Comments on: Stretching Your Food Budget During Hard Times http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/ Breaking Financial Ceilings One Stiletto At A Time! Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:22:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Urban Frugal http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-849 Urban Frugal Tue, 20 May 2008 23:56:15 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-849 Shopping the sales generally makes a difference. Certain items are "loss leaders" for stores. The store hopes that you will be lured in to buy sale items but will also buy other things as well. If you know this when you go shopping you can save a lot more. Certain things are always staples in my house and one or twice a week I try to make dinner that will cost less than $1 per serving. It could even be a dish with meat, if I buy something on sale and cook only 1 chicken breast out of the package. [Actually cooking the item, not buying pre-cooked.] I agree with Velvet Jones about portion control. When you see what a portion should be, you will realize how long your groceries should last. www.urbanfrugal.com <em>Urban Frugal's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Urbanfrugalcom/~3/294426350/' rel="nofollow">DIY Flavored Water</a></em> Shopping the sales generally makes a difference. Certain items are “loss leaders” for stores. The store hopes that you will be lured in to buy sale items but will also buy other things as well. If you know this when you go shopping you can save a lot more.

Certain things are always staples in my house and one or twice a week I try to make dinner that will cost less than $1 per serving. It could even be a dish with meat, if I buy something on sale and cook only 1 chicken breast out of the package. [Actually cooking the item, not buying pre-cooked.]

I agree with Velvet Jones about portion control. When you see what a portion should be, you will realize how long your groceries should last.

http://www.urbanfrugal.com

Urban Frugal’s last blog post..DIY Flavored Water

]]> By: Auntie M http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-775 Auntie M Fri, 09 May 2008 23:37:35 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-775 Hey Melissa, Thanks for your tips! What we call something makes a difference in our thinking so all those sugar filled cereals have always been "junk food cereal" to my children. They only have it once a week and the rest of the days they can have oats (raw), or granola. We throw in toast every now and then too! When making a menu, a friend of mine uses the sales paper and what coupons she has to help her decide what meals she'll prepare. She swears by this method of saving $$$. Smiles, Auntie M. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuntieMs/ Highly Effective, Wonderfully Simple Home Management Hey Melissa, Thanks for your tips!

What we call something makes a difference in our thinking so all those sugar filled cereals have always been “junk food cereal” to my children. They only have it once a week and the rest of the days they can have oats (raw), or granola. We throw in toast every now and then too!

When making a menu, a friend of mine uses the sales paper and what coupons she has to help her decide what meals she’ll prepare. She swears by this method of saving $$$.

Smiles,
Auntie M.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuntieMs/
Highly Effective, Wonderfully Simple Home Management

]]> By: Raycal http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-746 Raycal Sat, 03 May 2008 11:49:19 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-746 I just went grocery shopping last night and although I was starving when I went shopping, I didn't go overboard. I bought mostly neccessities and 2 packages of meat. Everything else was veggies, fruit, salad and of course cereal and oatmeal. I didn't even buy any sodas or anything and my grocery bill was $200.00. I looked at my cart like what did I get? We made spaghetti for dinner. I bought whole wheat pasta and it was very good. I usually spend $200.00 when I got to BJ's Wholesale but this was Safeway. Not only can I not afford to eat out, pretty soon I'm not gonna be able to afford to buy groceries...GOODNESS! I just went grocery shopping last night and although I was starving when I went shopping, I didn’t go overboard. I bought mostly neccessities and 2 packages of meat. Everything else was veggies, fruit, salad and of course cereal and oatmeal.

I didn’t even buy any sodas or anything and my grocery bill was $200.00. I looked at my cart like what did I get?

We made spaghetti for dinner. I bought whole wheat pasta and it was very good. I usually spend $200.00 when I got to BJ’s Wholesale but this was Safeway. Not only can I not afford to eat out, pretty soon I’m not gonna be able to afford to buy groceries…GOODNESS!

]]> By: velvet jones http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-736 velvet jones Thu, 01 May 2008 21:05:21 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-736 A couple things I do: 1. Lots of dried black beans. Yeah, it takes a while to cook them, but you control the sodium and they taste better. Plus black beans have a ridiculous amount of nutrition...and cheap! 2. Portion control. If you pay attention the nutritional information of the side of the box, can, etc., it will reveal that you were probably eating the whole thing when it was truly 4 servings! I started measuring out my portions. When I cook in batches, I actually measure out the proper portion of food in individual containers and freeze them. I have a bag of granola at my desk at work. I keep a 1/2 cup measuring cup in the bag to remind me to only eat one serving with my yogurt in the morning. This step has helped my groceries last longer. <em>velvet jones's last blog post..<a href='http://abouttreefiddy.blogspot.com/2008/04/updates.html'>Updates!</a></em> A couple things I do:

1. Lots of dried black beans. Yeah, it takes a while to cook them, but you control the sodium and they taste better. Plus black beans have a ridiculous amount of nutrition…and cheap!

2. Portion control. If you pay attention the nutritional information of the side of the box, can, etc., it will reveal that you were probably eating the whole thing when it was truly 4 servings! I started measuring out my portions. When I cook in batches, I actually measure out the proper portion of food in individual containers and freeze them. I have a bag of granola at my desk at work. I keep a 1/2 cup measuring cup in the bag to remind me to only eat one serving with my yogurt in the morning. This step has helped my groceries last longer.

velvet jones’s last blog post..Updates!

]]> By: Trent Hamm http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-734 Trent Hamm Thu, 01 May 2008 12:58:07 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-734 I like making my own oatmeal packets. A bit of oatmeal, a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt, a bit of powdered milk, and whatever flavorings I want. I make about 100 baggies at a time and save them in the big Quaker Oats container. <em>Trent Hamm's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thesimpledollar/~3/281007007/'>A Portfolio of Credit Cards for Specific Purchases?</a></em> I like making my own oatmeal packets. A bit of oatmeal, a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt, a bit of powdered milk, and whatever flavorings I want. I make about 100 baggies at a time and save them in the big Quaker Oats container.

Trent Hamm’s last blog post..A Portfolio of Credit Cards for Specific Purchases?

]]> By: Austin Chu http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-731 Austin Chu Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:47:28 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-731 The best oatmeal is Coach's oatmeal, and they sell that at Costco. It's so cheap. Steal cut oats the best. I like to add Bolthouse Farms protein vanilla chai soymilk. It's amazing, add some bananas, mmm, so tasty. <em>Austin Chu's last blog post..<a href='http://www.savvywallet.com/?p=44'>We need more than just lunch money!</a></em> The best oatmeal is Coach’s oatmeal, and they sell that at Costco. It’s so cheap. Steal cut oats the best. I like to add Bolthouse Farms protein vanilla chai soymilk. It’s amazing, add some bananas, mmm, so tasty.

Austin Chu’s last blog post..We need more than just lunch money!

]]> By: Future Millionaire http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-728 Future Millionaire Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:06:21 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-728 Thanks for the grocery shopping tips. Saturday I went to the grocery store and spend about $75 and I can't even figure out what I spent it all on. I want to second your advice about oatmeal for breakfast - not only is dry oatmeal cheaper than dry cereal you also save money on not needing to use milk on the cereal. <em>Future Millionaire's last blog post..<a href='http://savingsavy.blogspot.com/2008/04/monthly-net-worth-update-may-2008.html'>Monthly Net Worth Update -- May 2008</a></em> Thanks for the grocery shopping tips. Saturday I went to the grocery store and spend about $75 and I can’t even figure out what I spent it all on.

I want to second your advice about oatmeal for breakfast - not only is dry oatmeal cheaper than dry cereal you also save money on not needing to use milk on the cereal.

Future Millionaire’s last blog post..Monthly Net Worth Update — May 2008

]]> By: grocery » Blog Archive » Stretching Your Food Budget During Hard Times http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-723 grocery » Blog Archive » Stretching Your Food Budget During Hard Times Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:23:24 +0000 http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2008/04/stretching-your-food-budget-during-hard-times/#comment-723 [...] Nelson News wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptGrocery stores are designed in a way to get the shopper to spend more money – that’s how they stay in business. Keep that concept in mind when you do your grocery shopping. Here are some tips to help you keep more money in your wallet … [...] [...] Nelson News wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptGrocery stores are designed in a way to get the shopper to spend more money – that’s how they stay in business. Keep that concept in mind when you do your grocery shopping. Here are some tips to help you keep more money in your wallet … [...]

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