# Groceries going through the roof!



## Twobottom (Sep 29, 2013)

I really don't know how people can afford to shop for an entire household with children. We just got back from Walmart , we bought some fruit, cheese, flour, pasta, laundry soap, a pack of t-shirts, a small wooden crate, coffee, a few canned items, cereal, bread, onions, garlic, some toiletries and some nuts....total bill $171 dollars!!

No meat, no high end items, just staples for two people!! And we get alot of our food off the farm. I can't imagine not having a farm and having to buy all our needs at the store, not to mention if we had kids!

I was recently watching some financial guys talking about how credit card balances were up, but retail sales were down...and how can that be? I think I know now. People are charging food and gas because they can't afford to live without going into debt. How long can this continue? Average salaries have not gone up in the last twenty years but the price of everything else has.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

$171 for that??? Must have been a lot of fruit, cheese and coffee.
I use to spend about $120+ ( after I started homesteading, $240+ a week before) a week at Walmart. Started shopping at Aldi for groceries, now I spend close to $200 a month.
When you shop for groceries at a grocery store, you buy groceries, when you shop at Walmart you end up buying many other things.
I still stop at Walmart or Meijer once a month or so for laundry detergent, dish soap, cleaning supplies, etc.


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## sand flea (Sep 1, 2013)

In our area, Walmart is NOT the cheapest grocery outlet. That said, I've noticed our grocery bill has gone up 50%. So now, when I see a good sale, I'm adding some extra canned goods dated 2016. This helps add to the long term storage, and gives us extra of things we eat all the time.

Garden's doing pretty good too.


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## unregistered358895 (Jul 15, 2013)

I have been combining coupons and sales, and buying in bulk. I've almost stopped purchasing pre-made anything (foods, soaps, cleaners, detergents) and just buy ingredients from the bulk bins.

The last three weeks, our household of 4 has had a grocery bill of around $60 and my pantry stockpile keeps growing. Couponing and bulk buying isn't for everyone, but I'm very thankful I have finally figured out this shopping technique.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Twobottom said:


> I really don't know how people can afford to shop for an entire household with children. We just got back from Walmart , we bought some fruit, cheese, flour, pasta, laundry soap, a pack of t-shirts, a small wooden crate, coffee, a few canned items, cereal, bread, onions, garlic, some toiletries and some nuts....total bill $171 dollars!!
> 
> No meat, no high end items, just staples for two people!! And we get alot of our food off the farm. I can't imagine not having a farm and having to buy all our needs at the store, not to mention if we had kids!
> 
> I was recently watching some financial guys talking about how credit card balances were up, but retail sales were down...and how can that be? I think I know now. People are charging food and gas because they can't afford to live without going into debt. How long can this continue? Average salaries have not gone up in the last twenty years but the price of everything else has.


I feel for ya!! And I understand what it feels like, the sticker shock at the cash register, the feeling that you paid an awful lot for so very little.

I remember as a kid, mom going to the store once a week to shop for a family of 5. She had $40. And that bought pretty much a full buggy full of groceries and the typical toiletries and extras a household needs. Anymore, if you get more than what you can carry in one hand, you're probably not gonna get away with $40.

It is sad.

We do sometimes charge groceries on a credit card but not too often. Our credit card gets used kinda like our debit card would but usually in places I don't really feel comfortable using the debit card. The credit card gets paid off every month. It's a substitute for cash and gets used that way. It also gets used when we buy something online, which is usually being bought online because it's way cheaper than anything I can find locally if it's available at all locally. Some stuff just isn't. 

All the more reason to plan out that garden space to provide what you eat, at least as much as possible. Our garden is finally coming around to the point where we're eating quite a lot out of it. Sure helps. Walmart and other grocery stores are being used to fill in what we don't grow. It's hard not to buy some ice cream when we have fresh fruit coming in. And we still need our TP and like to have paper towels on hand. 

Bread, I started making myself. It's a lot of work but soooooooo worth it. (And for that, I bought two large bags of organic wheat berries, I grind my own flour.) Have been making my own laundry detergent for years. (It's quite cheap!) Things like pasta and dried beans, we buy in bulk. I'd like to try making my own pasta sometime but haven't gotten there yet. 

Fruit, we've been hitting up the local u-pick type places. They're pretty abundant in Lancaster County, PA. But fruit is EXPENSIVE!, even when we pick it ourselves. We do eat some (with Turkey Hill all natural ice cream as an indulgence) and put some in the freezer. Every time we go pick fruit, though, I tell myself, I NEED to be planting some fruit trees!

Anyway, I'm rattling on. But I feel for ya. Been there, done that, will likely be there again before too much longer. (sigh)

Hang in there!


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## bigjon (Oct 2, 2013)

probly go higher!local grocery chain-$1.79 a lb for yellow squash!i sell 2 for a buck at the stand.....waiting on cukes.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Thank goodness for the salvage grocer's and for Aldi's.
Aldi's has changed everything!
I pay an Nth of the price for things that are of higher quality.

And here Walmart is about the highest price you can pay for groceries.
I don't know how people can do it.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

you aint seen nothing yet.

as a whole overall average....the produce my garden produces is worth a dollar a pound plus as there is very little here under a $1/#.the things i buy never,ever have a coupon.

zukes/yellow squash are over buck a pound...are you kidding me...:shocked:


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## Tabitha (Apr 10, 2006)

I have not been in a regular Grocery store in years. And even back then I wondered how people can afford to eat. Stuffed peppers are a luxury...

We planted a lot of fruit trees and bushes and it has been nothing but a pain in the kazoo and a disappointment. Not to speak of the expense of fruit trees. 
We buy apples at an orchard, Arkansas black keep all winter, they were around 40 cents a pound and we ate the last in May. Just as the strawberries came in. 
A garden is so worth it. So are a couple of goats and a few chickens.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

small experimental back to eden garden....this is 3rd year.








deer and zukes....one from garden other my forest.




you can do it.....if its only a squash plant in a flower pot or 100's of acres of wheat...i got faith in ya to do all ya are able to do.!....we all can !!


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Looking good elkhound.:thumb:

I've recently learned about root pouches and the BTE garden style. Until I can get the wood chips to make the BTE garden I'll be growing my garden in the pouches. I currently have 50 of them and have just started planting them. A lot of stuff will be grown inside under grow lights this winter. Corn will be grown in a kiddie pool.  Right now I have tobacco growing in a root pouch and it's doing great. Potatoes are growing in walmart bags. 

Nowadays you have to grow everything you can, any way you can make it grow.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

Our blackberries have put on an abundance and should have a fall crop as well. My dsis and I have been pickling the last few weeks as we can grow cucumbers. Her tomatoes are putting on so she wants to try her hand at canning them for the winter. It's going to be cool next week so there will more canning going on. I can't grow zucchini at all, I haven't for the last few years but the green beans are ready to be picked. 

I do a big shop for 3 months at a time, then as things go on sale I buy as much as I can. Our bill isn't huge but there have been many things left off when I have to do any fill in or we want something special.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Walmart groceries are expensive. When they opened a new one near here I checked them out a couple times but I can buy stuff at Kroger's or Aldi's much cheaper.

But then I buy on sale items to stock my pantry. Very little of what I buy is not on sale or store brands.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

They ar through the roof. We try to grow and raise most of our food but once a month we go to a store called sharp shoppers. Its a poor mans costco. We spend about 200-250 once a month and get 600 worth of grocery store food. Mainly bulk stuff like rice, oats, flours, suger ect..then we get all our pastas and cereals and canned goods that we just like to always stock up on. Its a great place that originaly was made to cater to the Amish in PA but is now in Va right down the road. So its alot of bulk stuff and good stuff. We save so much money there it isnt even funny. And they carry gluten free stuff which we have to have for our daughter who has celiacs. But the more frugal I get and the more our farm and garden grows, I still complain about spending 200 for a months groceries.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

I've seen our grocery bill double also for two people. We do not eat extravagant, no luxury foods. I stock up when I can and usually keep a years supply of canned goods on hand. When I shop I look for the reduced for quick sale at the meat counter and have picked up peanut butter for 99 cents a jar out of the discount bin. Some folks cringe at that idea but I had a butcher once tell me that was the best meat on the counter as it had aged a little more and was still good if you froze it right away once you got it home. 

I was talking to the store manager one day at the local C&R and mentioned that the meat prices were ridiculous and I understood that it wasn't his fault but what were people going to do? He agreed with me and said that the word down the pipe is that pork prices were set to drop in 6 months but it would be a year before any beef prices dropped and that depended on the weather.

Two weeks ago I was at the local Hyvee and went looking for a package of bagels or English muffins for breakfast. What I saw was that the prices had doubled from 1.89 to over 4$ for the bagels and 3$ for the muffins. I walked away without purchasing either. I hate being in my 60s and denying myself something that we enjoy eating. Life is too short.

Now that we are retired I seem to be even more self conscious about what I buy and how much I am willing to pay for it. I'm also glad that my garden is producing a bumper crop of squash and egg plant that I can us to stretch hamburger in casseroles and soups. With fall coming up and with it the deer season I told my husband that we had to expand our hunting now that we had the time and push for two deer for the freezer along with rabbit. I also suggested that if the meat prices do not stabilize we probably should consider buying a couple of calves next spring and running them in our pasture along with a couple of milk goats. 

The sad thing is that I can only see it getting worse.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

i buy from my local amish store alot.what few items i buy as my list gets smaller and smaller of items i want/need/crave(lol).


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

With working 52 hrs a week, Planting a garden was not an option this year. But I did plant 2 tomato, 1 cucumber and a pepper plant in pots. So it's better then nothing. DH got a Buffalo a few weeks ago, so we are set with 450 lbs of it. I only buy chicken and pork when on sale. I also stock up on other things we use when on sale. I go every two weeks and it just amazes me how much the prices keep going up and how fast. We don't even have credit cards. We have always believed if we can't pay cash then we can't buy it. Excluding the house and our cars. Cars are paid off and house will be in about 4 yrs.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

elkhound said:


> i buy from my local amish store alot.what few items i buy as my list gets smaller and smaller of items i want/need/crave(lol).


I agree. I don't know what we would do without our local Amish store. Bulk flour, sugar, potatoes at bargain prices. I bought most of my garden seeds there along with my sweep potato plants from 'Mary' along with a lot of household items that they sell for off grid living.

We even have an Amish ran 'dent and bent' store that is a hoot to shop at. Lots of 'mystery' cans without labels etc. We stop in sometimes just for entertainment.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Merks said:


> With working 52 hrs a week, Planting a garden was not an option this year. But I did plant 2 tomato, 1 cucumber and a pepper plant in pots. So it's better then nothing. DH got a Buffalo a few weeks ago, so we are set with 450 lbs of it. I only buy chicken and pork when on sale. I also stock up on other things we use when on sale. I go every two weeks and it just amazes me how much the prices keep going up and how fast. We don't even have credit cards. We have always believed if we can't pay cash then we can't buy it. Excluding the house and our cars. Cars are paid off and house will be in about 4 yrs.


I can sympathize with you, Merks. It's really hard to garden and be self sufficient when you work full time. I tried it. It doesn't work. Anything you can raise on your own is that much more you have, tho. Even two tomato plants. Do you have a dehydrator? Mine was one of the best buys I ever made. No time to can, but boy I could slice up those extra tomatoes and toss them in the dehydrator in record time. Once dried, I store them in a freezer bag or coffee can and put them in the fridge. Can you grow squash? They also dehydrate great. 

Don't fret. Some day you will be retired and like me, be up to your ears in extra produce and wondering what you are going to do with it.:help:


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I have a pantry, and I try to stock it with food bought on sale as muh as possible. I also garden.

Even so I now figure on spending $100 a week to feed 3. We LIKE to eat well, with tea and oranges and other things we cannot produce ourselves!

10 years ago I spent $100 per week to feed 5 people: now I spend that much to feed 3. Then again 40 years ago I bought candy bars for 25 cents and they now cost $1 plus! It is just the usual inflation!


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Our local Mennonite store is a budget saver. In the three years I've been retired I've gone from having spare money to having to really budget which is frustrating as no one can say I've ever been anything but frugal. If the price isn't up the size of the container has shrunk.

This month I decided to not grocery shop at all and eat from preps and the garden and so far I've spent $7.74--some ice cream for Pa and 2-dollar bags of marked down peppers; 9 big peppers in the marked down bin. My frig looks bare but no one has been complaining about the chow. High time I dug to the bottom of our huge chest freezer anyhow. Know we won't be putting a whole beef in there with a quote from our local packing plant of $850-1000 for a HALF beef. Learning to love eggs in many ways and veggie tacos are making frequent appearance on the dinner plate.

I can't imagine how anyone with a family is making it if they depend on the grocery stores for everything. Although I do see a lot of soda and processed foods in most shoppers buggies even basic groceries are crazy.We make everything from scratch...yes, even English muffins, burger buns, crackers. You can find a recipe for anything on Pintrest! Do buy laundry detergent as our water does not work with homemade. Vinegar/Dawn/water in a spray bottle cleans anything...just cleaned up years of uck on a bathroom faucet I was wanting to replace. 

Tightwad Tips is the place to go for budget stretching.....


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## Lazydaisy67 (Jan 28, 2008)

There's no Aldi's or Amish dent stores anywhere close to me...:sob:
I have 4 kids who eat like velosiraptors in the summer and keeping them satisfied while maintaining a reasonable food budget is a HUGE undertaking. I will scan the ads for good sales on meat mostly and in some cases will drive a little out of my way if it's a really good deal. I try to buy up as much meat on sale as possible and then can most of it. I've had many many meatless suppers, much to my husbands dismay, but we just can't sit down to a roast anymore. The only red meat we can afford is hamburger when it's on sale and I've had to go down from 1 pound to 1/2 a pound in meals like spaghetti and tacos. I try to fill in with something like refried beans to make them think they're getting more meat out of the deal. The most expensive thing I buy other than meat is cereal. I'm going to have to cut that out as well, I think. The kids are going to have withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it anymore, but it's just gotta go. They hate oatmeal, so I guess it's going to have to be eggs and toast or something. 
The food budget isn't getting any bigger, so that means the amount in the cart is getting smaller and smaller. Scares me because the WORST thing I can imagine in my life is watching my children starve to death.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Lazydaisy, your post brought a tear to my eye. If you were close by I would be hauling surplus produce to you today.

Any way you can add chopped fruit, nuts and a little brown sugar to oat meal to coax your kids into if not liking it, at least tolerating it? We enjoyed a hot 7 grain cereal this morning that I do buy at the Amish bulk store. The price is so reasonable. I think I paid 3 dollars for 5 pounds of the stuff and it lasts us a couple of months if not more. I too dislike plain oatmeal, but with a little honey or brown sugar and cinnamon, it's quite tasty. DH likes it with raisins or chopped dried fruit on it. I've been know to even chop up an apple and sprinkle it on top or a little banana. 

I'm keeping you in my prayers. Hang in there.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

LazyDaisy, I grew up LOATHING oatmeal because it was slimy and gross!

I did not know how to cook it in a manner that I liked. Now that I do it is actually TASTY!

To change the texture, add a LOT more water and do not cook it to death. Ideally it should be cooked so that the flakes are not separate but stop cooking it BEFORE it has a texture like library paste!

To improve the flavor add dried fruit, and/or sugar or brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and possibly stir in a bit of milk when it is done.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Lazydaisy67 said:


> There's no Aldi's or Amish dent stores anywhere close to me...:sob:
> I have 4 kids who eat like velosiraptors in the summer and keeping them satisfied while maintaining a reasonable food budget is a HUGE undertaking. I will scan the ads for good sales on meat mostly and in some cases will drive a little out of my way if it's a really good deal. I try to buy up as much meat on sale as possible and then can most of it. I've had many many meatless suppers, much to my husbands dismay, but we just can't sit down to a roast anymore. The only red meat we can afford is hamburger when it's on sale and I've had to go down from 1 pound to 1/2 a pound in meals like spaghetti and tacos. I try to fill in with something like refried beans to make them think they're getting more meat out of the deal. The most expensive thing I buy other than meat is cereal. I'm going to have to cut that out as well, I think. The kids are going to have withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it anymore, but it's just gotta go. They hate oatmeal, so I guess it's going to have to be eggs and toast or something.
> The food budget isn't getting any bigger, so that means the amount in the cart is getting smaller and smaller. Scares me because the WORST thing I can imagine in my life is watching my children starve to death.


I hate to ask if you don't wanna tell- but where are you located? Alot of people are on here- but- alot of them might know of cheap places to buy- or gleen fruit ? 

I spend alot of my time prepping veggies from our workshare and our garden and looking for fruit to gleen- and take anything anyone offers me- the word is out too- that I will take it- I come into work and at least 4 times a month if not more - there are clothes someone doesn't want or food someone didn't like- on my desk!

I return the favor by giving jams or salsas to my coworkers....
and I have a friend that is learning all the growing food thing- and makes almost everything from scratch- I give lots of the extras I get to her-


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Lazydaisy67 said:


> There's no Aldi's or Amish dent stores anywhere close to me...:sob:
> I have 4 kids who eat like velosiraptors in the summer and keeping them satisfied while maintaining a reasonable food budget is a HUGE undertaking. I will scan the ads for good sales on meat mostly and in some cases will drive a little out of my way if it's a really good deal. I try to buy up as much meat on sale as possible and then can most of it. I've had many many meatless suppers, much to my husbands dismay, but we just can't sit down to a roast anymore. The only red meat we can afford is hamburger when it's on sale and I've had to go down from 1 pound to 1/2 a pound in meals like spaghetti and tacos. I try to fill in with something like refried beans to make them think they're getting more meat out of the deal. The most expensive thing I buy other than meat is cereal. I'm going to have to cut that out as well, I think. The kids are going to have withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it anymore, but it's just gotta go. They hate oatmeal, so I guess it's going to have to be eggs and toast or something.
> The food budget isn't getting any bigger, so that means the amount in the cart is getting smaller and smaller. Scares me because the WORST thing I can imagine in my life is watching my children starve to death.


My kids dont "love" plain oatmeal either.....but a little syrup and brown sugar....or even the flavored instant and boy will they get on it. That said....*In my house if you want to be fussy ---get used to being hungry or go buy your own*.Make some homemade granola also good for breakfast. I do make batches of pancakes and french toast and pop it in the fridge for them to grab. The local food pantry throws out bread with any mold in the pkg. I get it for the animals....BUT one or two slices of moldy bread does not mean the animals get all of it....close inspection gets me a double batch of bread pudding using our own eggs and milk! 
The top of the packaged garlic bread molds first so I save the bottoms for the table!

And another point of contention for me is the "food pyramid". The 5 fruits and veg a day thing. We grow our own veg but mostly seasonal berries and apples...so to be more budget friendly we eat more veg than fruit....vit c is vit c does it matter if it is from green pepper or an orange? I can grow (and freeze) peppers but oranges are pricey. Many generations of man got by without subscribing to a "set" diet....they ate what they could get by their own two hands....
And those blackened bananas I get for the animals....I mash one up for the boxed strawberry cake mix....dessert for the week.

As for meat....we grow most of our own....but I used to buy London broil on sale for stew meat, ground beef and even "pot roast" by tying a few together. Deer hunting also got us through the winter on a few lean years.

A dairy animal (cow/goat) will give you a substantial source of "protein"...cheese, yogurt, milk. My kids love "pudding pops" made with goat milk and box pudding.....cooked curds (vinegar cheese) is a decent meat stretcher...similar to tofu.

Oh the kids *will* have withdrawals....but a little less commercial stuff will actually be better for them....and having money to keep them in a safe, warm home is way more important than Cap'n Crunch.


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## badlander (Jun 7, 2009)

Terri said:


> LazyDaisy, I grew up LOATHING oatmeal because it was slimy and gross!
> 
> I did not know how to cook it in a manner that I liked. Now that I do it is actually TASTY!
> 
> ...



Same with me, Terri. I learned to cook it by experimentation to get it the way I like it. The 7 grain that we like has a nutty flavor to it that over cooking destroys. I usually like to nuke mine in the microwave by just barely covering the uncooked cereal with water and microwaving it for two minutes or just to the point that the water is absorbed. Like you said, the grain is soft and flaky not a wall paper paste glob. Timing is important to get it palatable. I saw on TV once where they recommended adding a lot of water and cooking it to death to make it fluff up and look like more so you wouldn't eat as much. I shuddered at the thought.


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

Lazydaisy67 said:


> There's no Aldi's or Amish dent stores anywhere close to me...:sob:
> I have 4 kids who eat like velosiraptors in the summer and keeping them satisfied while maintaining a reasonable food budget is a HUGE undertaking. I will scan the ads for good sales on meat mostly and in some cases will drive a little out of my way if it's a really good deal. I try to buy up as much meat on sale as possible and then can most of it. I've had many many meatless suppers, much to my husbands dismay, but we just can't sit down to a roast anymore. The only red meat we can afford is hamburger when it's on sale and I've had to go down from 1 pound to 1/2 a pound in meals like spaghetti and tacos. I try to fill in with something like refried beans to make them think they're getting more meat out of the deal. The most expensive thing I buy other than meat is cereal. I'm going to have to cut that out as well, I think. The kids are going to have withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it anymore, but it's just gotta go. They hate oatmeal, so I guess it's going to have to be eggs and toast or something.
> The food budget isn't getting any bigger, so that means the amount in the cart is getting smaller and smaller. Scares me because the WORST thing I can imagine in my life is watching my children starve to death.


I feel your pain!! We are fortunate to live on a farm, but I hear ya about the price of cold cereals! I have a recipe for a really cheap, easy, tasty granola that my kids love to eat with milk like cereal, or in yogurt when we have it in the house.

I also have gotten my kids to eat oatmeal by letting them sprinkle a few choc chips in it when its still hot, that choc gets all melty and mixed in, and they love it. I also have a recipe for homemade Hersheys syrup that we use when I don't have any choc chips in the house.

The 3rd thing I was going to mention is homemade instant oatmeal is really cheap to make, way cheaper than the packets from the store. Its not that hard either. I keep it in an empty ice cream bucket and store the measuring cup right in there with it, all the kids need to do is scoop it and add 1 cup of water and microwave 1 min. Done! If your interested I can share that recipe too.


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2014)

I had a real eye opener today in a grocery store where I didnt go into to shop for anything in particular...just wasting time while my MIL was visiting my FIL in a Nursing Home that he was just put into last week..anyway,I had the time to just browse (I only go to the grocery store for the loss leaders or a really good bargain..I get what is on my list period.. unless I see a really good clearenced item) and holy smokes the prices are crazy! If I didnt bargain shop,buy everything on sale,make foods from scratch my family wouldnt have any money leftover for the month..everything looked to be doubled the price from a few years ago..Im so glad that I learned to how to pressure can meat,dehydrate,water bath can,make food from scratch..I felt good when I left that store knowing that Im ahead of the game with my knowledge of preserving,stockpiling,buying in bulk when a really sale comes around and all the canned meat I have been canning for the past 3-yrs etc...so many people who cant afford food dont know how to or take the time to try to learn to make their food from scratch to help save them some money..I tried to teach people at my old job what I do to stretch our money..no one was interested or said they couldnt be bothered with shopping sales abd combining coupons ( when coupons were really good) those same people are realty struggling now..BTW..I was never taught by anyone I learned it by myself and the help of the computer of coarse..Plus I worked 3-jobs so no reason is good enough for me when someone saids well I work blah blah blah! You do what you have to do is the way I look at it..jmho..

I also grow a garden,fruit orchard,berry bushes,herb garden,mint garden,strawberry patch,asparagus patch..I know not everyone has land to grow what I grow ( We dont own much land either) but you can grow foods in pots,Walmart type grocery bags or grow bags even..every little thing helps your food budget..


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

About the cereal... can you look for when it is on loss leader sale prices? I got loaded up for my youngest when it was on sale 1.67 a box.. for the sugary crap he loves.. he gets it once or twice a week... so it is a treat not something he expects.. it was a sale you could only get 5 boxes a trip.. I ended up getting like 15 boxes ....
I alternate bananna bread, eggs, homemade pancakes and believe it or not.. hot buttered rice...! My boys love rice with a pat of butter and sprinkle of salt for breakfast!


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

If you have an Ollie's, they have huge boxes of Cheerios for $2.79.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

I guess we are pretty lucky. We have an ollies, Alldies, save alot and sharp shoppers all within 45 minutes. We mainly use sharp shoppers and save alot when we have to. But I also like to use Martins once in a while to get gas savings. Ive saved as much as 50 cents a gallon. We jus gas up the vehicles and it helps alot when you drive a huge conversion van and suburban. And hopefully today a crewcab chevy. lol


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

badlander said:


> I can sympathize with you, Merks. It's really hard to garden and be self sufficient when you work full time. I tried it. It doesn't work. Anything you can raise on your own is that much more you have, tho. Even two tomato plants. Do you have a dehydrator? Mine was one of the best buys I ever made. No time to can, but boy I could slice up those extra tomatoes and toss them in the dehydrator in record time. Once dried, I store them in a freezer bag or coffee can and put them in the fridge. Can you grow squash? They also dehydrate great.
> 
> Don't fret. Some day you will be retired and like me, be up to your ears in extra produce and wondering what you are going to do with it.:help:


I have a dehydrator and everything needed for canning. Like you said canning takes time which I don't have much of, but dehydrating is pretty easy and quick to get going. What do you use the dehydrated tomatoes for? I learned to freeze them whole and that works great for soups and stews. I plan to try and make the time to can up some meals this winter so I have more easy things to cook on the days I work till dinner time.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Lazydaisy, Have you ever tried baked oatmeal? None of the 5 of us likes oatmeal cooked, but oh my, baked is soooo good! There's many recipes for it, but I suggest cutting back on the sugar(I cut it in 1/2). You can also add fruit to it(I like peaches) and even "bake" it in the slow cooker.

When roast got too pricey for what I wanted to pay, I switched to ham and pork loin. I've found that I can always get them less than $2# and can stretch them over many meals. The kids know that every time they have ham they're going to be having beans within a couple of days.  Good thing we all like beans!

Doing a quick google search, it looks like there is quite a few recipes for different types of cereal. Maybe you can try some of them to replace the store bought. We don't eat much because of the cost per pound, but I might have to try some of the home made ones, they look pretty good.


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## Guest (Jul 15, 2014)

Merks~I believe the dried tomatoes can be made into a powder to make your own sauce or a thickener for soups or whatever other ideas you can come up with..


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

4 dollar gas is the new normal. So are the grocery prices. 

These will soon be the "good old days"


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

margoC said:


> 4 dollar gas is the new normal. So are the grocery prices.
> 
> These will soon be the "good old days"


That's where Western part of va is lucky. We have close to the lowest gas prices in the country many times. Right now it's about 2.95 to 3.29 depending on the station and town. Lowest in the nation right now is 2.86 in Missouri. All hurts though. Lol


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Laizydaysie67,now I realize prices have gone up and will be going up even more.Not knowing what state you live in ,small town or big city etc.I would think you can still feed your children and husband at a reasonable budget.Eggs are a great protein and very reasonable and can be served in many meals . Beans ,rice, pastas flavored with small amounts of different meat.Lots of vegetables either home grown or bartered with friends.Mainly eat what is growing in season.I am not much for package food ,but cake mixes for one dollar doctored up wit a bit of fruit or just a light glaze instead of frosting should satisfy their sweet tooth.There are many ways to stretch things.
If things are really bad and if you qualify for visits to the food pantry,that would help.Now where we live we even have a back pack program for children to keep them fed during the school year over the weekends.This is run through our food pantry I work at.
besides our regular FP, there is a mobile one every body can go and get food.
Maybe you can find an older person who lived during the Depression and get some hints on how they fed their families.I love to read about how they made it.


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

If you have a freecycle that serves your area, post that you'll take peoples extra garden produce and fruit. Most people that live in town who have fruit trees don't seem to use all of it and it just falls in their yard. If someone tells you to come and get it, take your kids with you and clear it all for them. Take a couple of extra trash bags to put the fruit in that has fallen in their yard, you can sort through it later to pick out what's still usable. Take a smallish handsaw so that if you accidentally break a branch, you can trim it off. If you leave it looking nice for them, they may let you come back next year, too. 

I think most freecycles don't want you to ask for something unless you offer something, too. It could be anything you don't need, some old clothes your kids have outgrown, paperback books, house dÃ©cor that you're sick of, whatever.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

elkhound said:


> you aint seen nothing yet.
> 
> as a whole overall average....the produce my garden produces is worth a dollar a pound plus as there is very little here under a $1/#.the things i buy never,ever have a coupon.
> 
> zukes/yellow squash are over buck a pound...are you kidding me...:shocked:





The fancy hardware store down the street is selling yellow squash and zucchini for $2.50 a pound ! I about swallowed my tongue !!!!


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## MoCat (Nov 7, 2012)

TerriLynn said:


> I feel your pain!! We are fortunate to live on a farm, but I hear ya about the price of cold cereals! I have a recipe for a really cheap, easy, tasty granola that my kids love to eat with milk like cereal, or in yogurt when we have it in the house.
> 
> I also have gotten my kids to eat oatmeal by letting them sprinkle a few choc chips in it when its still hot, that choc gets all melty and mixed in, and they love it. I also have a recipe for homemade Hersheys syrup that we use when I don't have any choc chips in the house.
> 
> The 3rd thing I was going to mention is homemade instant oatmeal is really cheap to make, way cheaper than the packets from the store. Its not that hard either. I keep it in an empty ice cream bucket and store the measuring cup right in there with it, all the kids need to do is scoop it and add 1 cup of water and microwave 1 min. Done! If your interested I can share that recipe too.


Please post both the chocolate syrup and instant oatmeal recipes. tya

I make everything I can from scratch and that helps the budget a lot. Look up once a month cooking you can get some great time and money saving ideas. Buy loss leaders and in bulk and prep everything a head of time that can be. Use ground turkey instead of hamburger for tacos, spaghetti, chili...

For picky kids make breakfast burritos and freeze them for a quick and easy breakfast. Look at non traditional options for them to eat, my DS loves to have leftovers for breakfast instead of eggs, cereal, pancakes... cold pizza does not stand a chance of making it through the night in the fridge.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I avoid Wal-mart, its a trick to buy more. They opened up a Winn Co. in the city and I like there prices. 

I LOVE oatmeal!!! and toast!!


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

MoCat said:


> Please post both the chocolate syrup and instant oatmeal recipes. tya
> 
> I make everything I can from scratch and that helps the budget a lot. Look up once a month cooking you can get some great time and money saving ideas. Buy loss leaders and in bulk and prep everything a head of time that can be. Use ground turkey instead of hamburger for tacos, spaghetti, chili...
> 
> For picky kids make breakfast burritos and freeze them for a quick and easy breakfast. Look at non traditional options for them to eat, my DS loves to have leftovers for breakfast instead of eggs, cereal, pancakes... cold pizza does not stand a chance of making it through the night in the fridge.


 Instant Oatmeal

2 cups quick cooking oats--pulsed SLIGHTLY in food processor
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup dry sweetener (white or brown sugar)
1/2 cup powdered milk (dry)

Optional**

2-3 tsp cinnamon
coffee creamer (dry)

To prepare --2/3 cup instant oatmeal to 1 cup water --either add boiling water or microwave


Homemade Hershey's Syrup

1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
dash salt

Heat cocoa and water over med heat, while whisking until smooth. Add sugar and continue heating and stirring until dissolved. Bring to a full boil. Remove from heat. Store in refrigerator.


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I've started making my oatmeal in a double boiler. I use the old fashioned ones. Probably takes about 15-20 minutes and I don't have to worry about it scorching. 

I add different things to it, sometimes some berries. Flavored coffee creamer makes it really good too. Just brown sugar is good.


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

It's just DH and myself and the food budget is strict as is the type of food he allows in the house. I know that sounds harsh but when you're old the menu has to meet health needs or you're spending money on healthcare. 

I hate oatmeal but I eat it a few times a week. Just finished a cup of it and can't say I love the stuff but it's filling. I make it exactly like the box instructions tell me and use dry milk/water. It's Goldilocks approved and just right.

We don't have a garden but know everyone that does who will sell to us. It's a budgeted expense for us and worth every penny. They even give us free stuff with our purchases. Anything we don't eat fresh is put into the freezer for this winter. 

We still buy eggs local from a teen down the road that's working to save money for college. He's got a first time for him garden and his tomato plants look like small trees. Can't wait for those to come in. I think he said they're Celebrities. If so, DH is planning on buying enough to can tomato juice later this next month.

Meat is our big expense. Any beef bought locally is expensive because of the processing cost. We buy bulk from the processor about once every 3 months. The portion sizes are what saves us the most with this expense. One steak can feed the two of us through several meals. And we're not above boiling bones to make soup.

We love fresh fish and game but this is perhaps the most expensive food in our area, if you can get it. Most everyone keeps their catch now rather than sell it. I don't blame them. It's expensive to maintain fishing and hunting equipment. Many that own their land are too busy working other jobs to hunt and fish their property. 

So, the grocery is a nice place for DH to visit with friends. He goes about one day a week to "look around". If the Kroger deli has a sale on the roasting chickens then we'll be having several chicken based meals with extras going into the freezer. And the bones and skin are boiled and strained to make stock that has no added salt - important for me on a salt restricted diet due to endema.

Our food budget for 2 people in the summer months is $75 a week. In the winter months it's increased to $90 a week. We eat all meals at home unless there's a big cookout somewhere and we are invited. We don't buy convenience foods, snacks, or junk food. Typically we don't eat grain or dairy. Our main bulk of food is meat and fresh produce. We have 3 freezers that are rotated and provide most of our meals in the winter months. We also maintain a 3 month emergency food supply that is shelf stable for 5 years and pray that we never have to depend on it as our only food source. The first aid kit is stored there also and is filled with stomach remedies of all types.


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## EarthSheltered (May 9, 2008)

TerriLynn said:


> I feel your pain!! We are fortunate to live on a farm, but I hear ya about the price of cold cereals*! I have a recipe for a really cheap, easy, tasty granola that my kids love to eat with milk like cereal, or in yogurt when we have it in the house.*
> 
> I also have gotten my kids to eat oatmeal by letting them sprinkle a few choc chips in it when its still hot, that choc gets all melty and mixed in, and they love it. I also have a recipe for homemade Hersheys syrup that we use when I don't have any choc chips in the house.
> 
> The 3rd thing I was going to mention is homemade instant oatmeal is really cheap to make, way cheaper than the packets from the store. Its not that hard either. I keep it in an empty ice cream bucket and store the measuring cup right in there with it, all the kids need to do is scoop it and add 1 cup of water and microwave 1 min. Done! If your interested I can share that recipe too.


I'd like that recipe for the Granola please


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

EarthSheltered said:


> I'd like that recipe for the Granola please


You bet...glad to share!

Granola
10 cups dry oats (I use quick cooking..but the original recipe never specified)
1 cup dry milk powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon

**optional**
1 cup raisins
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix in large mixing bowl and set aside.

Cook:

2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey or corn syrup (honey will make it chewier and corn syrup will give it more crunch)
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg--beaten (omit this if you like really crunchy granola)

Side note** if you use only these liquid ingredients for the granola I have found it to be a bit dry....so I tend to stir in a couple of scoops of peanut butter, or scrape out a jelly jar, or even add a little fruit juice, before cooking. ****

Cook over low heat until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Pour over dry ingredients and mix using a pastry blender until all is well coated.

Bake using a large roaster pan (or 2 cake pans) 375* (stirring every 5 min) for 15 min. 

****optional****We like our granola a bit crunchier so I bake at 350*in a large roaster for 30 min stirring every 10 min.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

margoC said:


> 4 dollar gas is the new normal. So are the grocery prices.
> 
> These will soon be the "good old days"


And this is the unfortunate truth!! So keep buying on sale, dehydrating, canning and freezing. 

The hard part about living in the boonies is that the best priced grocery store is an hour from here. I had to go to town a few weeks ago, their whole chickens were on sale for .99 a lb, haven't seen that in a long time! Large jars of peanut butter were $3 less than our closest grocery store. But it's still not worth the gas and time unless we have medical appt's or some other important reason to go.

Our gas is now a little over $4


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

A couple days ago at our nearby Safeway, I was chatting with a cashier/ asst manager who I've noticed for some time also poring over their various markdown bins for her family purchases. Bacon at 75% off? Question is just which one of us would spot that tagging first, lol. But this time as I bought maybe one item, I grumbled to her that she should note that lately I've not even been bothering to pick up a handbasket as I come in since I've found there's so little on sale that I think is worth getting, and not that Safeway isn't still better for "manager's markdowns" than competing stores in the area. Other than occasional things DW insists I buy somewhere, I pretty much scope out the serious loss-leader items, usually only a very few each week per store, do serious stocking-up on them for freezing, dehydrating, or shelving in the case of canned goods, and just walk past everything else. A couple chains have had cherries at $1/lb the last two weeks, for example, and there are now some 30 pounds of those I've pitted out residing in our freezers for future smoothie ingredients, oatmeal, etc. Another thing I find getting me more annoyed lately is the way all the chains (Safeway does seem especially bad about it) have taken to sticking identical sales tagging all up and down their shelves with the vast majority of it being for prices that are only 5% or so lower than what I consider their outrageous "standard" full retail tabs. There are occasional "real sales" on the shelves at 50% off or so but if you haven't pored over the newspaper or online listings and noted those, they're getting impossible to spot amongst the clutter of "supposed sale" price tagging up one aisle then down the next. I'm finding the effect on me is to intensify my already robust buyer's resistance and cause my vision to unfocus from all such tagging as just propaganda aimed at shopping sheeple.

I do also find just the last couple of months that I've been pulling myself up and deciding not to drive somewhere for a couple of known sale items unless a major combo trip after a quick mental calculation of gas costs, time needed, versus using something else already in stock. One of the smartest things we've done as of a couple years ago was to buy a second smallish chest freezer for $75 on Craigslist; it gives a lot of extra flexibility to pick up extra of loss leader items, particularly combined with using our FoodSaver bulk bag rolls.


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## SpaceCadet12364 (Apr 27, 2003)

Becka03 said:


> About the cereal... can you look for when it is on loss leader sale prices? I got loaded up for my youngest when it was on sale 1.67 a box.. for the sugary crap he loves.. he gets it once or twice a week... so it is a treat not something he expects.. it was a sale you could only get 5 boxes a trip.. I ended up getting like 15 boxes ....
> I alternate bananna bread, eggs, homemade pancakes and believe it or not.. hot buttered rice...! My boys love rice with a pat of butter and sprinkle of salt for breakfast!



Becka, have you ever taken leftover rice and put some shredded cheese, then heat it up? If you prefer a little spice, sprinkle on some chili pepper or cayenne. Mmmmmm.......


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

badlander said:


> I've seen our grocery bill double also for two people. We do not eat extravagant, no luxury foods. I stock up when I can and usually keep a years supply of canned goods on hand. When I shop I look for the reduced for quick sale at the meat counter and have picked up peanut butter for 99 cents a jar out of the discount bin. Some folks cringe at that idea but I had a butcher once tell me that was the best meat on the counter as it had aged a little more and was still good if you froze it right away once you got it home.
> 
> I was talking to the store manager one day at the local C&R and mentioned that the meat prices were ridiculous and I understood that it wasn't his fault but what were people going to do? He agreed with me and said that the word down the pipe is that pork prices were set to drop in 6 months but it would be a year before any beef prices dropped and that depended on the weather.
> 
> ...


Why don't you make bagels and english muffins? It is fairly easy to do and probably will taste better than store bought.

I quit buying processed food, and only shop on the outside of the store - fruit, veggies, meat, milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, and then one trip down the flour aisle for flour and sugar. We rarely eat anything processed anymore. A treat is cashews or peanuts and sometimes we make ice cream. Both of us have lost weight, and my blood pressure is way down due to diet change and exercise. Don't need a lot of processed stuff anyway, better for me to not have it in the house!


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Prices are not as bad as they were in the late 1980s/ early 1990s for me. I am weathering them now very much as I did then.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

I got a bunch of good stuff yesterday at the Italian deli that is going out of business at the end of the month. All frozen and grocery items are 50% off. I got sea salt, dried herbs, canned beans, dried dated and figs, olive oil in a tin can, frozen fully cooked sausage & peppers in sauce, frozen fancy dessert slices, tomato paste in tubes and an Atlas Wellness 150 pasta machine (paid $45 for it). I felt bad for the clerks who will be losing their jobs but I bought stuff I know I'll eventually use, not that I needed it now but the price was right.

I'll be using the dates for Date Nut Bread for Christmas gifts this year.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Patrice that's great that you got all that at 50% off.


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## PATRICE IN IL (Mar 25, 2003)

Thanks Angie


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *Becka03*  
_About the cereal... can you look for when it is on loss leader sale prices? I got loaded up for my youngest when it was on sale 1.67 a box.. for the sugary crap he loves.. he gets it once or twice a week... so it is a treat not something he expects.. it was a sale you could only get 5 boxes a trip.. I ended up getting like 15 boxes ....
I alternate bananna bread, eggs, homemade pancakes and believe it or not.. hot buttered rice...! My boys love rice with a pat of butter and sprinkle of salt for breakfast!_


Becka, have you ever taken leftover rice and put some shredded cheese, then heat it up? If you prefer a little spice, sprinkle on some chili pepper or cayenne. Mmmmmm....... 




We like rice for breakfast sometimes too, with butter and brown sugar on it.


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## Lazydaisy67 (Jan 28, 2008)

I've always resisted going to the food pantry because I kind of thought it was for single moms and those in "real" need, but this last time they had one I went. Stood in line for 2 hours and came home with : 1 small box of pancake mix, 1 package of little debbie cinnamon rolls, 1 large bag of frozen blueberries (very nice!) one large bag of frozen mashed potatoes, a small bunch of overripe bananas, one can of corn, one can of cranberry sauce, and 2- 5 pound bags of rotten potatoes. I ended up having to throw out 80% of the potatoes because they were literally mush. Some of them I cut up and planted in the garden just to see if they would grow. I've used the blueberries for pancakes in the morning and the kids are pretty happy with that. I do have a garden, although I will say that this year is SW Iowa has been odd to say the least. Chilly and lots of rain. I have had great cabbage and kohlrabi, but no green beans came up and no sweet corn for some reason. The tomatoes look wonderful and so I should have lots of chilli stock for the winter...yay! I don't have any fruit trees, but do raid a pear tree that sits on an acreage about 1/4 mile away. I also pick black raspberries from the roadside ditches, so that's kind of nice. I do try to make my own bread and we have dairy goats for yogurt, pudding, sometimes ice cream, and just drinking. The cost of raising your own meat and dairy is going up as well, so it's not always possible to be completely self sufficient in today's world. I'm not whining, I do like the challenge of coming up with new and inexpensive things to eat, but what I'm saying is that I've definitely felt the price increases.
Thanks for the granola recipe! I'm going to try it.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

The Tightwad Gazette books are an excellent source of money saving ideas. It also goes into detail on how to calculate the price of ingredients. 

A good friend who had 4 teenagers and a hard working dh found pancakes were the least expensive breakfast she could serve. Pancakes made from scratch not a mix. The Tightwad Gazette book has a homemade syrup recipe. Waffles from scratch are also economical for a change. My waffle iron cost $2 at a thrift shop.

My mom used to make rice with raisens for breakfast. Oatmeal was often featured and I loved it. As an adult I could never figure out why mine was never as good as what mom made then when we had our own cow I figured it was the creamy milk that made the difference. 

Personally I prefer old fashioned oats instead of the quick cooking oats which turn into mush. My "quick" breakfast is 1/2 cup of oats, 1/4 cup of raisens, 2 tsp. brown sugar & 1 tsp. cinnamon -- add 1 cup of water and nuke for 1 minute, stir and nuke for 1 more minute. To make it quick I measure out a week's worth and put the mix into small containers so its the matter of 1 cup of water, dump in the mix and nuke. 

I agree our weather has been strange this year, but at least the drought appears to be over. We had hail which really set back the garden, but it seems to have recovered now. I've been picking and canning green beans and have 24 pints.

I watch prices closely and generally buy groceries at Aldis unless the other stores ads have lower prices. I'm fortunate that, although I have to drive 25 miles to shop, Walmart, Target, HyVee, Aldis and Fareway are within blocks of each other. BTW Walmart NEVER has the lowest grocery prices. 

My grocery budget for 2 people (1 diabetic) has been $200 a month for the last 10 years. Recently I had to up that to $250 even tho $200 remains my goal I need that extra $50 available to take advantage of sales. It used to be I could stock up on the $200 budget, but not anymore.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

Thanks Md TN Mama! I figured that is what you meant but wanted to make sure... about the tortilla noodles... I am going to get my self corn tortillas since I am stopping gluten and if I bake them it will be a nice replacement I think!


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## haunted (Jul 24, 2011)

Check to see if there are any restaurant or grocery suppliers in your area. In mine, there is Colorado Boxed Beef. They sell a decent amount of meat to the general public at wholesale prices, if you can buy in bulk. Most of our meat comes from them. 
Learn where the mark downs are in the grocery, and shop them first. Shop the specials and try to buy ahead when it's a good price on things you need and use. Last week I got 5 large bottles of laundry soap for $25. It's enough to last us 6 months. Also got 6 32 ounce jars of grape jam on the buy one get one for a penny sale. Cost $1.15 each. You can eat better for far less if you can manage to buy on the sales. It's the only way to shop for groceries.
During the depression, most folks seemed to use meat more as a flavoring. It flavored the chicken and dumplings, flavored the gravy, etc. Lot of casseroles on the table, lots of meatless meals. Sometimes deviled eggs were the main dish, along with potato salad and beans. Desserts were a luxury reserved for Sunday and special occasions. Quick breads were served with every meal. Even at that, a lot of times city people had barely enough to eat, or not enough at all.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

haunted said:


> During the depression, most folks seemed to use meat more as a flavoring. It flavored the chicken and dumplings, flavored the gravy, etc. Lot of casseroles on the table, lots of meatless meals. Sometimes deviled eggs were the main dish, along with potato salad and beans. Desserts were a luxury reserved for Sunday and special occasions. Quick breads were served with every meal. Even at that, a lot of times city people had barely enough to eat, or not enough at all.


For us, this is a better way to eat. We've gone the full swing between vegan and carnivore so we do know what meat is and what it tastes like.

I particularly appreciate meals where meat is NOT the main course. "Meat on the side" or "meat as a garnish" or "meat as a flavoring" makes a lot more sense to us. It's less expensive since we do not raise our own meat. And we eat a good bit of food directly from the garden when we can.

I also tend to be rather picky about what meat I'll eat. I stick to the clean meats and really want organic or if it's fish, wild caught, and NOT EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER "product of China".


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

Becka03 said:


> About the cereal... can you look for when it is on loss leader sale prices? I got loaded up for my youngest when it was on sale 1.67 a box.. for the sugary crap he loves.. he gets it once or twice a week... so it is a treat not something he expects.. it was a sale you could only get 5 boxes a trip.. I ended up getting like 15 boxes ....
> I alternate bananna bread, eggs, homemade pancakes and believe it or not.. hot buttered rice...! My boys love rice with a pat of butter and sprinkle of salt for breakfast![/QUOTE
> 
> My mom made us scrambled eggs with leftover white rice in it for breakfast often, I still make it for my family. I have also made leftover rice sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar, cream, almost like a breakfast rice pudding but not as sweet.


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2014)

haunted said:


> Check to see if there are any restaurant or grocery suppliers in your area. In mine, there is Colorado Boxed Beef. They sell a decent amount of meat to the general public at wholesale prices, if you can buy in bulk. Most of our meat comes from them.
> Learn where the mark downs are in the grocery, and shop them first. Shop the specials and try to buy ahead when it's a good price on things you need and use. Last week I got 5 large bottles of laundry soap for $25. It's enough to last us 6 months. Also got 6 32 ounce jars of grape jam on the buy one get one for a penny sale. Cost $1.15 each. You can eat better for far less if you can manage to buy on the sales. It's the only way to shop for groceries.
> During the depression, most folks seemed to use meat more as a flavoring. It flavored the chicken and dumplings, flavored the gravy, etc. Lot of casseroles on the table, lots of meatless meals. Sometimes deviled eggs were the main dish, along with potato salad and beans. Desserts were a luxury reserved for Sunday and special occasions. Quick breads were served with every meal. Even at that, a lot of times city people had barely enough to eat, or not enough at all.



Making your own Laundry soap cost pennies to make..


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

I tried making my own detergent but found this stuff to be cheap and effective...$20 worth lasts me a year...and it dissolves in cold water:

http://www.kmart.com/ultra-plus-pow...W072967219001P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2


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## Groene Pionier (Apr 23, 2009)

it probably works differently over here and I think our prices differ (we pay 6 or 21% VAT on our products) but what I do is preserving a lot what is on sale or in season. Yesterday I bought 20 kilo's nectarines for only 0.79 eurocent per kilo. My children ate a LOT of them and the rest I canned in a honey syrup. I bought 20 pineapples for 95 eurocent each. And very cheap cherry tomatoes (which I pickle). Simple canned food is cutting a lot of my grocery bill. 
I also went to the store just before they close on Saterday and buy products with 50% off. The shops aren't open here on a Sunday, so they want to sell their fresh products. 
Also making my own diary products is saving me a lot of money: Gouda cheese, yogurt, ricotta, butter or sour cream from the raw milk I buy from a befriended farmer for 0.40 cents per liter. In the shops milk is about 57-60 cents per liter. 
There is a lot you can do to cut your bill and frankly I think it is fun to do. Feels a bit like 'beating the system' but then in my own way


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## Calico Katie (Sep 12, 2003)

I don't have access to any fruit trees so far this year so I'm buying fruit at the cheapest prices I can find. I canned 12 qts of cherries this afternoon to use for pies/cobblers this winter. Thank goodness for my granddaughter and her friend that was spending the day with her. They pitted 30 pounds of cherries for me! I still have some left to make into preserves tomorrow.


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

I have 7 kids at home this summer, so I know all about squeezing that grocery buck! 

If I go to the grocery store it's only to buy the stuff that's in the sale flier. I'll check the scratch and dent bins, but there usually isn't anything good in there. 

I'll go to Sam's to get milk, butter and the occasional easy meal stuff. When it's this hot Momma doesn't want to cook every night! Besides, I can't make corn dogs as good as I can buy them! 

We drink a lot of water and lemonaid. 

I buy just the fruit and veggies that are on sale. 

Store brand cereal, unless the name brand is on sale. 

I can't wait for the kids to go back to school because then I'll have time to get my coupons in order and go on a good spree! When I combine sales and coupons I usually can save at least 50% on groceries. I just don't buy it unless it's on sale and I have a coupon. Usually if there's a good coupon it'll go on sale in the month after the coupon comes out. Just have to keep an eye out for it. It also helps that I get 3 Sunday papers a week.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I have a regional chain and a Wallyworld. A few things, like dog food, are cheapest at WW. The rest comes from the chain store. I have a freezer. I wait until there is a really good sale and stock up. A few recent scores; pink salmon $4 a pound, chicken leg quarters $1 a pound, 85% ground beef $2.22 a pound, and shaved ham for sandwiches $2 a pound. 

My biggest complaint is fresh fruits and veges. Apples and oranges over a dollar each. Tomatoes for $3 a pound. I can't wait for the garden to start producing. Also looks like next year I should get some from the orchard.


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

walmart.com carries the big _maltomeal_ cereal bags---like 3 boxes to one bag...not cheap but reasonable.


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