Please critique my preliminary Schedule J

[IamOld]

Pandora - does the locality/reality make any difference? Where I am costs are SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the rest of the state...a vet won't even let you in the door if you don't drop fifty bucks. I'm still finding it IMPOSSIBLE to get away with less than $800/mo for four people...

[Pandora]

Pandora - does the locality/reality make any difference? Where I am costs are SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the rest of the state...a vet won't even let you in the door if you don't drop fifty bucks. I'm still finding it IMPOSSIBLE to get away with less than $800/mo for four people...

Here in VA its broken down by areas, yes - for you N. VA runs from DC / Alexandria all the way to Stafford / Fredericksburg and yes, that area is higher than the Western District where we are, but just barely. C'ville / Richmond areas are expensive as well.

You can get in the door for $50 with a vet?! LOL Man...wish we could - ours is over that amount by about $25 just for an office visit, nothing more. ETA: Trust me, I know all about vet expenses - we had to drop over $2K earlier this year to save our cat.... luckily our vet took payments. We had to pull from other areas to pay it off.

I think $800 for a family of 4 is doable for food, you just have to watch the sales papers and spend wisely.

[IamOld]

Hello! Well, I hate our wet because a) they butchered dog's feet once, and b) they nickle and dime you...whole other story entirely. For annual shots (and whatever else they think of, it's like $100+)

I will tell you, $800 is hard, but I'm trying...coupons, sales, and go to the cheapest supermarket, which, believe it or not, is Wegmans for NORMAL groceries.

The cost of living here is INSANE. INSANE.

Here in VA its broken down by areas, yes - for you N. VA runs from DC / Alexandria all the way to Stafford / Fredericksburg and yes, that area is higher than the Western District where we are. You can get in the door for $50 with a vet?! LOL Man...wish we could - ours is over that amount by about $25 just for an office visit, nothing more.

I think $800 for a family of 4 is doable for food, you just have to watch the sales papers and spend wisely.

[Pandora]

Wegmans = love I love that store - they're awesome and the selection is unrivaled. I have to drive 1.5 hrs to get to the closest one to me *frowns*.

For vaccinations - try calling your local SPCA and ask about their clinics; many offer free vaccinations up to twice a year.

[IamOld]

LOL - so I'm not crazy re wegmans!!!

RE SPCA - here you have to be dirt poor to get that help...as in BK isn't enough :-)

BUT I am going to start shopping around, because I'm done with that place. Luckily, nothing soon needed.

Wegmans = love I love that store - they're awesome and the selection is unrivaled. I have to drive 1.5 hrs to get to the closest one to me *frowns*.

For vaccinations - try calling your local SPCA and ask about their clinics; many offer free vaccinations up to twice a year.

[momofthree]

Hello! Well, I hate our wet because a) they butchered dog's feet once, and b) they nickle and dime you...whole other story entirely. For annual shots (and whatever else they think of, it's like $100+)

I will tell you, $800 is hard, but I'm trying...coupons, sales, and go to the cheapest supermarket, which, believe it or not, is Wegmans for NORMAL groceries.

The cost of living here is INSANE. INSANE.

Keep in mind, IamOld, you are also feeding twice as many people as the OP.

[IamOld]

Keep in mind, IamOld, you are also feeding twice as many people as the OP.

That is true...I guess my point was sometimes there are huge variations in cost of food. Ironically, were we still in NYC - believe it or not - a lot of food we could get cheaper...

[karm43]

Do you have a ALDI market? Dirt cheap if there is 1 in your area you would save a ton!!! Even would be worth driving a hour, if you were going to get big grocery order.

[IamOld]

We do karm43, and I did go once...I spent $100 for "groceries" - I'd have to try them again though...however, their fruit/meat - I wouldn't buy - I did try their hamburger patties, and they were awful - mostly oil and water. Their bread, etc is ok, but the thing is, their prices aren't really that different from Wegman's STORE brand stuff...but I do need to try them again.

[Pandora]

LOL - so I'm not crazy re wegmans!!!

RE SPCA - here you have to be dirt poor to get that help...as in BK isn't enough :-)

BUT I am going to start shopping around, because I'm done with that place. Luckily, nothing soon needed.

Nope, not crazy . Try calling your local animal control office / pound and ask about their free spay / neuter / vaccination clinics; usually all counties (outside of the SPCA) offer free clinics to their citizens regardless of income.

[IamOld]

THANKS!!!!! I never thought of that - will do!! Fortunately nothing's due until next summer!

[karm43]

I do not buy their meat but cereal, cans, salad dressing, are good lol

[IamOld]

karm, I'm 100% with you on the above. My problem is that my "folks" will NOT eat anything that they know comes from ALDI. Period. Now I don't remember how much their cereal is, but Wegman's brand is $2.50. Often I have a cooupon for Kellogs, it doubles, and then I pay like $1.50 for kellogs at Wegmans.

The salad dressings (to me) are good, and I think they're 1.19...wegman's salad dressings are usualy about 1.69...