What small habit changes have saved you the most money over time?

[Medicine Woman]

I’m on a mission. Baby food!! It costs too much to buy it premade but the baby gets $13 worth a month. Basically not enough. She also only gets 7 cans of formula a month but it doesn’t last the whole month so I have been doing the math to see how many bottles she can have per day and then how we can supplement with meat (chicken to start) and vegetables, which is basically what we supposed to be doing anyway but it’s to give it to her in a consistency she can actually eat so today HG will need to leave for work a few minutes ahead of schedule so she can rummage through the RV looking for my blender. I really hope I don’t need to order a new one (Damn Ida!!) We opened a new can of formula last night and we have some juice and we probably gonna have to get another can before June but YeeHaa!!! Another challenge!!
But regarding that 50 pound bag of whole milk, it was ever so slightly cheaper per pound than the 10 pound bag but the $47 shipping fee threw it out. I got the milk just in time. I need to find the kitchen then it’s on!!
I might be blending baby food at DS’s house Saturday but I sent HG a list of things I need before she gets off of work, including chicken breast, squash, broccoli. I already have carrots. Yes I could go in the backyard and start plucking and eventually I’ll probably have vegetables from my yard as well.

 

[Hinotori]

I’m on a mission. Baby food!! It costs too much to buy it premade but the baby gets $13 worth a month. Basically not enough. She also only gets 7 cans of formula a month but it doesn’t last the whole month so I have been doing the math to see how many bottles she can have per day and then how we can supplement with meat (chicken to start) and vegetables, which is basically what we supposed to be doing anyway but it’s to give it to her in a consistency she can actually eat so today HG will need to leave for work a few minutes ahead of schedule so she can rummage through the RV looking for my blender. I really hope I don’t need to order a new one (Damn Ida!!) We opened a new can of formula last night and we have some juice and we probably gonna have to get another can before June but YeeHaa!!! Another challenge!!
But regarding that 50 pound bag of whole milk, it was ever so slightly cheaper per pound than the 10 pound bag but the $47 shipping fee threw it out. I got the milk just in time. I need to find the kitchen then it’s on!!
I might be blending baby food at DS’s house Saturday but I sent HG a list of things I need before she gets off of work, including chicken breast, squash, broccoli. I already have carrots. Yes I could go in the backyard and start plucking and eventually I’ll probably have vegetables from my yard as well.

I remember Mom and Grandma cooking food until soft, then using a ricer or blender with a bit of cooking liquid to make baby food for my brothers. We didn't have a lot of money. Jarred food was for people who had it.

 

[Medicine Woman]

I believe you. I only had one baby I bought baby food for and it was mainly out of ignorance.
HG now works at our local grocery chain and she tells me a jar of baby food is $4. Unbelievable!! Only the rich can feed babies if they’re not knowledgeable about these common sense approaches. I will just the jars for herbs or to freeze homemade food for the baby.

 

[baymule]

With just me to feed, I don’t consume a lot. I raise meat chickens, sell some to customers who pay me well, so I give chicken to my DD and family. What we eat is free, covered by what I sell. I have feral hog meat, got so much that I gave most of it away. Free meat. I’m keeping a few lambs to grow out for the freezer, selling a couple, so the one I keep will be “free” meat also.

 

[Mini Horses]

Same here -- just me. But I grow veg, can, freeze, buy only discounted meats. Occasionally raise a pig or send a goat to butcher. Some yrs I butcher a couple young, excess roo. This yr hatching so prob will be fall freezer fill. I keep & milk goats to have milk, cream, cheese, etc. pretty frugal here . My stash of foods fed my DD well during a short period of job change this past yr in a couple weeks between. Happy to be able.

Plus cook at home. Plan for using extra portions. Baby foods were always made at home in yrs past.

 

[murphysranch]

I've been washing my Zip Loc bags and reusing, since the early 1980's!! And I have cut hubs hair for over 30 years. He needs one now - his hair and his eyebrows!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

his hair and his eyebrows!!

Yep - DH's eyebrows must be getting fertilized!