Food Prices vs. Dieting vs. Working out vs. Coupons

I have now been unemployed for one week and three days. During this time I have found that food prices are just ridiculous. What is more ridiculous is everything else that is introduced into our daily diet.
My trip to the local grocery store proved very entertaining today. The prices of Kosher meat and poultry are now even more expensive than they were three months ago. Yet, when I lean over to the non kosher meet section I see that their prices have increased marginally compared to ours. Of course this has something to do with Mr. Rubashkin’s plant closing down just a few months ago. Now that there is no competitive pricing it seems to be perfectly fine to charge $5.99/lb for Chollent meat that was just a few months ago $3.99/lb. Chollent meat is typically the worst cut of meat possible, next to the roast beef that is $6.99/lb seems absurd to even buy. So, let us move onto the chicken that was $1.99/lb and is now $2.99/lb. See where I am going here?
Let’s move down the “Kosher Aisle” which is always my favorite aisle in the store. There is approximately 75% candy in this aisle, 10% sauces, 15% actual food. Now, it ALWAYS bothers me that the largest part of the aisle is dedicated to things which should be COMPLETELY ELIMINATED from every day diet. That being said I do buy sweets. Not sure how much longer I will continue to buy them. A favorite snack costs $2.59 for 150 grams. Putting that in perspective, for one pound of candy it would cost $7.80. Now, why is it that there are two choices of chicken each being $2.99/lb which is a BARGAIN compared to the mass amount of variety that we have of candy which costs $7.80/lb. Is anybody working this out? These are not even the expensive candies, they are actually moderately priced!
My husband and I have had many disagreements on how much money we spend on food. I have tried to cut back but obviously I am not doing a good enough job, since we can’t seem to get our food bill down. Now, I am determined. I am determined to cut our food bill down in half. I think we can do it. The delicacies that we used to buy will now be eliminated. No more $6.99/250g for cheese, no more $2.59/150g for candy. It will all be focused on the essentials needed, and of course me cooking the food and baking the desserts. I am tired of watching my hard earned money get literally eaten away. I’m DONE!
Now, comes the bit about dieting. With all these new resolves you knew this one was coming. We are now dieting. Our diet is of course for our health. We are fat. We need to be slimmer and now that I am determined and driven by food prices I believe diet fits in perfect. No, it does not mean that we will be eating tofu for substitutions, because that cost $9.0/lb, that is no substitution. We will eat what is in budget, and good for our health.
Working out is a mandatory part of the saving money process. You may ask how? Well, a Jewish community center membership which entitles you to separate men’s and women’s work out rooms, a wonderful pool with separate swimming is $300/year which is $25/month for a family of two. So if you eliminate 5 bags of candy (150grams in each bag), you have paid for your membership and of course your health benefits.
One last little trick to saving money, just because you have a coupon does not mean that you need to use it. There are times when coupons are cut with the best of intentions. Yet, if you do not need the product which you are about to buy with a coupon, you have wasted not only your time in cutting out the coupon but your money in buying a useless product.
Think before you buy.