Today, (Tuesday), has been enlightening. It started at the commissary this morning. I went without a menu and full list. In order to shop within a budget, a weekly menu is planned and it repeats itself for the month. Once the menu is done, a list is composed based upon it. I carry both the menu and list with me. However, I’ve not been doing so well with my “big money saving idea” so there was no menu planned this time because I wanted to try a new idea that I’d read on a blog a while back. The suggestion was to purchase items on sale and build a menu from that.
Well, that didn’t work for me either! I know that the plan is not faulty, I am. My mind just felt overloaded with looking for sale items and then thinking of how to use them. I ended up just grabbing stuff and going to the checkout. My total came up to $123.00 and all I had on me was $105.00, no debit or credit cards either! Usually, if I go over, I just whip out a card to pay the difference. I told the cashier, (who is a friend), that I had to put some items away. She offered to pay the difference but I told her no and it turned out that she didn’t have her card anyway. So she told the baggers to wait so that I could choose which items to put back. As I pointed to the case of ginger ale and began to sift through the bags to select some other things, the female bagger asked how much I needed. I assumed she meant how much I needed to put back so I told her about $20.
By bringing my total down to $103, there would be something leftover for a tip, (braggers at the commissaries work for tips only). So anyway, “Ms. Bagger,” pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and hands it to the cashier! “Oh no, no! That’s okay, I’ll just put some items back!” She insisted while telling me that it wouldn’t make or break her. My cashier friend told me to just leave it alone because, “You can’t tell Ms. ***** no!” As she walked me to my car to load the groceries, she compassionately comforted me by telling me that I’d better not be feeling bad or embarrassed, “It happens,” she reassured me.
Once Ms. ***** was done with loading, she again comforted me and told me that I can pay her back by having a good week! A GOOD WEEK! LADY, ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU JUST GAVE ME $20 AND YOU DON'T WANT ME TO PHYSICALLY PAY IT BACK??? With my head down and tail tucked between my hind-legs, I retreated home.
Then, later in the evening when I had to go out again…
Wednesday
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Yay! A fellow shopper on a budget!! And no...buying just what's on sale and building a menu doesn't work...even just for 2! But I have to share this tip with you: I always but the meat "Today's special"...i.e. the meat thats getting ready to go bad, and make dinner out of it that night. It usually saves at least a dollar or two...and gets my creative juices flowing about what to make for dinner that night!
ReplyDeleteGood luck and God Bless!
Jayme
Oh my goodness! That was such a sweet story and such a sweet lady. We need more people like her in this world!
ReplyDeleteI smiled at the comment you left me :-)
Wow, that was really nice. I think God wanted you to be able to try out that meal. *wink*
ReplyDelete*smile* only because I've gone over, to my embarrassment too. Sometimes, the best way to "pay back" is to pass on the kind deed to someone else in trouble.
ReplyDelete(((Hugs))
Mommy Vonnie
That was really kind of her to do that.
ReplyDeleteLarie: It may be hard to let someone else 'wash our feet' but if we refuse, we are robbing them of a blessing, in a way.
ReplyDeleteYou would have given her the $20 if she needed it, I know you would!
God is taking care of you, sweetie.
Blessings,
Jen
Audience of ONE
First, did you know that sometimes God disguises Himself as a grocery bagger so He can bless and encourage women at the store???
ReplyDeleteSecond, I get the weekly store ad at home and go through it while I make my menu. That way I know what's on sale ahead of time and can plan accordingly.
Oh, my sweet sister! Your week has sounded like mine! (I have read your earlier posts). How the enemy loves to try to steal our joy!
ReplyDeleteLarie, how I would love to give you such a BIG HUG. Sweetie, you don't have to go out "with your tail between your legs"! God, the King of the Universe just BLESSED you!!!! And, I bet that the bagger felt so AWESOME by being a blessing. I know when I help someone, I feel awesome about it. Remember reaping and sowing? You have sowed such sweet blessings into others' lives, of course you will reap it! I was so blessed when you sent me a gift in the mail from Target just to bless me. Your heart is so sweet.
Thanks for all of your sweet encouragement on my blog. Love you!
God bless that sweet lady!!! May God return it to her 100 fold.
ReplyDeleteBuilding a grocery list off a menu is the best thing, but you are right, it takes discipline. I don't always follow my grocery list either and you actually did a good thing by only having cash. That can help with overspending. :-) Glad everything worked out so beautifully for you!