Well, here we are 18 days away from becoming a family of 5!  Wow!  That felt weird to type.  I was an only child and somedays I really feel like I'm in uncharted territory with my growing family.  Now, do not misunderstand...I love the fact that we are being blessed with gifts from God but I just don't have a "frame of reference" for this life God has called me too.  I think that is part of His plan to grow me into a vessel of His grace. 

As our family has grown I've found that my homemaking skills need to grow and develop too.  Now that ds and dd are a bit bigger I'm finding that I can't keep following my "cooking for two + a little extra" strategies that worked for the past 5 years.  It is impacting our expenses and as many of you have noticed the price of groceries has taken a definate upswing this fall/winter.  So, momma has been researching what we can do to control our expense as we see the need to increase the amount of food purchased, too.  Yikes! 

Now, for a bit of background...I may have been an only child but I did grow-up on a small farm.  I have experience with cooking from scratch, raising livestock, and tending a garden.  It was an interesting change for me when dh and I married (almost 10 years ago) and I suddenly discovered things like refrig biscuit dough, pizza rolls, and tuna helper.  As a working wife (at the time) I was quite excited about the new "freedom" I felt in meal preparation.  All I needed was 20 min. and we had dinner, viola!  Well, those habits carried us through those early years and we were young so it didn't show up, too much, on our my physique (dh has gained maybe 5 lbs in 10 years, ugh, love you honey). 

We moved into our first home in the country with 2 beautiful acres and desired to start a family.  Well, the dreamer in me started seeing the possibility of a garden and the bunnies dearly loved their produce that summer!  But what happen in my heart as I worked that ground was deeper than the roots of the lettuce plants that I never tasted.  God was beginning to birth in my heart a desire to become a homemaker rather than a housewife.  I think there is a distinct difference between the two.  As a housewife I completed a list of chores each day but as a homemaker I began to desire to want to know what God expected of me in this role He had designed me for.  As a housewife I struggled with my chores feeling futile and mundane but I longed to please God and prayed that He would teach me to love the life He had given me.  That prayer began the process of God unpacking my desires, such poor reflections of true joy, and replacing them with the dreams He has for me, true joy through the constant journey of sanctification. 

Well, you say, what does that have to do with a grocery bill.  Much, my friend, much more than you think.  8 years ago my dh was struggling to teach me to save even one penny and I know he struggled to trust me with making wise purchases.  So, to hear him say, a few years ago, that he trusted me with the household expenses was such a deep encouragement.  I felt like I had been given a smile from heaven and an "excellent" performance review at my "job".  Now, I don't make the wisest choices all the time but my beloved has seen growth and my heavenly Father has blessed us because of my obedience to my dh.  So, my current struggle with trying to control our grocery bills is just another step in my growth as a homemaker, help-meet, and daughter of the King.  God is still answering that prayer from a small garden eight years ago. 

Just to share a few things we are doing to help control the grocery beast!

-we purchased a grain mill and 50# of wheat berries to begin milling our own flour.  Good wheat bread is up to about 2.49 here and there are rumors that even wheat flour will be on the rise this summer.  We are currently going through about 1 and 1/2 loaves a week so I've committed to maintain a high nuturional value for my family and keep expenses down by baking all our bread (bread machine and by hand, when time).  We can also use the flour for all our other baking.  Dh and I have been considering this purchase for quite some time but felt the time was right because of the wheat prices on the rise.

-I am trying to utilize coupons to the max potential.  I did try a trial run of the "grocery game" but felt the products with the biggest discounts didn't meet our needs so I'm trying to be a very aware shopper who matches coupons we really use to current specials. 

-I've started buying less items at the wholesale clubs.  I found that I was purchasing in bulk more for convience rather than to save money.  So, by using my coupon deals I'm trying to make wise choices. Dh and I have a list of wholesale club prices on things we would usually buy there and I compare the deals I find to that list.  Then I can make a wise choice about where and when to buy.  (example, I've started buying diapers at Target, CVS, Meijer, or Wal-Mart with coupons rather than simply getting them at Sam's). 

-We have an extra refrigarator and freezer in our garage.  So, I stock up on basics  when they go on sale.  For us this usually includes, milk, butter, cheese, chicken, frozen veggies, juice, etc.

-I have been making menus for about 4 years now.  About the time ds was born I began to see the need to have "direction" in meal-planning.  It intially helped my foggy new momma brain but since has become a key to being an organized and efficient homemaker.  I currently make menus for a month at a time.  This usually includes some freezer cooking and repeating of meals.  I am in a season (with a new baby soon) which just makes it easier to have less trips to the store.  I try to do all my shopping for the month at once and make it a family date (dh goes to help, too).  Then I can just make small trips for weekly specials and necessities.  I may rethink this once the baby gets a bit bigger.  Praying about it!

-Cook anything you can from scratch.  For us that includes, all yummies (cakes, cookies, brownies, etc), bread, baby food, all side-dishes, etc.  I began freezer cooking almost 3 years ago.  It has been a tremendous blessing to me.  I'm thinking there will be future posts on this.  :)  The other thing about cooking from scratch is that it doesn't have to be hard...I usually have one or more children helping me (that is what homeschool is all about for us, learning through life), I make sure that I have common ingredients at all times (brown sugar, oil, flour, etc.) and have it in accessible locations, I have lots of measuring cups/spoons, and I've invested in good quality cookware/baking ware thoughout our marriage (ie, gift money, "parties", etc.). 

Well, I think that is all for today.  I'm experimenting with a new bread-machine recipe and it needs my attention and ds wants to use his computer privilege.

Thanks for stopping by.  Please comment about how you are trying to tame the grocery bills and how God is growing you in your role as a homemaker.

God Bless!