I'm only popping on to point out that my kids thrived on Kirkland brand baby formula--why pay extra for Enfamil? Especially if baby is getting some breast milk? (Mine was older and eventually getting no breastmilk at all but was eating largely table food.)
Yeah, I'm not sure. My husband was doing all the Costco runs at that time and that was what he was bringing home. Might try the Kirkland stuff this time around if it's cheaper.
We used that too - formula is super regulated, so there isn't actually much difference between one brand and another. I didn't have much milk supply (tried EVERYTHING, gave up, supplemented, in short), and my kid thrived on the Kirkland brand... which was 1/3 of the cost of the Nestle stuff. And also, y'know, not Nestle.
I'm pregnant again, and if we need formula, that's what we'll be buying.
Sure, you shouldn't try to live on papayas alone, but you should eat them frequently. Hawaii and the mainland have vastly different climates; it's crazy to assume that cost-effective foods on the mainland should also be cost-effective in Hawaii. Dairy in particular is something you should eat less of on an island where local production is low and transportation costs are high.
The trick to not spending a ton on groceries is not trying to find what you want at the cheapest price available, but making the groceries you find at the cheapest price available what you want.
Ah yes, a vital mustachian ninja trick for many an acquisition, not just grocery shopping. Sometimes easier said than done.
Sometimes easier said than done, but totally doable regardless.
The prices I see the OP listing (in USD) seem standard, somewhat low to me (in CAD, not factoring in exchange rate) for rural Quebec. Milk is lower than what we pay, apples are about on-par with non-apple-season prices, everything else seems standard.
Advice:
- If you're going to grow ANYTHING, grow lettuce, it grows well in shaded garden boxes and windows. Or replace lettuce in salads with home-sprouted sunflower sprouts and radish sprouts and the like. Can be super gourmet, and super cheap (also wtf romaine is NOT delicious enough to spend that.)
- Make your own bread. I have a KitchenAid which does the kneading and works great. It's water/yeast/flour/salt/tiny bit of sugar. Acquire the yeast and flour at Costco. Those bread prices are normal but ludicrous.
- Even at those milk prices, yogurt is worth making and is cheaper than buying it, especially if you eat a lot of it.
In terms of fresh fruit... you mention papayas are local and cheap in season... so get extra, freeze in cubes, insert in smoothies. Yay breakfasts.
Otherwise, standard advice applies... check flyers, buy on sale, make meal plans to suit what's cheap, etc.
Like I said, those prices in CAD are pretty normal-looking to me, and my family (2 adults, 1 kid, soon-to-be another baby, at least 2 dinner parties of 6+ people per week) spends less than 500-600$CAD/month (700$ MAX including diapers, wipes, liquor and wine, and all pharmacy/shampoo/cleaning products/make-up AND any restaurant/take-out spending is what we aim for). On that budget, we get fresh bread (ok, homemade, but excellent!), fresh fruits and vegetables, local lamb and the occasional steaks/shrimp/smoked salmon meals, lots of excellent cheese, good wine, etc... we could cut it down, but not significantly without significant loss of enjoyment, which isn't worth it for us. So... adjust accordingly for your expectations.