What small habit changes have saved you the most money over time?

[Mini Horses]

May be how/who packages the meats, the cuts, etc. some stores keep a butcher & cut or gring on site. Some receive everything prepackaged. Can be good or bad choice. One store I go to on occasion sells a lot of primal cuts & will prep to your desire. Steaks are not marbled enough for my taste but, chicken has been excellent. They also sell a lot of "case lots" that are restaurant packs. Good prices when they have sales. Lot of portion packaging once home. Source of supplier is key to quality for every store.

Then -- maybe she just likes the butcher!

 

[flowerbug]

...
Then -- maybe she just likes the butcher!

there's new people there all the time, big box store... the most important thing to her is that we don't have to make another stop.

 

[murphysranch]

washing and reusing zipper bags - since they were invented in the 80's.

 

[flowerbug]

washing and reusing zipper bags - since they were invented in the 80's.

it took me a while to get Mom willing to do it or to at least not throw them away until i could get them cleaned up to be reused.

in recent times the newer bags have not been as good as the older bags so they've become even more precious. also we had some recently that pulled apart on the first use. grrrrr!

even if we don't particularly like a bag now we'll still keep it and use it as an outer bag for the freezer because those will end up getting tossed as we can't stand the smell of them.

 

[flowerbug]

oh and then when the bag has reached the end of it's use we might keep some to wrap up meat wrappings or other smelly scraps that go into the trash so they help keep flies and smells down.

 

[JanetMarie]

Work all the time so that you don't have time to go shopping, and work at a job that you're too busy to shop online. No shopping online on your lunch break either. Only purchase what you absolutely need to survive, except for coffee.

 

[Mini Horses]

coffee IS survival !!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

coffee IS survival !!

TRUTH!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I take advantage of store loyalty cards and shop the sales. I stock up when the savings is significant. I buy livestock feed at the feed mill where it is manufactured instead of TSC for a nice savings. I pay off any credit cards in full each month - I do NOT pay interest.

 

[FarmerJamie]

coffee IS survival !!

Particularly for those around me