Guest guest Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 I just got home from the grocery store after spending another $65. For a week. For just me. I am on a limited budget and cannot afford to be spending this much. I'd like to get down to $50 or so. Anyone have suggestions? Informative websites? Anything? --- Debra Down 25.6 pounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 Ok - I am an expert on this one!!! I have a few suggestions for you: We have a store near us called ALDI - I think it resembles a store that I have heard of called Sav-A-Lot? They are a bare bones operation. You bag your own stuff, or pack it in boxes that you pick up as you go. They have tons of produce at good prices. Also cheese, milk, hamburger, ground turkey and chicken breast. I have never had any food from there that is bad or substandard in any way and my family is extremely fussy. I spend about $200 a month on groceries. I have a DH who eats A LOT, me (and us ww'ers eat a lot too) and my dd (who eats like me!). We are a hearty eating family that likes a lot of expensive produce, etc. The second option is to check out where you work, ask friends, etc. (especially single people) if they would like to go to a Sam's or Costco and split the large quantities of perishable food. For non-perishables that you know you will eat, do not worry and go ahead and store them. There are also things called food co-ops where people can buy bulk foods like wheat flour, muffin mix, et al. Many people go in together to purchase large items - like a 25 pound bag of wheat flour, or a 50 pound bag of brown rice. These mainly service a group of health and budget conscious people. Another thing is that frozen veggies are a great alternative when the winter drives the produce costs through the roof. Before we get into the whole nutrient/vitamin issue with fresh vs. frozen or canned you need to know that most produce is picked and crated taking about a week. Then it is shipped to a warehouse and sorted - another week. Then shipped out to the various grocery stores and sits for up to 2 weeks until it looks too bad to buy. Many times when you buy " fresh " veggies they are far from it. Frozen veggies are flash frozen almost as soon as they are picked. Canned are also processed right away. Yes, fresh peas are better for you right out of the pod, BUT canned peas are sure better than a cheetos are for you or GOD HELP ME - those Ramen noodles! Now - the last thing - NO processed foods. They are extremely expensive and have the nutritional value of cardboard and a ton of salt and chemicals. They are unnecessary and not healthful for you. Also the fat free/sugar free/healthy choice - whatever - that stuff is a gimmick and if it is what it says they add a bunch of fat/sugar/chemicals/carbs (the opposite of what they took out!) whatever to make it not taste like absolute crap and most often it still does. Check the label on a box of fat-free cookies - they are loaded with sugar! The sugar free and low carb have tons of fat. My step-dad is a diabetic - we have tried it all! And the ww bars and whatnot are a total rip-off! They are so expensive. Ok - this is the last thing -I promise. When you are planning meals (which will most likely cut your grocery bill in half) plan a few soups and stews that can be thrown in the crockpot. They freeze well, are low in points, and are economical and highly nutritional. Also, get a medium sized freezer safe bowl with a lid and throw it in the freezer. This is where you put the few pieces of chicken you could not finish, the leftover green beans, carrots that needed to be eaten or tossed, celery that has gotten rubbery in the fridge, leftover sausage, whatever. Now, when the bowl is full it is time to throw this all in the crockpot with a few packets of gravy mix and the corresponding amount of water - (runs about .49 and has ZERO points) and leave for work. This is so yummy and wonderful this time of year. You can always make some biscuits or rice to accompany it when you get home too. It is wonderful to walk in the house and smell a nice dinner - especially one that is essentially free. All of the ingredients were things you were going to throw out! Chili is also a great thing to make in the crockpot and very economical. And please - stay away from the frozen dinners - they are so overpriced! If you work outside the home - I am guessing that you do - start bringing your lunch. With these tactics you could save yourself a few hundred dollars a month - a CAR PAYMENT! Multiply that by a year (x12 months) and it is thousands of dollars. Wouldn't you much rather buy yourself a new wardrobe, go on vacation, go to the spa - I would! Frugal Princess, Jenn From: Debra in WI Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 5:44 PM To: Serious-Weight-Watchers ; Weight_Watchers_Member_Support_Group Subject: Frugal shopping I just got home from the grocery store after spending another $65. For a week. For just me. I am on a limited budget and cannot afford to be spending this much. I'd like to get down to $50 or so. Anyone have suggestions? Informative websites? Anything? --- Debra Down 25.6 pounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 23, 2003 Report Share Posted December 23, 2003 The best thing you can do is look in your cabinets/fridge/freezer and figure out what you have on hand and use it up! You can make several weeks worth of menus if you just look to see what you have. You will need to shop for eggs, milk, bread each week. But you should be able to get by with no shopping for atleast 3-4 weeks with what you have on hand. Why not give us a quick list of what you bought for the $65.00, that will give us something to go by. I shop for a family of three and can get by with only about $30.00 per week......that includes my 1/2 gallon of lactose free milk for $3.50 and our favorite high fiber bread at $3.99 a loaf! and 15 gallons of drinking water and buying things that my DH can eat since he has to have cholesterol free everything. Moe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 24, 2003 Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 Moe, this is also a great idea! Jenn Subject: Re: Frugal shopping The best thing you can do is look in your cabinets/fridge/freezer and figure out what you have on hand and use it up! You can make several weeks worth of menus if you just look to see what you have. You will need to shop for eggs, milk, bread each week. But you should be able to get by with no shopping for at least 3-4 weeks with what you have on hand. Why not give us a quick list of what you bought for the $65.00, that will give us something to go by. I shop for a family of three and can get by with only about $30.00 per week......that includes my 1/2 gallon of lactose free milk for $3.50 and our favorite high fiber bread at $3.99 a loaf! and 15 gallons of drinking water and buying things that my DH can eat since he has to have cholesterol free everything. Moe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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