I know that most of you reading this are barely scraping by, but there are a lot of people much worse off.  The food pantries in our area are asking for donations.  They are saying that donations are down and need is up.  I can believe that.  I don't see any improvements in the economy that they seem to see in the news.  We didn't get a fall here and it's cold.  Every time I light our fire in the stove I say a prayer of thanks giving that our family will be warm this winter.

Asking for help isn't easy especially if you have never had to scrape pennies together.  The pantry in our home is near bare.  I have had to be super creative with meals but we are doing.  There are some things in our pantry however that we will never eat.  Much of it bought for long forgotten recipes.  So I'm asking all readers go through your pantry.  Thin it out and put everything you may not eat or use and put it in a bag.  Take it to your local pantry. 

When you are at the store getting your groceries and I know you're watching your budgets but grab some items that would make a meal for another family.  Here are some inexpensive ideas.  (Some pantries can take refrigerated goods too) Hamburger Helper, Flour, Sugar, Cake Mixes, Pudding Mixes, Canned Potatoes, Any Canned veggies but tomatoes are great for cooking with, Tuna Fish, Corned Beef Hash, Boxed Potatoes, Rice, Noodles in any variety, Salad Dressing, Bread, Granola Bars, Peanut Butter, Jams, Canned Soups, Coffee, etc.

Many of the people in need right now are not on food stamps, are possibly unemployed (our unemployment here is 16%), need to make lunches for their kids, or have never had to take advantage of a food pantry.  Most of these people are not people that mis-managed their money they are every day people.

I say once a month grocery shopping but I mean once a month our needs are met.  We do not go out to eat any more.  It was rarely a year ago and now it's we just don't do it.  Once a month I grocery shop and it takes some pretty crafty menus and budgeting to even do this successfully.  I try to make sure I budget doctor visits for this pay check too.  We get paid every other week.  One week is for needs and the other the mortgage.  My husband and I call it the beast and money pit.

Anyway, usually I shop on Friday but we did it today this month instead.  I was in shock at the number of people at Walmart but not at the grocery area.  The store was packed and the lines were long (sounds like someone recounting a story huh?), but the shelves were stocked.  When I shop on Fridays there is never enough of anything on the shelves and I usually whine about it and the fact that I have to go to 3 stores to get what I need.

Fact is I not only went to 3 but 4 stores today.  Rite Aid had Diet Coke on sale and since I'm an addict that was a mandatory stop.  Then I went to Walmart and proved to my whiny self that if the shelves are stocked I will still go to 3 stores (or 4 in this case).  Then I went to the butcher shop, who contrary to belief are cheaper than the grocery and/or Walmart and they only sell organic.  However, I was a bit miffed that they were out yes OUT of meat and they are a butcher shop (guess I know where are the people were grocery shopping today lol). 

Next stop was the grocer.  This is as close as you will get to a family owned grocer and they run really nice sales.  I'm in shock that it was void of people (except one person I don't like and if I were a better person I wouldn't mention it but honestly I can count on one hand the number of people I do not like but she's there on that list!)  I got out of there pretty cheap.

So I'm doing a happy dance because I the groceries were $100 less than my budget.  Then my husband reminds me I have to go back to the butcher this week to get meat (sigh).