Posted by JCE
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A recent article in Yahoo News discussing the spike in food prices mentioned some possible, scary measures people may take in order to cut their food budget:
For some, that means adding an extra cup of water to their soup, watering down their milk, or giving their children soda because it's cheaper than milk, DiChiara said.
As a lifelong thrift-monger cutting my food budget has become so much of a habit that it never occurred to me that others don’t do the same. Basically, I have never had a lot of money and the thought of dumping excess of what little I did have into something that was simply going to be consumed and then, uh, deconsumed (?) later is just repugnant to me. So…here are a few tips that I follow to reduce my grocery expenses. Keep in mind that not all of these work for everyone and there are many other tips that won’t be mentioned but if you try, you can probably come up with some that work for you:- Do NOT water down milk. There are many ways to reduce a budget but this is not one of them.
- Do NOT give your kids soda because it is cheaper. Water is cheaper than either milk or soda. If your children absolutely refuse to drink tons of plain water buy a lemon or lime and squeeze it into the water for flavor. Koolaid is cheaper than soda too. I only add about ¾ cup of sugar when I do make this because a full cup makes it too sugary for my taste. Then again, I am not one for sugary stuff. (Side-note: My kids no longer ask for soda – they know my answer will be no and soda is reserved for very special occasions such as parties. Sound cruel? It isn’t.) Oh! No bottled water! Invest in a few refillable bottles instead.
- Stretch any meal by adding starch – pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. You can add extra vegetables too, ya know. Meat is one
of the most expensive grocery items and we really don’t need as much of it as we eat anyway. - For god’s sake – cut your damn meal portions in half! Americans eat too damn much at home or at a restaurant so cut your portions. This rule applies ONLY to adults! Please be sure to serve adequate portions of HEALTHY food to children, especially teenagers.
- No name brands…unless it is absolutely necessary. I am a real stickler about value for my dollar so I will buy a name brand only, ONLY, if it gives me a bigger bang for my buck. Ask around and test things for yourself to see what give you the best value. Example: Gain laundry detergent costs twice as much as Arm & Hammer, but it lasts 4 times longer. This is value. Macaroni and Cheese? Who cares? My kids don’t complain when I get an off brand and I don’t need to eat that much of it anyway. Cereal – this is a big one! First of all, I think cold cereal is just about the biggest waste of money out there. It never fills up anyone in my house so I seldom buy it. When I do, it is usually for a snack and I get off brands. People who are truly attached to the stuff? Buy off brands, get a membership at a warehouse place (like Sam’s or Costco) and possibly split the cost of cereal on sale with someone else in order to take advantage of the discount.
- Do not eat out. Yeah, that is a no brainer, I know, but it is hard when folks seem to be constantly running around with kids to various sporting events, working endless hours, or have multiple community commitments. One solution? Frozen meals are quick and sort of nutritious. Don’t even have time to stop at home? Pack peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and some fruit in a cooler with a frozen container of water. You can stash it under your desk if the weather is too warm to allow it to stay in the car and eat it on the way to the event or have it for dinner when you are working late at the office.
- Plan ahead. Difficult, I know, but well worth it. Saturdays and Sundays I usually shove some kind of meat into my slow cooker and then use it during the week to prepare fast meals. Chicken and pot roast work best for this and after it is cooked you can shred/cut up the meat and freeze it for later use.
- No chips. They provide no nutritional value and are a monumental waste of money.
- Co-op or share with friends. If you are lucky enough to have a space available in the neighborhood, establish a community vegetable garden. Or, if there is an older couple in the neighborhood ask if you can use their yard. They usually don’t have bratty ass kids running through them and can also use a break in their budget but lack the physical skills to care for a garden. It also provides a great excuse to check on them. Look for sales on basic items and divide the cost with friends/relatives. This is especially useful on perishables.
- Try discount food stores. Locally, we have Aldi’s and they can be very useful for stocking up on basics. Many will pooh-pooh this idea, but I don’t really give a damn. Even if I only go twice a year, it is worth it for things like flour, sugar, etc. FWIW, I bake and will not use their products in my baking. I am kind of a snob that way, but with baking quality matters so I save my higher grade supplies to be used strictly when baking and use the lower grade stuff for cooking. There has never been a noticeable difference in taste…according to my kids anyway and believe me, they would be the first to register a complaint.
Basically, it is a matter of priorities. The economy is slumping so badly now that this is not just a matter of saving money, it is a matter of being able to continue to eat. Decide what you can live without and scratch it off the list. The adjustment might be tough for a while, but keep trying. Nutrition is the only reason we need to eat anyway – it isn’t necessary that every meal makes us feel good or special. It is just food.For more information, a quick google search for "cheap eating" brings up multiple useful sites and blogs with recipes and tips, however, if anyone has any other suggestions or tips they would like to share, please feel free to post a comment or send an e-mail. With a little ingenuity and community help, we don't have to allow ourselves to become victims to the economy.
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4 comments:
Excellent post, JCE.
One of the best ways to save money on groceries is to bypass pre-prepared foods and cook it yourself.
Not to mention, it's much healthier.
For the $5 or $6 one spends on a frozen pizza, one could purchase a chicken (much cheaper if you buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself) and some fresh veggies.
In my opinion, a lot of people have gotten used to just popping pre-prepared food into the microwave. By cooking, you get better nutrition as well as the enjoyment of having everyone sit down together for a nice meal.
Here's another way to cut your grocery budget, one that is less obvious. It employs a touch of marketing psychology.
Most grocery stores, especially large chain stores, are set up in such a way that you are psychologically programmed to spend more. If you take a look, you will often find that upon entering a store, the vegetables, and sometimes breads are immediately to your right.
As most humans are right handed, we naturally start our shopping in that direction. This rapidly fills our carts and baskets with inexpensive items. We look at how much we got, and how little we will be paying, and psychologically feel more comfortable with throwing stuff into the cart when we hit the pricier items around the back.
It also establishes a habit of filling our carts. To be a thrifty shopper, take your empty cart straight to the meat section (usually the most expensive), and start there, working down in price till you are finishing in the vegetable section. The difference is huge.
Your cart will seem virtually empty, compared to the amount of $$ you just spent. I can almost guarantee that you will rethink your eating habits in a flash. My wife and I managed to feed 4 starving teens (now mostly grown) on $4-500 a month, in part due to this strategy.
Cheers, Marc
Susan - Thank you! You are absolutely right about the pre-prepared stuff. It is well worth the effort (both budget wise and nutrition wise) to cook for yourself. During the spring/summer I buy salad fixings once a week and then chop everything and put it in individual containers. It takes all of one minute to assemble a salad in the morning to take for lunch and it is a lot cheaper. Plus I get everything I like without a mountain of lettuce.
Marc - you hit on a very important point regarding the psychology of stores. Your suggestion is perfect! I usually make a list and stick to it, but I never thought of starting at a different point in the store. Next time I go, though, I will try this - Thanks!
Those are all really great suggestions! Here are some of my own:
buy local - farmer's markets vegetables are usually less expensive than the ones in the supermarket. We also have Asian Food Markets in NJ where you can get veggies, rice and sauces pretty cheap!
Share a Costco/Sam's Club account with another family. I've shared with a friend before and you definitely save money. It can be a hassle to divvy everything up but it's worth it.
Reuse things like sandwich bags (unless they contained raw meat). Instead of using paper towels to wipe things up use a rag. It's better for the environment and will save you money. It's cheaper to wash a load of rags than it is to constantly buy paper towels.
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