How do you save money in the kitchen?

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I got really lucky today when I went to the supermarket. They had a special on whole chickens - 9 pesos a kilo - or about 40-45 cents a pound. Only two at that price, and they were bagged two to a bag. So I got some great chicken, brought it home, cut it up and froze it. Should go back this evening for more. And they were SO fresh...no odor to them at all.
 
A plastic container doesn't take up any room in a landfill? :huh:
I know what you are trying to say, GG, but plastic containers don't last forever. And at that point I bet they take up much more room than the amount of plastic wrap sheets it took to make the container. Just a thought.....

Nice closet Mama!



They can make edible underwear.
You would think they could make edible plastic wrap.
:angel:
 
Learning to portion whole cuts of meat is one of the best money saving tricks in the kitchen. No portion of a chicken sells for less than the whole, even factoring in the back and neck portions, which I use for stock. Chickens often go on sale here, and when they do, I buy 10 or so, cut them up, and freeze, Use the necks, backs, etc, for stock.
 
I've been using a homemade cleaner for years - equal parts lemon juice, white vinegar, and water. None of that is toxic, but the acid cuts grease and kills bacteria.

Does it smell like vinegar GG? That is the other problem I have with using the bleach mixture. Hubby does not like the smell nor does he like the smell of vinegar. I would like to give that a try!!!

Yea, I was thinking the plastic containers would last much longer and can be resued alot more.... and correct me if I am wrong.. but those ziploc or glad brand of storage containers, are they not recyclable?
 
I only buy canned goods when they are on sale. For instance, I use a lot of canned chicken and beef broth. Every year around Thanksgiving, one of the local supermarkets has it on sale 3 cans for $1. I buy several cases of each, enough to last until next year when it goes on sale again. Same way with all of my other canned goods. I only buy when it's on sale and then I BUY!

I've turned the closet in the office into a pantry. I keep everything rotated and when something looks like it might get close to expiring...guess what's for supper?

Holy pantry Mama ... and my family thinks I have too much "inventory" on hand. I am waving your picture around saying SEE, I AM NOT CRAZY!! Kudos to you!

Love this topic, as I'm sure it's weighing heavy on many minds!
 
When they have to go to the store a buy a can of chicken broth and pay $.75 a can, I remind them that I only paid $.33 and I don't have to burn the gas to go to the store everytime I need something.
 
A plastic container doesn't take up any room in a landfill? :huh:
I know what you are trying to say, GG, but plastic containers don't last forever. And at that point I bet they take up much more room than the amount of plastic wrap sheets it took to make the container. Just a thought.....

Depends on the plastic containers you choose :)

Tupperware Lifetime Guarantee

I still have Tupperware products I received as shower gifts when I was married 24 years ago; my mom still has Tupperware from when she purchased or was given them in the 1960s. I would guess that over 40 years, one has gone through many, many rolls of plastic wrap (and the plastic, rolls, and boxes are all in landfills), while an investment in high-quality plastic containers pays for itself many times over - and they're not in a landfill.
 
Does it smell like vinegar GG? That is the other problem I have with using the bleach mixture. Hubby does not like the smell nor does he like the smell of vinegar. I would like to give that a try!!!

Yea, I was thinking the plastic containers would last much longer and can be resued alot more.... and correct me if I am wrong.. but those ziploc or glad brand of storage containers, are they not recyclable?

No, it doesn't smell like vinegar - adding the lemon juice helps with that. And it's not straight vinegar - it's diluted with 1/3 water, too. I can't stand the smell of bleach - it gives me a headache. Sometimes I get a headache just walking down the cleaning products aisle in the grocery store.

I believe those containers are recyclable - I don't keep track, since our local waste management service separates recyclables in their facility.
 
I like to eat, so I try to save in other areas. The biggest savings we have made is to get rid of a second car. No insurance, license, inspection or gas. We saved about $5000 a year.

How many people think they need multiple vehicles, the wife, kids, it can be inconvenient but do you really need multiple vehicles.

I like this idea, on the whole, Americans have many more vehicles per family than any other country in the world. Even the UK and France average around 1 car per family.

I think about reusing pots and pans, saving the dish washer. last week I baked off a ham in a 9x13 pan and needed to down size the ham storage pan a few days later. Since I knew I wanted to bake a potato casserole in a 9x13 pan the next day, I stuck the greasy ham pan back in the frig and used it the next day to cook the casserole in. If you give this any forethought, it can be used quite successfully to make delicious dishes. The ham flavored potato dish was quite good. I only run the dishmachine when full and this technique will delay when I need to run it.
 
How many people think they need multiple vehicles, the wife, kids, it can be inconvenient but do you really need multiple vehicles.
How else would my wife and I each get to work? We work in different locations on different overlapping schedules. There is no public transportation or even car pooling opportunities. Yes we do need two cars.
 
I buy what I need, good quality, and waste nothing (if possible). So veggies getting a little old get frozen for the next soup (and used in the next soup). Bone from chops roasts etc get frozen for the next stock.

I try to buy pantry items like cans of tomatoes and canned broth etc at places like BJs and Costco.

I try to use heat (stove oven or grill) conservatively by cooking extra chicken or fish or meat for salads and sandwiches later in the week, or for a leftover creation. I love big pots of soup and stew or chili, often using these leftovers.

The thought of stocking the freezer at a sale and losing it all to a summer power outage or other unpredictable is something I choose not to face.

Now, I'm cooking for two most of the time, and the frequent event with friends (at least every two weeks.) I would certainly consider other buying habits and a big freezer if I were doing this for a family of 5 or 6 or more.
 
Depends on the plastic containers you choose :)

Tupperware Lifetime Guarantee

I still have Tupperware products I received as shower gifts when I was married 24 years ago; my mom still has Tupperware from when she purchased or was given them in the 1960s. I would guess that over 40 years, one has gone through many, many rolls of plastic wrap (and the plastic, rolls, and boxes are all in landfills), while an investment in high-quality plastic containers pays for itself many times over - and they're not in a landfill.

Good point. I knew there were holes in my comment, but not everybody is as thrifty with their plastic containers (me for instance :rolleyes:).

Besides, I don't throw away plastic wrap, so it never reaches the landfills.
I burn it. It makes a heckuva black smoke, but I have less garbage this way...... :ermm:

Just kidding... honest :LOL:
 
How else would my wife and I each get to work? We work in different locations on different overlapping schedules. There is no public transportation or even car pooling opportunities. Yes we do need two cars.

In UK there is a quietly growing official soundbite about living near where you work. It was whispered years ago, and being spoken aloud now and will be being yelled - via some form of milage tax- one day in the future I guess. Its not always posible NOW but in the future I think people will choose to buy a house with either good public transport links or in reasonable walking/cycling distance to one of the couple's place of work. My F-I-L, and two siblings in law have never learnt to drive because they have always lived in cities (many cities) and DH only learned when this country loving gal explained that there are some places here you DO need to drive.

GB its not right for all of us now, but it will colour future decisions on housing etc for many people.
 
I like this idea, on the whole, Americans have many more vehicles per family than any other country in the world. Even the UK and France average around 1 car per family.

I think about reusing pots and pans, saving the dish washer. last week I baked off a ham in a 9x13 pan and needed to down size the ham storage pan a few days later. Since I knew I wanted to bake a potato casserole in a 9x13 pan the next day, I stuck the greasy ham pan back in the frig and used it the next day to cook the casserole in. If you give this any forethought, it can be used quite successfully to make delicious dishes. The ham flavored potato dish was quite good. I only run the dishmachine when full and this technique will delay when I need to run it.

I have tinkered with that idea as well about going down to one car. It would require more planning.... but it could be done.

I also do like you do beth... I reuse pans as long as something compatible was in them that I am cooking. Some of them I can just wipe out easily enough and back on the stove it goes for round 2. (I was afraid to mention this cuz I figured I was the only one doing this!)
 
In UK there is a quietly growing official soundbite about living near where you work. It was whispered years ago, and being spoken aloud now and will be being yelled - via some form of milage tax- one day in the future I guess. Its not always posible NOW but in the future I think people will choose to buy a house with either good public transport links or in reasonable walking/cycling distance to one of the couple's place of work. My F-I-L, and two siblings in law have never learnt to drive because they have always lived in cities (many cities) and DH only learned when this country loving gal explained that there are some places here you DO need to drive.

GB its not right for all of us now, but it will colour future decisions on housing etc for many people.
The problem is that jobs are different these days than they used to be. Years ago you went to work for a company and stayed with that company for years and years, if not your entire career. Now people are getting jobs with different companies every few years. Raises that companies give these days are very small, but when you get a new job with a new company you can negotiate a much higher increase.
I doubt anyone wants to buy and sell a house every time they get a new job.

For my wife and I, we bought a house in an area we could afford. We have both taken new jobs since we bought our house so even if we did originally buy our house taking into account where we worked it would not matter now because that has all changed. We do happen to live very close to a commuter train, but it does not go anywhere near our offices.
 
The problem is that jobs are different these days than they used to be. Years ago you went to work for a company and stayed with that company for years and years, if not your entire career. Now people are getting jobs with different companies every few years. Raises that companies give these days are very small, but when you get a new job with a new company you can negotiate a much higher increase.
I doubt anyone wants to buy and sell a house every time they get a new job.

For my wife and I, we bought a house in an area we could afford. We have both taken new jobs since we bought our house so even if we did originally buy our house taking into account where we worked it would not matter now because that has all changed. We do happen to live very close to a commuter train, but it does not go anywhere near our offices.

GB, I understand, but as th world has changed, so it will start to change again. It is your absolute right to live where you want and drive as many cars as you like (still!) but it is an unavoidable fact that at the moment it looks like its going to become increasingly expensive, and there for people will start to make choices on those finances. Similarly, employers will make commercial property decisions too I believe, on accessabilty.
 
I do not disagree lulu, but not all of those things are always choices. We live where we live because it is what we can afford. We took the jobs we took because they enable us to afford what we have.

We do not have the option of living somewhere else. We need to live where we are. There were no jobs available to us in areas that would allow us to go down to one car. We did not choose to have two cars. It was a necessity.
 
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