What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

[igorsMistress]

I think it's best to have a well stocked pantry full of goods that were bought on sale. You can save lots of money that way. But I think the key to the method is the rotation. That is where we fail at my house.

I would like us to practice the FIFO method, First In First Out, so that the oldest stocked goods are used before the newest supplies. In reality, we live under the FISH method, First In Still Here, as all the old goods get shoved to the back of the cupboard shelf.

I dunno, there are certain items we go through faster than others so I can’t always get things on sale. If I see a sale I’ll take advantage of it, but otherwise I stock my pantry as needed

 

[Sally PB]

In 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, I bought some things that store a long, looooong time. Just in case. Nobody knew what would happen, so I have, among other things, lots of dried beans. I don't care about a "use by" date on those (same with pasta). As long as they don't get moldy, I think they're fine.

We don't eat many bean dishes. So I still have a lot of dried beans. The reasons I bought them? A) the keep practically forever, B) nobody knew what was going to happen, C) Costco still had lots of dried beans, D) they are cheap, E) they go with a lot of things we already had (home canned tomatoes).

This winter, I am going to make more soups and chilis to use up some dried beans.

 

[gtaus]

I dunno, there are certain items we go through faster than others so I can’t always get things on sale. If I see a sale I’ll take advantage of it, but otherwise I stock my pantry as needed

Of course. Not everything goes on sale and some items are must have. I just buy and stock up on goods on sale when I can.

 

[gtaus]

This winter, I am going to make more soups and chilis to use up some dried beans.

I know some people that get free food from the charity food pantry. Far too often, they get stuff like dried beans or other food that needs to be prepared and cooked. They just don't use that stuff. Too much work or they don't how to cook anything.

I hate to think about all the food given to those in real need that never gets used because they don't cook at home, or maybe don't know how to cook.

I'd love to have all those packs of dried beans to make some chili. I don't mind letting the beans soak overnight and mixing up a big batch of chili in the crockpot the next day. One of my favorite meals in the wintertime. Just leave it in the slow cooker and help yourself when you want.

 

[igorsMistress]

Of course. Not everything goes on sale and some items are must have. I just buy and stock up on goods on sale when I can.

Sorry guy, I had no caffeine on board when I replied

 

[Sally PB]

Here is my only complaint about beans: Yeah, that one.

 

[saysfaa]

I also thought dry beans keep forever and bought a lot of them as cheap insurance before Y2K, and when we moved to where there was a Sam's Club.

They may keep forever but they are useable for much less than that.

My son-in-law's mother came to visit. She cooks beans and rice nearly every day. She tried to make some for us and that is when I discovered my few attempts at making beans using dried bean did not fail because I did it wrong. They failed because when dry beans are stored too long, they are not usable. She tried very hard to be polite but I will never forget the look on her face.

Basically, they do not absorb the water they are soaked in whether it is the long way of soaking them or the short way. Even with extra, extra, extra long soaking times. I tried that after she left. Then threw them out in the pastures. I didn't think they would compost in a reasonable timeframe.

My best guess is they were about ten years old when we tried to use them. Kept in a fairly dry basement.

 

[igorsMistress]

In 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, I bought some things that store a long, looooong time. Just in case. Nobody knew what would happen, so I have, among other things, lots of dried beans. I don't care about a "use by" date on those (same with pasta). As long as they don't get moldy, I think they're fine.

We don't eat many bean dishes. So I still have a lot of dried beans. The reasons I bought them? A) the keep practically forever, B) nobody knew what was going to happen, C) Costco still had lots of dried beans, D) they are cheap, E) they go with a lot of things we already had (home canned tomatoes).

This winter, I am going to make more soups and chilis to use up some dried beans.

I have beans, and flour! Like almost 50lbs of flour lol. I don’t use much flour, but it was a hard to find item here when Covid hit. It’s in mylar bags wot O2 absorbers like the beans, so it will store a very long time.

 

[igorsMistress]

I know some people that get free food from the charity food pantry. Far too often, they get stuff like dried beans or other food that needs to be prepared and cooked. They just don't use that stuff. Too much work or they don't how to cook anything.

I hate to think about all the food given to those in real need that never gets used because they don't cook at home, or maybe don't know how to cook.

I'd love to have all those packs of dried beans to make some chili. I don't mind letting the beans soak overnight and mixing up a big batch of chili in the crockpot the next day. One of my favorite meals in the wintertime. Just leave it in the slow cooker and help yourself when you want.

Yeah, I’ve seen people pick through their boxes of free food with disgust. I was like hey I’ll take it, I know how to cook beans and rice and my kids love peanut butter! What do they think they’re gonna get, vouchers for a Big Mac from MickeyD’s?

 

[Sally PB]

They may keep forever but they are useable for much less than that.

Thank you! I did not know that.