Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Does anyone do the monthly grocery shopping?
What is your strategy for not running out of things?
How did you get started with this?
How to convince hubby that he will not run out of everything?
Average bill and how may in the family?
Would it pay to shop different places on that day?

I do a major trip once a month, and pick up milk and fresh fruits and veg about every two weeks. I prefer to go very late at night/early in the morning since I hate crowds and can take my time looking over prices/quantity without feeling rushed. Since it's just Gavin and I, I can usually get away with only spending about $300 a month, but I pretty much only buy stuff that is on sale or I have coupons for. I use the electronic coupons, I click on the ones I want and they get automatically "attached" to my store card, since I always forget the paper ones. I also use Savingstar, which works the same way as far as being "attached" to my store cards, but it gives you cash back instead of taking it off at the register. You build up to a minimum amount then you can have it sent to paypal, your bank, or some gift cards. As far as making sure we don't run out, I try to make sure nearly everything either has a decent shelf life or can be frozen and if it's a good enough price I buy extra, and I have freeze dried foods and water for real emergencies. Paper products and soaps/laundry/etc are either Walmart or Dollar Tree. I try to have one extra on hand, ie one extra pack of TP and once opened I pick up another, same with soaps, laundry stuff, etc.

I find with store brand veggies, meat on special, fresh potatoes or yams, I can cook so much cheaper. Microwave makes it easy to bake a potato and do veggies. Meat is on the grill s lot.
But bulk packs of lunchmeat and freeze in small packs.ditto bacon on sale.
I used to eat all prepared food, but the salt and fat content is bad for me. I do keep some on hand for a quick meal, but try not to make it a habit.
Best thing to have its a lot of freezer space.

I agree. I have two fridges with freezers, and plan to bring over the extra chest freezer from my parent's. The only thing I have a problem with is remembering to move the older food to the freezer in the kitchen and only putting the new food into the back freezer.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

FINALLY the doctor is going to run tests on my son! He is going to the hospital now. Hopefully they run the right tests and find out whats wrong with him.Thank you for all your support.

Thank goodness! I'll keep ya'll in my prayers, and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

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

...
I hope you all have a good night and a better tomorrow. -Danielle

 

[SilkieSensation]

This is pretty much what I do. We are on a pretty limited budget so have to really watch what we spend. I go to 3-4 stores over 2-3 days' time at the beginning of each month. I save back about $50-75 for bread, milk, fresh fruits

do you have a dollar store close to you? alot of times i go there and get items for a dollar, i always get my fabric softer there along with some other items, sometimes even food items, our dollar store even put a cooler in and now has country ham(the really salty stuff that we love and can't find except at cracker barrel) check it out sometime

We have a Dollar Tree in town. I get a lot of my pre-made cleaning supplies there but I make my own laundry detergent, fabric softner & soap. Wal-Mart carries the detergent supplies & the main ingredient in fabric softner is conditioner which I can get for like 88 cents & make over a gallon of softner. I don't buy trash bags because we recycle glass, scrap cans, compost or feed food scraps to the critters & burn everything that will burn. That also eliminates a trash bill & gives us a bit of spare cash for recycling the cans & metal. We didn't get as big of a garden out this year as planned so didn't get to do any canning. Hopefully next year we will be canning our own produce as well. I also have Amish/Mennonite friends who make cheese, butter, etc & are willing to teach me once the goat starts producing.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

We have a Dollar Tree in town. I get a lot of my pre-made cleaning supplies there but I make my own laundry detergent, fabric softner & soap. Wal-Mart carries the detergent supplies & the main ingredient in fabric softner is conditioner which I can get for like 88 cents & make over a gallon of softner. I don't buy trash bags because we recycle glass, scrap cans, compost or feed food scraps to the critters & burn everything that will burn. That also eliminates a trash bill & gives us a bit of spare cash for recycling the cans & metal. We didn't get as big of a garden out this year as planned so didn't get to do any canning. Hopefully next year we will be canning our own produce as well. I also have Amish/Mennonite friends who make cheese, butter, etc & are willing to teach me once the goat starts producing.

Could you please inbox me some of your cleaning "recipes," I'm trying to cut where we can without losing effectiveness.

 

[wingstone]

LMP....you must share some of those tofu recipes...I used to work with a girl that brought chunks of bar b que tofu it was so good.

 

[barbiegirl]

Danielle, what will you plant for your chicken garden?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

They had pet picture day at tsc. I had to be different.

Happy Halloween!

Great Pics! I love that you brought a chicken in.

Barbie best of luck to you and your son, I hope this doc straightens things out for you.

We went on a hay ride at the Bates Motel last night, SCARY!!! Let's just say, it's a good thing they put hay down and next year....Depends are in order.

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Great Pics! I love that you brought a chicken in.

Barbie best of luck to you and your son, I hope this doc straightens things out for you.

We went on a hay ride at the Bates Motel last night, SCARY!!! Let's just say, it's a good thing they put hay down and next year....Depends are in order.

LOL

I went on a few of those while I was pregnant...

 

[Brittany7]

I do a major trip once a month, and pick up milk and fresh fruits and veg about every two weeks. I prefer to go very late at night/early in the morning since I hate crowds and can take my time looking over prices/quantity without feeling rushed. Since it's just Gavin and I, I can usually get away with only spending about $300 a month, but I pretty much only buy stuff that is on sale or I have coupons for. I use the electronic coupons, I click on the ones I want and they get automatically "attached" to my store card, since I always forget the paper ones. I also use Savingstar, which works the same way as far as being "attached" to my store cards, but it gives you cash back instead of taking it off at the register. You build up to a minimum amount then you can have it sent to paypal, your bank, or some gift cards. As far as making sure we don't run out, I try to make sure nearly everything either has a decent shelf life or can be frozen and if it's a good enough price I buy extra, and I have freeze dried foods and water for real emergencies. Paper products and soaps/laundry/etc are either Walmart or Dollar Tree. I try to have one extra on hand, ie one extra pack of TP and once opened I pick up another, same with soaps, laundry stuff, etc.
I agree. I have two fridges with freezers, and plan to bring over the extra chest freezer from my parent's. The only thing I have a problem with is remembering to move the older food to the freezer in the kitchen and only putting the new food into the back freezer.

How do you do the electronic coupons? Is that something that only your store does or is there something online for it? I havent ever seen this or heard of it? Can you please share some more info on this please!?!