Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I'd Love Some Advice
Inflation pretty much sucks. We've been good about cutting our gas bill but our grocery bill is climbing higher and higher. I've tried different methods to cut down our costs: getting staples at Trader Joes, buying things in bulk at Costco, purchasing flour and spices in the bulk section at my local market. I've tried different meal planning methods like making a breakfast for dinner one night a week (cheap and fast) or making a pot of soup at the beginning of the week that will last several days. But I have no rhyme or reason to what I'm doing - I'm not even sure if my methods are effective - and I will be the first to admit that I'm not the best at creating a system. So I'd like to put this question out there to the blogosphere. Is there anything working for you in cutting down your grocery bill? If so, please share. I'm all ears.
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11 comments:
I'm trying to really clean out my fridge and pantry before I go shopping again, like what can I make tonight with rice and the chicken in the freezer and random veggie in the fridge...the less I go to the store the less I spend on things I might not need.
Hey Edie,
Totally feel you on this one. I've been trying to stretch our grocery $, too. The easiest thing for me is to shop the ads (they come out on Tuesdays out here). Our meals for each pay period are dependent on what's on sale. So, if Frys has chicken breasts on sale for 89 cents a pound, I buy the maximum allowed and freeze the extra. Then I pull out our chicken recipes, 'cause that's what we will be eating a lot of. Whenever meat or cereal is on sale, I buy a lot and store it in the freezer or pantry. That way we always have it available even when there are no good sales at the store. Unfortunately, you can only do this with dried goods and frozen goods, but since meat and cereal are two of the most expensive things we purchase, it saves a lot of money. We don't eat a lot of canned foods, but for those things we do buy canned (like olives), I stock up on those when they are on sale, as well.
Also, check out the "manager's special" items in the meat department. Derek used to be a butcher (long long ago) and he said that the manager's special meats still have one or two days left in them, but they have to be sold immediately at a discount so that they don't go bad in the store. Usually these meats have an orange sticker on them and their prices are reduced by 30-50%. Beef is a good thing to buy on manager's special, since beef is better when it is a little aged, anyway. Just make sure you use it that same day or the next, since it doesn't have a whole lot of shelf life left in it.
The other thing I do is buy my produce from the local Sprouts market (it's cheaper and fresher). If you have a good farmer's market, usually the produce is cheaper and tastes better when it is local and directly from the farmer. I also buy bulk items like flour, rice, dried beans, etc. from there, as well, since packaging is such a large part of the expense.
I also try to get all my shopping done in one day to save on gasoline. Luckily, all the major grocery stores are within 2 miles of our house, so after going through the ads, I pick the 2 stores that have the best deals on meat, dairy, and dried goods and do all my shopping at once. I find that whenever I have to make an extra trip to the store to buy one or two things, I end up spending more than I should. Minimizing trips to the store not only cuts on gasoline, but also impulse buys.
Another thing--and this is small but every little bit counts these days--is I bring my own shopping bags. Most stores will take 5 cents off your bill for every bag you bring. You fill up 6 bags and that's the equivalent of using a 30 cent coupon.
I haven't had much luck with coupons, since our family doesn't usually eat processed foods that the coupons are for. But, if you already get the Sunday paper, it might not hurt to glance through the coupon section.
Last thing--you probably already do this--is store rewards cards. I have a member card for every store. And they keep track of my shopping habits and mail me coupons for items I use (I just got free chicken from Frys the other day because they sent me a coupon for a certain dollar amount off of chicken, and the chicken happened to be on special.)
Hope this helps!
This may be a mediterranean thing, but have you tried legumes? Lentils, specifically, are fast, good for you and filling. And we actually like them! Legumes tend to be high in protein and calcium! I could send you a link to a Turkish recipe sight in English? It may be a stretch depending on the feeling of adventure you may have or not have with food :) Our food bill is extremely high here with ground beef costing about $9 a pound, so I have also experimented with adding soy protein to get the meat to go longer and also add less to soups or chili or things like that. Other than the ideas already mentioned. Also, I just read a quick thing in reader's digest that says you spend more the more often you go to the grocery store, so buying in bulk and try to be creative with what is left is a good idea too :) That's exhausted my ideas!
Coby
I just thought of something else...you may already be doing this, so sorry if it s a repeat. And, another clause, what we do here may not work in the States...so since I can't remember much about buying food in the States, I could be suggesting something that isn't helpful :) Anyway, first, here buying a whole chicken is cheaper than buying the parts. So, I usually for 4 of us use the breasts in one meal, and then cook the rest to de-bone later. I use the broth that I get from cooking the rest in a soup and the de-bone chicken for the soup and maybe even a good chicken salad recipe. That can give you 3 or more meals on one chicken. Also, here buying prepared foods is more expensive, so I am often making things from scratch...i.e. bread, granola, and mixing your own yogurt (buy plain and mix in jelly or vanilla and sugar) may get you some money, but until you get into your groove, it could take extra time you may not have. It could be seen as a fun adventure :) Anyway, take what is helpful, leave the rest, but I feel your pain in the midst :)
Coby
i know. get some water damage in your house. and live in a hotel for 6 weeks. then you can eat out every meal and charge it to your insurance. :o)
no...seriously...i only buy things on sale. I buy when they are on sale and stock up. it saves me hundreds of dollars in the end. check out www.grocerygame.com
it's fun and it can save you TONS. I have saved over $150 before in 1 trip.
I also shop stores that sell local produce cause it's more than 50% cheaper.... that's what we spend most of our money on.
Best of luck to you my friend.
I'm a friend of Jen's and saw you were looking for advice, so I clicked on your blog. Anyway, I just discovered on allrecipes.com there is a tab at the top of their page labeled "Budget Cooking." It gives tons of recipes that help stretch your budget.
I'm a friend of Jen's and saw this title show up on her blog. First of all, sounds like you're doing all the right stuff! It's tough when prices continue to go up (especially if you're trying to eat organic foods like it sounds like you are). I still think it's crazy that in this country all the processed junk is cheaper than the healthy! So, here's some ideas you can take or leave:
1. Take one day a week to menu plan for the next week. I know it can be a pain, but then you can REALLY think through what you're going to make, what days you'll eat leftovers for lunch, etc. Nothing goes to waste and you really get to know what's in your cupboard.
2. If you have friends nearby who are willing, you can sign up to each make one or more meals (depending on how many friends are involved) in bulk size and portion out the meals in freezer bags. That way you can really take advantage of bulk/coupon deals and you know you'll be getting some meals in return.
3. Forget side dishes. I usually like to make full-on dinners but right now we simplify and focus on ONE thing: i.e. whole grain breakfast burritos with veggies, soup, or sandwiches. Let go of the need for chips, side salads, fancy breads or what have you for now and try to pack as much nutrition in one dish as you can.
4. Go out to eat. Seriously, sometimes you just gotta "attack your lack" and enjoy an evening of good food. I hear that restaurant.com is a great place to go for cheap certificates, but regardless, sometimes you just need to have a break from trying to do it all.
5. Find what works for you. For me, having two little ones means I can't take all day to drive around, clip coupons, and find the best deals. I can't plant my own garden because we rent this house. And my Farmer's Market is usually pretty spendy. So, I make up for it elsewhere. I know that I could probably save a BUNCH of money and just buy junk, but my family's health is a priority. So, I recognize that until I simply CAN'T afford to do it, I'm gonna realize that food is worth spending the money on. Aside from rent, it's probably our biggest bill. Yeah, I hate that, but at least it's a bill that's doing some good. I consider it an investment in so many ways--as I'm sure you do too. Good food keeps me going strong so I can be the mom and wife I need to be. It keeps my kids healthy and strong. It keeps us out of the doctor's office (which saves us $$) because our immune systems are given a fighting chance with good nutrition. And who knows what all medical bills it could be saving me in the future just from what we eat! (Although I don't know if my chocolate addiction negates this.:)) And just remember, we're all in the same boat! You go girl!
Thanks for this post Edie. I myself am looking for a few good tips. We have a Costco membership, but I'm finding more and more that we're still spending roughly about the same amount each week. I've been lurking these published comments jotting mental notes as I read. A collective "Thank you" to everyone who shared.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! I appreciate all of the great feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write such thoughtful comments and tips. I am very grateful! And to Sarah and Rory, thank you for wanting to help another blogger in need, even though we've never met. The beauties of the blog world never cease to amaze me. : )
Okay, I have to echo Kristi's plug for the grocery game (www.thegrocerygame.com). There are a lot of processed foods on "the List", so you have to be careful when you first start (yeah, it's tempting to buy 5 boxes of Hamburger Helper, for like 30c each, but really?!) ... We've followed the GG list off and on over the past few years, and stocked up on things like deodorant, toothpaste, razors, shampoo, etc, which has then saved us tons in the long run (and you can use the extra $$ for more/better food!).
I'm also taking mental notes on several of these tips. Thanks!!
I think it's similar to the grocery game, www.couponsense.com is very helpful in saving money, but it's pretty time consuming. I couldn't hack it, but some girls I know LOVE it.
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