Shopping Day

Today was my major grocery shopping day. I do this only once a month, the rest of the month I just pick up whatever perishables we run out of, like milk or salad greens.

I go to the Commissary at Tinker Air Force Base. My husband is retired from the Air Force, and we enjoy this benefit among others because of his long years of service. Things are not always cheaper at the commissary, but more things are than not, and I am not one who will drive all over town (wasting gasoline) to hunt for bargains at several different stores.

The local stores in Moore still make plenty off of us because there are some new things I want to try that the commissary is lagging behind on getting. Also, most over the counter medicines and beauty products are more readily available and cheaper at local stores. I also buy my milk locally because the commissary doesn't carry the brand of skim milk that I really like.

This time I managed to stick to my list at the commissary and at the Walmart Neighborhood Market, and so came in under my grocery budget. No small feat these days. Even with many items that are rather costly that I don't buy very often, I stayed under the max budget. Not so long ago, that didn't happen often. I have increased the budget, but the amount I spent today would have been under the old budget as well. Food prices have gone up, so I guess our more health conscious diet is also cheaper. (Less processed and junk food items.)
I did make a major purchase of Halloween candy, but it IS that time of year, and there were lots of good sales at the commissary on stuff I had coupons for. Trick or treaters in our neighborhood will luck out. I also got my pumpkin for $1.99.

Today is also the day I get out our gasoline money and spending money. Ouch. The gas money has taken a bigger bite this year than ever. We usually have some left over, but we hang on to it because we never know when gas will go up yet again. Central Oklahoma, like many urban/suburban areas in this country, has no discernible public transportation system. If you are going to get to work, or run errands, you have to have a car. (Or be a senior citizen. Here in Moore, they have a pick-up/drop-off service that takes folks to doctor visits, the library, shopping, the beauty parlor/barber shop, etc.)

All in all a pretty satisfactory day. My husband even installed a new firewall on my computer and cleaned up some files and got everything running really well while I was making dinner, and then he cleaned up the dishes for me. He's pretty useful. Think I'll keep him.