that item. It doesn't always work out, but it feels like I stay on top of it better that way.

  15. fern Says:
    1236561056

    Having a lot of food in the house makes me feel secure. I think it's becus money was tight when i was growing up and i specifically remember "family meetings" where we were told we were drinking the milk too fast or things like that. Maybe you had a similar experience? we often try to make up for gaps in our childhood when we are adults.

  16. flash Says:
    1236878263

    Hey girl, I want in!

    Even though I have a giant stockpile now, I do the OMG on the basics, too. I'm not one to freeze milk for later, or eggs, or use instant. I do keep canned evaporated milk on hand for emergencies in recipes, and shelf stable soy milk for DH. But over the holidays, I sent homemade chocolates and candy to everyone in our family in memory of my parents, and so help me I overbought butter, sugar, milk, cream, and everything else I might possibly need. DH kept warning me I had too much and we had no space, but it was such an obsession!

    Maybe it's because my parents grew up in the depression, and were so careful, I don't know.

    But I want in the club!

  17. boomeyers Says:
    1236972902

    You all would be so proud of me. Just the two grocery stores this week and really not too much else. I went to Walgreens and just picked up pictures and got out! Smile How is everyone else doing??

  18. crazyliblady Says:
    1237774058

    Liz Pulliam Weston had an article on MSN called the "savings account you can eat." Her point was that using sales and coupons, you can build a store of food and other staples to help you weather different financial storms, like a lean month due to a high utility bill, a job loss, or more recently, a severe economic downturn. I have been stocking up on stuff like non-perishables (dental floss, shampoo, dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, and some canned goods) when it is on sale and I have a coupon. It has seriously helped saved me money, but I don't run out of the needed item and don't go to the store to buy it when I am desperate and it is at a higher price. I don't know about milk. Some people say you can freeze it, but I haven't bought it in a long time, so I don't know. But you can more than "enough" when it is financially possible to do so in order to tide you over and prevent those impromptu shopping trips.

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