Comments on: Ask the Reader – What’s Your Best Grocery Cost-Saving Tip? http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/ Helping You Kick the Credit Habit, One Good Idea at a Time Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:56:04 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Make Friends, Earn Money http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/comment-page-1/#comment-1983 Make Friends, Earn Money Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:43:41 +0000 http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/#comment-1983 personally I love the whole freegan movement. Some people have a problem about going through dumpsters looking for free food, until you realise that most grocery stores dumpsters are not the same as household ones. You can regularly find huge quantities of food that is simply placed in a dumpster because it is past it's display by date, but it's use by date is at least another 2-3 days away. It's also so much fun being part of the freegan movement and a good use of resources. I've found hundreds of batches of bread still in it's wrapper, packets of biscuits, tinned items, salads you name it it's there. The grocery stores love it because they often have to pay money to have trash removed, but by clearing out their dumpster they can fit more in it. Seriously you should all try it at least once! personally I love the whole freegan movement. Some people have a problem about going through dumpsters looking for free food, until you realise that most grocery stores dumpsters are not the same as household ones. You can regularly find huge quantities of food that is simply placed in a dumpster because it is past it’s display by date, but it’s use by date is at least another 2-3 days away. It’s also so much fun being part of the freegan movement and a good use of resources. I’ve found hundreds of batches of bread still in it’s wrapper, packets of biscuits, tinned items, salads you name it it’s there. The grocery stores love it because they often have to pay money to have trash removed, but by clearing out their dumpster they can fit more in it. Seriously you should all try it at least once!

]]> By: Erin http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/comment-page-1/#comment-1968 Erin Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:18:06 +0000 http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/#comment-1968 Meal plan! Seriously, you don't buy extras of things you already need or make extra runs back to the store for things you forgot. When you know what's for dinner there is no last minute take-out or delivery because nothing is ready to eat. Bulk buying can be great, IF the item is truly cheaper. Watch out for "value" items that come in bigger sizes but actually cost more per ounce. I stock up when things are on sale and use coupons with them too. Meal plan! Seriously, you don’t buy extras of things you already need or make extra runs back to the store for things you forgot. When you know what’s for dinner there is no last minute take-out or delivery because nothing is ready to eat.

Bulk buying can be great, IF the item is truly cheaper. Watch out for “value” items that come in bigger sizes but actually cost more per ounce.

I stock up when things are on sale and use coupons with them too.

]]> By: Chiara http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/comment-page-1/#comment-1960 Chiara Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:29:39 +0000 http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/#comment-1960 We live in a pretty expensive part of the US (Orange County, Southern California) and prices have been going through the roof! My suggestion would be to seek out ethnic markets. About 2 miles from my house, there's a Middle Eastern market that sells produce for almost 75% off the regular supermarket price. The market is small but I wouldn't go anywhere else if I'm looking for bell peppers, potatoes and fruits. The produce are not "Whole Foods" quality and I have to take time to wash them really well, but it's worth the money I save (is washed vegetables worth the $2.00 difference between Whole Foods celery and ethnic market celery? $2 adds up fast!) Also, we have several Asian markets near my work place. They have great meats! (99 cents per pound for ground beef, or $2.99/lb rib eye steaks) I would really encourage people to seek out ethnic markets and not to be intimidated by the foreign ingredients. I don't read Chinese or Korean but I love the produce at their markets and some packaged items have English on them. By shopping this way, I've kept under my grocery budget of $225 per month. I also do the Grocery Game ($10 for 8 weeks worth of sale notices), if they have notices for your particular area, I would really join! The Grocery Game has allowed me to purchase my non-food items for so cheap (often times, free) that I was able to free up the leftover money on more vegetables and fruits. After starting the grocery game and joining that with ethnic market shopping, the fridge is always stocked with fruits and veggies :) Chiaras last blog post..<a href="http://www.xanga.com/chiaranjoo/659854208/geek-squad.html" rel="nofollow">Geek Squad...</a> We live in a pretty expensive part of the US (Orange County, Southern California) and prices have been going through the roof! My suggestion would be to seek out ethnic markets. About 2 miles from my house, there’s a Middle Eastern market that sells produce for almost 75% off the regular supermarket price. The market is small but I wouldn’t go anywhere else if I’m looking for bell peppers, potatoes and fruits. The produce are not “Whole Foods” quality and I have to take time to wash them really well, but it’s worth the money I save (is washed vegetables worth the $2.00 difference between Whole Foods celery and ethnic market celery? $2 adds up fast!)

Also, we have several Asian markets near my work place. They have great meats! (99 cents per pound for ground beef, or $2.99/lb rib eye steaks) I would really encourage people to seek out ethnic markets and not to be intimidated by the foreign ingredients. I don’t read Chinese or Korean but I love the produce at their markets and some packaged items have English on them.

By shopping this way, I’ve kept under my grocery budget of $225 per month. I also do the Grocery Game ($10 for 8 weeks worth of sale notices), if they have notices for your particular area, I would really join! The Grocery Game has allowed me to purchase my non-food items for so cheap (often times, free) that I was able to free up the leftover money on more vegetables and fruits. After starting the grocery game and joining that with ethnic market shopping, the fridge is always stocked with fruits and veggies :)

Chiaras last blog post..Geek Squad…

]]> By: marci http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/comment-page-1/#comment-1959 marci Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:03:50 +0000 http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/#comment-1959 1. Watch the ads weekly. Buy ONLY the deeply discounted coupon stuff!!! As we only have Freddies and Safeway here, and as they are both within 2 miles, there's not much gas involved there for me. 2. Bulk foods about 4 times a year from Costco, when I am going to visit my grandkids anyway - it's in the same town. Split and store. 3. Always cook extra, and freeze or portion off to take for work lunches. Do the Cook once, Eat for a month method when I have cheap chicken/turkey or meat. Saves money, but really saves my precious TIME also!!! 4. The freezer was a $369 investment - 12 cubic ft - more than enough for my needs. It's paid for itself in 1.5 yrs, I am sure :) ALWAYS buy an extra turkey or two when they go on sale for the Holidays. At $4 or $5 for a 20lb turkey, that meat goes a long long way. 5. Always pressure cook the meat bones or turkey/chicken carcass for soup later on - strip the bones and freeze it. Freeze the broth also. 6. Plant edible Landscaping...AND a garden. Even on my little 50x100 city lot, I can grow almost all the veggies I need. Think containers and Vertical! I dry the excess for soup and stew in the winter. 7. Accept gladly any garden surplus or fish/game from others, and share my surplus willingly also :) 8. Plan my menu from what is IN the house - not from what is at the store. If it's NOT in the house, I do without it til the next grocery trip. 9. Use the discount grocery store once a month if out of town - The Grocery Outlet is my favorite but it's 50 miles away now. When I lived 3 blocks from one along time ago, I bought 90% of my groceries there. A friend once said she couldn't buy there much because they didn't HAVE what she NEEDed.... I said the secret to lower grocery costs is to NEED what they HAVE there at the discount stores! 10. It's a matter of Attitude! :) Good luck! 1. Watch the ads weekly. Buy ONLY the deeply discounted coupon stuff!!! As we only have Freddies and Safeway here, and as they are both within 2 miles, there’s not much gas involved there for me.

2. Bulk foods about 4 times a year from Costco, when I am going to visit my grandkids anyway – it’s in the same town. Split and store.

3. Always cook extra, and freeze or portion off to take for work lunches. Do the Cook once, Eat for a month method when I have cheap chicken/turkey or meat. Saves money, but really saves my precious TIME also!!!

4. The freezer was a $369 investment – 12 cubic ft – more than enough for my needs. It’s paid for itself in 1.5 yrs, I am sure :) ALWAYS buy an extra turkey or two when they go on sale for the Holidays. At $4 or $5 for a 20lb turkey, that meat goes a long long way.

5. Always pressure cook the meat bones or turkey/chicken carcass for soup later on – strip the bones and freeze it. Freeze the broth also.

6. Plant edible Landscaping…AND a garden. Even on my little 50×100 city lot, I can grow almost all the veggies I need. Think containers and Vertical! I dry the excess for soup and stew in the winter.

7. Accept gladly any garden surplus or fish/game from others, and share my surplus willingly also :)

8. Plan my menu from what is IN the house – not from what is at the store. If it’s NOT in the house, I do without it til the next grocery trip.

9. Use the discount grocery store once a month if out of town – The Grocery Outlet is my favorite but it’s 50 miles away now. When I lived 3 blocks from one along time ago, I bought 90% of my groceries there. A friend once said she couldn’t buy there much because they didn’t HAVE what she NEEDed…. I said the secret to lower grocery costs is to NEED what they HAVE there at the discount stores!

10. It’s a matter of Attitude! :) Good luck!

]]> By: Weekend Roundup - Amazon Gift Card Winner Edition | beingfrugal.net http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/wordpress/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/comment-page-1/#comment-1958 Weekend Roundup - Amazon Gift Card Winner Edition | beingfrugal.net Sat, 07 Jun 2008 11:02:48 +0000 http://www.creditwithdrawal.com/2008/06/06/ask-the-reader-whats-your-best-grocery-cost-saving-tip/#comment-1958 [...] Ask the Reader - What’s Your Best Grocery Cost-Saving Tip? - Randall is asking, and I know you all have the answers. Head over and let him know how you save money! [...] [...] Ask the Reader – What’s Your Best Grocery Cost-Saving Tip? – Randall is asking, and I know you all have the answers. Head over and let him know how you save money! [...]

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