The grocery store.....Inflation is here!

I agree with what you and the other posters have said..it's just crazy to try and eat well..and have money left over..really sad.

Also I am tired of this talk of food shortages in America..I don't buy that for a minute. What I have started doing is eating less and having a bowl of cereal for dinner..I don't eat very much meat, I just eat more grains, rice and vegetables. Cutting out meat does save money...I don't know the answer but I wish I could live somewhere in the country where I could buy locally or try and raise my own food..but right now..not possible..wish we could all come up with an answer. Cheers Coco

reply to post by brilab45


my kids joke about how once the bombs go off we will be huddled around in the basement eating the tuna and rice I am storing and though we all laugh...my mind is blown that it is even a topic of conversation. We live beyond the fear, or try to...and enjoy our days and make our memories but they are getting older and current events our discussed in my house. Even as we harvested veggies they talked about Fukushima and gave my beautiful heirloom tomatoes the side eye, lol.

Originally posted by Areyoupeopleinsane
Of that $500 how much was actual nutritious "FOOD" ??

Your potato chips, ice cream and other crap is a waste of your money and your health.

I eat ONLY the following:

Broccoli
Chicken
Oatmeal
Sweet Potatoes
Egg Whites
Natural unsweetened peanut butter

For sweetener I use Stevia which is a non sugar (the fake sweeteners are just modifications of the carbon chain of sugar and have the same effect on the body)

Thats it I eat only for me and I spend $125 a month on food. And I eat 5 meals a day.

Thats real food, I dont get sick EVER and I feel and look GREAT!

Your list is exactly like mine. Except I buy more fresh fruit, vegetables and organic meats. The aforementioned are very expensive.

Originally posted by irsuccubus
reply to post by brilab45

 

my kids joke about how once the bombs go off we will be huddled around in the basement eating the tuna and rice I am storing and though we all laugh...my mind is blown that it is even a topic of conversation. We live beyond the fear, or try to...and enjoy our days and make our memories but they are getting older and current events our discussed in my house. Even as we harvested veggies they talked about Fukushima and gave my beautiful heirloom tomatoes the side eye, lol.

That's funny you mention tuna. Today I bought 18 cans. It''s good for you! Yet I do fear Fukushima. I can't grow tomatoes to save my life. I need you!

reply to post by Areyoupeopleinsane

For sweetener I use Stevia

Have you tried Agave? It's usually right near the sugar in that aisle.
It's my new best friend after sugar and I broke up. It's a little more expensive buying it in small quantity, but you'd never notice the difference in a cup of coffee, and your pancreas and teeth will thank you. I never tried Stevia, I'm very wary of these strange powders and granules claiming to be alternative sweeteners.

I also shove all the Aspartame way in the back where no one can find it.

reply to post by itscocobaby


You know, I don't think we have a food shortage as well. What we have is food being traded on the legal gambling market we call Wall Street.

Another interesting comment I need to make is that.....women replied to this post almost in whole. Why is that? A very interesting dynamic.

Men have to buy food as well.

reply to post by brilab45


[color=mediumorchid]I am in Ohio (:

It is really not that hard to save money with coupons, though.

You just have to have a little bit of extra time to prepare for a shopping trip.

I buy newspapers every week (I check online to make sure there are coupons that week) and I file the coupons by the date that they came out in a plastic file folder.

I have an online resource that shows you the deals by state and by store and it uses the date the coupon came out and the brand of coupon (which is why I file them the way that I do).

You can also price-match at walmart. So even if you don't have the right stores in your town, you can still get the items at sale price and combine that with your coupons.

I also look at local sales ads for deals.

If you have a kroger or a meijer, they have online coupon programs and with kroger, you download your coupons right on to your rewards tag.

You can also print coupons from the internet.

I have gotten free toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, bodywash, shampoo, bar soap, razors, lip balm, laundry soap, aspirin, tylenol, mentos gum, listerine strips, hand soap, deodorant, air freshener, and candles in the past. But those are rare deals that only come around once in a while. I usually save at least half on these kinds of items, if not more.

Its actually a hobby for me.

Coupon Preview Site

Coupon mom website

coupons.com

reply to post by daryllyn


Thank you for your post. I will follow up to your links. Truly, I am an infant at saving money. Your help is most appreciated.

reply to post by brilab45


[color=dodgerblue]Once you get some coupons saved up and you save up on some basic items, you are kind of free to pick and choose. You will be able to wait until the next sale or the next coupon for basic everyday items. If you have a tough month (or know someone else who is) you have plenty of items on hand for yourself or to give to someone else.

I have several small boxes with a little bit of everything in them. Many of the items are travel size which are convenient for trips or for putting in the diaper bag/book bag.

In the event of the zombie apocalypse? We are good at least as far as hygiene goes

Just so you know irsuccubus, you are on my list when SHTF. Your background is commendable and I look forward to eating a vegetable grown in water under proper lighting conditions.

Amazing.

Originally posted by daryllyn
reply to post by brilab45

 

[color=dodgerblue]Once you get some coupons saved up and you save up on some basic items, you are kind of free to pick and choose. You will be able to wait until the next sale or the next coupon for basic everyday items. If you have a tough month (or know someone else who is) you have plenty of items on hand for yourself or to give to someone else.

I have several small boxes with a little bit of everything in them. Many of the items are travel size which are convenient for trips or for putting in the diaper bag/book bag.

In the event of the zombie apocalypse? We are good at least as far as hygiene goes

The only problem I have with coupons is that I have to buy something I really don't want or need. Yet, I admit that I'm not sure what coupons would value me something that I would appreciate. Of course beggars can't be choosers. I have to change my paradigm.

I do most of the shopping here, I'm a tight wad penny pincher, not because I want to, it's because I have too. I also have noticed portion sizes have gone down, and the sizes of the chicken legs I been seeing is crap $11.00 + for a family pack, what to do lol

Let's talk Horse Hay.... (here in Austin, TX)

March 2011 (50 bales) = $227.50

Dec 2011 (50 bales) = $775.00

Hay.... A better investment than Silver !

So if your feeding dairy cows or beef cows. The price of milk and beef is about to double.

reply to post by brilab45

The only problem I have with coupons is that I have to buy something I really don't want or need. Yet, I admit that I'm not sure what coupons would value me something that I would appreciate. Of course beggars can't be choosers. I have to change my paradigm.

[color=deepskyblue]That's why you only use the ones you want to use (:

They are money. The value listed is just as spendable as cash.

I have learned to be a lot more flexible as far as brands go. But I also find that many of the coupons I get are for brands that I prefer.

It's not for everyone. You have to be able to deal with the pissed off customer behind you giving you the evil eye for holding the line up, grouchy cashiers, waiting for a manager to come because you have confused the grouchy cashier, etc..

I hope you will give it a go.

Originally posted by mytheroy
I do most of the shopping here, I'm a tight wad penny pincher, not because I want to, it's because I have too. I also have noticed portion sizes have gone down, and the sizes of the chicken legs I been seeing is crap $11.00 + for a family pack, what to do lol

Oh, do I have more to add to your comment. Went to KFC over the week end. Got a bucket of chicken. Nearly half of the chicken were thighs that had absolutely not meat on them. What a rip off! No more. Will cook my own. Oh you are so right about crap!

Originally posted by daryllyn
reply to post by brilab45

 

The only problem I have with coupons is that I have to buy something I really don't want or need. Yet, I admit that I'm not sure what coupons would value me something that I would appreciate. Of course beggars can't be choosers. I have to change my paradigm.

[color=deepskyblue]That's why you only use the ones you want to use (:

They are money. The value listed is just as spendable as cash.

I have learned to be a lot more flexible as far as brands go. But I also find that many of the coupons I get are for brands that I prefer.

It's not for everyone. You have to be able to deal with the pissed off customer behind you giving you the evil eye for holding the line up, grouchy cashiers, waiting for a manager to come because you have confused the grouchy cashier, etc..

I hope you will give it a go.

LOL. I really need a mentor like you. You sound like one fun person saving money. Thank you for the great laugh.

edit on 7-12-2011 by daryllyn because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by PISMO
Let's talk Horse Hay.... (here in Austin, TX)

March 2011 (50 bales) = $227.50

Dec 2011 (50 bales) = $775.00

Hay.... A better investment than Silver !

So if your feeding dairy cows or beef cows. The price of milk and beef is about to double.

You are so right about that. Fortunately when I had my horses and other critters, I leased out my acreage to my neighbor farmers. At the time, I did not have to worry about feeding my loved ones. They gave me a "cut" of the hay.

Horses are so expensive to have as pets. God love you.......cause I love horses!!

So, I just did a quick check on my banking account and realized that I spent money on fast food. I averaged $3 to $5 dollars per meal.

Now lets take that into consideration. Should I have eaten out 30 days for the month for three times a day.....that would equal to about $360.00 per month. About $150.00 cheaper than eating from a supermarket.

Something is wrong with that?!. I can buy a salad at a local fast food place for $3 dollars and to make it myself would cost double.

What is up with that? We are being taking for a ride by our retailers.

Originally posted by brilab45
So, I just did a quick check on my banking account and realized that I spent money on fast food. I averaged $3 to $5 dollars per meal.

Something is wrong with that?!. I can buy a salad at a local fast food place for $3 dollars and to make it myself would cost double.

[I]

I find it hard to believe your spending less than $7-8 per meal.
Unless your eating off dollar menu and not getting s drink.
I stopped at Subway for lunch yesterday. Basic turkey footlong add avocado add drink $8.31

A big Mac value meal is $6.41 after tax.

A whopper with cheese is $3.99 before drink.

So how are you eating a full meal day in day out for $4?

Now add the GF. Add my three kids. My fast food ticket averages $30-40 per meal.

Let's go $30. x 90 meals per month $2,700 month to feed family on just cheap fast food.

Add in couple trips to ihop, Denny's...etc and your in the $3,500 / mo range.

Just a tad more than my (yes expensive .... Not THAT expensive) grocery bill !