Share your tips for lowering grocery bills here! :D

[chipmunk]

Thanks, Old Fashioned! I think my parents taught me that from their depression-era stories.

 

[old fashioned]

Thanks, Old Fashioned! I think my parents taught me that from their depression-era stories.

Mine too!

 

[Farmfresh]

Great ideas all!

I am actually surprised how many of these I already do, but have never thought about as a way I save grocery money.

My biggest tip to save money at the grocery store. DON"T GO!

I try to only go to the grocery store every other MONTH or so. I do make trips to a local gas station to buy milk however. Even though the milk is more expensive I save time and money on gas instead.

I buy bulk purchases at wholesale stores for the long shelf items and by keeping track of how much you use it is easy to buy enough to last a while.

For example I always buy dish soap 3 bottles at a time.

When at the store I only buy "ingredients". Ready made items waste money.

By buying my meat on the hoof from local farmers or raising my own. Raising my own veggies and buying store items in bulk I stay out of the store. Thus less temptation to buy what I don't need and less gas and time wasted as well.

This is a great thread. Keep those ideas coming!

 

[ducks4you]

I can testify that beans, grains, seasonal fruits and vegetables and most herbs and spices - i'm vegetarian and forgo the lean meats - are cheap, especially in bulk or from ethnic stores. You can easily make a very cheap, healthy and delicious meal at home for pennies. If you can join a CSA or harvest free produce this is even better.

You as SO right---fresh vegetables at any grocery store are really less expensive than ANY processed foods. And, of course, they're healthier for you.

Thought of another saver: If you don't grow garlic, buy generic minced. It keeps a very long time in the fridge, and tastes pretty good, too. Plus you don't have to cut it and get it on your fingers!

 

[cknmom]

When making dinner, I usually make enough for two or more meals. We have leftovers(which my family loves) I ususally change them somehow. When making lasagna in my big lasagna pan, it makes at least four meals and a couple of lunches; so I can freeze some and leave some out for leftovers.

I will make something, like a roast, then use the leftovers for at least two other meals. When wanting to use up some leftover meat, DH usually requests enchiladas. It's a great way to use up things.

We go shopping for a month at a time but usually have enough meat to last about three months. We just need to go buy perishables and things we run out of quickly.

I make all of our baked goods. I cook from scratch almost all the time. I do keep a few ready to cook things around for emergencies or when I am too sick to cook.

I make appetizers for us to snack on.

That's all I have time for right now. Will chime in later with other ideas.

Monica

 

[Big Daddy]

Gastric bypass

 

[me&thegals]

Gastric bypass

I keep resisting "Stop eating." Save BIG money!

 

[country lady]

I haven't read all the posts but the ones I read are great. I save all vegetable water and left over gravy, meat bits in a tub in the freezer. I made a pot of soup a couple of days ago and added cooked venison and about 10 vegetables from the freezer. It was like free meals. Our neighbor hunts our land and shares venison with us. We share eggs and veggies with him. I rarely use coupons anymore because I buy staples mostly. I find when I cook like this we have better meals and more variety. This is a very helpful thread.

 

[okiegirl1]

I haven't read all of these yet, but I like to make "build on meals".

For example, I bake a ham, the next night take the ham bone and make beans, the next night take left over beans and make burritos, the next night, take the left over burrito meat & make taco soup.

does that make sense?
-Angela

 

[cjparker]

I hope I'm not repeating here, but for my meateater family, I make a point of checking the "marked down" meat section whenever I go by Safeway in this area. By looking for the meat that is already on sale and has been marked down, I usually manage to get meats for about a dollar a pound. Last week top round was on sale for 1.99 a pound, and I got it at the "marked down" section for 30% off of that, so paid about $1.40 a pound for boneless top round. I also got boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.00 a pound. The packages are usually marked with sell-by dates of the same day or a day or two later. Once they are frozen, all is good! Just ask you meat department manager what time they mark down the meats and see if this works for you.

We also go to the bakery outlet. In this area there are two, but the Oroweat one is better by far than the one for another major brand. We get bread that is about a week before expiration for 1.19 or 1.39 a loaf. The same loaves are 3.79 at Walmart. Yes, making my own would be cheaper but after a major weevil issue last summer, I prefer the high-quality store bought. We also get coffee at the outlet. Though still a bit of a luxury, we buy 12oz bags of premium coffee for 5.29; same stuff at Walmart is 8.99. (We usually don't go to Walmart for groceries because our local Winco has better prices.)

I am sure enjoying all these tips. Eating is one thing we all have in common....it's fun and informative to see how everyone economizes.