Yes, I'm needy this week...but...do you all know where to find a basic grocery list

[DDD]

difficult child "may" be moving out on his own and I need a shopping list with milk, butter, salt, butter, jelly peanut butter, eggs. etc. that can be printed off in duplicate so he can learn to keep track of what he needs from the grocery store. I'm going to try to teach that and cutting coupons and comparison shopping for nearby supermarkets and family dollar stores.

I just figure somebody here is that organized and willing to share. My "store list in the head" method would not work well for difficult child, lol. DDD

 

[mstang67chic]

I can make one up for you if you want. Would it help to have it broken down into categories? I was also thinking leaving spots for customizing.

Cleaning products

Laundry Detergent
Fabric softener
Windex
_________ to fill in for something out of the ordinary

 

[Lothlorien]

I plan two weeks of meals before I went shopping, since I'm really on a tight budget this month.

 

[DammitJanet]

You can also find them in the template section for microsoft word. Just type in "templates for word" and then it will take you to the microsoft site. Type in grocery lists on that site and download the one you like best.

 

[DDD]

Thanks you......as always. I found a template to start him off. STang thanks for the personalized list offering. If you don't mind...I'll holler when he has moved on to his own favorites and that is what I'll copy for future list. You're help will be much appreciated. DDD

Since he doesn't have much to do he may want to shop every few days and take advantage of sales etc. I think he'll want to shop "healthy" (so he can brag about it, lol) and he'll want to recycle if it is in walking distance for the same reason.

Yikes, this is going to be interesting! DDD

 

[DammitJanet]

Dont forget to apply for food stamps when he gets his apartment because he will have rent to pay so he will need help with food. Every penny helps. That isnt much per month. Help him figure out how to buy in bulk for stuff like meat and put in freezer bags.

 

[DDD]

I "think" he may already have the papers filled out for food stamps as GFGmom told me "he will get $200 a month in food stamps". She is the expert on entitlements and if she thinks she can get something for her household...it's a done deal. Sadly I, LOL.

She does not know how to shop but everyone knows that husband and I always have plenty of good stuff in the kitchen and we spend less than the $$$'s shown as the national average. difficult child knows that too and used to help me a bit with my shopping. I'm not saying this will be easy but I think it is doable IF I can keep GFGmom out of the mix.

I have never shopped for one or two. That will be a bit of a challenge making sure he is aok shopping for his apartment. Freezer bags seem to be the answer. I'm not sure whether to start him off with freezer meals that he likes (Creme Chip of Beef anyone?? I love it too.) and then work up to fix it yourself meals. He is a bit "loose" with monitoring burners etc. Perhaps frozen dinners might help him transition. Hmm. Decisions. DDD

 

[mstang67chic]

Maybe you two could make a day of it and cook then freeze meals. Casseroles, home made pizza, soup, etc. That way, he has "instant" meals and all he has to do is pop them in the oven or heat them up.

 

[DDD]

The tentative plan is that husband will pick him up and bring him to our place once a week. The four of us will eat dinner together, I can make sure he
knows how to do his laundry correctly and husband and he can sit alone and review the $$ situation. After dinner easy child/difficult child can drive him back to his apartment which will be about 25 miles from here.

It should do him good to know that he can count on one evening a week with us. Of course he may end up here more than once or easy child/difficult child may go visit him another evening...but we will have a set date so he will know what to expect. GFGmom will pop in or pop out or stay away or...more than likely...take his "little sister" to visit him so GFGmom and her DF can do their thing. Geez the benefits that GFGmom is planning for herself are really something to think about. Yikes. DDD

 

[Momslittleangels]

This is a pretty nifty list of standard grocery items.

http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/07/31/printable-grocery-shopping-list/

I don't know all of the history with gfgMom, but is there a chance that she would weasel herself into his new apartment?

 

[DDD]

Thanks MLA. I really like that list. Wouldn't hurt for our house either! DDD

 

[DDD]

MLA, sorry I forgot to respond to your question about GFGmom. No she wants him out of her house so she can live happily ever after with her boyfriend\ (who actually is a nice, hardworking, 30 year old) and her little girl who is seven. boyfriend adores children and is a good parent. GFGmom loves GFGmom.

What I expect from her is twofold. One, she will "borrow" money from difficult child when possible and will not return it as promised. Two, she will use him as a free babysitter so she and boyfriend can go out. Based on her past MO, she will ask if she can drop her off why they go out for dinner....then, she won't show up to pick her up until the morning and there will be an excuse. She's a piece of work. Little difficult child is like an emotional yoyo for her. Yuk! DDD

 

[Marcie Mac]

I always keep a stash of frozen dinners in the freezer, along with DiJorno's pizzas Everytime I go to the store I check out what is on sale - Top Ramen soup cups I can't ever seem to keep in stock here - but they come in handy on those days I don't feel like cooking. I also keep packages of the pasta's in a bag - they are enough for two people, or one person to have half now and the other later. I know its cheaper to make "fresh" and freeze but anything that can save me time and put the microwave to use

Marcie

 

[Marg's Man]

Marg & I live about 40 km (25 miles) from our 'local' supermarket so we ALWAYS plan our shopping trips to fit in with some other trip.

I like the idea of a 'starter' list as a word processor file but once your rolling you go a little more freelance.

A list is essential for economising. Run out of something? Put it on the list. We set up a paper tape from an old style calculator to provide a continuous source of paper. You write your list at the end and tear off the latest 'edition' as you go out.

We started this habit back in our student days living on a subsistence scholarship fund that paid less than welfare. The other part of this discipline is - if it ain't on the list you don't buy it. We later relented a little and exempted a very limited range of absolute necessities.

 

[DDD]

Thanks M'sMan. Since you guys have a son on the spectrum you can imagine the depths of my concern. He lived his early years with his Mom and then she "took him back" for a year in middle school and then "took him again right before his 18th birthday". Each time Mom "wants him"
he is out the door and in her car. She is not overtly abusive but she is highly self centered and can justify almost anything.

I'm hoping that shopping for groceries and necessities will give him a place to go be around other people and have a purpose in mind. Using the rolls of adding machine paper sounds brilliant. I might add that. Thanks. DDD

 

[Momslittleangels]

Oh man, sounds like gfgMom has this all worked out. Hopefully difficult child can read through the BS and not let his mother take advantage of him.

 

[witzend]

I would type it up in Excel and make it "read only". That way more can be printed as needed. Then put it in a magnetic clippy thing, and attach it to the fridge.

 

[witzend]

PS - "My store list in head" trick doesn't even work well enough for me to get from the bathroom to the kitchen to write down that we need floss. Maybe I need the list?

 

[DDD]

GFGmom "borrowed" his $1800. Good Grief! I can't believe she didn't even
wait until he had a dime. DDD