# The economy is getting so bad that....



## ghmerrill (Feb 22, 2011)

I keep waiting for some enterprising meat company to start advertising "hotdogs, americas new red meat"........


Can't believe grocery prices.


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

I know, it's unreal.

Around here, dairy is getting high. I live in the burbs so I can't keep milk on the hoof. I have a decent supply of powdered milk and a little dehydrated cheese, and some frozen butter and cheese. I told my kids we are gonna have to take it easy on the cheese especially, just can't afford to buy a lot of it currently and don't want to exhaust our preps.

I personally won't eat hot dogs unless they are a good brand, little or no added junk and all beef. Yes, I am a hot dog snob, lol.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

We have people hunting bears for meat, catching and keeping fish instead of releasing them, and this fall is going to be a war zone in areas where caribou are found. Right now, bear, salmon and hooligan are targets. Lots of new gardens too.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

What's the bag limit on hooligan? We're not allowed to hunt them here in Illinois.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Milk was $4.30 a gal. at Dollar General this evening. That was a real eye opener for my DH who never shops. He about fell over when two gallons and two loaves of bread( cheapo kind too) came to over $10.00... I just shook my head and said: "I know."
-scrt ckr


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

With the severe thunderstorms tonight through tomorrow night, our farmer's market won't be open. I should have planned for that :/ Now I am stuck going to the store to get staples to hold over till next Thurs.. avoiding produce and such. The prices are crazy. Getting harder to feed our big family with the same dollars, that's for sure.


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## Bettsann (Feb 12, 2008)

I often walk the market amazed at the labor being done to buy groceries. By labor I mean how long does someone have to work to put dinner on the table. I make 8.00 an hour. If I put chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and a salad out for dinner for four I have worked 6.99 for chicken, 2.18 for green beans, 2.99 for potatoes and 4.00for the salad for a total of 16.16 plus tax cause this is Missouri. (Times that by 7!) I would have to work two and a quarter hours because of deductions. I then spend an hour cooking dinner and the family eats it in 10 min if that and then wants to know whats for desert! Good thing I have a garden, but for people who don't, how they gonna make it? That is dinner only, not breakfast, not lunch. no snacks, no beverages and no condiments. The gallon of milk you mentioned, minimum half hour on the job. And it is only gonna get worse. Pretty overwhelming for alot of people.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I really never shop in grocery stores. Once in a while I hit aldies for stuff I can't get from my garden or neighbors...even rarer still, walmart, if i need something I can't find anywere else around here (like canning lids). So I'm not sure how bad the prices are lately.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Ernie said:


> What's the bag limit on hooligan? We're not allowed to hunt them here in Illinois.


Long Pig?

Ernie, I know you are in the back woods bro, but I didn't think you were THAT far back woods LOL!


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

secretcreek said:


> Milk was $4.30 a gal. at Dollar General this evening.-scrt ckr


Holy cow!!! 

I thought 3.50 was high. Aldi is my new best friend, their milk is 3.00. Coffee went up from 4.99 to 5.29 for the 2.2 lb canister (we use a percolator so the cheap stuff works well). I bought a bunch anyway to round my coffee supplies out for the next year.

Prices are up everywhere on everything. Can't get my animal outputs ramped up fast enough, and it has been tough on my garden this week with temps over 100.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Last two weeks I paid $1.79 for milk at Aldi's ...shrug.....loss leader maybe? That reminds me that I need to restock some coffee also. I use a stovetop percolator also = awesome flavor....just takes longer. I love Chase and Sanborn coffee from SAL.
-scrt crk


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## jadedhkr (Oct 25, 2004)

earthkitty said:


> Holy cow!!!
> 
> I thought 3.50 was high. Aldi is my new best friend, their milk is 3.00. Coffee went up from 4.99 to 5.29 for the 2.2 lb canister (we use a percolator so the cheap stuff works well). I bought a bunch anyway to round my coffee supplies out for the next year.
> 
> Prices are up everywhere on everything. Can't get my animal outputs ramped up fast enough, and it has been tough on my garden this week with temps over 100.


lol, you'd keel over if you saw the prices of milk here then. $5.50/gal average. Plus, I've had to really cut back on buying meats lately, we use a lot of canned meat, it goes in casseroles easy and turns out cheaper. 

We will be doing a large shopping trip this weekend, can't wait to see how bad this will be.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

secretcreek said:


> Last two weeks I paid $1.79 for milk at Aldi's ...shrug.....loss leader maybe? That reminds me that I need to restock some coffee also. I use a stovetop percolator also = awesome flavor....just takes longer. I love Chase and Sanborn coffee from SAL.
> -scrt crk


1.79!!! I haven't seen prices like that for two years around here. There is a small dairy about ten minutes from me, I am going to start buying whole milk from her. 4.00 a gallon, and I can get cream and butter from it too.

As for coffee, I used to be a coffee snob. Grinder, fancy stainless electric coffee pot, only dark beans, blahblahblah. Cheapest ground coffee in a percolator is the best coffee around.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Ernie said:


> What's the bag limit on hooligan? We're not allowed to hunt them here in Illinois.


http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaSouthcentralHerringAndHooligan.regs

â¢There are no bag or possession limits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eulachon


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## NorCalChicks (Dec 7, 2007)

Oh my, and I thought 2.50/gal for milk was bad. I'll shut-up and be grateful now. That is really awful - and here I was thinking things like groceries were cheaper in other areas of the country.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

jadedhkr said:


> lol, you'd keel over if you saw the prices of milk here then. $5.50/gal average. .


No way! We buy six gallons at a time, 5.50...no way will I pay that.

I will be so glad when I get my Friesian ram this week. Once I solidify my milk production, the world can crumble around me. : ) 

I can't live without milk.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

lonelytree said:


> http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaSouthcentralHerringAndHooligan.regs
> 
> â¢There are no bag or possession limits.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eulachon


:hysterical:

And here I thought Ernie was being funny again.

I thought you meant troublemaker hooligan. Never heard of a hooligan fish.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

I try to get my wife to mix up powdered milk for cooking and save the good milk for cerial and drinking. My family of 5 can go through a gallon per day.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

Oldcountryboy said:


> I try to get my wife to mix up powdered milk for cooking and save the good milk for cerial and drinking. My family of 5 can go through a gallon per day.


We drink about that much too, but I hold on to my powdered milk like it's gold. The stuff is expensive!


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

secretcreek said:


> Last two weeks I paid $1.79 for milk at Aldi's ...shrug.....loss leader maybe? That reminds me that I need to restock some coffee also. I use a stovetop percolator also = awesome flavor....just takes longer. I love Chase and Sanborn coffee from SAL.
> -scrt crk


it's a 1.79 at my aldies too, been for a long time. But I really don't drink much milk so I buy powdered and nothing goes to waste then.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

We go through 10 t0 12 four litres a week.

My Jersey/Dexter heifer was bred yesterday so in aproximatly nine months I will become a twice a day slave to the milk pail. I am having some mixed emotions about it.


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## time (Jan 30, 2011)

ghmerrill said:


> I keep waiting for some enterprising meat company to start advertising "hotdogs, americas new red meat"........
> 
> 
> Can't believe grocery prices.


There is an excess of free horses nowadays.

I renamed our ignorant little mare "crockpot" tonight after she kicked a freinds really nice mare in the hock.

Of course, the wife finds no humor in it.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

lonelytree, you are oh so right. Even last year, I heard of at least a dozen poached, illegal moose. Luckily we have two options, both private, for moose season this fall. (yay and cross my fingers and toes!) Gardening is going great guns here and I am thankful for it, since veggie starts are what I do for a side biz. I expanded my garden this year, and hope to again next also. As you know, it takes at least five years to establish a truly productive garden here-if not longer. I preserve absolutely everything I can get my hands on-but sad to say.....not many people do.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

postroad said:


> We go through 10 t0 12 four litres a week.
> 
> My Jersey/Dexter heifer was bred yesterday so in aproximatly nine months I will become a twice a day slave to the milk pail. I am having some mixed emotions about it.


milk share with the calf - after about 2 weeks of being with mom full time, pen the calf away at night. Milk in the morning before turning out the calf and it will handle the evening milking for you for the next 4-6 months.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

time said:


> There is an excess of free horses nowadays.
> 
> I renamed our ignorant little mare "crockpot" tonight after she kicked a freinds really nice mare in the hock.
> 
> Of course, the wife finds no humor in it.


Crockpot in french is mijoteuse (accourding to my daughter).


~~ pelenaka ~~


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Now aren't you glad you prepped?
tough times are so bad when you expect them.
Rice was 50 pounds for $17.50 up to $23.50.


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

It use to be that milk was always a loss leader for grocery stores. That's why they make you walk to the far end of the store so you can be tempted by everything else.

I'm not sure what it is this week @ Aldis but I'll find out tomarrow when I take my mom shopping. Butter has been over $2.80 per pound. Other than those two & that white gold powdered milk, we haven't been buying much. Sliced bread because my electric oven died.
I was able to barter plants for fresh eggs last week along with other can goods.
Meat when it's a loss leader but certainly not the amount it use to be.

I have no idea how the average person without a garden who doesn't can/preserve is able to feed themselves. 


~~ pelenaka ~~


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

Pelenaka said:


> I have no idea how the average person without a garden who doesn't can/preserve is able to feed themselves.
> 
> 
> ~~ pelenaka ~~


Credit cards. Or welfare.


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## ghmerrill (Feb 22, 2011)

Im glad I decided to spend the $75 and buy that second goat last week! With milk prices, and other dairy, won't take long at a half gallon a day for her to earn her keep. With all the brush here, feeding has been cheap, so its about as close to beating the system as I have managed yet.


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## Mr.Hogwallop (Oct 2, 2009)

I got Bar-S hot dogs for a buck a pack yesterday.
I'm happy.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Pouncer said:


> lonelytree, you are oh so right. Even last year, I heard of at least a dozen poached, illegal moose. Luckily we have two options, both private, for moose season this fall. (yay and cross my fingers and toes!) Gardening is going great guns here and I am thankful for it, since veggie starts are what I do for a side biz. I expanded my garden this year, and hope to again next also. As you know, it takes at least five years to establish a truly productive garden here-if not longer. I preserve absolutely everything I can get my hands on-but sad to say.....not many people do.


I started a small business last month. About half my business is on the valley. It really started to slow down this week. I asked a lady about it. She said "People are starting to get scared of a depression". Just what an upstart businessman likes to hear.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

postroad said:


> We go through 10 t0 12 four litres a week.
> 
> My Jersey/Dexter heifer was bred yesterday so in aproximatly nine months I will become a twice a day slave to the milk pail. I am having some mixed emotions about it.


That's my issue, I've not been able to commit to that twice a day milking.


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

25lbs of Praire Gold wheat was 12.68, now 13.99 at walmart.
Milk runs between 2.50 and 3.00 a gallon (vit d)
Meat is off the hook expensive.
I used to shop on Monday's and buy up all the 'clearance meat'.
There is no more.
I mean.....no more clearance meat.
Either someone else is getting it, or they are not clearancing it.......


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

earthkitty said:


> Credit cards. Or welfare.


We saw a couple last night who have been unemployed for several months, UI ran out for her already, and his goes until just before Christmas, but it's only $150wk. Wife was crying, behind on mortgage, no insurance on anything, no phone, lost cell phone contract, but they have one prepaid they buy cards for. She said they are making their light bill this month, but haven't paid water, and have no garbage pickup.They are older, no kids, can't get FS, welfare, etc. but aren't old enough for SS.
He's mowing lawns for some extra cash for food. We offered them some food to help them a bit. She is just terrified. There just aren't a lot of jobs available anywhere. 
That type of story is repeated all over this nation. People are in need, afraid, and hurting.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

secretcreek said:


> Milk was $4.30 a gal. at Dollar General this evening. That was a real eye opener for my DH who never shops. He about fell over when two gallons and two loaves of bread( cheapo kind too) came to over $10.00... I just shook my head and said: "I know."
> -scrt ckr


It's so bad here, the Dollar store is closeing.


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## Timberline (Feb 7, 2006)

seedspreader said:


> That's my issue, I've not been able to commit to that twice a day milking.


You know, you don't HAVE to milk twice a day. I milk once a day and let my cow raise her calf. I've been doing this for 25+ years. I learned this from my grandmother. They raised beef cattle and hay and were too busy to milk twice a day and raise the calves on bottles. They milked this way for the 60 years they were married. Granted, you won't get the full amount of milk you would otherwise, but you can still go places and have time for other things. The secret is not getting a cow that gives 5 or 6 gallons a day. I've milked beef cows, Jersey x Dexter cows (currently have a nice heifer calf of this cross, these have been my favorites for years), beef x dairy cows, and some lower production Jerseys and one Guernsey over the years. A couple of the Jerseys ended giving too much milk for this when they hit their peak years, so I sold them and kept cows that didn't give quite so much.

I separate them at night, milk in the morning. When the calf gets old enough to consume most of the milk, I can go camping on the weekends and just leave them together and resume milking when I return. I like to have two cows calving 6 months apart. When one is coming fresh the other can just raise her calf longer or it can be weaned and dry the cow off. I get milk all year round, I can go places without trying to find someone to milk for me (really difficult to find around here). 

I've also used this method with dairy goats and had excellent results.

Right now I am getting between 1 1/2 and 2 gallons each morning from my first calf Jersey x cow (not sure just what breed she is). We make all our own butter, cheese, ice cream and soap with the milk. I can't remember the last time I looked at milk prices in the store. After reading this thread, I'm going give my cow some extra brushing a bit of extra grain this morning.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

Wags said:


> milk share with the calf - after about 2 weeks of being with mom full time, pen the calf away at night. Milk in the morning before turning out the calf and it will handle the evening milking for you for the next 4-6 months.


So no milking at all for the first two weeks?


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## Timberline (Feb 7, 2006)

postroad said:


> So no milking at all for the first two weeks?


I can't answer for Wags, but in my experience it takes this long or longer for the calf to consume so much milk that you need to separate them. My Jersey x cow's calf is just now three weeks and I haven't separated them yet.


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## Kevingr (Mar 10, 2006)

Bettsann said:


> I often walk the market amazed at the labor being done to buy groceries. By labor I mean how long does someone have to work to put dinner on the table. I make 8.00 an hour. If I put chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and a salad out for dinner for four I have worked 6.99 for chicken, 2.18 for green beans, 2.99 for potatoes and 4.00for the salad for a total of 16.16 plus tax cause this is Missouri. (Times that by 7!) I would have to work two and a quarter hours because of deductions. I then spend an hour cooking dinner and the family eats it in 10 min if that and then wants to know whats for desert! Good thing I have a garden, but for people who don't, how they gonna make it? That is dinner only, not breakfast, not lunch. no snacks, no beverages and no condiments. The gallon of milk you mentioned, minimum half hour on the job. And it is only gonna get worse. Pretty overwhelming for alot of people.


This is a great post, and should make people really think. Assuming you have two incomes and the one income you keep has all your health benefits covered, having a second income may not be worth it. Add in the travel expenses, any clothing requirements needed because you have a job, the need to baby sitters if you have kids and two people working etc. etc. Having a second job often times 'costs' money.

My wife doesn't work for this very reason. Where we live she'd only be able to find a low paying job and by the time we paid for gas and everything else it wouldn't be worth it. She's MUCH more valuable to the family tending the garden, making meals from scratch, garage saleing, extreme couponing, homeschooling the kids (saves on school expenses) and tons of other things she does. She makes WAY more money by SAVING us money with these activities. 

I think if more people looked at it that way there'd be more jobs available for those that NEED a job to pay for the basics and insurance.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

When I moved to Utah from Virginia 2 years ago, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven at the grocery store! Milk was $1.68/gallon, I had been paying over $4/gallon back east. My grocery bill dropped over 25% - buying the same foods, but just in Utah instead of VA.

Well milk here in Utah is now up to $2.39/gallon or more. Other things have gone up as well. I realize that in a few weeks when I'm back in VA I'm going to wish I could get milk for that price, but it really drives home that even in the land of cheap eats, prices are going up.

I'm stocking up on everything that is non-perishable and cheaper here in UT than it is in VA - of course it has to fit in my van for the cross-country treck. I stocked up before the moving truck left too - sent boxes and boxes of food to the new place. Not looking forward to those east coast prices


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## Pelenaka (Jul 27, 2007)

Took Mom shopping @ Aldis, I bought the following; 2% Milk gallon - $2.09, Butter - $2.69, White Tortilla Chips - $1.19. 

I have red beans (gifted) in the crockpot which I'll refry them using my free lard (swagbucks). Planning on nachos for dinner using home canned salsa, dehydrated peppers & onions, and salad greens from the garden. 
I didn't splurge on sour cream but I have plenty of commerically bottled Ranch dressing from a barter deal last year. If anyone needs a dollup of sour cream that will have to do. 

There was some tubes of ground pork sauage on discount regular $2 something marked down to 99 cents that I didn't buy. Totally forgot about sauage biscuits & gravy dinner come cold weather. I make the biscuits with half home ground wheat add ground dehydrated sage from the garden & powdered celery in the batter. 
It's something I can cook completely on the wood stove. 

As son as teenagers are home from school I'll send them on their bikes with a $5 to see if they can score. Can't believe I let that slip through my fingers.


~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/


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## Sunbee (Sep 30, 2008)

Kevingr said:


> This is a great post, and should make people really think. Assuming you have two incomes and the one income you keep has all your health benefits covered, having a second income may not be worth it. Add in the travel expenses, any clothing requirements needed because you have a job, the need to baby sitters if you have kids and two people working etc. etc. Having a second job often times 'costs' money.
> 
> My wife doesn't work for this very reason. Where we live she'd only be able to find a low paying job and by the time we paid for gas and everything else it wouldn't be worth it. She's MUCH more valuable to the family tending the garden, making meals from scratch, garage saleing, extreme couponing, homeschooling the kids (saves on school expenses) and tons of other things she does. She makes WAY more money by SAVING us money with these activities.
> 
> I think if more people looked at it that way there'd be more jobs available for those that NEED a job to pay for the basics and insurance.


I don't work for this reason, either. My husband keeps struggling with the idea that me working is a money loosing proposition: what he doesn't see is that our two-income acquaintances don't have more money, they have more debt. Because their income is higher on paper they can borrow more. What good is it to have two new cars if you have to pay the bank more every month? Plus his work hours are so dang irregular--even if I got a job theoretically after he got home, we'd have to have a sitter because he won't (can't?) leave a problem unsolved, and there's no way to tell if today will be a day he's late until he just doesn't get home on time (call? Hah! He doesn't notice time when he's into a problem). Two hours late, yesterday, one hour, two days ago. At least at this job he gets overtime.

Milk was $2.19 at Winco last week. I need to go shopping if he gets home in time today (wretched minivan isn't starting AGAIN). I haven't found the box with the powdered milk in it yet.


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## SquashNut (Sep 25, 2005)

Kevingr said:


> This is a great post, and should make people really think. Assuming you have two incomes and the one income you keep has all your health benefits covered, having a second income may not be worth it. Add in the travel expenses, any clothing requirements needed because you have a job, the need to baby sitters if you have kids and two people working etc. etc. Having a second job often times 'costs' money.
> 
> My wife doesn't work for this very reason. Where we live she'd only be able to find a low paying job and by the time we paid for gas and everything else it wouldn't be worth it. She's MUCH more valuable to the family tending the garden, making meals from scratch, garage saleing, extreme couponing, homeschooling the kids (saves on school expenses) and tons of other things she does. She makes WAY more money by SAVING us money with these activities.
> 
> I think if more people looked at it that way there'd be more jobs available for those that NEED a job to pay for the basics and insurance.


Yes, that is my job. gardening ect. And some times it is a dawn to dusk job.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

mekasmom said:


> We saw a couple last night who have been unemployed for several months, UI ran out for her already, and his goes until just before Christmas, but it's only $150wk. Wife was crying, behind on mortgage, no insurance on anything, no phone, lost cell phone contract, but they have one prepaid they buy cards for. She said they are making their light bill this month, but haven't paid water, and have no garbage pickup.They are older, no kids, can't get FS, welfare, etc. but aren't old enough for SS.
> He's mowing lawns for some extra cash for food. We offered them some food to help them a bit. She is just terrified. There just aren't a lot of jobs available anywhere.
> That type of story is repeated all over this nation. People are in need, afraid, and hurting.


Thats sooooo common,I had a job that took me into peoples homes,you just have no idea how many and how real that is.Ive heard more stories,people open up to the 'trusted stranger' because the need to tell somebody who wont spread it around to neighbors is so needed,they need to vent but cant,even their families dont know.

You cant tell from the outside looking in,the middle class decimation is more than an abstract concept,its REAL people.Folks have no idea how bad their neighbors may be having it.It doesnt show from the curb.

Im sure thats just a chemtrail conspiracy,so be it.Believe what you want,folks are in BAD shape.


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## sandc (Apr 26, 2010)

I tend to do more of the shopping than my wife when it comes to groceries. I had her pick up a few things that were on sale the other day and she couldn't believe the prices from the last time she shopped.

I started looking at a few alternatives for buying meat and ran across a buffalo hunt in Wyoming. It is a guaranteed hunt for a cow on private property. Basically it amounts to walking out into a 2000 acre pasture and dropping her. I don't get to keep the hide and it will cost $150 for her to be fully dressed out and packaged for the freezer. Unless I am wrong in my thinking this should be cheaper than buying beef at the store.

I think it is time to start thinking outside the box when it comes to some of this stuff for the people that aren't able to keep food on the hoof.


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

Whole milk store brand $2.99 and butter sale unsalted $2.50. I was buying skim milk and it was cheap fresh then the powered per gallon. It has come up some . Butter around here had been $4 something. Got chicken leg qtrs at .79 couple weeks back. Cheapest meat I have seen. Cheapest canned veggies are store brand and usually.70 and on sale .50. Some of it I think they are clearing out. Store brand vitamins were way down on sale and I think getting rid of it. Ones I could use I stocked up. And they are not putting more on the shelf that I can see. Krogers. Store shredded wheat was$1,88 and jumped to $2.49 and now on sale at $2.00. (only one that is sugar and salt free.) I am having to stay on this heart diet and have to eat more to get my wt up to normal. I am feeling the grocery bills. On SS. Just basic foods. Families I am sure have it lot worse.


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

Sandc, Will matter to how much for the hunt and and if a trip to get there and place to stay. Where is this? Son is raising two beef calves and are to be butchered later this year. I am suppose to have buy in on some there. It will not be cheap as he has had to buy hay and some grain for them. In pasture there where he is but this winter had to feed. Buffalo that I ate was good. Freezer add the electric bill. I have a small one.


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## jadedhkr (Oct 25, 2004)

Sandc, can I get some info on this hunt? Dh is in WY every week.


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## wottahuzzee (Jul 7, 2006)

The economy is getting so bad that . . . . 

CNN is reporting that we may soon be in another depression. Yeah, I know, "soon"?, what about right now. 

Saw that on CNN yesterday with hubby. Jack Cafferty was discussing a poll that said about half of Americans believe we will be in a "great depression" within a year. So I turned to my husband and said, "You realize CNN is reporting this, Commie News Network, this is not Glenn Beck crying and wringing his hands, this is CNN. If the Commies are reporting this, then you know we are %&$'d." 

He decided he would buy some more .223's, and I should keep buying food. 

This is someone who after discussing my prepping with his brother, because I was using the term "zombies," set me down and gently told me there was no such thing as zombies, to which I replied incredulously, "Really?" No zombies?" and then I explained the deelio to him. I got him to read "Alas, Babylon" and then "One Second After." OSA was his turning point.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

I still can't get my hub to read OSA. Grrr!

Groceries are up pushing 30 percent over the past four months here. Cheap milk is $3.20 something a gallon, to $5. Butter is $11+ for four sticks (Kirkland) to $5 a pound in the grocery store. Canned veggies, soups and so on? Forget it. Easily pushing $2 a can. I saw that a 50 pound bag of flour is $24 and change at local bulk store. It's up $3 in a month. Flour at the grocery store is running about a dollar a pound. Sugar is the same, with a 25 pound bag (at bulk store) for $17+, and about a dollar/pound in grocery store. 

Meats? Can't afford to go there! Any time I can find anything around $3 a pound, it's a good deal. I buy no roll beef because I cannot afford the more expensive cuts-and we have learned to cook it very well. Chicken is still somewhat reasonable, I can buy skinless chicken breasts for $2.49 a pound at bulk place....it's $5.99 a pound at Fred Meyer's.

Getting pretty danged scary. I wanted to get some dried milk, to help make the fresh stuff last a little longer (growing boy who drinks a LOT of milk!) but even that is very expensive. Can't even find canned milk either, which I think is weird-it was a staple growing up in the Bush.


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## Justin Thyme (Jun 3, 2011)

But how can this be when the inflation index is so low? And job creation and salvation are so high?


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> This is a great post, and should make people really think. Assuming you have two incomes and the one income you keep has all your health benefits covered, having a second income may not be worth it. Add in the travel expenses, any clothing requirements needed because you have a job, the need to baby sitters if you have kids and two people working etc. etc. Having a second job often times 'costs' money.
> 
> My wife doesn't work for this very reason. Where we live she'd only be able to find a low paying job and by the time we paid for gas and everything else it wouldn't be worth it. She's MUCH more valuable to the family tending the garden, making meals from scratch, garage saleing, extreme couponing, homeschooling the kids (saves on school expenses) and tons of other things she does. She makes WAY more money by SAVING us money with these activities.
> 
> I think if more people looked at it that way there'd be more jobs available for those that NEED a job to pay for the basics and insurance.


I have been saying this for years! If people would actually figure out their expenses, they may be making little to no money at all. Staying home & tending a garden, canning, frugal shopping, cooking from scratch, etc., would probably actually make them more money.


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## Narshalla (Sep 11, 2008)

Justin Thyme said:


> But how can this be when the inflation index is so low? And job creation and salvation are so high?


Because food and fuel --- including heating oil -- aren't counted when figuring inflation.

The two biggest variables in our budgets are just too "volatile" to factor in because, you know, they go up and down so _fast_. Only they don't -- go _down,_ that is.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Wendy said:


> I have been saying this for years! If people would actually figure out their expenses, they may be making little to no money at all. Staying home & tending a garden, canning, frugal shopping, cooking from scratch, etc., would probably actually make them more money.


we are working on trying to make that transistion to a one income house...sionce we have no kids, we seen no reason to really but with the cost of gas and we both work in the city (but diffrent shifts so we can't ride share like we used to) we've been thinking about it. Though I thik it would be better if DH stays home, not me as I bring home more bacon. His side job of fixing computers has really taken off lately (He's like, I dunno, The Computer Whisperer with those machines) and word of mouth and the fliers we've put around town have hime working all his free hours at home when he's not at work. He makes more a day doing the compuers then he does at where he works and he really dosne't charge as much as he should for all the time and energy he puts into those things. So the hope, eventually, is to have a big enough clientel that he can quit his "day job", then he can go onto the insurance my job offers (I can't put a spouce on my insurance unless his own job doesn't offer insurance and his insurance is GARBAGE so that would be a good thing if he could get on mine).
So yes, I think it would save us money not to pay so much in gas and other expenses related with him going to work every day.


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## Justin Thyme (Jun 3, 2011)

Narshalla said:


> Because food and fuel --- including heating oil -- aren't counted when figuring inflation.
> 
> The two biggest variables in our budgets are just too "volatile" to factor in because, you know, they go up and down so _fast_. Only they don't -- go _down,_ that is.


I guess sarcasm doesn't come across very well....

Actually, looking at gas prices controlled for inflation: 
http://www.inflationdata.com/inflation/images/charts/Oil/Gasoline_inflation_chart.htm
we are paying about the same for gas now as we ever have. We've been living in a gas paradise for years.

But yes, the official figures seem purposefully misleading. Don't they?


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## sandc (Apr 26, 2010)

For those that asked about the hunt I am doing for the buffalo. 

I contacted him and he has no more cows for this year. He is letting this one go so cheap because she is a fence testing employee chasing she devil according to him. They paintballed her yesterday so that the wrong cow doesn't get taken by mistake.

I found it listed on craigslist. It is about 175 miles from the house up there, but we are going to take the camper and make a weekend out of it. Guy has offered to let us stay on his property and claims to have decent trout fishing. Guess I will have to be the judge of that..


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Good luck Nickie with the job situation,sounds good!


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## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Ran into town yesterday to get baking supplies (for storage), I got the 30lbs. of flour, the jar of yeast, the can of shortening, turned to get the sugar... Oh, freaking H E Double Toothpicks... In one week the 20lb. bags of sugar has gone up almost $4 freakin' dollars!!!!
We can fruits and jams, we keep Bees...we have to have more sugar in storage.
So I've dug up the honey sales money and I'm going back into town to buy more sugar before it gets so expensive we can't buy it at all.
Last week pasta sauce was unadvertised at .89 a can this week it is FEATURED at .98 a can. Someone there thinks ALL shoppers are stupid and blind.
We're worried, real worried. We've planted more than usual and it seems the birds are more destructive to the garden than previous years, I can't recall how many times I've had to replant the flour corn so far, I've run out of that seed so we have to drive to Albany to get more (can't wait around for the seed to be shipped), went out this morning and the pumpkins had been pulled up.
I hope we get something from the orchard this year...last year, NOTHING!

Okay...the whine is over, I'm all smiles now!


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## Mr.Hogwallop (Oct 2, 2009)

> Butter is $11+ for four sticks


Are you serious?


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## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

Ahh, yes, prices in Alaska. After 25 years up there, we moved: I figured I could be poor in Oregon and WARM! We always had free meat in Alaska (fish, bear, moose, deer), but down here we get a lot of free veggies and fruit. And it's WARM! And now that we raise our own meat, we're sitting pretty compared to people who have to go to the store. I bought flour yesterday, and the 50 lb went up 38% - $4 raise since the last time I bought. It's terrifying. I can't imagine what people without other resources are going to do. I'm sorry for them, but I don't see a solution. 3 years ago we got 7.5 tons of un-labeled #10 cans of fruit and veggies free from one of the local canneries to use for pig food. That sort of thing isn't available any more. Apparently people are willing to buy unlabeled cans for a discount now.
Kit


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Mr.Hogwallop said:


> Are you serious?


Alaska - that explains it. Everything is more expensive up there.


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## Mr.Hogwallop (Oct 2, 2009)

Oh ok.

That makes sense.

nevermind.


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Milk is $2.98/gal here in the TX Hill COuntry.

Hot & dry though, no success in my container gardening.


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2011)

Mr.Hogwallop said:


> I got Bar-S hot dogs for a buck a pack yesterday.
> I'm happy.


You didn't have the coupons! I got them for 27 cents a package (could have gotten them free at a different store, but it was too far out of the way).

Then I gave them to one of my needy families. I don't eat them.


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## lorian (Sep 4, 2005)

With 3 children we only use 1/2 of milk a week. Weaned ourselves off of it a few years ago (no pun intended). We eat a lot of veggies, rice, taters and we raise chickens and turkeys. When milk prices climb, I don't sweat it.


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## forfreedom (Dec 3, 2008)

We are vegetarians now (for health reasons), so there goes - savings!


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

Well things are creeping up by the week....50 pound bag of ConAgra flour-just about the only kind you can find in a 50 pound sack here-is now $25.75 as of today. Three weeks ago it was just over $20. 25 pound bags of sugar (C&H) are $21 and change. Ouch!

Same store, five pound bags of nearly all the major brands of flour are $5.99. Local bulk store, mind you. Cheap bacon just rolled to $2.99 a pound-I've been buying it for a long time now, it's decent. That is up .50 in a week too. '

They finally increased the price on their wide mouth pint canning jars (which is what I use for everything but carrots and green beans) to $10.75. Was $8.99 for at least three years....and they buy them by the container load too, because they sell so many down on the Kenai during fishing season. Seriously considering starting to ask friends for a deposit on the jars....so I can either buy more, or get them back. Can't afford to keep handing out the equivalent of cases of jars any more.

Oh and for kicks, because I haven't bought any in 20 years or more, I checked on Spam. The 12 oz can of original type was $3.67 each. Low sodium was $2.87. I didn't buy any although I should have.....opted for the large bag of Ambrosia chocolate chips instead, down $4 to $20 for ten pounds.


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## Justin Thyme (Jun 3, 2011)

lorian said:


> With 3 children we only use 1/2 of milk a week. Weaned ourselves off of it a few years ago (no pun intended). We eat a lot of veggies, rice, taters and we raise chickens and turkeys. When milk prices climb, I don't sweat it.


Milk is just one of the many basic food items that are going up in price. If it ain't milk it's bread, meat, eggs, canned goods, sugar, salt, rice, pasta and everything else you can think of.

While not drinking milk may save a few cents on one item everybody gotta eat something.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

yuck, hot dogs are NASTY. I won't even feed em to the dog. The vet even recomends NOT feeding them to dogs.


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## Justin Thyme (Jun 3, 2011)

I like 'em. I like the Hebrew national all beef (one hopes) hot dogs.
I can buy a package every time I win the lottery.


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## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

KIT.S said:


> Ahh, yes, prices in Alaska. After 25 years up there, we moved: I figured I could be poor in Oregon and WARM! We always had free meat in Alaska (fish, bear, moose, deer), but down here we get a lot of free veggies and fruit. And it's WARM! And now that we raise our own meat, we're sitting pretty compared to people who have to go to the store. I bought flour yesterday, and the 50 lb went up 38% - $4 raise since the last time I bought. It's terrifying. I can't imagine what people without other resources are going to do. I'm sorry for them, but I don't see a solution. 3 years ago we got 7.5 tons of un-labeled #10 cans of fruit and veggies free from one of the local canneries to use for pig food. That sort of thing isn't available any more. Apparently people are willing to buy unlabeled cans for a discount now.
> Kit


Warm..... you can have it. I like it below 65 degrees and even better below 32 degrees and white!


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## whodunit (Mar 29, 2004)

A neighbor told me that ground beef is about $3.98 a pound? Last time I bought it has been months ago, but I seem to recall $1.98.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2011)

whodunit said:


> A neighbor told me that ground beef is about $3.98 a pound? Last time I bought it has been months ago, but I seem to recall $1.98.


It seems to vary by region, but around here, the cheapest fatty stuff goes on sale for around $2.99/lb.

I prefer ground turkey, but it has doubled in price in the last 2 years.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2011)

Hah!! The economy is getting so bad that I saw a politician with his hand in his own pocket. (I'm not the first person to say that, its generally attributed to Mark Twain.)


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## fishinshawn (Nov 8, 2010)

ladycat said:


> It seems to vary by region, but around here, the cheapest fatty stuff goes on sale for around $2.99/lb.
> 
> I prefer ground turkey, but it has doubled in price in the last 2 years.


I haven't bought ground beef in years, I also buy ground turkey. Safeway had a sale on it 3lbs for $5, normally about $4/lb, so we bought the limit of 3 cases and froze it all.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

The best purchase I made was an electric commercial-grade meat grinder. 

I can buy cheap cuts of discount meats (use-by today stuff) - any kind of meat - chicken, pork, beef, etc. Whatever is cheapest in the stores, I buy it. 

Take it all home, cut it into strips, and feed it thru the meat grinder. Portion it into bags and Food Save it, into the freezer it goes. 

Voila! Cheap ground meat for tacos, meatloaf, meatballs, hamburgers, etc!

ETA: You can buy turkeys on sale around thanksgiving time, cut them into chunks, run thru the grinder and make ground turkey for CHEAP!


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

bluemoonluck said:


> The best purchase I made was an electric commercial-grade meat grinder.
> 
> I can buy cheap cuts of discount meats (use-by today stuff) - any kind of meat - chicken, pork, beef, etc. Whatever is cheapest in the stores, I buy it.
> 
> ...


Do you defrost them?


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

seedspreader said:


> Do you defrost them?


Partially....just enough to be able to cut them. Chilled meats run thru the grinder much more easily, although frozen solid chunks are a big no-no.

And yes, I know...you're not supposed to defrost meat then re-freeze it. But I do it all the time, and I ain't dead yet!


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## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Mr.Hogwallop said:


> I got Bar-S hot dogs for a buck a pack yesterday.
> I'm happy.


I got the same with $1 off two coupon...50c a pound...the Q included bologna so after Q bologna was 74c a pound....I bought 10# each...not choice quality but for the price it'll feed the kids and us some protein at lunch besides eggs! I save our homegrown beef for dinner meals.


plus I can share with family and friends at this low price.


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## beewench (Mar 5, 2010)

Milk is $6.49 a gallon and butter is $3.89 a pound...I have no idea on meat prices (and had to ask my coworkers about the milk and butter) because we don't buy store bought, now I can almost justify the $17 a bale alfalfa we are feeding the goats 

-=Sarah
www.beewench.blogspot.com


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## Sweetsong (Dec 4, 2010)

beewench said:


> Milk is $6.49 a gallon and butter is $3.89 a pound...I have no idea on meat prices (and had to ask my coworkers about the milk and butter) because we don't buy store bought, now I can almost justify the $17 a bale alfalfa we are feeding the goats
> 
> -=Sarah
> www.beewench.blogspot.com


California has excessively high prices. How can you stand it? our milk per gallon is 1/2 the price of yours.


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## machinist (Aug 3, 2010)

Sweetsong,

Be quiet about that... We don't want the word to get out that the Midwest is a great place to live, do we? 

Kidding aside, everything is going up here, too. I hope meat never gets so high that I am confronted with eating turkey---can't stand the stuff. Never been hungry enough to eat it yet, and I hope and pray I never get THAT hungry. 

But, then, I grew up on a poultry farm, and ate far more birds than I ever wanted to. :yuck:


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## beewench (Mar 5, 2010)

Sweetsong said:


> California has excessively high prices. How can you stand it? our milk per gallon is 1/2 the price of yours.


I believe California' pay is probably higher than most areas, only here can you make a 6 figure income and be "middle class"... I've noticed in the last year or two that the gap dividing the wealthy and not is quite large, with very little middle class. There are lots of things about this state I am ashamed of but there are many other things like our climate, availability of specialty food, the push for green energy and initiatives that make me proud to call California my home. 

-=Sarah
www.beewench.blogspot.com


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Well... went to the store yesterday. Prices are up even more. I had to forgo some of the items I normally get. Peanut butter was $6 for large jar, 80% ground beef at $6.45 (that was the cheapest pack I saw)..EIGHTY percent! Flour and bread flour and sugar were all up.. I bought that too. Canned beans were up so we didn't get those.. got a bag of red beans instead and I thought they were kind of high.. usually you can get a bag around 80 cents to just over a $1, but I paid $3 for little bag I got. 

Now, I'm not even sure where the next closest grocery store even is. This is all we have around here is this one store... so they have the monopoly obviously. Wish there was some competition. I am trying to start using coupons, but.... All this coupon hysteria and frauds have them looking at all coupons very carefully. They do not double them, don't let you "stack" them, and forget about anything expired. I've never tried to cheat the system, actually I just started clipping some for things I need.. but they treat you like you're trying to steal from them when you present them at checkout. It holds up the whole line while they stop and read each one. It was embarrassing.


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## Shellyann36 (Jun 9, 2011)

*I had an OB appointment yesterday so we stopped by Save-A-Lot on the way home. I bought another 10 lbs of self rising & all purpose flour. They had 1lb packages of ground turkey on sale 10 for $10 so I bought ten of those... wish I could have afforded more. Stopped at Walmart for a 25lb bag of sugar to add to the stock. Also stocked up on a few boxes of the salt as well. I let my membership at Sam's expire but I am thinking I need to go ahead and renew it. I normally stock up there with the 25lbs of flour and sugar often. I am also needing to restock my spice shelf as well. Good meat prices are hard to come by these days. I keep telling my SO that we need to get rabbits. *


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Bettsann said:


> If I put chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and a salad out for dinner for four I have worked 6.99 for chicken, 2.18 for green beans, 2.99 for potatoes and 4.00for the salad for a total of 16.16 plus tax cause this is Missouri..


Y'all need to buy when items are on sale and stock your pantry and freezer
Chicken breasts can be had for 99 cents a pound on sale
a Can of green beans for 33 cents also on sale but normally 89 cents.
Potatoes and salad I grow in my garden, but a trip throughthe produce aisle recent showed 5 lbs of potatoes for 1.99 and a head of Romaine for $1.69

Thats a far cry from your price. the difference: I buy items when they are on sale.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

mnn2501 said:


> Y'all need to buy when items are on sale and stock your pantry and freezer
> Chicken breasts can be had for 99 cents a pound on sale
> a Can of green beans for 33 cents also on sale but normally 89 cents.
> Potatoes and salad I grow in my garden, but a trip throughthe produce aisle recent showed 5 lbs of potatoes for 1.99 and a head of Romaine for $1.69
> ...


 I don'tknow where you shopping, but I could never get those prices! Chicken is 1.99 a pound on sale for bone in breasts. If I am lucky I can get canned veggis for 69 cents a can on sale. Once I got what I thought was a great deal at 50 cents a can.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

It depends on where you live.

A great deal back in VA would be higher than normal grocery prices in Utah, in most cases. One of the many things I'm gonna miss about Utah...cheaper groceries!


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