# Economizing



## TanyaK (May 6, 2008)

I've just come back from filling up with diesel and doing our monthly grocery shopping and now feel like I need a very stiff drink. 

How do you economize (if you need to) with the rising gas and food prices? 

We eat out much less than we used to and when we do we'll choose less pricey restaurants. I'm also more price conscious when I buy food which is so hard because I love it so much !


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## Calya (May 6, 2008)

I just make sure I look at the flyers to see what is on sale and try to make a menu out of the sale items. I stock up on the staple foods so that we make fewer trips to the store, therefore saving time and gas money.


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## GB (May 6, 2008)

We eat out much less now too. We try to be inexpensive foods that we can get a lot of mileage out of. The roast I made on Sunday will get us through 4 or 5 meals.

As for gas, I have been changing my driving habits. I have not been accelerating hard from a stop. I have been driving the speed limit. I have been shifting into the next highest gear as soon as possible (which has gained me another 4 mpg on average).


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

Don't let your car idle it uses a ton of gas that way. Plan your shopping well so you don't' need to make the I forgot milk run. I keep a running list of all my shopping items I write it all down as I'm running out things. Stock up on non perishables when they are on sale. Start a small container garden grow tomatoes etc. Cable TV is outrageous so cut back on some of the channels you watch. When I go to the stores if I see an outfit or a pair of shoes I really like I just don't buy them anymore and remind myself of all the clothes and shoes I already have. I believe people will really get back to  bartering again rather than pay cash. There are a lot of ways of cutting back and it all adds up. Try to remind yourself  when shopping" Do I REALLY need this or can I get by without it?"  Stop paying the $ 4.00 bucks or whatever for your fancy Lattes and Iced Coffees, make your own at home that can save a hundred dollars or more in one month. As I said there are many, many ways to cut back just make a list of all the things you spend money on and then figure out : Do I REALLY, REALLY need this to live???


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## B'sgirl (May 6, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> Don't let your car idle it uses a ton of gas that way. Plan your shopping well so you don't' need to make the I forgot milk run. I keep a running list of all my shopping items I write it all down as I'm running out things. Stock up on non perishables when they are on sale. Start a small container garden grow tomatoes etc. Cable TV is outrageous so cut back on some of the channels you watch. When I go to the stores if I see an outfit or a pair of shoes I really like I just don't buy them anymore and remind myself of all the clothes and shoes I already have. I believe people will really get back to  bartering again rather than pay cash. There are a lot of ways of cutting back and it all adds up. Try to remind yourself  when shopping" Do I REALLY need this or can I get by without it?"  Stop paying the $ 4.00 bucks or whatever for your fancy Lattes and Iced Coffees, make your own at home that can save a hundred dollars or more in one month. As I said there are many, many ways to cut back just make a list of all the things you spend money on and then figure out : Do I REALLY, REALLY need this to live???



I need to be better at this. I can hold off for myself, but for my kids I'm a real sucker. Do they really need it? No. But I just can't resist imagining the smile on my little boy's face. So the best way for me to economize is to try and avoid going to the store altogether to avoid temptation.


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## PanchoHambre (May 6, 2008)

I shop the circulars and plan meals around what is on sale. I never did this before. I also buy the bulk sacks of potatos, onions, apples, oranges which is not my preference but It saves money and stretches time inbetween trips.

Gas is not so much an issue as I take public transit to work and my truck is on the fritz so it stays local

Here's where it goes wrong... I'l; buy an item because it is on sale and then spend too much buying stuff to complete a dish. I need to think more about the total recipe cost than just that the main item is a deal

When I eat out I try to make it count avoid doing it just to be lazy. 

Interestingly this weekend I had to quickly throw together a cook out for an unexpected group of guests. I bought the cheapo log of ground chuck for burgers as I was not about to break the bank on this one. I have never bought that grade of meat before I dont even like buying meat at the supermarket but surpisingly it made really great burgers. Probably because it is fattier but they were really good. Way better than the frozen patties I had in mind that were sold out and they would have cost more.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

I would like to start doing this.  We spend between 100-200 a week on groceries depending on whats on the menu.  But again keep in mind that we are still building our pantry.. Well, we dont have much room in it, so we are limited. We have only 1 cupboard we can use for food with 3 shelves.

* Gas is over $1.35 a litre here which works out to 6.14 a gallon canadian.. which works out to 6.11 american per gallon.. I'm not sure how much gas is in the states but this is absolute crapping robbery. GRRR!*


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## quicksilver (May 6, 2008)

Some years ago I heard a news story about UPS Service management adopting a 'right turn only' policy and how much that saved the company. The routes were mapped out better and they never had to double back. I don't know if they still impliment it, but I tried it and it works. It saves time and gas, and alot less traffic lights.
I try to map my week out in routes. If I have to go to the store say on wednesday and its on say the right side of the road, what else do I have to do and what can wait and where does it fit into that route. 
I keep that list. It saves brain space, time and money.
 
I'm a list person, so I make lists for food by aisle and sales and coupons - gotta love the coupons- and circulars.
I don't really impulse buy, but if I do, it's usually a food upgrade, which is still cheaper than eating out, or a doggy toy/treat I can't resist, as if weiner dog needs more.
Oh well, that's what mommies do.


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

quicksilver said:


> Some years ago I heard a news story about UPS Service management adopting a 'right turn only' policy and how much that saved the company. The routes were mapped out better and they never had to double back. I don't know if they still impliment it, but I tried it and it works. It saves time and gas, and alot less traffic lights.
> I try to map my week out in routes. If I have to go to the store say on wednesday and its on say the right side of the road, what else do I have to do and what can wait and where does it fit into that route.
> I keep that list. It saves brain space, time and money.
> 
> ...


I do all the things you do I don't like back tracking I also make my list by the aisle. Another good trick is to never shop groceries when hungry you end up buying things you normally would not. Stick to the list. I am a sucker for dog toys but have cut back on those as well they have a full basket of toys they just go over it and pick one out.


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## Katie H (May 6, 2008)

If Buck and I economize any more we'll be having pine floats for our meals...toothpicks and water.

I ALWAYS make a list and stick to it.  Have generated a custom one on the computer and it's arranged like the aisles in the store are.  I take one day every two weeks and do ALL our shopping, mainly because our shopping "place" is 30 miles away.  I have my list, small solar calculator (for comparative shopping), store ads, coupons, discounts, etc. in a notebook.  I take $190 in cash and when it's gone, I'm done.  Have never been an impulse shopper, so aren't tempted by things on the end caps or at the check-out.

When I say I buy everything on my shopping trips, I mean everything.  Meats, fish, poultry, dairy, produce, canned and dried goods, detergents/household cleaners, paper products, pharmacy/hygiene items, pet foods/litter/treats, coffee/tea/beverages, everything we and our furry children consume.  If I can't/don't get an item on a trip, I have to wait two weeks.  That's how it is and has been for nearly 10 years.  By now I've gotten into a "groove" and have learned some lessons on shopping creatively and carefully.

I have to plan our menus carefully so that the fresh produce from my shopping trips gets used efficiently and doesn't spoil.  It's a bit easier in the summer when I grow some of our stuff.

We eat out 8 times a year - 7 times for lunch on our "date day" once a month, and once for dinner on our anniversary.  Don't usually have date day on the months when Buck and I have our birthdays.  Save the money to go toward a nice birthday meal.  Also don't have our date in November and December.  Thanksgiving and Christmas, you know.


Except for my regular shopping trips and our eating out excursions, we don't do much more driving.  Our shop is 4/10 of a mile from our house, so gas isn't too much of an issue when it comes to getting to work.  Buck drives to the shop 'cause he has walking issues.  On nice days I enjoy walking to the shop.

Don't usually go to movies because we "treated" ourselves to the minimum plan of Netflix, which is more than adequate for our tastes.  Also have the most basic of dish service for TV.

Batched our telephone service and our Internet service with the same provider.  When we did that, we got high-speed Internet and free unlimited long-distance phone calls, neither of which we had with our old providers.  The bonus?  Got better/more service and ended up paying less than with the old.

Pay as many bills online and "in hand" locally as possible.

Our house isn't air-conditioned, so no energy used for cooling it.  We heat the areas of the house we use most often with a wood stove.  I wash 1 load of laundry per week and line dry almost all of it.  I can get by with doing such little laundry because I discovered a long time ago that it's more efficient to have about 2 weeks worth of socks, underwear, outer shirts, etc. on hand.  Two of us don't generate enough laundry to warrant even a small load, so one week I do linens, towels, etc. and the alternate week, it's our clothes, etc.  Works out quite well for us but wouldn't be that easy for folks with more people in the house.

Let the sun light our rooms as much as possible.  Otherwise, use very few lights and some that we do use are on timers that are adjusted with the season.

In the cold months, I plan oven meals more often to utilize the oven heat to warm the kitchen.  In the warm months, cook outside, use the crock-pot or microwave as much as we can.

Have a 21 cubic foot freezer that I keep filled (more energy efficient) with homemade foods and sale items.  Freeze or can things I grow.

Buck and I eat leftovers from evening meals for lunch.  Haven't thrown anything out or had any U.F.O.s (unidentified food objects) in the refrigerator in a very long time.

I'm sure there is more, but I can't think of any right now.  Buck says I can make a penny scream.  Don't know, but I sure give it my best shot.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

You have some great tips in there Katie. The ones I think I might try are:

Getting more flyers and coupons.  I search for coupons online but it is a little tedious.  *Any ideas for finding coupons?*

I make a trip to the grocery store once a week. I think Im going to try and plan my meals around whats on sale at the grocery store, while keeping in mind of the total cost of the meal as someone pointed out.

As for laundry, we can't have our own machines in this apartment, so we have to spend 1.75 a load to wash, and another 1.75 to dry.  *I have actually been considering washing things in the tub.  Does anyone have any tips for that?

*Do you also buy for price rather than quality? Sometimes I am hesitant to go down a notch from a brand name to a lesser brand if I don't know the quality of the lesser brand.  Also, I often compare nutritional tables and pick the best one, keeping price in mind but also willing to sacrifice a little bit.


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

Katie I also only go every 2 to three weeks I'm 45 miles from town and its slim pickens at best so I usually drive another 20 miles to the next bigger town to get fresher produce I also buy everything down to dog food. I hace a hard cap on the back of my truck and it gets packed with my shopping it can take up to eight hours to shop and drive to town and back so I can't forget a single thing and everything must have the longest of expiration dates. I keep a good amount of canned stuff like tomato sauce, crushed and diced mushrooms in case I might need them beans, pineapple, mandarin oranges, My grocery bill seems sky high but when it includes everything down to toilet paper it really adds up . When I buy it's normally 2 or 3 at a time so I stay well stocked up. Last Saturday I bought a a lot of flour, rice and beans more than usual. Chicken thighs on sale at 89 cent a pound I will buy 5-6 large packages and so forth. Fortunately we always have a lot of Bison Dhs hunters usually give him 1/2  of the ones they hunt and could get Elk as well. My pantry is full of canned tuna, pasta and just about anything else we need. I also have been doing this for many years because town is so far away. I have my tomatoes started so there will be lots of those.


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## GB (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> I have actually been considering washing things in the tub.  Does anyone have any tips for that?



Yes, I do.

I had a roommate in college who would get dressed in his dirty cloths and then get into the shower. He would take his soap and bath himself while wearing the cloths to "clean" them.

My tip is *don't be like my old roommate*


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

I have seen hand cranked washers they look like a cement mixer but not really big you just turn the crank on the side and it rolls around the clothes. It could be handy for smaller and lighter items and then you could wash at laundry the heavier things like jeans


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## PanchoHambre (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> *I have actually been considering washing things in the tub. Does anyone have any tips for that?*
> 
> Do you also buy for price rather than quality?


 
Washing is the easy part... its the drying that gets you

so far as price vs quality that depends on the product. Sometimes the cheaper product is quite worse and not worth saving a few cents. (like yoghurt... the generic brands tend to have more sugar and less cultures and taste like... well this is a family forum)... cheese too.

But for say canned beans I will generally go with storebrand or cheapest


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## Katie H (May 6, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> Katie I also only go every 2 to three weeks I'm 45 miles from town and its slim pickens at best so I usually drive another 20 miles to the next bigger town to get fresher produce I also buy everything down to dog food. I have a hard cap on the back of my truck and it gets packed with my shopping it can take up to eight hours to shop and drive to town and back so I can't forget a single thing and everything must have the longest of expiration dates. I keep a good amount of canned stuff like tomato sauce, crushed and diced mushrooms in case I might need them beans, pineapple, mandarin oranges, My grocery bill seems sky high but when it includes everything down to toilet paper it really adds up . When I buy it's normally 2 or 3 at a time so I stay well stocked up. Last Saturday I bought a a lot of flour, rice and beans more than usual. Chicken thighs on sale at 89 cent a pound I will buy 5-6 large packages and so forth. Fortunately we always have a lot of Bison Dhs hunters usually give him 1/2  of the ones they hunt and could get Elk as well. My pantry is full of canned tuna, pasta and just about anything else we need. I also have been doing this for many years because town is so far away. I have my tomatoes started so there will be lots of those.



I know what you mean, jp.  It's quite a juggling act.  I have a station wagon and it's packed to the headliner when I get home after my shopping trips.

We also have a well-stocked pantry.  Made sure to have one since the children were small.

And, yes, my shopping days are long and tiring.  I usually leave the house at 9 a.m. and am home by 6 p.m. or so.  Thank heavens Buck cooks dinner on my shopping days.


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## sattie (May 6, 2008)

I'm doing alot of the same things that have already been mentioned in this thread.  Make good use of leftovers (which I'm eating now.... gonnochi and salad), try to walk places that are nearby and I can carry the load.  (I walk down to our farmers market and drag along my cavass bags, I also walk to my exercise class.)

We still go out to eat once a week, but what we have changed is sharing an entree.  Most places give you way to much food and we have found that we can split most items and still enjoy going out to eat.

GB... I have done like you have on the driving... driving slower, easy on the gas pedal, make hubby fill up tank in the wee morning hours.... all good advice.


You folks have great ideas, keep em comming!  WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET!


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## GB (May 6, 2008)

sattie said:


> make hubby fill up tank in the wee morning hours


That is one that has been shown not to make a real difference. You save a fraction of a penny (if anything) by filling early in the morning as opposed to later in the day. Let hubby sleep in


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## sattie (May 6, 2008)

Hubby is awake, so I have no qualms about letting him do it.  He is a night owl.  So if it saves us or not, we do it anyhow.


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## GB (May 6, 2008)

That works


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> I have seen hand cranked washers they look like a cement mixer but not really big you just turn the crank on the side and it rolls around the clothes. It could be handy for smaller and lighter items and then you could wash at laundry the heavier things like jeans



I've seen one of those, too - in my great-grandmother's basement, 30 years ago  Haven't seen one lately, though.


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## PanchoHambre (May 6, 2008)

Katie E said:


> And, yes, my shopping days are long and tiring. I usually leave the house at 9 a.m. and am home by 6 p.m. or so. Thank heavens Buck cooks dinner on my shopping days.


 
Wow you guys have a lot to think about when you go shopping.....

of course This Police officer shot after bank robbery | AP | 05/03/2008 
happened at my supermarket this weekend..... oddly enough I was almost there at that time for one seemingly inconsequental decision. unnerving...


sorry back to topic....

While I dont have the trip y'all have I do have to drive to do any serious grocery shopping. 
When I lived in Queens NY I could just pick up dinner groceries on the way home on foot so I did not budget a week or month just spent as I went and was cheap or indulgent depending how my budget was going.  Now I am cooking and shopping for 3 not 1 and have to do the bulk of shopping weekly or bi-weekly and so I am dealing with a much larger bill and more planning. 

My savior is this place Reading Terminal Market › Home which I can go to on lunch and fill in the gaps and indulge a bit when the budget allows


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> You have some great tips in there Katie. The ones I think I might try are:
> 
> Getting more flyers and coupons.  I search for coupons online but it is a little tedious.*Any ideas for finding coupons?*



I don't know if it's the same in Canada, but in the U.S., coupon booklets are distributed in Sunday's newspaper, along with the sale flyers. You can subscribe to just the one day, here at least. It would more than pay for itself in coupon savings.



Saphellae said:


> Do you also buy for price rather than quality? Sometimes I am hesitant to go down a notch from a brand name to a lesser brand if I don't know the quality of the lesser brand.  Also, I often compare nutritional tables and pick the best one, keeping price in mind but also willing to sacrifice a little bit.



There's only one way to find out - try them  Others may disagree, but I think things like sugar and flour and many canned goods are interchangeable.


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## GB (May 6, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> There's only one way to find out - try them  Others may disagree, but I think things like sugar and flour and many canned goods are interchangeable.


Not only do I agree, but I will take it one step further. Many store brand or generic brand things in the supermarket are actually the brand name things just without the brand name label. Yes the exact same thing. Made in the same factory or plant from the same ingredients.


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## suziquzie (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> Do you also buy for price rather than quality? Sometimes I am hesitant to go down a notch from a brand name to a lesser brand if I don't know the quality of the lesser brand. Also, I often compare nutritional tables and pick the best one, keeping price in mind but also willing to sacrifice a little bit.


 

I used to do that to, when I was first on my own. Would not buy generic for any reason. 
Well guess what. I now have 3 kids, little money. They have no clue, nor do they care if I buy store brand or Creamette pasta. 
There are a few things that yes, are not as good in the generic brand. But most things are pretty safe!


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## mikki (May 6, 2008)

Well my grocery spending hasn't really changed, hubby and I have always been on tight budget, 18 years ago when we first married and had our children I spent about 100$ a month on groceries. Now I spend about 150$ a month, by the end of the month its slim pickens in the pantry,but I figure if anyone is hungry enough they will eat whats there. 
As for driving, hubby and I argue all the time about this. I go to *all* my DD athletic games, I am car pooling to the away games, but still going. Hubby says its too much extra gas money. I look at it this way. We each have X amount of $ for the week, if I use my money for gas to go to the games and dont buy the extra stuff like he does(goes out for lunch, buys cigars) what does it matter.  My DD is only going to be around 2 more years and I'm going to be as involved with her as I can be. So instead of going thru a drive thru while shopping or buying all the extra junk food or that cute little blouse I saw, I put my money in the gas tank to watch me DD.


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

Forgot to mention, I've been baking bread lately. DH likes cinnamon-raisin bread for breakfast, so I make that in the bread machine. I've also made NYT artisan bread, pizza dough and focaccia. I'll never get to where Katie E is, making all my own bread, rolls, etc., but I can make these breads for, what, 50 cents a loaf, as opposed to several dollars in the grocery store or bakery?


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

I did my first "TUB LOAD" LOL

We have sun here all day except for when it goes behind the building across the street for a couple of hours.  The rinsing is what killed my hands, I have carpal tunnel in both hands and it is acting up now after just one load lol

We have a drying stand thing that I bought at walmart when I was living on my own.  It's working great and I couldn't give two poops about the carpet, its an apartment and its not mine  lol  I stuck it in the corner by the open window and sun. Doing good so far! That's 3.50 saved so far today. Yes, thats how much a load is in my building.. ugh.


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## Andy M. (May 6, 2008)

GB said:


> Not only do I agree, but I will take it one step further. Many store brand or generic brand things in the supermarket are actually the brand name things just without the brand name label. Yes the exact same thing. Made in the same factory or plant from the same ingredients.


 
This is true.  I have had mixed results with store brands.  Some are acceptable substitutes and some just don't measure up.  

I also buy a lot of our stuff at Costco.  Their prices for staples are regularly below supermarket prices.  Flour, butter and sugar are always lower cost in Costco.  Meats are as well unless there is a sale going on at the supermarket.


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## Shani (May 6, 2008)

I do the same things a lot of you do.  I grocery shop once a week from a list and I tend to stick to it, the list is made up from my menu list for that week so I have enough to make what we are eating. I buy 9 litres of milk on shopping day so I don't have to set foot back in the supermarket for another week, I know if I just go in for milk I'll buy other things so I don't go in there. I also buy mostly homebrand (generic) things, milk is milk and comes from cows and I don't see how it can be 'better' by paying an extra dollar for it.
I bake all my own breads and rolls, anything that will work out of the breadmaker, it's been great! I wanted to try jams but I worked out it's cheaper to buy the shop ones.
We don't tend to toss out leftovers, dh takes them for work and if there's enough I have them for lunch myself.
I'm sure there are heaps of other things I do...


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

And for the food part...

We dont eat alot of bread.. we are both trying to stay away from the carbs.  We have a bagel a few times a week in the morning with light cream cheese and sometimes a sandwich, or toast.  We have a hard time going through a loaf every two weeks.  Time to start freezing them. For the amount of bread we eat (very little) it wouldn't be worth it to get a bread maker.

I'm going to be making some homemade peanut butter tonight.  We bought a big bag of peanuts for $5 the other day.  A bit of olive oil and we got a crapload of PB for cheap and we know where it came from.

I'm wondering if I should roast them first.  Man my blender is going to be sticky!

Mikki, how do you manage to spend 150 a month on groceries? That's insane.. thats how much we spent a week.  I think food prices are lower in the US.  Buying my regular meat is usually between 20-40 dollars every two weeks depending on whats on the menu.  Maybe we should go vegan.. lol

I haven't been able to buy any new clothes since Oct/Nov 2007.  I had a job yes, but I was driving 850 km a weekend to visit Nick after working 45 hours a week.  Man I'm glad I moved lol.  That was alot of gas money.  But now I'm not making any money. Thank God for that 1400$ income tax refund.  I was a student for half of last year. Phew.

As for the Sunday Paper, I dont think I can get the paper here. I would have to buy it downstairs at the Depanneur.  (convenience store at the base of the building)

Wonder if I can buy coupon books online....


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

I agree about some of the name brands VS no name. Some just don't measure up and sometimes you don't want to take the risk depending on what it is.


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> I agree about some of the name brands VS no name. Some just don't measure up and sometimes you don't want to take the risk depending on what it is.



How risky is it really? You try it once, if you don't like it, you don't buy it again. If you do like it, you continue to buy it and save money. At most, you'd lose one purchase.


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## mikki (May 6, 2008)

Saph- I buy a lot of mix and match stuff but mostly the same stuff every month, we also have a lot of venison in freezer, so I don't buy much meat. example one different meat for one night a week for a month, might buy 2 pks chcken, one pork , and one pk steaks.  mix and matching I don't have to buy the expensive food everytime it depends on what we eat in the month. Hubby gets bored of the same foods, but I told him if he can do the shopping better and stay within budget have at it. He tried once it's now back to me.I tell him when our income goes up then he can have different foods. I'm sure by most peoples standards we don't eat the healthiest, but my girls have never been sick( other then the winter colds) and are extremely active.


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## expatgirl (May 6, 2008)

My son who lives in our house and takes care of it while we're gone had, with our permission, more insulation and some special attic "windows" installed.   3 years ago we had to have the roof replaced and had one of those vented roofs installed.  Well, after two weeks he checked the energy bill and we had saved 12 dollars.  So eventually the extra insulation is going to help. It will especially help when the weather gets excessively hot which is all summer here and during colder weather.  He said that he only notices the compressor coming a few times a day and Houston has experienced some temps in the 90's recently and it's not even April yet.   My next investment is to get our kitchen windows (and they take up most of the room and face the west) replaced with more efficient and energy efficient ones.  

Our Sunday Houston Chronicle is chock full of coupon adds.  I'm surprised at the savings at Walgreens and some of the other drug stores.  Also the grocery sales always come out on Wednesdays.  If one has the time and is careful there are bargains to be had.  

Also for you Moms at home with young children think about banding with others and forming babysitting coops instead of trying  to hope and pray that you can find a busy teen to babysit for you.  Anyway, babysitting coops are great ways to shop, run errands, etc., have your child socializing, and not having to pay.  You instead return the favor and babysit for others.  Coupons for hours is what we did.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

Mikki - I like to switch it up and I hate having the same meal too close together.  I rarely eat leftovers for more than a day after the initial meal, Nick eats the rest for his lunches so no food wasted there.  Most of the time when I cook a meal I keep in mind to make just enough for Nick to bring to work the next day.

I'm also trying to stay away from eating a whole meal of spaghetti.  I'd much rather have it as a side to a vegetable dish or something similar.  That's alot of carbs for one meal.  

I know it's super cheap.. but I just can't bring myself to do it, maybe once a month but thats it.  Both Nick and I would rather spend the grocery money to be healthy than to buy cheap food. But again, we always keep price in reason.  I'm going to start planning meals around flyers and coupons (if I can find them).


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> As for the Sunday Paper, I dont think I can get the paper here. I would have to buy it downstairs at the Depanneur.  (convenience store at the base of the building)
> 
> Wonder if I can buy coupon books online....



Just curious - you live in Montreal and you can't have a Sunday paper delivered? Why not?


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## LadyCook61 (May 6, 2008)

We don't go out to eat.  We shop on Wednesdays so hubby can use his 5% off seniors card at the supermarket, also buy items on sale.  We use a coal stove for heating instead of the electric baseboard heat.


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## mikki (May 6, 2008)

Saph- Maybe if I actually planned a meal I could save more, it just seems like noone is home at the same time, For example tonight I planned a meal and as of right now I'm the only one here. Hubby is outside trying to rototill a garden and DD is at practice, if I cook a whole meal DD hates leftovers and will find something else anyway, hubby will eat whatever is put in front of him, but I feel weird eating a regular meal by myself so most of the time it's a smorgusboard in our house. 
Oldest DD is comming home from college Thur. so I'm sure the food bill will change, it's amazing how much more you spend with one more mouth to feed.


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## GotGarlic (May 6, 2008)

mikki said:


> Saph- Maybe if I actually planned a meal I could save more, it just seems like noone is home at the same time, For example tonight I planned a meal and as of right now I'm the only one here. Hubby is outside trying to rototill a garden and DD is at practice, if I cook a whole meal DD hates leftovers and will find something else anyway, hubby will eat whatever is put in front of him, but I feel weird eating a regular meal by myself so most of the time it's a smorgusboard in our house.
> Oldest DD is comming home from college Thur. so I'm sure the food bill will change, it's amazing how much more you spend with one more mouth to feed.



That sounds like soups/stews/casseroles to me  Or something like tacos, where the meat can stay warm on the stove and people can fill the shells whenever they're ready.

Or you can have a snack now and have dinner later when everyone is hungry


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

> Just curious - you live in Montreal and you can't have a Sunday paper delivered? Why not?


I'm not sure they could deliver to me. I'd have to buy it downstairs. I live in an apartment building on the 19th floor and you need to be buzzed in.

Would take the guy a LONGGG time to deliver papers in here lol especially with 1/3 elevators out of service right now.


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## auntdot (May 6, 2008)

About the store brands, I have heard the same thing GB states.  But also through experience have found some store brands are as good as the tony brands and some are not.

As far as meat goes, go for the cheaper cuts.  We never buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Love the much cheqper thighs.  You can skin them, bone them, marinate them, cook them on the grill, they are great. Or cut the meat in chunks for casseroles, or stir fry. Can often get them in 'family packs' very cheaply, particularly at the warehouse stores.

Can sometimes find five pound bags of chicken hindquaters at ridiculously low prices.  Separate the thigh from the drumstick or cook whole.  Am not a fan of the drumstick but can make a wonder stock and use the meat for a chicken and rice or so many dishes.

And it seems that whole chickens are often on sale, very reasonably.  We cook them whole or butcher them, really easy to do.  And then you have the carcass to make stock or soup.

And can sometimes find frozen turkeys for a song.  Both at Thanksgiving when the store is using it as a loss leader, and when most folks are not thinking turkey.

Always carefully cruise the meat case.  You can sometimes find those items whose sell by date is that day and the stuff is being sold for a song. Never was burned doing that.

Or the stores sometimes got in too much of an item and have significantly marked it down.

Often see cheap pieces of cow, like chuck or round, cheaper by far per pound than hamburger.  So we grind our own and it tastes better than the store hamburger.

When we were first married we had absolutely no money, and we were surviving with some school loans in addition to the little we could earn. Having grown up as kids of parents who survived the Great Depression with absolutely nothing, we kinda were prepared. Although neither of us had to skip a meal due to funds as children.

We lived at minimal expense but ate healthier than when we were more flush.

Just a few ideas to add to the many great ones posted above.

We all splurge a bit when we can, and God bless us all for doing so, but it is good to know how to feed the family when times are rough.







Around here, whole chickens are often on sale


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

Beans are a great way to stretch a budget we have many kinds of beans they are filling and good for you. If you add meat to them it takes very little. I happen to love all kinds of beans.


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## Corey123 (May 6, 2008)

TanyaK said:


> I've just come back from filling up with diesel and doing our monthly grocery shopping and now feel like I need a very stiff drink.
> 
> How do you economize (if you need to) with the rising gas and food prices?
> 
> We eat out much less than we used to and when we do we'll choose less pricey restaurants. I'm also more price conscious when I buy food which is so hard because I love it so much !


 


I, also, eat out much less. 

I was getting food stamps, but now that I'm getting a monthly disability check, the state booted me off food stamps, saying that I'm now making too much money!

I still got plenty of food in the freezers though. Only need milk, cereal, butter
& bread from time to time.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

Some great tips in there  AuntDot 

Jpmc, I try not to make beans too often.. it's not good for my S.O's stomach, nor my nose...


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## babetoo (May 6, 2008)

as a lot of u know, i shop once a month on line for groceries. this includes 
every  and i really mean everything. food of course, all my cleaning supplies, cat food, litter and treats. all the paper goods including waxed paper wrap and so on. produce, aspirin, any kind of over the counter meds. batteries, light bulbs. 

told u it was everything. it cost 12.50 dollars to have it delivered to my house and into my kitchen. if i went to store would have to pay that for a taxi.I donot own a car. so no gas bills, though if i ride with a friend i offer money for gas. 

i try to only use the air or heat if i absolutely have too. however my son pays that , it is included in the rental space for the mobile home that he owns. he pays my cable. 

bout the only thing i pay is my phone which includes the internet. yes i know i have a great son. since i have lived here, i have done  many upgrades to his mobile home. new carpet and window coverings in sun room. lots of paint in one room or another. you get the picture. i feel i am enhanceing the value of his investment. 

if i did not pay attention to details, i could not live on the income i have.

having said all that, cooking is my hobby, my joy and a huge part of my life. i make sure i have goods to make that as tasty as it can be. 

all my meds only cost me 4.00 co pay for drugs. everything else is paid for by one or more agencies that help senior citizens. 

i know i am lucky and that a lot of seniors have it very hard. part of my luck is due to good planning and careful spending. i spend around 300 for groc. each month. like i said that is everything, everything. don't think that is to bad. 

babe


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## Mav'sWife (May 6, 2008)

On the food front, to cope, we both cut our eating so (the idea hopefully) is that we're buying less groceries and thus spending less.

I was just watching Anthony Bourdain's show yesterday - it happened to profile the island of Crete - said to have's the world's healthiest cuisine. Supposably, much of the "healthiness" came from the islanders ability to forage for native greens in the countryside - which came in handy during the German occupation during WWII (although I'm sure they weren't the only country to take such dire measures).  But it really put things in perspective - we can eat much less and still get by. So I guess if they can eat dandelions greens every day to survive I guess I can cut back on my eating.

The other thing we've been doing is curtailing any and extraneous driving - all errands are done en route to work and back - no exceptions. So once we're home for the day (we're contractors) we don't go out again unless it's for church on Sunday.

But I sympathize and I do feel your pain at the gas pump.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

I'm still outraged that here in Quebec we are paying the equivalent to 6.11 $ per gallon for gas up here.

How much is gas in the US?


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## Mav'sWife (May 6, 2008)

Referring to the clothes issue:

Our washing machine is still working but we've been hanging our clothes out on the line since the end of Feburary. Initially, we had to hang them in the house in the basement during the winter because Mav (DH) isn't allowed exert himself because of his heart attack. I don't miss the dryer too much now that the weather is nicer- the clothes are stiffer though but they smell better. The stiffness wears off after a few minutes of wearing the clothes however.

My mother used to wash clothes in the basement sink - she did this for several years so I say go for it. I think it's only folks, like those in the trades where you get really dirty, where washing them in a machine is the way to go, the same goes for comforters and sheets.


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## Mav'sWife (May 6, 2008)

Oops I fogot to mention the why - our dryer needs some new parts.


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## Maverick2272 (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> I would like to start doing this.  We spend between 100-200 a week on groceries depending on whats on the menu.  But again keep in mind that we are still building our pantry.. Well, we dont have much room in it, so we are limited. We have only 1 cupboard we can use for food with 3 shelves.
> 
> * Gas is over $1.35 a litre here which works out to 6.14 a gallon canadian.. which works out to 6.11 american per gallon.. I'm not sure how much gas is in the states but this is absolute crapping robbery. GRRR!*


 
Just out of curiosity, how much of that is taxes? Ours right now is at $3.89 a gallon of which $.088 are taxes. If you live in Chicago it is $4.09, of which $1.08 are taxes. At least this is what they are telling us, I am still looking for a web site to verify just how much is taxes.
A couple of years ago they took the taxes off for awhile to help the consumer out, it ended badly as (supposedly at the time) that should have amounted to a savings of $.066 a gallon but instead they only lowered the price by $.030. Sounds like they pocketed the difference.


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## Saphellae (May 6, 2008)

tax is almost half of the gas prices here  Far as I know. I'll let you know next time I fill up. There is a chart on each and every gas pump with the breakdown.


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## Mav'sWife (May 6, 2008)

It's so mobbed up around here - the politicians would never stand for it.

It's a great idea though.

Sad thing is, most Americans, will probably take their tax rebate checks and turn around a put most of it in the pockets of the oil companies and politicians to buy gas.


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## jpmcgrew (May 6, 2008)

Saphellae said:


> tax is almost half of the gas prices here  Far as I know. I'll let you know next time I fill up. There is a chart on each and every gas pump with the breakdown.


 I was meaning to tell you that even though your pantry is not ready you probably have a bedroom closet etc where you could store the extra items even in boxes on the floor for the time being. It might be worth it in the long run since the higher the gas the higher the groceries.


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## sattie (May 6, 2008)

Shani said:


> milk is milk and comes from cows and I don't see how it can be 'better' by paying an extra dollar for it.


 

I will say this about organic vs other brands.... I buy organic milk because the shelf life is longer than the other stuff.  I don't drink milk (hubby does and it is disgusting!), mainly used for cooking.  But where I save money is not having to buy milk everytime I go to the grocery store because the stuff I have at home is about to turn.  I can buy a half gallon of organic milk and it is good for at least 3 or 4 weeks.  And I usually end up using it all.

Hmmmmm.... now why does the milk last longer than regular milk?


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## Mama (May 7, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> I was meaning to tell you that even though your pantry is not ready you probably have a bedroom closet etc where you could store the extra items even in boxes on the floor for the time being. It might be worth it in the long run since the higher the gas the higher the groceries.


 
We use one of our bedrooms as an office and turned the closet into a pantry. We only buy things when they are on sale. Now when I need something, instead of going to the store, I just go to the office!


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## PanchoHambre (May 7, 2008)

sattie said:


> Hmmmmm.... now why does the milk last longer than regular milk?



ultra-pasteurization google it and come to your own conclusions. Personally I am not a milk drinker it goes in coffee and recipies.I buy basic but others I know insist on organic and claim it tatest better. As a milk "hater" I cant comment.


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## Saphellae (May 7, 2008)

Wow, Mama! I wish I had that!!  You have a convenience store (with all the things you need) in your own home!


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## Shani (May 7, 2008)

sattie said:


> I will say this about organic vs other brands.... I buy organic milk because the shelf life is longer than the other stuff. I don't drink milk (hubby does and it is disgusting!), mainly used for cooking. But where I save money is not having to buy milk everytime I go to the grocery store because the stuff I have at home is about to turn. I can buy a half gallon of organic milk and it is good for at least 3 or 4 weeks. And I usually end up using it all.
> 
> Hmmmmm.... now why does the milk last longer than regular milk?


 
I don't know about all that, I can't remember even seeing organic milk, but then I haven't looked. I do know my family could not cope with an extra $10 a week on milk just to buy organic, I think it's too important to keep the grocery bill down rather than worry about milk keeping for a month. The milk I do buy lasts us until my next weekly shop, usually several days after if we don't use it up so nothing gets wasted. My family go through 9 litres of milk a week sometimes.


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## jpmcgrew (May 7, 2008)

PanchoHambre said:


> ultra-pasteurization google it and come to your own conclusions. Personally I am not a milk drinker it goes in coffee and recipies.I buy basic but others I know insist on organic and claim it tatest better. As a milk "hater" I cant comment.


 I buy the Horizon organic milk because it lasts so long, I don't drink it often so it's more economical the buying regular. I have noticed that even ultra pasteurized regular milk still spoils much faster than the organic. The organic fat free milk also tastes much richer than the regular fat free which has absolutely no flavor


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## jpmcgrew (May 7, 2008)

Mama said:


> We use one of our bedrooms as an office and turned the closet into a pantry. We only buy things when they are on sale. Now when I need something, instead of going to the store, I just go to the office!


 Wow! Now that is a well stocked pantry. Are you a Mormon? I think we all should take a lesson from them because they store one to two years in food and other supplies sounds like a good idea  especially in these times. The news today said gas will most likely be $ 4.00 a gallon by the end of the year. Also on the news a lot of families already have had their power and gas shut off because they can't keep up with the bills. I thought I heard in Minneapolis 500 families a day are getting their power cut off


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## B'sgirl (May 7, 2008)

Mama said:


> We use one of our bedrooms as an office and turned the closet into a pantry. We only buy things when they are on sale. Now when I need something, instead of going to the store, I just go to the office!



I should really get something like that. My exchange student's closet is stacked full of canned food and a 72 hour kit for each of us. It's so hard to get to everything because it is just all stacked on top of each other. It is nice to have things I use a lot in bulk though--it prevents me from going to the store so often and wasting money on impulse buys.


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## Mama (May 7, 2008)

No, I'm not a Mormon (I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night ) 
We decided a few years ago (after 9/11) that you just don't know when something is going to happen.  We decided to just start stocking up when there was a sale.  I got the racks at Sam's Club. It's actually two racks but we had to combine the center legs into one so that it would fit in the closet. When I go to the store and see the prices on some of the items that I got on sale, I'm so thankful that I stocked up.  Whenever I start getting a little low, I start watching for sales again.


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## Andy M. (May 7, 2008)

Mama said:


> No, I'm not a Mormon (I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night )
> We decided a few years ago (after 9/11) that you just don't know when something is going to happen. We decided to just start stocking up when there was a sale. I got the racks at Sam's Club. It's actually two racks but we had to combine the center legs into one so that it would fit in the closet. When I go to the store and see the prices on some of the items that I got on sale, I'm so thankful that I stocked up. Whenever I start getting a little low, I start watching for sales again.


 

You should have a plan to use the stuff in the office and replace it with newer stuff so nothing gets very old.


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## Mama (May 7, 2008)

I rotate everything so that nothing goes out of date. I also have dried beans and rice that I keep in gallon jars.


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## buckytom (May 7, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> Wow! Now that is a well stocked pantry. Are you a Mormon?


 

they even stock up extra wives!!!!! i guess just in case one goes bad. 
smart people, them mormons. 


well, i finally am resolved to taking the bus every day. i promised myself if gas ever hit $2 a gallon, i'd stop driving to work and take the bus. 
then it was $3. and now, at $3.50 a gallon, i'm keeping my promise. 

it was costing me about 8 or 9 bucks a day in gas, 6 to 8 bucks a day in tolls, and playing the broken meter game, another 15 or 20 dollars per week in parking fees. so, even on the low end, i was spending $18 to $20 per weekday just to get to work! 

now, it costs me $10 a day on the bus, and my legs and middle finger are getting a workout skating from the bus terminal to my building and back.

we haven't really begun to cut back on food expenses though. we just spent about $275 on groceries in the last week, and another hundred or more in take out lunches and dinners (mostly sushi ). i refuse to give up my raw fish.


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## jpmcgrew (May 7, 2008)

That was harsh BT the polygamist bunch is actually a break off from the original Mormons. The regular LDS church believes in being married forever to the same person. I was a Mormon as kid not by choice but it was OK. They did take on many wives in the early years as they were persecuted every place they went causing a lot of women to have their husbands killed in the process so a man would take on women as wives but not in the wifely duty way but to take care of them sans husband she could be as old as 80 years. At least that is what they taught when I was a kid. They don't do that anymore.


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## Katie H (May 7, 2008)

After the hoopla about Y2K and 9/11, we've kept a very well-stocked pantry of canned and dried goods.  Water is stored, too.  We rotate the stock to be sure everything gets used within a reasonable time frame.  With the exception of produce, Buck and I probably could exist quite nicely for 6 months without having to go to the market.

Even when all 5 of the children were at home, we used an unfinished large bathroom as a food storage space.  Built shelves between the studs from floor to ceiling.  Practically had a grocery store in that room.


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## jpmcgrew (May 7, 2008)

Katie E said:


> After the hoopla about Y2K and 9/11, we've kept a very well-stocked pantry of canned and dried goods. Water is stored, too. We rotate the stock to be sure everything gets used within a reasonable time frame. With the exception of produce, Buck and I probably could exist quite nicely for 6 months without having to go to the market.
> 
> Even when all 5 of the children were at home, we used an unfinished large bathroom as a food storage space. Built shelves between the studs from floor to ceiling. Practically had a grocery store in that room.


 
 I was never worried about Y2K but the way things are now I definitely have some concerns. Stocking up a few months worth of non perishable groceries is actually a good idea for many reasons. I still think it would be really nice if the ranch had a milk cow and some chickens. Real organic milk, butter and homemade cheese sounds really good to me.


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## Maverick2272 (May 7, 2008)

buckytom said:


> they even stock up extra wives!!!!! i guess just in case one goes bad.
> smart people, them mormons.



JP is right, but still:


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## Saphellae (May 7, 2008)

> now, it costs me $10 a day on the bus, and my legs and middle finger are getting a workout skating from the bus terminal to my building and back.



LOL! I had to reread that "Why would his middle finger be getting a workout on rollerblades?"

I would love to start shopping at Costco but the space we have just doesn't allow it. I'm sure in the next year when we move back to Ontario and get a less expensive and bigger apartment things will get better  Things are just a little down right now but the future is bright.


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## buckytom (May 7, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> That was harsh BT the polygamist bunch is actually a break off from the original Mormons. .


 
that is completely untrue! the original mormons, i.e. joe smith, had multiple wives. i've read he had 33! 

but as far as harshness goes, it was a joke.

here's a little history: This Day in History 1890: The Mormon Church officially renounces polygamy


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## GB (May 7, 2008)

OK folks this is getting into religion and as you all know we do not allow that. Lets please bring this back around to the topic at hand. Thanks.


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## VeraBlue (May 7, 2008)

We drink at home...........

Seriously, being a chef has it's advantages. I feel like I'm in a restaurant every day of the week, so I appreciate cooking at home on Saturday and Sunday. Plus, being the perfectionist every now and then, we enjoy a 3-5 course meal at home for a fraction of the cost of dining out.

What you have to do, if possible, is make the whole idea of economizing attractive. I keep myself on a weekly budget at home. If I don't go over the budget, and in fact, can save something, I squirrel it away. Then, when I want to spend a weekend down the shore, I've got the money. If I want a new pair of shoes just to cheer me up, I can do it.

If you have to stay in on Saturday night because it's not in the budget to go out, make staying in fun. Assuming there are no kids involved, get dressed up anyway. Set the table with your good stuff. Light candles. Have cocktails in the parlour. Lounge in bed on Sunday morning watching old movies on the TCM station. Have pastries and coffee in bed.

If you have kids, make a picnic in the living room. Make forts like we used to do with blanket tied to chairs and eat in 'the fort'. Play board games like we used to. Make home made waffles and ice cream. 

Whatever you do to cut back, you have to try to keep something aside for a treat. It's like dieting....if you deny yourself all the time, you'll be miserable.

Let me say again, you'll all save lots of money if you stop buying prepackaged or single serving snacks, drinks, etc. Buy the regular size, (not huge bulk sizes, either, they usually get stale before you can finish them) and make your own snack size packages with baggies, paper bags, thermoses, tupperwares, etc. Get a filter for your sink and ditch all that bottled water. Turn the water off when you brush your teeth. Get reacquainted with your glass plates and forget paper cups. 

We've been spending our weekends at home for so long now that it doesn't seem like economizing. It's a better deal, the food is better and the drinks are never ever a short pour


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## Grandad (May 7, 2008)

Regarding the discussion on generic vs brand name products.. Years ago when our kids were living at home I would get in big discussion with them on the taste of brand name vs generic. They maintained that the brand names tasted better. While I did agree that this was the case for SOME products, I disagreed that all brand names were better. So I started a practice of purchasing generic products and putting it into the containers of the brand name products - cereals, soft drinks, peanut butter, etc. (a rather long list). VERY SELDOM did any of my kids question the flavor of the "brand name" substitute. Meaning, they thought it to be the brand name product. In fact, I think I only was put to task on one occasion. My point to them and my experiment showed that it was mostly "in their mind". (Hey, isn't this why compaines advertise???)

I have since heard of scientific studies on this very subject. Blind studies are conducted with subjects who were found to more likely to show a preference for a "brand name" product, even thought an alternative product had been subsituted. Don't recall all of the details but there was actually something that was measured in the brain (chemical, electronic response, other?) during the testing. I recall forwarding this to my now married kids, not that it matters because they too use generic labels where there is no difference in taste..


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## GB (May 7, 2008)

It is amazing how the mind can affect you like that isn't it Grandad? It sounds like your kids learned a valuable lesson from that.


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## jpmcgrew (May 7, 2008)

You can save a lot on cleaning products as well there a some that do multiple task. Alot of things can be cleaned with plain white vinegar. So many cleaning products for so many different things. I remember we didn't have that many when I was a kid. A can of Ajax used to take care of many things like kitchen and bath sinks,bath tub/shower etc including the toilet now they have a seperate cleaner for all these things. Some multple cleaners are Simple Green, Bar Keepers friend, all in one kitchen sprays and so on.


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## bethzaring (May 8, 2008)

Mav'sWife said:


> On the food front, to cope, we both cut our eating so (the idea hopefully) is that we're buying less groceries and thus spending less.


 
This is one of the best ideas, in my opinion, but I rarely see it put forth as a viable option.  It works!!  I have tried it over the years as I see our metabolism slowing down.  Simply eat less food, prepare less food, buy less food.  It is a win/win situation.  You spend less on food and lose weight too. Of course, this does not apply to children, and pregnant and nursing mothers, but I suspect most of us here do not fall into those catagories.


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## Katie H (May 8, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> You can save a lot on cleaning products as well there a some that do multiple task. Alot of things can be cleaned with plain white vinegar. So many cleaning products for so many different things. I remember we didn't have that many when I was a kid. A can of Ajax used to take care of many things like kitchen and bath sinks,bath tub/shower etc including the toilet now they have a seperate cleaner for all these things. Some multple cleaners are Simple Green, Bar Keepers friend, all in one kitchen sprays and so on.



The only cleaning products in our house are liquid and powdered Spic and Span and Glass Plus.  That's all I use...for everything.

I use the powdered Spic and Span like an abrasive.  I also buy the concentrate for Glass Plus, so I don't have to store a large container and don't have to throw a plastic bottle away.  It's considerably less expensive than buying the stuff already made up in the spray bottle.


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## PattY1 (Jul 23, 2008)

mikki said:


> Well my grocery spending hasn't really changed, hubby and I have always been on tight budget, 18 years ago when we first married and had our children I spent about 100$ a month on groceries. Now *I spend about 150$ a month*, by the end of the month its slim pickens in the pantry,but I figure if anyone is hungry enough they will eat whats there.
> As for driving, hubby and I argue all the time about this. I go to *all* my DD athletic games, I am car pooling to the away games, but still going. Hubby says its too much extra gas money. I look at it this way. We each have X amount of $ for the week, if I use my money for gas to go to the games and dont buy the extra stuff like he does(goes out for lunch, buys cigars) what does it matter. My DD is only going to be around 2 more years and I'm going to be as involved with her as I can be. So instead of going thru a drive thru while shopping or buying all the extra junk food or that cute little blouse I saw, I put my money in the gas tank to watch me DD.


 
I am really intrested in knowing how you feed one person, let alone 3 for $150.oo a month..........................................


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## babetoo (Jul 23, 2008)

Mama said:


> We use one of our bedrooms as an office and turned the closet into a pantry. We only buy things when they are on sale. Now when I need something, instead of going to the store, I just go to the office!


 

do you have any clue what it cost to achieve that much food?  how many people are you cooking for?

babe


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## luvs (Jul 23, 2008)

i keep coupon-collecting. i saved $22 on groceries today. they were $1.58!! from carpet-cleaner to bordeaux cookies to 2 boxes of hungry jack taters to spices & more...


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## B'sgirl (Jul 23, 2008)

It must be a lot! It cost me over $600 to fill the pantry and the bedroom closet, and they are small closets! When I re-stock it's still about $300. I guess if you buy a little extra of something each time you shop, you could eventually fill an office without spending a ton all at once.


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## Mama (Jul 23, 2008)

babetoo said:


> do you have any clue what it cost to achieve that much food? how many people are you cooking for?
> 
> babe


 
It's just me and my husband at home but I have 2 kids with SO's and 2 grandkids that love to come over and eat.  I always check the dates on everything I buy and most things don't expire for at least 2 years.  I keep everything rotated and when anything gets anywhere close to expiring (which doesn't happen often) we have it on a regular basis until it's gone. 

As far as the cost.  Yes there is some money invested but most everything was on sale when I stocked up.  For example, I buy cases (8)of chicken and beef broth around the holidays because it's 3 for $1 and then I won't buy it again until next year when it goes on sale again.  It normally runs about 75 cents a can so I end up spending $64 for the 8 cases of broth but if I didn't buy it on sale it would cost $144.  The vegetable I usually buy 2 for $1 and sometimes I get lucky and can get them 3 for $1. 

I just bought canned tomato products the other day 2 for 88 cents.  Stocked up on those again also.


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## Mama (Jul 23, 2008)

B'sgirl said:


> It must be a lot! It cost me over $600 to fill the pantry and the bedroom closet, and they are small closets! When I re-stock it's still about $300. I guess if you buy a little extra of something each time you shop, you could eventually fill an office without spending a ton all at once.


 
It's just the closet in the office.  It's a large closet granted but still just a closet.


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## jpmcgrew (Jul 23, 2008)

I've started to stock up and get every thing on sale like canned vegetables @ 5 for $ 2.00. I check all the expiration dates on any non perishable foods I buy the canned and jarred stuff has a 2010- 2011 exp and will last longer than that. It's a slow process but I'm getting a decent build up I plan on continuing stocking up. I like getting baked beans and pork and beans on sale. At this point it is only staples that also include tea/coffee, salt, spices and dried herbs, dry beans, sugar, flour some jarred yeast and so on. I keep the sugar, flour, beans, dried milk etc in a giant air tight marine cooler in the garage along with the canned suff on shelves  The garage stays pretty cool in the summer. Not sure what to do this winter because if it froze I dont know what it would do to the canned stuff but the garage is new and well insulated.


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## Bigjim68 (Jul 23, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> Forgot to mention, I've been baking bread lately. DH likes cinnamon-raisin bread for breakfast, so I make that in the bread machine. I've also made NYT artisan bread, pizza dough and focaccia. I'll never get to where Katie E is, making all my own bread, rolls, etc., but I can make these breads for, what, 50 cents a loaf, as opposed to several dollars in the grocery store or bakery?


How about sharing your cinnamon raisin recipe?


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## GotGarlic (Jul 23, 2008)

Bigjim68 said:


> How about sharing your cinnamon raisin recipe?



Hi. I just posted it at http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f23/bread-machine-cinnamon-raisin-bread-48507.html#post651260


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