Please Help before I lose my mind!!

[ldregallo]

This may end up being long, so I will apologize now..lol

I lost my job the Monday before Christmas. It's a long story, but I worked for DH family, and it was sort of my MIL's fault I got fired. (no blame. I hated the job anyway)

FIL offers me a deal. If I go shopping with MIL and help them save money, they will pay for our groceries (we have no food money right now and can't even pay the bills). He also wants to start a small stockpile.

I couponed growing up, but quit years ago, before there were (or I knew there were) so many options. I didn't know you could buy inserts, or print coupons for a long time. We never had useful coupons here, and the papers from out of town didn't used to have coupons in them.

So, anyway, FIL won't give me a spending limit, our stockpile was gone, and they never had one. MIL cannot coupon (I do not care what that people think everyone can do. You haven't met HER).

Shopping with MIL this month, it cost about $900. I do not think this unreasonable considering we were buying stockpile and everyday necessities for two families. We never have meat coupons here and we stockpiled about $250 worth of BS Chicken Breasts and Pork Loin or chops.

They refuse to give me a list of things they need, use often, or are brand specific for them. When we go to the store, I have a list, which I try to stick to (unless I run into a super great deal or need to replace one item with another because they don't carry or are out of it). Meanwhile, she is throwing things into the cart that they need/want without even saying anything. She doesn't help with unloading the cart, or the coupons. She basically follows me around. Then, she hardly takes any of the food! She says she doesn't have the room, or they don't need it as much as we do.

My dilemma is that FIL now wants us to do a monthly shopping trip! Kroger is really the only place I can get really good deals on a variety of products. We have to drive 45 minutes there. I'm not an extreme couponer (don't think I could be), so I'm not gonna go into Kroger and use 12 shopping carts and do 75 transactions and spend all day there!

How can I do this? Which week is the best to go to the store? How can I get everything for everybody when Kroger only accepts 4 like coupons? How I will know which sales will be the best for the month?

I'm not even sure why they are doing this. I don't know if it's money, or they think it will be easier on me. But it is definately not easier on me to do a monthly shopping trip. I can't buy a
months worth of milk or bread for my family! I have 3 pre teen to teen boys who play sports. They eat almost nonstop!

I'm not sure what to do.

PLEASE HELP ME!!

[mythreesons]

I can't help but wanted to send you a big HUG!

[OneHotMomma]

My suggestion would be to sit him down and talk to him. Tell him that it's easier for you to shop without her because ... (explain why). Then explain your boys and how you need to split up your shopping trips.

In the meantime, check out the store forums for stores in your area. Each forum has coupon match ups designed to make shopping easier.

As far as HCW goes, read, read, read, and then read some more. Look for the threads on stockpiling. Those will help. Also, understand that stockpiling doesn't happen overnight, it's a slow process. Most times, I only stockpile one or two items a month and that's when they hit rock bottom prices.

You mentioned Kroger, the best time I've found to shop there is when they have the Mega Sales. Look at the previews and order your coupons for your sales.

Also, I see you joined the trader in training group, trading will help you get the coupons you need.