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I solved the bag drama years ago in Europe - LL Bean canvas bags with extended handles. The local WalMart cashiers know them. Yes, they get washed upon occasion. What goes into a bag that is unsanitary?
Sigh.....my SO wants to buy EVERYTHING in the clearance aisle because we are "saving money". Some of the super low cost clearance items are HORRIBLE and I'm explaining that this is why canned yams were only 50 cents they suck.. We also end up throwing out fresh produce because he wants to buy in bulk EVERYTHING. I'm confused how we are saving money when half of it goes to squirrels or in the garbage???
Sigh.....my SO wants to buy EVERYTHING in the clearance aisle because we are "saving money". Some of the super low cost clearance items are HORRIBLE and I'm explaining that this is why canned yams were only 50 cents they suck.. We also end up throwing out fresh produce because he wants to buy in bulk EVERYTHING. I'm confused how we are saving money when half of it goes to squirrels or in the garbage???
yes - its not a bargain if you don't use it. I learned this lesson a few years ago. I tried the bulk buying thing and what a waste. Especially for a one or two person household. Sure dry goods are okay, but most food?
Then the cost of storage? It is amazing how long things last. You think you need 10 tubes of toothpaste, when the most you might need are three regular sized ones each year. This is for one person - not a family.
I solved the bag drama years ago in Europe - LL Bean canvas bags with extended handles. The local WalMart cashiers know them. Yes, they get washed upon occasion. What goes into a bag that is unsanitary?
Boxed croutons are not a temptation.
Are you hoarding again?
I think I know the croutons of which she speaks of. They had them on sale at my HEB last month and I foolishly bought three! I just opened one yesterday.
Thursday, I went to my HEB to get fruit, salad makings, Feta, tortillas, & cat food. I walked in with two shopping bags...................
...................but "unfortunately", the high quality croutons were on sale and I rather filled my cart. With my bags limits exceeded, there was nothing to stop me from getting 10 cans of sardines and 5 cans of tomatoes (also used in salads) and a jar of peanut butter. I also picked up a jar of olives and another of capers, but those would have fit in the bag before the crouton revolution.
So as it was, had to add two more shopping bags to my purchase, $6 more, because I refuse to do plastic. SIGH, should have just taken more bags into the store but they are scattered all about.
So what does this have to do with economics? That, in part, how I shop is dictated by the shopping bags. Had the croutons not been on sale, I probably could have kept it down to be contained by the two bags I had.
Originally, I was thinking that just in the future, I ought to have full shopping trip bags in my cars, collections of bags stuffed in one big one, and just take that into the stores. But since today's buying decisions were made on the availability of one particular item, perhaps it ought to be take what bags you think you need and then one more overflow bag for the just in case.....and use that to limit the purchases.
Now, of course, we could say, "Alternately, you could just give up croutons........," but as that croutons are used in my salads, stews, & pastas (they have even replaced the loaves of bread for spaghetti), my standard fare of eating, that's really not possible.
As far as the shopping bags go, that's more ecological than economical and more emotional in I like the way they make me feel........which might explain why I am such a shopaholic when it comes to grocery shopping. But the cure to that probably is to adjust one's shopping and one's living to stockpiling once a month and then returning to the store only for the things that are needed more frequently such as fruits, lettuce, & avocados.............................
...............................and staying out of the crouton aisle.
shouldnt you just start by saying "im starting this thread to tell everyone how i like to use re-usable bags instead of plastic shopping bags"?
As for me, I generally take in two large fabric shopping bags, plus I stuff 3 - 4 plastic shopping bags in one in case I do find some good unadvertised specials that I use (or can give away) or buy extra meat. Aldi charges for bags, so I'm used to hauling in my own containers.
In general, I stick to my list, but I also try to include an extra $7-$10 for loss leaders. One year I ran into a whole display of marked-down strawberries that were getting old, fast. I bought half of the display and turned the berries into freezer jam that afternoon. I made enough to last almost a year for under $10! I use the jam on toast and in cookies and over ice cream. (:
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We also end up throwing out fresh produce because he wants to buy in bulk EVERYTHING. 
I'm confused how we are saving money when half of it goes to squirrels or in the garbage???
