And no, get your mind out of the gutter!! lol-
The discussion was about how to get what you want without sacrificing what you need.
I was a single mother of two, and now part of a blended family of 7 (5 kids & 2 Adults) with a mid-range salary, so needless to say I've had to find 20 different ways to stretch a dollar!!
I'm a brand name shopper who believes in Quality over Quantity, but I don't shop without a good deal (or sacrifice- depending on the purchase! lol)
Just thought I would share some of my tips & tricks, it's not 100% foolproof but maybe you will pick up an idea to expand your budget, or maybe you have some awesome tips and would like to share with me as well!! =)
Today's topic is groceries. Here goes...
Groceries:
I can never keep track of coupons (for food) if that's where you thought I was going. LOL
I actually have a more complex approach for groceries.
Keep in mind, I'm a "GRITS" (girl raised in the south) so this is based off of American/Southern food basics. It would be easy to make a similar list based off your own most frequently used items.
1. Keep staples in your house at all times-
I PROMISE you will use at least ONE of these a day. Even if you don't have any other groceries, you can make a meal out of these alone!!
This list totals to around $25
-bread [$1.50]
-butter [$2]
-sugar [$1.50]
-all purpose flour [$1.50-$2]
-milk [$2-$4]
-eggs [$1-$2]
-potatoes [$2-$4]
-onion [$2-$3]
-ketchup/tomato sauce [$1.50]
-mayo [$1.50]
-cream of chicken soup [$1]
-cream of mushroom soup [$1]
-crackers (saltine or ritz) [$2-$3]
-for my southerners - Lipton Tea Bags for brewing Ice Tea [$2]
2. Try to plan your week's menu around the same key ingredients so you don't have to buy a whole bunch of different things.
Example: canned tomatoes can be used in spaghetti, enchiladas, beef/vegetable soup and gumbo (among other things). One large family can is $1.80, which can suffice for two meals.
3. Cook enough to have leftovers to take to work the next day.
Eating out at work is the NUMBER ONE "wallet-killer"!!
The money you would spend on ONE meal eating out is the equivalent of two packs of dinner meat (or a romantic steak for 2 dinner at home!)
Also make sure you are making meals that carry well to work. Save items that don't "rollover" for Friday nights.
Example: Tacos/Nachos, Fish & soups aren't easy to take as leftovers. Save these types of meals for Friday nights and weekends.
4. Gadgets make life easy!!
You may be thinking, how will I ever find time to cook dinner when I get off of work?! Sorry, you get NO sympathy from me! I work 8-5pm, have a 2hr commute, children with bathtimes & homework, and my own shows I like to watch too. If I can make dinner every night, so can you!
These are kitchen gadgets that I would NOT be able to do it without though!!
Any time I give a housewarming gift, I pick one of these items b/c I know how nifty they can be!
Griddle- I make ALL breakfasts with this gadget, I also use it to sear meat before cooking in the oven so it doesn't dry out, and it's great for sauteed veggies as well. You can get the basic size from Walmart or any other all purpose store for about $29. Larger sizes are $40-50, which is what I need to upgrade to considering the number of ppl I'm usually cooking for!
Slowcooker/Crockpot- My mom gave me one when I turned 18 and moved out. I have always had one since! The one I have now only has 3 legs (LOL), so it's time for an upgrade on this too- but it just proves how useful it is.
The great thing about this is, you never actually have to COOK anything. Just throw all the ingredients in and it cooks all day on a low heat setting (which is impossible to burn!)
You can use it to make a main course, appetizer, or one pot meal.
Great for any type of meat (will have meat so tender it falls off the bone!), Spaghetti/Chili are delicious when slow cooked.
You can get a million different meal ideas at www.slowandsimple.com.
Crockpots can also be found at places like Walmart, ranges from $25 to $50 depending on the settings. 5 to 6 quart is the size you would need for a complete meal. You can get the basic with three heat settings (keep warm, low & high), or you can also get more high tech digital slowcookers that allow you to set a timer. If you have a long commute like me, the extra $$ for the digital slowcooker is worth the investment b/c most of your meals will be overcooked by the time you get home.
Rice Cooker
My Asian Friends, I KNOW you have this item ON LOCK (LOL!!), so you can skip over this one! My American Friends, get a rice cooker! I know most American meals don't call for rice (unless you are making cajun or low country), but rice is a great side filler for meals or soups, it's inexpensive and it feeds many!!
This rice cooker is $24.88 at Walmart, but you can get larger sizes and more features with more expensive versions.
5. Where to shop for what
Some places have great prices for meats, but screw you on other items. Because of my commute, I pass almost every store on the way home, and some items I purchase on my lunch hour (depending on whether it needs to be refridgerated)
I also designate days to purchase different items if I can't get it done on the weekend. For example, Tuesdays I go to the asian market for fresh meat and veggies, Wednesday I go to Kroger for their 10 for $10 deals, Thursday I stop at Sam's Club for bulk TP, Paper Towels & laundry detergent.
Here's what I've found to be the best shopping combinations:
Asian/Farmer's Markets: have the best deals on meats and fresh vegetables. There are a ton of local farmer's markets in every major city so this isn't an unattainable place for most ppl. You DO get price-robbed for toiletries and staples at these places though (so pick up windex and ketchup somewhere else!)
KROGER: Occasionally they will have a meat special, but most of the time I only go to Kroger for their $10 for $10 deals. This special has certain items for $1 each! Example: canned veggies, flour, sugar, liquid hand soap and other basics. Also the more points you build on your Kroger plus card, you can save $0.10 a gallon on gas if you use Kroger gas stations.
PUBLIX Rarely ever have good prices on meat OR veggies, but they have a lot of buy one get one free sales on other items. Example: cereal, bread, pasta sauce, salad dressing, etc. This is also the best place for Kids Lunch items!!
Today I bought Ritz Cheese Sandwiches and Teddy Grahams for Sarina's lunch- buy one get one free!!
WALMART I know there is a lot of hype around their groceries being cheap, but don't be fooled! You will get better deals on meat and veggies at the farmer's market. Walmart IS great for non-perishables and toiletries.
Use this place for non/p items like Mac & Cheese packs, dry beans, pasta, cereal and also toiletries- mouthwash, toothpaste, deodorant, household cleaners, etc.
Warehouse Membership Shopping: Costco, BJs, Sam's Club, etc.
YES, you can AlWAYS get great deals on places like these, but do you really need everything in bulk?
Normally when I go to Sam's or Costco, I'm only buying a couple of items.
These are my favorites for Warehouse Shopping:
Bottled water, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and CLOROX Bleach for Trail's obession for cleaning countertops 5 times a day! (haha)
