Home Economics

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Woohoo! Minnesota beats Arizona for once! It rains all the time and we can grow veggies for 2 months before we freeze again.

Isn't yucca edible? Maybe you just need to give up on Tomatoes.

Don't get too cocky there sassy..LOL I can grow my tomatoes in December and January too! (yes, outside)

Yucca is edible. I eat it boiled with olive oil, garlic and salt. Tomatoes are too good to give up though...my Spanish blood would complain if I deleted them off my menu.

 

[BeBopBaby]

I currently am fighting a huge home economics battle of my own - I spend a ton on food because my boyfriend eats like a horse. He never leaves leftovers, which means I end up eating out lunch every day and he eats way more than the half of the food he's [supposed to be] paying for. A dish that might have lasted me 3 days before now lasts me one night.

I have the same exact problem. I make supper and my husband keeps eating until there's nothing left. I've started putting aside a portion in the refridgerator before I tell him to come and eat and he doesn't even notice.

I also plan out my meals for the week and shop accordingly. When I am making my list, I look through the kitchen and try to plan meals that will use as much of what I already have in the kitchen as possible. And I try to buy food items that will last me several meals.

I'll buy roasts when they are on sale and use them for several dinners. One rump roast will give us a roast beef dinner the first night, burritos the next day (then I save the leftover tortillas and make breakfast burritos with eggs in the next couple of days), and a steak salad or hot roast beef sandwiches following that. I'll buy a ham on sale and cook it, have a ham dinner one night, ham sandwiches, then save the bone with the leftover meat on it and make ham & bean soup (using cheap dried beans that I soak). Whole roaster chickens are also cheap - you can have roasted chicken one night and make chicken noodle soup from the leftovers.

 

[lillielil]

- buy spices and dry goods in bulk. pasta is a mega-saver!

I buy my spices and rice at the Indian grocery store. You can get HUGE quantities of spices there, much better quality than what you'd get in a regular grocery store, and the prices can't be beat. I got 1/2-lb bags of most things for less that I'd have paid for the 1 oz jar.

 

[KittyT]

I have the same exact problem. I make supper and my husband keeps eating until there's nothing left. I've started putting aside a portion in the refridgerator before I tell him to come and eat and he doesn't even notice.

That is a great idea! Just a couple of days ago, it got into my head that I should try it. Glad to hear it works - I will give it a go!

 

[KittyT]

I buy my spices and rice at the Indian grocery store. You can get HUGE quantities of spices there, much better quality than what you'd get in a regular grocery store, and the prices can't be beat. I got 1/2-lb bags of most things for less that I'd have paid for the 1 oz jar.

The problem with buying spices in such large quantities is that unless you use them quickly, they will go bad. I've found in the past that such large quantities of spices lost their flavors and started going stale before I was able to use them all.

 

[lillielil]

The problem with buying spices in such large quantities is that unless you use them quickly, they will go bad. I've found in the past that such large quantities of spices lost their flavors and started going stale before I was able to use them all.

I do use them quickly, probably because I cook a lot of Indian food (which is why I was hanging out in the Indian grocery to begin with) Good point, though.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

The problem with buying spices in such large quantities is that unless you use them quickly, they will go bad. I've found in the past that such large quantities of spices lost their flavors and started going stale before I was able to use them all.

That is if some of those bulk spices were fresh in the first place. [huh]

I bought a big bag of ground coriander for my black bean soup this past winter at one of our Persian import stores, and it smelled and tasted like nothing.

I guess I didn't get lucky that day.

 

[Paisley]

My tips:

• Shop on the perimeter of the store, away from all the expensive processed stuff.
• Use thegrocerygame.com to see what's on sale and whether there's a coupon for it. It's $1.25 per week, with a free trial.
• Don't let food sit out--it will go bad faster if you do. Wrap it up and put it back immediately.
• I don't buy the same thing week after week; I get tired of it and end up throwing it out.
• Keep in mind that some foods are more filling than others. A salad is great, and you should eat some greens, but it's not filling.
• Some food goes farther. Deli meat can seem expensive until you consider that there's no bone, and you're buying the cooked weight.
• Consider buying soy protein powder if meat is too expensive. I'll post my recipes if anyone is interested.

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

My tips:

• Use thegrocerygame.com to see what's on sale and whether there's a coupon for it. It's $1.25 per week, with a free trial.
  

These are good tips... I am going to thegrocerygame.com now.

 

[BeBopBaby]

It's funny how fine the line is when it comes to saving money. Some things for me are just not worth it - I'm willing to run to a few different stores to get better prices on some items, but not if those stores are far away and it costs me gas and time to get there. I'm also not willing to do things like clip coupons because the time and effort to me are not worth the few pennies saved. Everyone has a different tolerance for this stuff, of course.

I agree. You have to also think about the cost to make things. Just for an example - if you made your own bread, even though you think you are saving, would it cost more if you had to buy all the materials to make it from scratch and invest your time to make it? It may be worth your time and much cheaper to just buy a loaf.

Also, when shopping bulk like at Sam's Club, some of the items are not neccesarily cheaper. They try to trick you into thinking it is so you buy a larger quantity, therefore you spend more money. It pays to do the math in your head to make sure they are worth it before buying bulk.

The same goes for some of the dollar stores, sometimes I find certain items are not cheaper than the other stores. I think they depend on the consumer not realizing this and they dupe you into thinking you are getting a bargain.

It always pays to be shrewd when shopping!

 

[KittyT]

These are good tips... I am going to thegrocerygame.com now.

Carefull there! Be sure that what you're paying is less than what you're actually saving. It is SO easy to get caught up in free offers and money-saving services like this, and just as easy to forget about them or not use them. You can end up wasting a lot of money this way.

 

[sixsexsix]

Also this is kind of a not every day solution, but when you go on a vacation somewhere, stock up on foods local to the area (that you can legally bring home haha). We picked up tons of paprika and saffron in Turkey for pennies (saffron is usually about $5 for a tiny box at the big grocery store....here at least).

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

Carefull there! Be sure that what you're paying is less than what you're actually saving. It is SO easy to get caught up in free offers and money-saving services like this, and just as easy to forget about them or not use them. You can end up wasting a lot of money this way.

Yeah, I just noticed you have to pay $10 to get started... oh well, this one is not for me I guess.

 

[KittyT]

It may be worth your time and much cheaper to just buy a loaf.

Unless you were lucky enough to get a bread maker one year for Christmas. And unless you don't just let it sit in your cabinet. *ahem* That said, my dad uses his a lot. He just puts everything in and sets the timer and has fresh bread when he wakes up. It does save him money because he eats a ton of bread.

Also, when shopping bulk like at Sam's Club, some of the items are not neccesarily cheaper. They try to trick you into thinking it is so you buy a larger quantity, therefore you spend more money. It pays to do the math in your head to make sure they are worth it before buying bulk.

This reminds me of another important tip when shopping - don't compare the final price, compare the unit price of an item (say, the price per pound or price per gallon) to really find out if you're getting a better deal.

 

[Paisley]

I've used thegrocerygame.com for years, and it's a rare week that I don't save at least $1.25. They list dozens of items and whether it's the store's best price or just a semi-sale price, and whether there's a coupon.

 

[sixsexsix]

Also, when shopping bulk like at Sam's Club, some of the items are not neccesarily cheaper. They try to trick you into thinking it is so you buy a larger quantity, therefore you spend more money. It pays to do the math in your head to make sure they are worth it before buying bulk.

I don't know if they do this in America, but in Canada under the price of all grocery items it gives you the price per 100 grams. This way you don't have to figure out price vs quantity. Makes shopping for the cheapest very easy!

 

[BeBopBaby]

Carefull there! Be sure that what you're paying is less than what you're actually saving. It is SO easy to get caught up in free offers and money-saving services like this, and just as easy to forget about them or not use them. You can end up wasting a lot of money this way.

On a related note, one of our local grocery stores has a gas perks program that gives you discounts on gas that increase with the more money you spend at the store. At first glance this seems like a great deal - you can easily get 30-40-50-60 cents off a gallon at the gas pump (conveniently, the gas stations you get the discounts at are owned by the same company as the grocery store ). But at a second glance, this grocery store's prices are much more expensive than other stores, so you pay a lot more for your groceries. I sat down and did the math and the money that I would save on gas was totally negated by the increase in cost of groceries. It's a convenient little scam they have going on there.

 

[KittyT]

Yeah, I just noticed you have to pay $10 to get started... oh well, this one is not for me I guess.

As an example, I reserved a rent-a-car over Christmas when my mom was coming to visit. Thrifty got me to sign up for this program that gives you a discount on your rent-a-car, a free companion air-fare and lots of other deals. It's free for the first 30 days and then $15/mo after that. Well, I forgot about it and didn't actually get around to cancelling my membership until almost 6 months or around $90 later. Be very wary of stuff like this unless you can be sure it's actually going to save your money and you're not going to forget about it and keep paying.

 

[KittyT]

I've used thegrocerygame.com for years, and it's a rare week that I don't save at least $1.25. They list dozens of items and whether it's the store's best price or just a semi-sale price, and whether there's a coupon.

But how much are you *actually* saving every week? And is the 50 cents or whatever you're actually saving a week worth the time it takes to hunt for the coupons? Maybe it is, or maybe it does actually save you a lot of money. I'm just trying to throw out a cautionary warning for some people, because with pay services like this, you really do have to work to see the savings, and it's easy to end up spending more than you save, especially if you're kindof flaky about stuff like I am lol

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

As an example, I reserved a rent-a-car over Christmas when my mom was coming to visit. Thrifty got me to sign up for this program that gives you a discount on your rent-a-car, a free companion air-fare and lots of other deals. It's free for the first 30 days and then $15/mo after that. Well, I forgot about it and didn't actually get around to cancelling my membership until almost 6 months or around $90 later. Be very wary of stuff like this unless you can be sure it's actually going to save your money and you're not going to forget about it and keep paying.

That is the trap I fall into. I sign up for the money saving programs and forget. I even try to clip coupons then forget them...or worse.. buy stuff I really never use/need..only because I had a coupon for it. The worse is when the coupon has you buy TWO of the product for the coupon to be effective.

On the same token, buy one get one free deals. I feel like "wow, such a deal" then almost always have buyers remorse because I spent probably at least double what it would have cost me anyway.