I Guess I Shouldn’t Have Gone Shopping Hungry

Never go shopping hungry. Or that’s what they say, and generally, it’s a rule I follow stringently. But sometimes, when you need to go shopping is when you need to go shopping, and you can’t avoid it.

That was me this last week. We needed groceries. I hadn’t gone shopping for staples in a few weeks, and our cabinets were looking bare. (Okay, less so our cabinets and more our fridge/freezer. I am the worst at cooking out of boxed food. More on that at a different time, though.) The problem was I’d just gotten off a long shift, and I (per the usual, something I’m working to change) forgot my lunch.

So there I was in the grocery store, buying everything and their mother. Fruit, vegetables, road trip food (hubby and I were going up to Mount Lassen the next day), and something I normally avoid–convenience food. Namely, frozen taquitos, vegetarian potstickers, and pizza rolls.

Normally, I avoid food like this. I hate cooking, absolutely hate it, but I know that it’s A) better for you to cook at home, and B) cheaper in the long run, so I do the responsible thing, pass up the frozen entree aisle in the supermarket, but my ingredients and go home.

Generally, I can get in and out of the grocery store spending $60-$70 and then eating that for two weeks. I could probably spend less if I meal prepped, but see above where I hate cooking.

That day, I spent a whopping $94. That’s a third more than I usually spend. Why? Because I was A) hungry so I put more in my cart than usual and B) attracted to the convenience of 10-minute meals.

While I didn’t intentionally turn this into a budget experiment, it did teach me a lot about what I value. I value ease, and microwaves, microwaves are amazing. Well, actually toaster ovens. We barely use our microwave unless we’re heating up my coffee for the third time that day because it’s impossible for me to finish a cup in one sitting. Still, the ease of grabbing taquitos out of the freezer, shoving them into the toaster oven, and having wonderful, crispy, delicious food 10 minutes later is something I don’t regret buying.

If you ask my husband, he’ll be the first to tell you, I am a terrible eater. Actually, I’m a great eater, but a terrible cooker. It’s a problem. Other than breakfast, which I adore, I don’t like preparing the other meals. So half the time, I just don’t? It’s a horrible strategy, and one we’re working to absolve, but having the convenience food in the house helped.

While I don’t expect I’ll be spending an extra $30 grocery trip to treat myself to such foods, I do think that I’m going to work to make my life more convenient. After all, that’s what fosters good habits, convenience. And when it comes to money, I’m all about making life easier.

Posted in Couple Money, Married Life, Uncategorized

Moriah Joy

Moriah Chace founded this site in 2018 to narrate the money journey she and her husband were on. After their divorce, she pivoted and is now tackling living well on a low income budget. She is currently the editor at Poorer than You. And she has words in Live Better, Deal Taker, and EcoFrugals. As part time barista and a full time coffee addict, she currently attends UTA for a master's in Civil Engineering and wants to change the world one high speed train at a time.

I Guess I Shouldn’t Have Gone Shopping Hungry

Moriah Joy

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