Frugal Ideas

[Diane T]

Thank you Theresa L
I will certainly look into that
Diane T

[tas]

I envy you those coupons, amazing bargains. I suppose my main frugality is cooking everything from scratch - making stock from bones, trying to grow enough of the more expensive vegetables, buying meat when it is cheap. I would like to say the eggs from our hens are cheaper, but in all likelihood they cost more than shop prices
I'll be watching this thread for more hints

[Dashlover]

What I do to stretch the dollar and meals is when I make a roast, I keep the "juice" it always has some of the meat still in there. I keep the juice with the meat and put frozen noodles in it and let it cook. Presto, you have beef and noodles. It comes out great every time.

[Mixpixlix]

An often overlook option is discount stores like United Grocery Outlet. They buy up excess inventory and sell it at 25% to 50
% off grocery store prices AND most items are brand names. For example I bought three cartons ( 4 containers per carton) of Fiber One yogurt for $1. A package of Hillshire Farms sausage was $1.29 not $3.99 that Kroger was getting. This is true treasure hunting as the bargains vary week by week.

Check the internet or you local phone book for discount grocery. Aldi is an Italian company that has stores along the east coast of the U.S. They sell they're own brands which are priced about 20% below major grocery outlets.

Don't let expiration dates scare you. Most items are good for at least a week more. If you're concerned just freeze the item until you need to use it.

[Theresa L]

I am fortunate to live on a small farm. We have chickens so we get eggs too. They do free range so we only have to feed them a little, making our eggs very cost effective. I also us bones to make soup stock. After having chicken, even rotisserie chicken form the store, I boil the carcass with some carrots, celery and onions. Then I skim out the bones, leaving the bits of meat and freeze it in c-cup increments. Makes great stock for soups or a base to make gravy. If you don't have a large freezer, you could can the broth. I haven't had to buy broth or bullion in years.

[tas]

Hi Theresa,
our cooking seems similar, I always boil up bones for stock which saves on buying all the packaged stuff for flavour. From one chicken I usually get at least 2 "meat" meals for us and the dogs, plus a soup or stew from the stock. having said that, I can appreciate how women who have to work and look after a family have to take short cuts to feed their families.
Do you grow vegetables and fruit on your farm?

[Theresa L]

Hi Tas,
I have in the past and there are still something that come up perennially. We have blackberries, quince and persimmons that grew here when we bought the place. I have added grape vines, apple, mulberry, plum, walnut & cherry trees, too. Most are doing well and about half are bearing fruit. The others aren't old enough yet. We are hoping to garden again next year but the last few years I've been working too hard to maintain a garden properly. I do buy a lot of my produce from local farmers and then can or freeze what I need.