Reducing expenses

[Wannabefree]

The best way to save on groceries and be healthy is to rattle those pots and pans! Buy almost NOTHING that is ready to eat, and cook everything from scratch. Do not buy anything to drink, with rare exceptions, like milk. Get at least 2-3 meals from each session of cooking, preferably more.

For example, boneless chicken breast is not the best buy. Buy the whole chickens for less per pound, and use every bit. Bone the breast yourself if that is what you need for a recipe, then use the rest, which will then be basically free.

I have to agree wholeheartedly with this. We used to travel a lot and prepackaged was easiest, and the company paid for it, but when we were home it's strictly from scratch. The cheapest healthiest way to eat is from scratch.

I also agree that $400 sounds a bit much for 2 adults and a child, UNLESS you are including formula/wipes/diapers/pullups/etc. Then it is just about right unfortunately, but some things could still be minimized to get every last penny from every last dollar in good nutritious food value.

 

[patandchickens]

The best way to save on groceries and be healthy is to rattle those pots and pans! Buy almost NOTHING that is ready to eat, and cook everything from scratch.

Yup, in addition to "don't buy things for which coupons are offered" another good rule of thumb is "don't buy things that have a list of ingredients" Instead buy things like, it's a bag of beans and it just says "beans" on it, or a whole chicken to cut up and use all different ways, or produce, or such.

Pat

 

[tortoise]

Tortoise, why do you shop with a credit card for everyday stuff? ... When the moneys gone, no more spending.

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He has all the money, he gives me a credit card (he pays off the bill every month). I don't have anything to do with money except to not be stupid and give him the receipts. We aren't married yet, so I don't feel I have any business with it. It's not my money to worry about, even though I do. I want to see that being frugal is paying off!

He might be even more frugal than I am, so I'm super careful that I don't buy something he wouldn't approve of. But he also splurges in other areas. HD cable is a necessity in his opinion. But electric heat above 60 degrees? not going to happen. :/

He even questions if I bought 25 pounds of flour for $5. So I'm doing stealth stocking up when there is a good enough sale. Some things he's totally fine with. I buy as much butter as I can when it's below $2/lb. He's OK with that. But other things... whatever.

$400 doesn't include any household items.

I do most of the grocery shopping and I don't buy the same stuff he would. He buys cans of soup, DiGiorno, and chips. I don't buy soup, or pizza, and I'll only buy two kinds of chips - straight up poato chips (ingredients potatoes, oil, salt) or straight up corn chips (ingredients corn, oil, salt).

We do cook from scratch which is why I can't figure out how the number gets so high. I don't bake bread every week, but still that's only $12/month if we bought the bakery bread every week.

We do buy Florida's Natural orange juice (maybe 2x/month?) and 2 gallons of milk/week. We would both skip juice before buying outside of USA.

We do buy A LOT of cheese for all the homemade pizza and homemade mac-n-cheese. I do pick around for the lowest sale prices and stock up, but cheese is still expensive!

I just can't figure out how we actually spend that much money on food. It doesn't seem right. I used to do family of 3 on half that much! :/

 

[Denim Deb]

You're buying a lot of cheese. That will make your food bill go up quickly.

 

[tamlynn]

He has all the money, he gives me a credit card (he pays off the bill every month). I don't have anything to do with money except to not be stupid and give him the receipts. We aren't married yet, so I don't feel I have any business with it. It's not my money to worry about, even though I do. I want to see that being frugal is paying off!

Warning: totally unsolicited advice ahead. Feel free to ignore.

I think this is something you should work out before you get married. Finances are a huge deal in marriages and if you are already sharing finances, you need to be involved more than you are now.

Now I will shut up.

 

[Wannabefree]

He has all the money, he gives me a credit card (he pays off the bill every month). I don't have anything to do with money except to not be stupid and give him the receipts. We aren't married yet, so I don't feel I have any business with it. It's not my money to worry about, even though I do. I want to see that being frugal is paying off!

Warning: totally unsolicited advice ahead. Feel free to ignore.

I think this is something you should work out before you get married. Finances are a huge deal in marriages and if you are already sharing finances, you need to be involved more than you are now.

Now I will shut up.

x2

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

He has all the money, he gives me a credit card (he pays off the bill every month). I don't have anything to do with money except to not be stupid and give him the receipts. We aren't married yet, so I don't feel I have any business with it. It's not my money to worry about, even though I do. I want to see that being frugal is paying off!

Warning: totally unsolicited advice ahead. Feel free to ignore.

I think this is something you should work out before you get married. Finances are a huge deal in marriages and if you are already sharing finances, you need to be involved more than you are now.

Now I will shut up.

x2

X3

 

[fosterchick]

I have found that when I make something for dinner, I make 3 of that meal. I will freeze 2 of them. I found that for some reason this has reduced my food bill.

 

[tortoise]

He has all the money, he gives me a credit card (he pays off the bill every month). I don't have anything to do with money except to not be stupid and give him the receipts. We aren't married yet, so I don't feel I have any business with it. It's not my money to worry about, even though I do. I want to see that being frugal is paying off!

Warning: totally unsolicited advice ahead. Feel free to ignore.

I think this is something you should work out before you get married. Finances are a huge deal in marriages and if you are already sharing finances, you need to be involved more than you are now.

Now I will shut up.

I do appreciate the comment. I am bipolar with some nasty anxiety and agoraphobia, so paying bills is not something I am capable of doing. No, we haven't talked about it, but yes, I completely trust his judgement with his (our?) money. If I want (frivolous) spending money I have to find a way to earn it myself.

 

[tortoise]

How can we survive with less cheese?