Tag Archives: money
May 17, 2010 

Shopping at Whole Foods

For a little over a month now, I have been shopping exclusively at Whole Foods Market. It was an experiment in managing my money given the type of food products they sell. I never really gathered any data from my experience. I made mental notes about how much I spent per week (which is usually how often I go buy groceries) while tracking all my other expenses in a separate application. I don’t think I can claim any real conclusions based on the “data” I have.

Initially I was spending more than I was normally spending at the other supermarket chain I regularly shopped beforehand. The amount though was not a significant total at all even if I include the extra fuel cost in transporting myself to somewhere not as convenient as my regular supermarket. The fact that I knew I would be spending more at Whole Foods that I knew (or so I think) cost more than regular supermarkets put me in a mentality of curtailing my spending. My diet hasn’t changed; it’s very regular and occasionally I buy something on a whim just to try it out or satisfy whatever craving I randomly have that day. I knew what I was going to buy and had a rough idea how much I would be spending. If I ran out of food, I would usually just buy a pre-made meal at the local supermarket or do a Chipotle run. I don’t have a budget per se for food. I tried making one but my value is an arbitrary ballpark number that is based on a weekly estimate of what I typically spent per week.

After spending over a month of shopping at Whole Foods, I don’t think I can go back to a normal supermarket. The atmosphere in Whole Foods doesn’t make me depressed or stressed like normal supermarkets do with their white tile floors and bright flourescent lights. I remember leaving Rochester and visiting the supermarkets back home where no Wegmans existed (but will in 2011!!!) and feeling like I have to shop to survive and having a generally unpleasant experience. Whole Foods gives me that relaxed feeling I get when I used to walk into Wegmans (which I will hope to do again in 2011). I don’t feel stressed to hastily buy my food and rush out of the store.

Another reason why I am sticking with Whole Foods is because of their values. I started eating more healthily when I returned home from college and more so (I think) after I moved out of my parents’ house. That still wasn’t enough though, and watching Food, Inc. made me glad I started shopping at Whole Foods. I was already concerned about what was in my food, but Whole Foods takes it a step further. I don’t really feel any healthier physically, but I do feel more mindfully peaceful that they have a high set of standards that must be met before the products in their stores end up in people’s bodies and that my money is going towards values that I support.

Whole Foods is the closest I can be to Wegmans without having to drive miles and miles to Roche Bros. or going even more out of my way to Trader Joe’s. Would I drive even more out of my way to go to Wegmans once they open up in the area? Probably. Sorry, Whole Foods, but you will never replace Wegmans in my heart.

January 23, 2009 

Managing My Finances

I find it’s not really all that hard. I’ve been on my own for a few months now, and keeping myself in check is just a matter of tracking how much I spend per month. The first thing I started doing was budgeting out various bills like rent, utilities, food, and gas. Beyond that, there isn’t much besides the occasional eating out for dinner or buying lunch and breakfast in my office building. It tends to be more frequent that I would like, but it’s not cutting too deep into my pocket.

I have also been paying off my student loans in large chunks. Although my savings take a big cut, it makes me feel better that I don’t have to worry about it so often every month. I also recently paid for oil heat (filled up a full tank from nearly empty) in one large chunk. It’s kind of nice not to have so many different bills to worry about every month, and it also gives me slightly more freedom to do what I want with my money.

I’m also saving up quite a bit with my 401(k) plan from work and my Roth IRA. Sometimes it feels like I don’t have enough money, but having a somewhat low amount (or at least what I percept) keeps me more in control. When I had moved into my apartment, I spent a lot of money on completely new furniture. I was getting tired of living like a cheap college student. I had enough money saved up so that I could afford nice things. It’s just a different lifestyle now than it was back then.

I also only have one credit card with a low limit which was something that was set while I was in college since I had no assets. I’ve kept it that low because I didn’t want to overspend, but I recently found out that I could totally boost my credit score if I had a higher limit. I tend to use a good percentage of my available credit per month anyway, but there isn’t any reason not to request a higher credit limit. I know I won’t go over my average amount per month because I’m mindful (fearful, really) that I couldn’t really afford anything higher over a certain amount.

I’ve noticed that household items meant for convenience are often more expensive and don’t work as well as manual labor. I have no problem manually scrubbing my bathroom with powder cleaner. It gives me something to do, and everything comes out way cleaner than any “easy” method could do by itself. Being frugal (and not cheap) doesn’t mean sacrificing quality either. It’s all about value. Sometimes buying the more expensive product does make a difference, but that seems to be more so personal taste.

Once in a while, I will make a “large” purchase which would be a treat for myself or something nice. I tend to be a practical person, and my apartment space is also limited so I try to make a splurge worthwhile without being careless. I know I could cut some things out here and there, but I’m good enough with what I’m saving every month even if it isn’t terribly high.