Reducing expenses

[freemotion]

I your speech, lorih!

You can reduce your deli meat bill quite a bit by cooking chicken or turkey and using that for at least some of your sandwiches. Meatloaf, too. Egg salad is very cheap, or if at home, have a fried or scrambled egg sandwich or grilled cheese. We love chicken and turkey salad sandwiches, and sometimes will have sliced turkey or chicken on a sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes for a change.

You'll get more mileage with whole birds, using the breast for sandwiches and using the rest for other meals and finally, soup or stew. Or make a reduction with the broth and have a hot turkey or chicken sandwich, yum! But you will still save over deli meats if you buy whole boneless chicken breasts in bulk, divide them up into freezer bags, and cook up a few at a time and put them in the fridge for use over the next few days.

We do both. We used to have deli meat sandwiches almost every day, but now it is a rare treat, like when we travel and make our lunches in a hotel room. It really adds up over the course of a year.

If you are good with a carving knife, you could cook up a big ham on sale and slice that up for sandwiches, too, and even do the same with a beef roast if you are so inclined. Most of the roast beef in the deli is basically raw, just cooked a bit on the outside. You'd need a decent cut. I haven't done this myself.

 

[patandchickens]

To slice "real" roast meat deli-thin, pop the piece in the freezer for a short while (you will have to experiment) til it starts to get ice crystals and firms up (but does not freeze entirely) so you can easily get very thin slices without it slumping and squidging and being uncooperative.

Pat

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Here is a huge way to cut expenses.
Rather then running to the dentist to fill cavities and deal with other basic issues like mineral breakdown, gum disease, etc., do the following.
Stop eating all refined foods.
Start sprouting, soaking and or fermenting all grains, nuts and seed in your diet.
Find a source for raw dairy.

And then to heal current issues, go to www.drrons.com and order Fermented Cod Liver Oil and High Vitamin Butter Oil.
Do not choke at the cost. The breakdown over time is pennies compared to getting even one filling done.

 

[tortoise]

I'm excited to find a ham or something on sale for after-Christmas, but I'm fighting anxiety and agoraphobia at the moment and don't know if I'll be able to get to the store in time. I should get one even if it is not on sale. Deli meat is $4 - $6/lb. And a ham can be less than $1/lb sometimes. My fiance isn't big into ham, but I could dice it for scrambled eggs or omlette, slice it for sandwiches. A nice pork bone and bits for pea soup... I think I can make it worth it. Any other ideas to use up a ham?

.... or I could cook up a venison roast and slice it thin. Roast it, then freeze it a little bit to make it easier to cut?

My future-mother-in-law bought me a book about making bread that should make it even easier to make consistently and save us money more often for not buying store bread at $2.98 - $3.99/loaf, depending on what store we go to.

I did a store survey and got a 10% off coupon for it. I have a gift card for the store, so it's like more free money. Then again, I did another one - Kohl's - and didn't get anything for it. I guess I will be more careful so I don't waste my time.

I *might* have a pregnant doe, so my rabbit-meat luck might be turning around! I love using rabbit loin/tenderloin for fajitas. Yum!

 

[fosterchick]

My husband had a party at work and noticed that they were throwing out all the left overs. So brought them home. I have just recycled the sausage from sausage and peppers. I cut them up and froze them. This way I can use them for pizza toppings in the future. We have manage to eat the rest of the food. That was dinner for 2 nights and some lunches.

 

[MeatKing]

I'm excited to find a ham or something on sale for after-Christmas, but I'm fighting anxiety and agoraphobia at the moment and don't know if I'll be able to get to the store in time. I should get one even if it is not on sale. Deli meat is $4 - $6/lb. And a ham can be less than $1/lb sometimes. My fiance isn't big into ham, but I could dice it for scrambled eggs or omlette, slice it for sandwiches. A nice pork bone and bits for pea soup... I think I can make it worth it. Any other ideas to use up a ham?

.... or I could cook up a venison roast and slice it thin. Roast it, then freeze it a little bit to make it easier to cut?

My future-mother-in-law bought me a book about making bread that should make it even easier to make consistently and save us money more often for not buying store bread at $2.98 - $3.99/loaf, depending on what store we go to.

I did a store survey and got a 10% off coupon for it. I have a gift card for the store, so it's like more free money. Then again, I did another one - Kohl's - and didn't get anything for it. I guess I will be more careful so I don't waste my time.

I *might* have a pregnant doe, so my rabbit-meat luck might be turning around! I love using rabbit loin/tenderloin for fajitas. Yum!

We'll make a ham/ fettucinne alfredo cassarole bake, it freez's well (I add a bit extra sauce to freezer version

Thanks for starting this thread, have really enjoyed reading it..

 

[Denim Deb]

I use left over ham in scalloped potatoes and ham. I'll also use it in soups (lentil, split pea and potato) and in chef's salad. Something I've thought of doing, but haven't had the time is making ham salad, and using it on sandwiches instead of chicken or egg salad. And you can always use it in scrambled eggs or an omelet.

 

[lorihadams]

If you cook a whole turkey or chicken you can always shred up the meat in portions and freeze it to thaw out for a quick meal later. I do this for tacos all the time. I usually freeze our ground deer meat in 2lb bags for this reason....I'll cook up all 2 lbs at once and freeze half of it for another quick meal and use the rest for dinner that night.

If you plan your meals for the week you will find that you don't throw away or waste as much. When I make soup I make a HUGE pot and either freeze or can half of it so we can heat it up for lunch later or open it when we are having a busy day and don't have time to cook.

I just found a cookbook that I really like Gluten Free: Quick and Easy....I bought it for my grandmother who has celiacs but I am going back to get a copy for myself. The author does a lot of bulk cooking for the week on the first day and then incorporates the precooked ingredients into meals the rest of the week. I'll see if I can find the author.

 

[Bettacreek]

$400 is outrageous for a family of four. When I was not being careful with what we bought, it cost about $200 for four of us per month, and that was including diapers for two, TP, tampons, etc.
I think the grocery bill would be pretty easy to reduce. Naturally harvested foods (deer, berries, whatever) is basically free food. Some may cost more to obtain than others. It's $20 for a basic hunting tag here which gives you two turkeys and a deer, plus small game. Add in the guns and all that and meat is fairly expensive. Fishing on the other hand is again $20, $1 for a pack of twenty hooks, cheap rod, grow your own bait and you can fish all year long, plus with the fishing license here, you are also entitled to turtles, frogs, etc. Berries and other plant materials cost your travel expenses, and storage expenses of course.
You can also trade/barter for other peoples' harvests. So I can see where cutting costs in the food bill is the easiest. You can more easily adjust that each month than adjust a phone bill.

 

[Mattemma]

I have seen bread machines at thifts. I got mine and it was *new*.

Some grocery stores have loyalty cards that give you discounts for shopping with them,and some even give you discounts on gas.

I buy chicken when it is on sale.Steak too.Dh hates it but I refuse to buy items if they are not on sale except for milk.Though I could buy powdered milk.

We use cheddar for soft taco/burrito.And dd likes pepper jack cheese in her salads.I buy blocks and shred it myself.

For the car you could check tire pressure and top off your tank anytime you see a good price.Watch your speed.I read too it takes more gas when you have to back out of a parking spot.

Line dry your cloths inside/outside and then just fluff in the dryer.

For the credit card use one that gives high rebates.

I am trying to limit my spending to $100 cash weekly for food,supplies,pets.

I get a seperate gas card through the kids school scrip program.If I don't get the gas card I use my credit card and pay off.

I always suggest to my dh he should shop if he thinks he can do better.Well he has shopped while on the road,so I think he is seeing food is quite more expensive than it used to be.

I buy cloths at the thrift store.50 cent Mondays are crazy,but boy you can cash in.

I cook a lot of meatless dishes or add a little meat for flavoring.