this makes me feel like an official homemaker

Remember the time I was out of a job and really into managing my grocery shopping? I'd like to blame that foray on the fact that I was 4 months into a dismal job search and in desperate need of constructive day-time activities. Unfortunately, today I conclusively proved that theory wrong.

Today I bought 2 storage tubs at Target.

Several months ago, I went to an evening discussion at my church about personal preparedness - having adequate savings, avoiding debt (or getting out of it), and maintaining a 3-month food supply. During the food supply talk, I got out a piece of scratch paper and started a plan. I listed all the shelf-life meals my family could get by on for 3 months. Then I listed all the ingredients, the quantities necessary for each, and approximate prices. In a stroke of good luck or sheer genius, the total cost for this 3-month supply of food was almost exactly our current monthly budget for food storage times 12. So in exactly 1 year, with our current budget, we could have a 3-month food supply. I know. Thrilling.

I kept the scrap of paper on my pile of things to do for the next few months. And today I finally took the first step - purchasing 2 storage tubs to keep the food in. The tubs are a better fit than shelves for our space right now. Plus, the idea is to get food we actually eat on a regular basis and put it in storage. If it's on easily accessible shelves, we'll eat it. This way the food is safely tucked away.

So over the next 12 months, I'll look for sales and buy items in bulk until we have everything on the list. Then I'll start over buying the same items and rotating out the old food as the new stuff comes in.

Of course, the whole plan wouldn't be complete without a spreadsheet, shown below.