Can I ask those of you on the "No buy" post...

[Uncle.Jr]

when people hear about others spending such little amounts on food they think it's impossible because they can't go out next week and do the same thing.

well that's the problem, you won't be able to go out next week and do it. you need to start slow and work your way there. you don't need to be hardcore like delmar but you can reasonably reduce your costs if you put your mind to it.

and to the person from long island (mouse house mama?), i'm from nyc, recently moved to suburbs in nj, and our markets are probably similar. yet i probably spend about $100 a week on groceries for a family of 4, and i'm definitely not as hardcore as delmar.

you just need to slowly start to build a good stockpile of things u always use when sales arise. after a few months, u will start to see progress. once u start eliminating certain costs from your list, you will have more to spend on other things.

start with non-perishable things like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. these things are practically free after coupons all the time. another example, my wife drinks coffee regularly, so last month i picked up 20 cans of coffee for 9 cents a can after coupon. after a few months, u can use all the money you saved from those things and apply them to things you don't have coupons for, like meat and produce.

by then, maybe you will be comfortable enough to take your savings to another level and start doing rebates. over the summer, there were some great rebates. from things like meat and seafood to entire grocery bills and even gift cards. the gift card one was my favorite, purchase a $50 gift card and get $20 rebate. so i just bought a gift card from my supermarket, other people bought gas cards, for effectively 40% off. i did this 6 times because that's all the addresses i could send it to.

and similar to delmar, ny and nj are both considered 'dry' states so these deals cannot require purchase of alcohol.

[Janet Hill]

I'd love to know how to get my food budget for 4 to less than $450/month. We only buy meat and vegetables that are on sale, and we do stock up when the price is right. Salad or veggies and dip are a staple for dinner every night, as well as one other veggie and meat. We try to have many colors of veggies at every meal.

Our problem is with two diabetics in the house we don't eat potatoes, pasta, bread, beans or rice (yes I know many diabetics do eat these, but my husband is all about tight control).

[Motherofboys]

I love reading through these kinds of threads, it's always interesting to see the different takes people have on grocery shopping and budgets

We spend about $150/wk for 7 people. That doesn't include most toiletries or organic milk that is delivered for our 1 year old.....or indulgence shopping at trader joe's

My co-worker could NOT get over the fact that I spend that much on groceries each week. She couldn't get her grocery bill under $1,000-$1,200 a month for her family of 4.

So we discussed how I do it, nothing major just shop the sales, use coupons, combine shortcut coupons with paper coupons, etc.

She has one set list every week, her kids are very picky eaters, they have to have steak and ribs each week, they spend quite a bit on booze, eat mostly organic, don't eat what is in season (like she has to buy 20 apples each week regardless of the cost) etc.

So my tools really didn't work for her situation. Then we talked about watching sale prices, making sure you don't get overcharged, etc.

And she looks at me and says "How do you know when you get overcharged? How am I supposed to know how much things cost?"

We wrapped up our discussion then

[wdwfan16]

Originally Posted by delmar411

yeah you can take them off the bottles. I doubt you can (well should!) take off any coupon that is actually attached to any product but these they just hang on any bottle available. In other states the coupons wouldn't be as good because you'd have to buy the alcohol but here you can't have alcohol promotions that require alcohol purchase so the coupons themselves aren't associated to the bottles. If that makes any sense at all! LOL

And the cashiers and management at the grocery store have told me it's no problem. So I've checked with the ones who might take issue with it.

I have a feeling something like that falls under YMMV though.

They could care less. The company who is paying the coupon wanted the bottle bought too and they did not authorize others to just take them. Basically you are stealing from them by taking an item for free without buying what they wanted you to buy to get the free item. I guess the ends justify the means.

[bluesaturn]

Originally Posted by wdwfan16

They could care less. The company who is paying the coupon wanted the bottle bought too and they did not authorize others to just take them. Basically you are stealing from them by taking an item for free without buying what they wanted you to buy to get the free item. I guess the ends justify the means.

Did you see the post where she specifically stated that coupons can't be associated with alcohol in her state?

[ilovejack02]

Originally Posted by wdwfan16

They could care less. The company who is paying the coupon wanted the bottle bought too and they did not authorize others to just take them. Basically you are stealing from them by taking an item for free without buying what they wanted you to buy to get the free item. I guess the ends justify the means.

I have read several blogs on this topic. It is fine to use winetags to purchase items and not the booze. If it wasn't allowed it would clearly state it on the coupon and the register would not accept it.

[Mouse House Mama]

Originally Posted by ilovejack02

I have read several blogs on this topic. It is fine to use winetags to purchase items and not the booze. If it wasn't allowed it would clearly state it on the coupon and the register would not accept it.

It still sounds like a shady practice to me. While you may not have to purchase the liquor it is obviously the intent of the liquor company that you would purchase the liquor and they would throw in a coupon for free.

[samshane]

I have tried the commissary route - and everytime I go I end up spending way more because suddenly I think everything is a "great" deal. I refuse to buy produce there though... at my commissary is it horrible and goes bad if you don't eat it within a day or 2 of buying it. Plus, I hate the crowds there... and I live about 1/2hr away from it. I like hearing of everyone's ways to shop and save money. I admire those who can do it very cheaply. I find that without Dh I am saving a ton - LOL, guess we know who the big eater was (he just like the expensive stuff).

[IMALOVNDISNEY]

To the OP, It really is possible to do. And eat healthy as well. There are tons of threads here on the Dis that can help you reduce what you're spending, how to get the best value out of your coupons, meal planning, and cost reducing recipes. My favorite is the crock pot thread. I have always prided myself on my thrifty shopping, but, still have learned so much here on the Dis.
We all have different households with different likes/dislikes and musts/must nots. Remember no ONE is right or wrong. Just do what works for you.

We are a family of 3 with 1 dog and many dinner guests over time. I'm able to keep my shopping down to $100.00 a month. This includes h&b,paper, cleaning, and dog food. Sometimes less, sometimes alittle more. When I say $100 a month that doesn't mean that's what I will spend each month. It means that's what it averages out to be.
*I will buy 40 lbs. of fresh chicken breast at one time and that is usually $60/65 at one time. I do the same with ground beef, stew meat, and ribs. I try to buy most of my meats in bulk. It saves a ton of money in itself. Plus, it cuts down on inpulse shopping. That will be portioned out, prepared, and frozen for future use. Sometimes I will spend $200 at one time just in meat, but, that will last me SEVERAL months. Other meats are usually bought at a local butcher or Costco.
*I also shop with coupons as much as possible. Those that say they don't have time to coupon really aren't serious about reducing their cost. I get multiple inserts from the SS so that helps. Or I will shop for coupons on Ebay. Many say it defeats the purpose of saving if you have to buy coupons. I disagree. Values of coupons vary depending on the areas you live. So, I can get higher value coupons combined them with sales = free or almost. 99% of our H&B, paper products, dog treats, and dish liquid, are free after coupons. I can't remember the last time I paid cash for any of these items. These are a large part of your shopping bill. -0- for me and many like me. I don't buy any of these items from the groccery stores. They come form deals at CVS, Walgreens, R/A, OJL, and Family Dollar. And when you find a great/good sale stock up on it if you know your going to continue to use it. You may buy 20 of something now, but, in the long run it is saving you. Stock piling is the way to go. My DH was laid off for 4 months and the only things I purchased during that time were produce, breads, and dairy. Everything else we had on hand.
*I cook in bulk as well and freeze ahead. Again, this cuts back on impulse buying. (Disclaimer, I work full time and am involved in my DD's events plus several community activities. So it can be done by all. You just need to put alitlle time into it.
*Weather permitting we have a garden and eat home grown and also freeze for later.

Start out slow and pick 1 or 2 areas of shopping you think you can cut down on and try it. Then continue w/other areas as time goes on.

BTW.....We love pop tarts in our house. lol

Be careful. Saving becomes addicting.

[edk35]

I have been reading this thread in shock. I have NEVER saved money like this on groceries probably because I have never taken the time to try any of these things. However I am very intrigued now and will keep following. We are a family of 5 however our oldest ....she is in college now. I budget 300 a week for eating out and groceries and thought that was good. until I read this thread. WOW. Now I include everything in that 300 bucks....cleaning/paper/non food items such as toiletries and dogfood. I have used coupons off and on for years and years. My biggest problem is sending my husband to the commissary for me. I hate going...hate it hate it. So I will make out a list and (he has gotten better with time) but he always comes back with more alot more than what was on the list. We do buy bottled water and he has soda. I am a horrible meal planner. People have told me for years YOU HAVE TO PLAN your meals. I just kinda make sure I have certain meats in the freezer, certain can goods/ staples and wing it. That is probably my problem. I would LOVE LOVE to shave down our grocery budget. I am not one to go to several places each week though trying to get the best deals. I see that as counterproductive if you are driving all over creation trying to get all those free or low cost items. Do most of you do that?? Are you shopping at multiple stores each week?


Thanks

[edk35]

Originally Posted by samshane

I have tried the commissary route - and everytime I go I end up spending way more because suddenly I think everything is a "great" deal. I refuse to buy produce there though... at my commissary is it horrible and goes bad if you don't eat it within a day or 2 of buying it. Plus, I hate the crowds there... and I live about 1/2hr away from it. I like hearing of everyone's ways to shop and save money. I admire those who can do it very cheaply. I find that without Dh I am saving a ton - LOL, guess we know who the big eater was (he just like the expensive stuff).

We do too....I know that we over spend each time we go. My husband is horrible with commmissary shopping. It is almost like he thinks if we don't get it....it won't be there next week. It is crazy. I do think they have great prices on meat though.

[acename]

Originally Posted by Uncle.Jr

when people hear about others spending such little amounts on food they think it's impossible because they can't go out next week and do the same thing.

well that's the problem, you won't be able to go out next week and do it. you need to start slow and work your way there. you don't need to be hardcore like delmar but you can reasonably reduce your costs if you put your mind to it.

and to the person from long island (mouse house mama?), i'm from nyc, recently moved to suburbs in nj, and our markets are probably similar. yet i probably spend about $100 a week on groceries for a family of 4, and i'm definitely not as hardcore as delmar.

you just need to slowly start to build a good stockpile of things u always use when sales arise. after a few months, u will start to see progress. once u start eliminating certain costs from your list, you will have more to spend on other things.

start with non-perishable things like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. these things are practically free after coupons all the time. another example, my wife drinks coffee regularly, so last month i picked up 20 cans of coffee for 9 cents a can after coupon. after a few months, u can use all the money you saved from those things and apply them to things you don't have coupons for, like meat and produce.

by then, maybe you will be comfortable enough to take your savings to another level and start doing rebates. over the summer, there were some great rebates. from things like meat and seafood to entire grocery bills and even gift cards. the gift card one was my favorite, purchase a $50 gift card and get $20 rebate. so i just bought a gift card from my supermarket, other people bought gas cards, for effectively 40% off. i did this 6 times because that's all the addresses i could send it to.

and similar to delmar, ny and nj are both considered 'dry' states so these deals cannot require purchase of alcohol.

This post really hit the nail on the head, at least in my experience. When I started really trying to lower our grocery bill I started with diapers. That's it. I wanted to get the best price for the Huggies diapers that worked best for my daughter. Then I started getting all of our health and beauty items for free or almost free. Once those things were pretty much out of my grocery budget it frees up a lot more money for everything else.

Our budget is usually $250 or less per month for the three of us. Once I have another child in Feb in diapers it may go up some but not much.

[katie26]

I joined a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture - group this year, and I can't say enough good things about it! It's really reduced the amount of money that I spend on groceries every week, and I've gotten tons of fresh, non-certified but still organic fruits and veggies into my diet every week.

If there's a CSA in your area, definitely look into joining it! My CSA, in Brooklyn, NY, cost about $250 for a half share this year. (A full share was $475, but being a single person, I decided to split one share with two friends of mine who are a married couple. We also split a fruit share at $70 each. The amount of food in one full share is perfect for the three of us.)

Every week for 26 weeks, we go to the distribution center and pick up eight to ten different veggie items and about a pound of fruit. Most weeks, I only have to supplement with a box of pasta or rice and a little bit of meat or tofu, and I've got dinners every night of the week, with leftovers for lunch most of the time. It breaks down to $10 a week for a half-share or $20 a week for a full share - quite the bargain for the amount of food! We've also gotten to try a lot of vegetables that we'd never have picked up on our own at the supermarket, and get creative and experimental with recipes. Kohlrabi slaw, anyone?

The only difficulty with the CSA is that you have to pay for it all at once in the early spring time, rather than every week as you go. I'm putting money aside now so that I can pay for next year's share without blowing my budget in April or May. But definitely look into it! If there's a CSA near you, it's a great way to save money and eat healthy... and support a local farmer at the same time!

[Mouse House Mama]

Originally Posted by Uncle.Jr

when people hear about others spending such little amounts on food they think it's impossible because they can't go out next week and do the same thing.

well that's the problem, you won't be able to go out next week and do it. you need to start slow and work your way there. you don't need to be hardcore like delmar but you can reasonably reduce your costs if you put your mind to it.

and to the person from long island (mouse house mama?), i'm from nyc, recently moved to suburbs in nj, and our markets are probably similar. yet i probably spend about $100 a week on groceries for a family of 4, and i'm definitely not as hardcore as delmar.

you just need to slowly start to build a good stockpile of things u always use when sales arise. after a few months, u will start to see progress. once u start eliminating certain costs from your list, you will have more to spend on other things.

start with non-perishable things like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. these things are practically free after coupons all the time. another example, my wife drinks coffee regularly, so last month i picked up 20 cans of coffee for 9 cents a can after coupon. after a few months, u can use all the money you saved from those things and apply them to things you don't have coupons for, like meat and produce.

by then, maybe you will be comfortable enough to take your savings to another level and start doing rebates. over the summer, there were some great rebates. from things like meat and seafood to entire grocery bills and even gift cards. the gift card one was my favorite, purchase a $50 gift card and get $20 rebate. so i just bought a gift card from my supermarket, other people bought gas cards, for effectively 40% off. i did this 6 times because that's all the addresses i could send it to.

and similar to delmar, ny and nj are both considered 'dry' states so these deals cannot require purchase of alcohol.

This is very good advice. Thank you. Some things they don't do here (like rebates) but I do agree with the stock up. We do spend a lot on fresh produce though. I do get my tolietries and such for next to nothing (thank you CVS!) so that at least is covered.
Where do you find out about meat and seafood rebates? I have never seen them or really any other food rebates here.

[Mouse House Mama]

Originally Posted by katie26

I joined a CSA - Community Supported Agriculture - group this year, and I can't say enough good things about it! It's really reduced the amount of money that I spend on groceries every week, and I've gotten tons of fresh, non-certified but still organic fruits and veggies into my diet every week.

If there's a CSA in your area, definitely look into joining it! My CSA, in Brooklyn, NY, cost about $250 for a half share this year. (A full share was $475, but being a single person, I decided to split one share with two friends of mine who are a married couple. We also split a fruit share at $70 each. The amount of food in one full share is perfect for the three of us.)

Every week for 26 weeks, we go to the distribution center and pick up eight to ten different veggie items and about a pound of fruit. Most weeks, I only have to supplement with a box of pasta or rice and a little bit of meat or tofu, and I've got dinners every night of the week, with leftovers for lunch most of the time. It breaks down to $10 a week for a half-share or $20 a week for a full share - quite the bargain for the amount of food! We've also gotten to try a lot of vegetables that we'd never have picked up on our own at the supermarket, and get creative and experimental with recipes. Kohlrabi slaw, anyone?

The only difficulty with the CSA is that you have to pay for it all at once in the early spring time, rather than every week as you go. I'm putting money aside now so that I can pay for next year's share without blowing my budget in April or May. But definitely look into it! If there's a CSA near you, it's a great way to save money and eat healthy... and support a local farmer at the same time!

This is so good to hear! I have always wanted to try this.