Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Oct 6, 2014 10:38:05 GMT -5
DH LOVES to grocery shop every day as he like the spontaneity of deciding what we have for dinner that day. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/rolleyes2.gif) BTW He's the cook. In reality we make a semi-monthly Costco run and then a couple of trips to Safeway or Fresh & Easy for "filler" items.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Oct 6, 2014 10:38:59 GMT -5
When you post statistics for HUGE cities with large land areas, you incorporate the slums and the $$$$ areas. Obviously housing density is greater in the slums so when you take a wide sweeping 'average' it gets lower and lower when you aren't selective about what you include. Most cute little midwest cities don't really have slums, so understanding the change and trends can be complicated when thinking about cities with millions of people in them.
For example, Houston is like 650 sq miles. It's the biggest sprawling oasis I've ever seen. The housing prices look cheap because suburbs will 'secede' from Houston and form their own city. So you drive through Houston, then you drive through some suburb, then you end up back in Houston on the other side. It's bizarre.
Googling quickly, Chicago is ~200 sq miles and Seattle is only 100 for some perspective.
Even in Seattle, I post my zip code data because houses are really cheap near SeaTac but then you have to live with Boeing and commercial jets flying 20 feet over your house every day.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Oct 6, 2014 10:45:30 GMT -5
Ok I know how someone can spend $575/week for food. I somehow ended up dating a guy with a lot of money. His family grocery shops for 1 day (or sometimes only 1 meal) at a time. They shop at nicer whole foods type places. And he's extremely picky about quality. For instance. We made tacos together this weekend. I would buy a pack of tortillas ($3) some avocados ($3) , whatever meat was on sale ($5) and I would have leftovers. He bought tortillas ($7 because mine were 3 and his were fancier), avocados ($6, organic), chicken ($15 organic) etc. Etc. Etc. I can't find normal salt in his house. We also had a discussion about organic vs non organic line juice and the cost of pasta (me? $1/lb. him? $5/lb) He's cute and can afford it so it's none of my business. But as he easily spends $40/day by himself on food, a family of 4 could be $575. Ain't nobody got time for that chit.
Seriously, I would stab myself if I went to the grocery store daily.
Actually I bet quite a few Italians, French people and others still do because their culture is not so obsessed with work the way it seems to me in the US. Quite a few European countries have a nicer culture of work life balance IMO than here.
I don't shop every day, but there are stretches that I might, for a week here or there. Its not about having to shop every day, but preferring to shop because one prefers the freshest ingredients(day old bread...) and the experience of eating and dining is overall more valued, again, in some countries.
For me its simply because I happen to be near a store or grocery store that has what I need or more likely is the only one in the area that carries it or has the low price. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 6, 2014 10:46:26 GMT -5
Congrats The Captain! Sounds like you made a really wise investment. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/cool.png) Thanks Bonny, although it was more than an investment. It hit most of our wish list except for things we knew we could fix eventually. So far we've put in about $25K on repairs etc. Some will improve the value of the home, some won't. DH and I are just shaking our heads at some of the damage/deferred maintenance. However, we have to get that kind of stuff done first before we can do the "fun stuff" like reno the kitchen and master bath. Oh well, we knew that going in. Along the lines of this article, one family member suggested we stop contributing to the retirement/college savings so we could speed up the reno timeline. DH and I were like what?!? ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/yikes.png) . Umm, no. If we can't afford it without cutting back on those priorities, then we can wait. It's perfectly servicable now.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Oct 6, 2014 10:51:15 GMT -5
Thanks for answering Captain.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Oct 6, 2014 10:55:38 GMT -5
I'd shoot myself if I had to grocery shop daily with the kids. Solo, eh, I could deal with it if I wanted/had to. But with the kids - nope.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Oct 6, 2014 11:01:11 GMT -5
Ain't nobody got time for that chit.
Seriously, I would stab myself if I went to the grocery store daily.
Actually I bet quite a few Italians, French people and others still do because their culture is not so obsessed with work the way it seems to me in the US. Quite a few European countries have a nicer culture of work life balance IMO than here.
I don't shop every day, but there are stretches that I might, for a week here or there. Its not about having to shop every day, but preferring to shop because one prefers the freshest ingredients(day old bread...) and the experience of eating and dining is overall more valued, again, in some countries.
For me its simply because I happen to be near a store or grocery store that has what I need or more likely is the only one in the area that carries it or has the low price. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
I'm not European. I'm a harried soccer mom who is at her wits end trying to juggle closing one business, opening another, and not letting her kids suffer because of my choices.
I also live 10 miles from the nearest grocery store.
TAke your condescending attitude and stuff it.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Oct 6, 2014 11:13:35 GMT -5
Ain't nobody got time for that chit.
Seriously, I would stab myself if I went to the grocery store daily.
Actually I bet quite a few Italians, French people and others still do because their culture is not so obsessed with work the way it seems to me in the US. Quite a few European countries have a nicer culture of work life balance IMO than here.
I don't shop every day, but there are stretches that I might, for a week here or there. Its not about having to shop every day, but preferring to shop because one prefers the freshest ingredients(day old bread...) and the experience of eating and dining is overall more valued, again, in some countries.
For me its simply because I happen to be near a store or grocery store that has what I need or more likely is the only one in the area that carries it or has the low price. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
Nothing to do with the fact that you're single and work part-time?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2014 11:13:42 GMT -5
Yeah, what Swamp said! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png) I shop as infrequently as possible. And, now that both of my sons can drive, I often send them. LOL
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Oct 6, 2014 11:15:08 GMT -5
Yeah, what Swamp said! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png) I shop as infrequently as possible. And, now that both of my sons can drive, I often send them. LOL I can't wait for the day I can send my kids to the grocery store. a few extra bags of chips, a few packages of cookies, and a case of mountain dew is a small trade for not subjecting myself to that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2014 11:20:16 GMT -5
Actually I bet quite a few Italians, French people and others still do because their culture is not so obsessed with work the way it seems to me in the US. Quite a few European countries have a nicer culture of work life balance IMO than here.
I don't shop every day, but there are stretches that I might, for a week here or there. Its not about having to shop every day, but preferring to shop because one prefers the freshest ingredients(day old bread...) and the experience of eating and dining is overall more valued, again, in some countries.
For me its simply because I happen to be near a store or grocery store that has what I need or more likely is the only one in the area that carries it or has the low price. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
Nothing to do with the fact that you're single and work part-time? Yeah, try the daily stroll through the grocery store while working full-time with two kids that need to be shuttled around to activities and helped with homework. I have from 4:30 when I get off work to 7:30 when youngest has to be to bed.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Oct 6, 2014 11:22:32 GMT -5
Actually I bet quite a few Italians, French people and others still do because their culture is not so obsessed with work the way it seems to me in the US. Quite a few European countries have a nicer culture of work life balance IMO than here.
I don't shop every day, but there are stretches that I might, for a week here or there. Its not about having to shop every day, but preferring to shop because one prefers the freshest ingredients(day old bread...) and the experience of eating and dining is overall more valued, again, in some countries.
For me its simply because I happen to be near a store or grocery store that has what I need or more likely is the only one in the area that carries it or has the low price. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png)
Nothing to do with the fact that you're single and work part-time? Yeah, I'd love to dilly dally all day long, but that whole WORK thing gets in the way. So much that I've been ordering Amazon FRESH lately, and the groceries just show up at my house. It rocks, by the way ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/laugh.png)
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Oct 6, 2014 11:23:52 GMT -5
I loathe going to the grocery store. Absolutely loathe it! There's just mother and I, so going to someplace like Costco (about 10 miles away) isn't worth the time and effort. I go about once every two weeks (maybe longer if I can drag my feet) with short runs to replenish fresh veggies, milk, bread and the like. With mother on mostly liquids, it's really just me I'm feeding. My Queendom for a pill I can take once a day and get the nourishment job done!
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Oct 6, 2014 11:24:51 GMT -5
Nothing to do with the fact that you're single and work part-time? Yeah, I'd love to dilly dally all day long, but that whole WORK thing gets in the way. So much that I've been ordering Amazon FRESH lately, and the groceries just show up at my house. It rocks, by the way ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/laugh.png) I soooo wish we had Amazon FRESH here! That would be the answer to an old maid's prayer! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
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ArchietheDragon
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Post by ArchietheDragon on Oct 6, 2014 11:26:48 GMT -5
They make delivery services. Probably would be worth if for the grocery shopping haters.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2014 11:30:20 GMT -5
Yeah, what Swamp said! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/smiley.png) I shop as infrequently as possible. And, now that both of my sons can drive, I often send them. LOL I can't wait for the day I can send my kids to the grocery store. a few extra bags of chips, a few packages of cookies, and a case of mountain dew is a small trade for not subjecting myself to that. The down side is that I asked for a 12 pack of Hawaiian Fruit punch to fill my craving, and I ended up with 12 BOTTLES of fruit punch of some other type. LOL
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Oct 6, 2014 11:30:49 GMT -5
I love Costco but hate the crowds. I don't have time to shop for hours on end. I usually go ever 2-3 months and buy $700 worth of stuff each time. lol.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Oct 6, 2014 11:35:18 GMT -5
Nothing to do with the fact that you're single and work part-time? Yeah, try the daily stroll through the grocery store while working full-time with two kids that need to be shuttled around to activities and helped with homework. I have from 4:30 when I get off work to 7:30 when youngest has to be to bed. You don't want to stroll through the grocery store leisurely while hand selecting only the freshest ingredients for your lovingly assembled family meal with the assistance of your children?
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Pants
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Post by Pants on Oct 6, 2014 11:40:41 GMT -5
Pants said: OK now that's making sense. Because normally in urban areas the more the land value increases the more expensive SFH are. But if there are few and far between in the urban areas and most of the housing stock is on the urban fringe in less desirable areas then the numbers make sense. But I'm betting that there's a lot of developer activity going on in the urban fringes of those less desirable areas. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Oct 6, 2014 11:42:03 GMT -5
Yikes! It's just the hubs and I. I work two jobs, and one of them is food-oriented. I still could not shop every day, much as I like food. Once a week is enough, plus a stop at Fresh Market if they have a good sale on beef and chicken (Tuesdays) or for the weekly $20 bag of goodies (it's a good one this week...pasta, sauce, meat and a lot of other fun stuff to make a few meals for us).
Costco is every other month for bulk items like Gatorade, motor oil, paper goods and some H&B items like sunscreen (they carry the Neutrogena Helioplex, which my dermatologist likes).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2014 11:42:26 GMT -5
Yeah, try the daily stroll through the grocery store while working full-time with two kids that need to be shuttled around to activities and helped with homework. I have from 4:30 when I get off work to 7:30 when youngest has to be to bed. You don't want to stroll through the grocery store leisurely while hand selecting only the freshest ingredients for your lovingly assembled family meal with the assistance of your children? Hell no!
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Oct 6, 2014 11:46:45 GMT -5
Yeah, try the daily stroll through the grocery store while working full-time with two kids that need to be shuttled around to activities and helped with homework. I have from 4:30 when I get off work to 7:30 when youngest has to be to bed. You don't want to stroll through the grocery store leisurely while hand selecting only the freshest ingredients for your lovingly assembled family meal with the assistance of your children? Hell no!! I'd end up stabbing my "loving family" and then myself if I had to go to the grocery store every day. I live 0.5 miles of three major grocery stores and I still feel like my life is over if I have to step in there twice a week. Grocery trip > 1 times a week = ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/sick.png)
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Oct 6, 2014 11:50:30 GMT -5
It's Chicago - I'm assuming the house is on the Gold Coast or one of the fancy suburbs. ETA - What did The Captain pay for her house? Didn't she buy near Chicago within the last 12 months? And isn't the sales tax for Chicago something outrageous like 9%? 9.25%, after they lowered it. ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/rofl.gif) -rofl-I live in supposedly LCOLA and we have 9% and the smallish city a county over is %10. IIRC, a couple of shopping centers have higher sales tax just for them. Back to reading how crazy people are broke on $400K ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/headbang.gif)
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 6, 2014 11:51:53 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special. So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2014 11:55:38 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special. So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) You too? Man, my son is nutso about milk. If I didn't check him some, he'd drink a gallon a day. As it is he goes through a gallon every other and plus is buying milk at school I'm sure. I actually switched him from 1% to 2% hoping it would be more filling for him.
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swasat
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Post by swasat on Oct 6, 2014 12:02:25 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special.
So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) Ok, I officially hate you now ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) Although I love to cook, I HATE grocery shopping. My modus operandi is to meal plan for the week, then go to the store and buy everything off the list in 1.5 hours or less. Sometimes I forget items, and then DH makes all the weekday runs to the store.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 6, 2014 12:04:03 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special. So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) You too? Man, my son is nutso about milk. If I didn't check him some, he'd drink a gallon a day. As it is he goes through a gallon every other and plus is buying milk at school I'm sure. I actually switched him from 1% to 2% hoping it would be more filling for him. I can't drink regular milk so it's just DD and DH. DH has a bowl of cereal in the morning and a glass with dinner. DD has cereal and milk in the morning, then a glass when she gets home from school. Another glass (or two) with dinner and usually a glass with dessert. She also get's one or two cartons with her lunch. On the weekends she could kill a gallon a day if I didn't push the water. DH and DD kill 3-4 gallons a week. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) Yea, I know it's a lot of milk but as long as her weight is mostly ok I'm not gonna make her obsess over it.
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The Captain
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Post by The Captain on Oct 6, 2014 12:05:02 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special.
So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) Ok, I officially hate you now ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) Although I love to cook, I HATE grocery shopping. My modus operandi is to meal plan for the week, then go to the store and buy everything off the list in 1.5 hours or less. Sometimes I forget items, and then DH makes all the weekday runs to the store. ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/kiss.gif)
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Oct 6, 2014 12:43:54 GMT -5
I love to grocery shop and get a lot of pleasure out of planning my family's meals around what looks good/is on special.
So much so that even when I'm working 6-7 days a week I will still squeeze in a couple of hours to shop and meal/menu plan. But, once a week is pretty much my limit. DH will do a milk run for us in the middle of the week. With a tween girl we just can't keep enough milk in the house. No complaints though! ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/wink.png) Ok, I officially hate you now ![](http://images.proboards.com/new/tongue.png) Although I love to cook, I HATE grocery shopping. My modus operandi is to meal plan for the week, then go to the store and buy everything off the list in 1.5 hours or less. Sometimes I forget items, and then DH makes all the weekday runs to the store. Same. Love to cook. Hate to shop. Now, if I were single and had all the time in the world I'd just leisurely stroll around WF and sample the olives, the cheese, maybe stop for a coffee and a magazine, then head to the deli, etc. That would be fun.
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ArchietheDragon
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Post by ArchietheDragon on Oct 6, 2014 12:46:56 GMT -5
Love going to Whole Foods. hot chicks just love to shop there too, which helps.
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