Groceries

In the states, Dave and I always lived fastidiously by a budget. We allotted a certain amount for groceries, a certain amount for clothes and a certain amount for recreation. This because without guidelines, we would be maniacal spendthrifts.

Here, we have no budget. Partly due to the cash society prevalent in China and partly due to our lack of knowledge about prices on things we need. So we try to be sensible about our purchases. We live thriftily, but we allow ourselves some leeway in spending on travel and food.

I did my grocery shopping for the week. Traditionally, we keep our kitchen stocked with a few necessities and pick 2-3 recipes to fix for the week. Following that notion, I made my grocery list. The girls and I went first to the local wet market. This evening, I filled the gaps with a trip to the import grocery. All prices are listed in dollars.

Wet Market
6 bananas
4 oranges
1 container blueberries
1 can kidney beans
1 bottle ketchup
2 bell peppers
2 red onions
2 large sweet potatos
Total: $3

Import Grocery Store
4 cans Campbells Chunky soup - $22
1 box Special K - $9
1 dozen eggs - $1.50
1/2 pound ground beef - $2
small container cottage cheese - $3.50
2 zucchini - $1
4 cans ginger ale - $2
6 containers yogurt - $15
1 bag Goldfish crackers - $3
2 cup bag Mozzarella - $7
block of Parmesan - $10
Total: $100