As most of you know, we are all spending more money for everything than we did in the first 4 years of Donald Trump’s Presidency. I know that he will get the inflation down but it is going to take a while. It took 4 years to get us where we are today. The Federal Reserve hasn’t helped with it’s actions either. Hopefully, he will appoint someone who knows how to get us out of this mess. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will help with this by cutting waste in government. It has grown too large and needs to be trimmed. I also hope they find all of the missing money that the current administration spent for climate change and the inflation reduction act and where that money has disappeared to.
But we will have to help! Supply and demand is much of the problem. You have seen when there are shortages, the prices rise. When something is not in demand, prices go down. I am not an expert but perhaps there has been some price gouging also.
I would bet that many of you who visit here have a good supply of food in your homes. Hopefully most of it was purchased while prices were still reasonable. I believe it is time to use that food so that none of it goes to waste. If people take a break from buying weekly, it will help bring these prices down. I know that all of us want fresh produce and dairy during the month. I will use a little money to buy those things. But everything else will be used from my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator. We will eat the proper portions so that it will last as long as possible.
I will be working on our plans for 2025 to cut our current budget and use up the food we have in our home. We have enough food to get us through the winter and perhaps longer. I no longer meal plan. I look to see what I have available in my home and use those items to make a meal. Most of that food was purchased as loss leaders. Buying loss leaders at rock bottom prices is the smartest way to buy your food. You all know how. You are probably doing it now with the cheap prices on turkey, stuffing, canned vegetables, baking supplies, etc.
I will keep my Walmart+ delivery plan through the winter because it saves us from going out in the snow and ice and possibly falling or having an accident. But I know I am spending more because of the tipping and the cost of the plan. So when spring hits, I will cancel it. I can get pickup or just walk into the store and shop cheaper.
If I run out of something, I will see if I have the ingredients to make it cheaper. We all have baking supplies in our homes but how many of us use them to make tortillas, bread, English muffins, bagels, etc. I know I get lazy and just buy them most of the time. But no longer. It may take a bit more time but I think the cost savings will be worth it.
How many of us have lots of spices in our homes but buy taco seasoning and fajita packets because it is convenient? Take the time to mix your own spices and put them in a mason jar or any other jar. Then you can quickly just spoon out what you need. You will save a lot of money if you continually do this with these items and many other spices that you can mix up. I used to make my own cream soups and bread crumb mixes but I have been lazy and gotten away from that. Not any more. There are so many things that we use everyday that we can make from scratch much cheaper. I would rather keep that money in my pocket than put it in the pockets of billionaires.
So I will be asking myself every time I make something, how can I do this cheaper?
We will be cutting many more expenses next year also and I will take you along for the ride. But food is one that I have been spending way too much money on and it will be a priority to no longer do that.
Are you planning on cost cutting in 2025 or starting right away like I will be?