re: Family budget question re: groceries/food/consumables

If you have Peapod (or similar services) in your area, give it a look. We're saving a bunch with Peapod not because of sale prices, but because it allows for smarter shopping.

My wife reports that ordering our food online allows her to compare prices and look things up - to our advantage. By comparison, when you walk into the grocery store you're basically playing a road game on the marketers' home field. You don't have a chance.

Also, services like Peapod usually allow you to go pick the stuff up for a nominal fee, as opposed to paying a higher delivery fee + tip