The Dreaded Grocery Store

I had someone ask me a few weeks ago how I can hardly spend anything a month on food for a family of five. (Maybe one day, I will actually share with everyone how much we really do spend on food, but believe me-it's very low.) I told her that the biggest way I save on my food budget is a really old secret that I learned when I was single and in college. DON'T GO.
But, let's face it, we all have to go to the grocery store sometimes, but I, personally, don't want to go that frequently. Really, some people might crave all of the decision making (which brand is best) and the dodge ball game you play as you try to weave your cart in and out of the people crowding in the aisles. Should I even start on the check out lines?
The first decision is always the hardest: which line should I choose? I have the uncanny ability to pick the line that takes the longest to get through, even when there was only one person in front of me to begin with. It's a special gift, I know.
I love the waiting for what seems like an hour to get to the front of the line,
Or how about the people behind you in line glaring at you as you unload your cart.-Like you are really trying to move slower than a snail. Sometimes your kids aren't always as helpful as they want to be at the check out line.
And then they fume when you hand the cashier your stack of coupons. Hey, I need to save every penny I can.
I love the people with overflowing carts who come racing out of nowhere with the carts as soon as a new checker opens up their line,
I've been the hold up my fair share of times, so I do feel bad when something happens beyond the shopper's control. KIDS! Need I say more?
When my son was barely three years old, he was into pushing every button and flipping every switch around. We went to a Smith's store in Provo, Utah (Probably the busiest one I know). We had waited in line for a while and had at least five or six people behind us and finally it was our turn. I was almost finished, just paying for my groceries when I heard a loud gasp. I turned around and my son was at the checkout line next to us with a beaming smile on his face standing next to a horrified checker. He had reached around the checker and flipped the switch that powered her register. She sad a good six or so people standing in her line. After apologizing profusely, we took our adorable preschoolers, and got out of there as fast as we could.
This is why most parents hesitate to go to the store at all let alone with their children. And THIS is one of the ways we save on our grocery bill. :)