Due to Corona Virus outbreak, we decided to purchase our grocery staples for April now. We usually purchase our groceries at the start of the month and not knowing what we are facing we are not sure whether or not the grocery store would face shortage or not. Therefore we built our grocery supply enough for April. There are few more food staples to get but so far we spent $27.44 on these expenses. We also purchased 4 bags of flour to have enough for March which brought our total spending to $35.40.
11- 5lbs. Unbleached wheat flour @ $1.22/ea
1 Washing soda for laundry and bathroom cleaning
12-12oz Frozen peas @ $0.77/ea
2 Lbs. Jalapenos
2- 4Lbs. Spaghetti
Total spent: $35.40 �
In March by half way through we spent a little less than $198. By the time we purchased what is on our grocery list we would most likely spend more than $210 budget we set at the start of March.
Pay Minimum on your Debts to enough cash to pay them again next month
We also decided by the end of March we might probably pay the minimum on our mortgage and credit card debts and put the rest of our income in a saving account to be able to have about 2 months of living expenses.
Avoid Public Places
In you have to avoid public places like grocery stores for a while; it makes sense to purchase what you consume on a regular basis. You can build your grocery supply on budget if you write down your list and stick to it.
Build emergency food supply
Every emergency situation would be addressed differently. In the corona virus situation we might be asked to stay inside therefore, the chances to move from one place to another like in a hurricane situation might be low. In that case we want to focus on what we might need at home.
Should we buy water?
I was asked this question and my answer was no we don’t need to buy water. But that is just my opinion. Water can be brought to a rolling boil for 10-15 minutes and cool down to purify. I drink tap water and I drink purified water from my fridge. I don’t purchase water. We pay a lot to the city for my household water consumption already.
Many people in developing countries don’t have access to clean water. They purify it. When I was young my family fled Togo to Ghana and we stayed in a small town for some months because of a war in Togo. On a regular basis my cousin and I would follow some neighbor to a river with buckets to fetch water. We boiled some of that water if necessary for drinking. Otherwise, the town wall opened the town water so faucet in houses can access water for few hours one day every week and we stocked up on drinking water and used the river water to do laundry and shower.
If you can find purified water at the store and can afford it that is fine. If you don’t find any, you would be fine as well.
Build your food supply on budget
Just build your food supply on budget to have enough food staples in your pantry for March and April at the least.
Build your grocery supply on budget
Stock up on what you might need in March and April now to avoid shortage.
Have Cash on Hand
Also take some cash out just in case you might have to resort to cash we never know.
Be safe. We would get through this.
By Liberman Consulting L.L.C.
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