I don't shop monthly, but normally have a month's worth of food available. I stockpile canned and frozen items when they are on sale. I also buy meat in large packages and put it in vacuum seal bags. I do most of my shopping after midnight and find certain days they have managers specialists on meat about to reach expiration. Great buys! Coffee, sugar, flour all keep
Fruit and fresh veggies and bread require quick trips.
I didn't do it all at once, I simply added a few items each trip until I had excess to store. Growing up in the country, there were times we would be snowed in for a week, so I like to be prepared. I'm not a fan of canned veggies amd fruit, but have them, as well as canned meat and fruit. Pasta, rice, instant potatoes, oatmeal, snacks,etc.
Not a prepper, just grew up being taught to be prepared for emergencies.
I do most of my shopping at one store, not big on shopping or driving around.
**ray/stake/silkie and others...you sound like us...alot of freezing / canning...buy a pack of lunchmeat & freeze half..I don't eat meat so that bill isn't very high, but DH stills buys and separates/freezes.
We still go to the store in town once a week..sometimes it will go two weeks.. for bread, tea, milk..the basic things. Hard to get away from buying FRESH fruits and veggies...pretty much all I eat..that and tofu..which does freeze very well when properly prepped. hahaha....
Like Sharron said, we do like the Dollar tree, it has some things there to check out..also the Family dollar and Dollar general, they except coupons too.
I like to go where they "double coupons"..get more bang for the buck...hahaha and when you can do that with the item on sale...well, then you really have something good going. Sometimes they pay me to buy the item!!
Generally we save 50% on our groceries because of coupons w/ sales. We are on an budget that would starve most people, that is no exaggeration...so we HAVE to do every thing we can to save even 1 cent! Alot of times the store brands are just as good if not a little better than the name brands. Buying 'manager-specials' make sense, just freeze them, use when you are ready, or cook-up right away.
Love the farmers markets when we go to Lanc. Co.....we get the things there we aren't growing or just can't find up here....no one knows what Saffron is here..
.yeah, right!!
We have also been ones to "be prepared"...and with the way things 'happen' sometimes, mother nature made or man made, well..it is good to know we have some things to help get us through.
Having chickens has made me feel better in knowing a big portion of my protein intake (Eggs) is now 'in my hands'..I like that thought....going to be growing a "chicken garden" next year to help off-set the cost of feed and to improve their diet. Really excited about planning that over the winter. Also going to be getting our dwarf apple & cherry trees this spring. Trying to do more for ourselves, being more self sufficient is our goal to better health and a more manged budget.
I remember my grandmother having those silver metal boxes(milk) outside her door...too bad they don't do that anymore.
I have a neighbor who has goats and numerous other creatures. She was giving a 'cheese / butter etc..making lesson. I missed it, but she told me to come up the hill(she is just across the road from us) and she will gladly have me "help" her make these things whenever I would like. I am going to take her up on her offer...maybe even get goat-milk on a regular basis and make my own cheese and such!! SO cool!!! Okay, I am done
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I hope you all have a good night and a better tomorrow. -Danielle
