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Shopping for the Family – Sharing Chores

The circle of the family is not always mom at home, and dad out working. Most families have two parents working so that the entire family can have everything that they need and want. Single families are on the rise; people living together and raising children are also on the rise. One thing that is for sure is that everyone in the house is going to have to work together in order for the family unit, what ever your situation may be, for success. 

In order to function as a family unit when more than one parent in working outside of the home, everyone needs to learn how to do more chores around the house, and one of the biggest chores that can be time consuming is going to the grocery store, purchasing the groceries. 

As your children are growing up, becoming teenagers and starting to drive, you can give them additional responsibilities such as going to the grocery store and making purchases for you so you can spend your time doing other things after work. 

Teaching your children while they are young is important for a growing family. Teach your young children about how many choices there are when grocery shopping. For example, there are four boxes of spaghetti for sale on the shelf – which one are you going to choose? Which one did your child choose? Did you explain your choice to your child? Your choice was most likely based on size, price, and quality of the product. 

Teach your child about size and prices each time you go to the grocery store. Allow them to pick an item, but if it is the wrong price or size, ask them to recheck what they are buying, and then explain why you are buying the other one. Starting when your children are young when you are going to the store for just a few things is going to help them in their own future as you send them to the store for groceries, and even later in life when they are spending their own money. 

This entire procedure can be very difficult thing to teach the small child who can’t read yet, starting with children in the fourth or fifth grade, you will see their interest grow in how to shop and save money at the same time. 

Handing over more choices to your older children when it involves shopping is going to put all of your hard work into play. You have been teaching your child about money, how to spend money wisely, and how to make wise choices in what you are spending your money on. Sit in the car while you send your child into the store to purchase one or two items. Be sure to tell them what you want and give them the money. They will make their choices based on what you have taught them and they will see first hand how the process continues from start to finish. 

Making lists and sticking to lists is an important part of the shopping on a budget game. The entire family can add to the shopping list, adding soap, tissues and stuff, until it is shopping day. The most important things and items are purchased first, and then the extra luxuries are considered after that. Before stepping out the door to go shopping or to send your child shopping for you, have a list prepared so that only the things that are on the list are purchased and the family stays on budget. With a list, anyone in the family can purchase what is needed and save one parent time from doing all the shopping. 

Money, money and money: that is what the basis of all shopping trips are based on. Money is one of those things that makes the world go around, and teaching your child about how money works, what money can buy, and the value of money is going to help them eat what they get out, use what they take and not to waste. When a child has to go to the store every other day for a gallon of milk, they aren’t going to throw that glass of milk down the drain the next time because he/she will realize just how much money each glass of milk is going to cost. The entire understanding process of how to shop saves you more than just time during your day, but is going to save money as your children learn the real value of money. 

Coupons and savings cards are tools that you will need to teach your young children about. Everyone in the family can clip coupons from the paper; print them off the Internet and can organize them in a coupon holder. Coupons are going to offer additional savings on the products that you use the most when shopping for just about anything. 

Some supermarkets are now implementing savings or rewards cards. Be sure that everyone in your family who will be doing any of the grocery shopping has one of these cards so that you can continually take advantage of various types of savings and rewards for the family budget.