Dinner for $3.
Everyone asks how we spend so little on groceries. Here is how I do it. I buy almost nothing unless it's on sale, clearance or at Aldis.
I went to the store the other and found a GREAT deal. They had whole milk on clearance for .80 a half gallon. They hardly ever have whole milk on clearance so I bought everything that I could fit into my freezer. (don't e-mail me about how bad whole milk is for you. We happen to like it and did buy only 2% or less until the kids got hooked on whole at school.)
Then I went down a few more isles and found hamburger marked down to .75-.99/lb. so I grabbed all they had and hoped I had room in the freezer to stuff it in also! :-) (Don't worry, some of it I'm going to share with mom and SIL)
I then found some bakery hamburger rolls on clearance for .89.
So that night for dinner we had hamburgers (.99) with fancy buns(.89), asparagus (free from neighbor), baked beans (.39), green beans (.39)and cole slaw. (.69)
We had enough leftover that it cost us just under $3 to feed all five of us hamburgers for dinner and lunch the next day for $1-$2!
All it takes is some creativity. We have people whine all the time about how they just can't do it but you have to use what you have available to you. If your store doesn't have clearance items then use coupons, if you have a garden then use it to it's highest potential, if your farmer's markets are good deals then go there and if you live in Manhattan then realize that the fact that you don't need a car helps pay for your higher groceries. The point is you have to use what you can and make the most available to you.
Tawra
I went to the store the other and found a GREAT deal. They had whole milk on clearance for .80 a half gallon. They hardly ever have whole milk on clearance so I bought everything that I could fit into my freezer. (don't e-mail me about how bad whole milk is for you. We happen to like it and did buy only 2% or less until the kids got hooked on whole at school.)
Then I went down a few more isles and found hamburger marked down to .75-.99/lb. so I grabbed all they had and hoped I had room in the freezer to stuff it in also! :-) (Don't worry, some of it I'm going to share with mom and SIL)
I then found some bakery hamburger rolls on clearance for .89.
So that night for dinner we had hamburgers (.99) with fancy buns(.89), asparagus (free from neighbor), baked beans (.39), green beans (.39)and cole slaw. (.69)
We had enough leftover that it cost us just under $3 to feed all five of us hamburgers for dinner and lunch the next day for $1-$2!
All it takes is some creativity. We have people whine all the time about how they just can't do it but you have to use what you have available to you. If your store doesn't have clearance items then use coupons, if you have a garden then use it to it's highest potential, if your farmer's markets are good deals then go there and if you live in Manhattan then realize that the fact that you don't need a car helps pay for your higher groceries. The point is you have to use what you can and make the most available to you.
Tawra
posted by Tawra Jean at 7:56 AM
24 Comments:
Wow, that is awesome and inspiring. Did you find this at Aldi's or somewhere else? I wish there was an Aldi's around my house. It's 20 miles away. ;-(
Now I'm fighting the urge to run out to my local stores and search for clearanced foods!
We do well with Sam's club clearanced food. We've found great deals there.
I got it at Dillions which is a Kroger affliate.
I drive almost 20 miles to go to my Aldis. By driving that far twice a month I MORE than save buying closer to home.
You might consider making a trip once a month and stocking up.
Tawra
I like the way you think! I have done things like that also.
I keep powdered milk on hand. Before it got horribly expensive I bought 2 cases of it and keep it in a cool dry place(I have a food pantry in our closet). It has doubled in price but is still a good bargain. I take 1/2 gallon of whole milk and mix a half gallon of dry and have a whole gallon for the week.
Hamburger on sale is great and so is chicken! we are on an extremely limited income;I have huge medical bills,my husband is 66 and collects social security and still works but sadly a lot of my meds eat up the money. We have insurance but the co payments are high.
We have a huge garden and we can veggies for the year plus store potatoes, cabbages, sweet potatoes in wooden crates that my husband made(kind of like a mini root cellar).We raise chickens and have lots of fresh brown eggs. I sell some so that pays for the feed and shavings for their coop.
I trade some of my strawberries for blue and black berries and have a plum, pare, and fig tree so make lots of jellies, jams,etc.
Sorry to go on but I get excited when I see and read about folks doing the things I do.It concerns me when I read about people who run out of food or don't know how to budget and they are a 2 income family,in good health but don't seem to know how to use left overs or waste a lot of stuff or eat out way too often(eatingout for us is a picnic in our back yard lol).
Love this news letter and look forward to it. I hope you are feeling better. God bless you and your family. SIncerely Susan Langley, Bremen Georgia
that meal looks yummo :D....
and its great that you have a freezer too... we are looking into getting one too...
and we have an aldi's coming in sept near us... well, its about 15-20 miles away but that is ok too bc my sister shops at aldi's and saves a ton of money there too...
thanks for sharing your savings story with us...
even tho we drink 1% milk but if i found a really great deal on the milk like you did, i would stock up too... and i wouldnt care if it was skim, whole or 1% or 2%... milk is just too expensive and saving money is the main goal if you can... :D
thanks again tawra... i appreciate it.. :D
I like how you think! I shop the same way for many things. I cannot work anymore cause of bad health. My husband is 66 and works but also collects some social security.We have huge medical expenses and even though we have insurance the co-payments for my medicines are very expensive.
We have a huge garden and I can veggies for year round, make sauces, pickles,etc. Also my husband built a root cellar for our cabbages. potatoes.,sweet potatoes, and carrots and turnips.We also have strawberries,a plum,pare,and fig tree, I trade some for blueberries, apples, and blackberries so i can make jams and jellies and have a variety of fruits on hand.
We have a little flock of hens and I sell the eggs which pay for the feed and upkeep of "The girls," plus have our own fresh eggs on hand.
I also make homeade laundry,fabric softner, and dish detergent.
It takes work but folks can make good healthy meals and not go broke doing it. I love your news letter and look forward to reading it.
I hope you are feeling better. God bless oyu and your family.
Tawra,
What is the longevity of milk when you freeze it? How long do you have to drink it after unthawing?
i applaud you for drinking whole milk, even the best milk our cows can give is only about 4%-5%, so by switching to low fat or skim you don't save that much on fat percentage...
a dairy farmer trying to scrape by
Is there somewhere on the web that explains what can be frozen? So many sites are so careful (I am guessing for liability) to tell you not to do things, that I know they are not being realistic. For example, I found sites that said not to freeze milk past its expiration date. I know that you can, because my mom used to all the time.
How do I get the straight story on what is freezable and for how long?
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Jason
jasonellis@gmail.com
Great job on the inexpensive food, Tawra!
Last week our HyVee had milk for $2.99/gallon (usually $4/gal. around here). They also had a special on bread ($1.48/loaf), which had a coupon for $1 off milk when you bought the bread, making the milk just $1.99/gallon!They ALSO had a special on sandwich meat and cottage cheese . . . so our meal plan for the whole week was sandwiches, milk, and cottage cheese!
What a great feeling to get things on special like that!
Also, in our area, the Sunday papers have a coupon insert. Lately there has been a 50 cent off coupon for milk in almost every paper.
One more thing :-) I rarely buy food at quick shops/gas stations, but the one in our town uses a punch card for milk. When the punch card is full--only 8 gallons--the next one is free. The milk is the same price as regular price at the grocery store. We ONLY go into the quick shop for the milk so never get sucked into buying any of the other things that are so overpriced!
I also buy much/most things on sale, and by doing that carefully, rarely have to buy things at full price. The rise in food prices affects us all, but by being alert and carefully shopping, it can be minimized.
To chicken lady,
You sure know how to use everything you've got.
Where is your blog?
Marie
Milk will freeze 6 months or so. Then you have about a week after that to use it if it was un-opened when frozen.
Here is a guide to some freezer tips the first is a guide on how long stuff will freeze and the second is tips.
http://www.livingonadime.com/articles/freezer.htm
http://www.livingonadime.com/articles/freezer-tips.html
Yes, I just noticed that we don't have milk on our freezer guide so I need to get that on there. Sorry! :-)
Tawra
I love all your ideas and you are so motiviating! I have your cookbook and have made MANY of the recipes in it.
The one "problem" I have now is per my doctors order I need to elimiate all sugar and eat more vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and NO white flour, etc. This results to a MUCH higher bill than I had seen in the past for my family of five (and sometimes six when my mom is visiting for 4-5 months out of the year).
Do you have any ideas on how to eat healthy to lose weight (some fifty pounds, lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of being pre-diabetic, etc.) and STILL reduce and save on groceries?!?! (those healthy foods are VERY expensive). Thanks Tawra!
Sounds like you made out! I think that I would have probably left some of the milk and meat for someone else to "discover" also, rather than purchasing the entire lot of each.
I only bought enough milk to fit in my freezer. There was a TON left.
I did take all the meat but I don't feel bad because it does go on sale all the time at our store.
Tawra
My shopping expediton today yeilded great bargains also.I will only purchase the loss leader items and anything that may be marked down.
10 boxes of Kellogs cereal $10.00
they were 10/$20.00 but they had an in store coupon for $10.00 off.
Center cut lamb chops 2lbs for $3.75
2 lbs of shaved steak $3.73
1 lb salami $3.99
1 lb of pepperoni $3.99
1.75 lbs of cheese ends $2.48
4 cans of light Pringles $4.00
6 boxes of whole wheat pasta $6.00
3 large cans of tomatoes $3.00
After using meat coupons I paid $0.48 for all of the meats And when all was said and done I had saved $37.90
It takes little time to save, just plan the meals around what you have.
Have a Frugal week, God Bless
For Natalie... If you need to eat more fruits and veggies, most grocery stores mark down their produce when it starts to get too ripe. Our local Kroger places all of the discounted items in a cart in the produce department. I have gotten bagged salad mixes,4-6 bell peppers,zuchini, onions, bags of oranges and apples, etc. for .99 a bag. I also buy ripe bananas for .25 a pound, peel, slice and freeze them. They work great frozen in smoothies or dipped in chocolate syrup for a cool snack! If there is nothing out when I get there, I ask the produce manager and they are always willing to find you something. I have even gotten "fresh" stuff marked down this way, just for asking! Zuchini, onions and peppers also freeze well and can be used in stir frys, omlets or meatloaf and zuchini bread! Just slice, toss with a little bit of flour and freeze in a single layer on cookie sheets (keeps them from sticking together), then bag when frozen.
I have also had good luck posting a request at local churchs and community centers for home gardeners asking for their excess produce. Most people grow way more than they can use and it is left to rot on the plants. I offer to come and pick it myself. I have have gotten everything from tomatoes to pumpkins to strawberries, apples and peaches this way!
I can all my own jams and jellies (most without sugar!), tomato sauses, salsas and veggies. It's alot of work but worth it to know exactly how much sugar and salt is in what we eat. I also make most of our bread. Many traditional recipes can be adapted for use in a bread machine and there is nothing like fresh made bread with strawberry jam! I hope this helps a bit!
God bless to all!
I used to do most of my shopping at Grocery Outlet, til I moved and the closest one is an hour away. I still go there once a month anyway, and do all the discount shops there.
Telling a friend about how 90% of my grocery shopping was done there, she said, "But they don't have what I want." I said the secret is, "YOU NEED TO WANT WHAT THEY DO HAVE!" I just planned my meals around what they Did have! That was the secret to my $100/month grocery bill - and I ate well.
Here I only have a Safeway and a Freddies....so I only buy the sale/coupon items Period!
Cheap fresh veggies - get the garden going - even those in pots and containers help out so much!
Milk - It tends to separate when frozen. Just shake it up well before each pour, and all is well :) For those singles who can't use the whole gallon before it goes bad, pour part of it in a refrigerator container. Freeze the rest, or freeze in smaller containers. I have some little yellow tupperware canisters, quart size, I use just for freezing milk.
Thanks for the freezer listing :)
Gosh I wish that our stores did that! I guess I did get pkgs of chicken wings (we love them) for
.99 (the smallers ones with 12 wings in each) I bought all they had. But that's the first time I've ever seen that happen before!!!!
BTW, love your blog and newsletter!
have a great day!
Hey TJ,
My sister just told me a few days ago about her whole milk experience. Her boys don't like whole milk, so she just poured it into a Tupperware container and watered it down with water. She said there was no difference in taste when compared to skim milk.
I just thought I'd share that in case someone else were to run into a good deal like yours and not want the whole milk.
After seeing your pics I felt like saying, "GREAT JOB! Let's get another load!" Very inspiring!
And lucky you to have an asparagus-sharing neighbor!
~Lisa
Milk does not ever get marked down in our neck of the woods, and hamburg is at its least expensive at 1.99-2.29 here. I would love to find the types of deals you do on food. It is difficult to stretch the food dollars to feed a family of 7. I have discovered that our local warehouse store sells frozen 1/4 pound burgers for approximately 1.89 per pound which is less thatn buying the meat and making my own, and they have a big box of frozen french fries for less per pound than I can get the potatoes. We also shop at the "off price" grocery store rather than the "brand name" stores. I still can't get my grocery bill down as low as yours, or even near it....did I mention the 3 three teen aged boys????? I can't believe how much they can eat! We don't have Aldis around here (MA).
Great haul!!!
I think whole milk is better for you anyway--it's all I drink and give my kids.
What a great sale on whole milk and hamburger!!!!
I can't drink Whole milk, it makes me hurt worse, and I found out Splenda makes me hurt worse. Everybody's body is different, and I hope & pray the whole milk doesn't bother you at all.
:) :) :) :)
Susan
Hi Tawra,
Just wanted to let you know about our "Angel Dinner" last night. My husband and I participate in the Angel Food Ministries Grocery program. For dinner last night we had Baked Potato and Chicken stuffed with broccoli and cheese. and for desert we had a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich (I had a 1.50 off coupon and it was on sale so the skinny cow only cost 1.00 for 8 which = .125 cents per sandwich). Our Potatos averaged out to .30 each (I baked 4 - enough for lunch the next day) and our stuffed chicken came 4 to a package - I bought through the Angel food Ministries program and they work out to be .50/chicken. So Our entire Dinner with desert cost - per plate, a staggering:
.925 cents!!!!!!!! My lunch today is .925 cents as well and my husband took his today! I can't tell you how much your blog has helped me to make better decisions on groceries - I do it for my horses but it hadn't crossed over until I started reading your blog. Take Care!
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