Topic: Budgeting

As the spouse of an enlisted Marine raising five children in high-cost-of-living Southern California, I quickly learned that groceries were going to be a major part of our household budget. On our first night checking into housing at Camp Pendleton, I went off base into Orange County to pick up ingredients for a simple pasta dinner with salad and garlic bread. When our ten items rang up over $100, I nearly cried. I later learned that I had made the rookie mistake of going to “the nice grocery store,” an expensive local chain known for organic produce and high-quality meat.