a little help please?
>> Saturday, May 03, 2008
Ok...I need some serious help. We realized this week that our boys eat as though they are teenagers and I seriously fear for the day when we have actually have three teenage boys needing to fill their empty stomachs. That realization led me to look at how much we are spending on groceries...it is NOT good...not good at all.
So, I am on a mission. A mission to save some serious money on groceries. This is also perfect timing as we are really trying to work on building up our food storage. The only problem is that I have never been good at coupons or finding deals.
This is where you come in. I know there are all sorts of cool websites out there (I have heard people talking about them but it went it one ear and out the other) and other money saving tips...I just don't know where to find them.
So, please, help a mother of three boys who who doesn't want to go bankrupt from grocery spending. TELL ME YOUR SECRETS! And if you're STILL not convinced of the severity of this situation, just look...Isaac is already displaying teenage boy eating habits...
16 comments:
I am obsessed with clipping coupons and not spending a fortune on food. I guess it is a weird hobby. Have your peeps get with my peeps and we will get together soon.
I will be stalking your comments because I have this problem also. I know that WalMart price matches. So you get all the mailers from other stores, write down the deals on a piece of paper. Bring the mailers with you just in case. Then you go to WalMart, and when you are checking out, you tell them the prices of the things that they are price matching. Somethimes they will ask you to show the proof from the mailers, but I hear that doesn't happen often. Anyway. Good luck!
good luck with that. we should probably start something too. for breakfast the other morning, zach ate three pieces of french toast, a yogurt, about 25 grapes, and his milk. i about died. he is only two for crying out loud!
on a completely different train of thought, are you guys going to be in utah for thanksgiving?
I know that a lot of women around her do what is called "coupon Sense" I can have a friend forward information on to you about it.
I hear you on the grocery bill and we only have one boy so far. We fear the teenage days.
I want a good Macey's case lot sale, but...no go.
I am not a coupon person. Ugh, but I should be. You can save a lot of money. Maybe if I finally did it and saw how much money I was saving I would spend the time to do it.
I have this problem, but not like you... I am just cheap. When I did my "Cook for a day, eat for a month", she had a lot of money saving tips too. 1) Make your list your bible! Make the list, and don't get anything not on the list. It works well for me, because while I am in the store, I see everything that looks good, and would want to buy it- NO MORE! 2) Stor brand stuff is usually just as good as name brand stuff. There are a few things that I WILL ALWAYS buy name brand, but for the most part, if I see store brand... I BUY IT!
There are books in the library that can help too. Meijer usually has 10/$10 sales, with the 11th item free. And you can mix and match. Last week we got, tubes of cinnimon rolls, microwave popcorn, croutons, just read the sales papers. We should have an enrichment night on that!
Move to China! I am no help here, as I have forgotten how to shop at one store. I know get my eggs, fruit, veggie and other stuff from four different stores. But is there an Aldi's store near you? I have friends in the midwest who swear by this store. Also going to no meat meals twice a week saves a lot of money. Also not eating cereal but homemade pancakes and eggs saves it too!
Unfortunately I'm of no use on this subject. Seeing as how I only feed myself. I eat what I like and I don't really bay much attention to price. I should start practicing. I"ll have to read up on everyone's suggestions. Good luck.
Well, since I have 2 girls my situation is a little different. However, Bella usually doesn't eat anything and Sophie eats her own plate and then Bella's. In any regard, I try to clip coupons when I can. Also, I look at this website called www.pinchingyourpennies.com
I think it has some stuff for Michigan on there. Good luck with the 3 boys. Sophie is my equivalent to a boy! Sometimes I think she eats as much as 3 boys herself!
Well I feel your pain, I have 4 boys with HIGH metabolism and a daughter that can seriously throw it down. Bottom shelves have the cheaper prices, buy generic brands, got to an associated food store (in Utah Macy's or Dan's Foods) not a huge grocery chain for better prices. Wal-Marts can be of the devil becuase you will end up buying more things other than what you came for. Shop around for Food outlet grocery stores they have dented items or smashed boxes for cheap and the food is fine. Plan a menu. Don't buy a ton of pre-packaged foods they are expensive, make your kids hyper with added sugar and are unhealthy. Plan your meals around what is on sale in the Sunday ads and stock up on those staple items. Coupons are great, but only if you are using them on things you really need and normally buy, otherwise you are spending money on new things you really wouldn't get before. Some bigger grocery stores offer online coupons ( Smith's here does on their Kroger brands). Hope it helps!!!
I hear ya! I have been saving crazy amounts of money over the past few months on groceries and it has become addicting! LOL! If I have to pay over 50 cents for toothpaste I won't buy it! Pay more than a $1 for a box of brand name cereal? NO WAY!!!
Try this site....
http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=40
Subscribe to 4 or 5 Sunday newspapers just for the coupons.
This week at Albertsons (not sure if they have those in Michigan?) General Mills cereal and granola bars and Betty Crocker muffin mixes (and other stuff) is on sale for 10 for $10. Plus if you use coupons on top of that it is DIRT CHEAP! I bought 15 boxes of cereal and 5 cookie mixes for less than $9!
Also,check your stores' coupon policies. Some places will take other store's coupons in addition to a manufacturer's coupon. Plus, some stores will let you use 2coupons even when it's BOGO free.
Gosh, there is so many ways to save money. My mind goes crazy.
Do you have a Walgreens out there? Walgreens has KILLER deals almost every week.
Eric's mom told me that when his older brother Mark left on a mission, leaving Eric and his mother and father at home, their food bill was cut in half! We love this easy and cheap recipe:
Salsa Chicken:
Frozen Chicken breasts
Canned corn
Canned beans
Salsa
Put all in a crock pot and serve over rice. YOu can also do basically the same with a taco seasoning packet. Both are delicious and make a ton of food!
Hi Jean, I don't know if you can find something like this up in your neck of the woods... there's this site: bountifulbaskets.org for Arizona. You make orders on Wednesdays and you pick up a load of fresh produce, rice, bread, spices, beans, even chocolates if you want... all for $15! It would be $50 at a normal grocery store for all you get. There are multiple pick-up locations and it is SWEET. Look up co-ops in Montana! They gotta have 'em. Good luck!
oops, I mean Michigan. haha!! :) Those darn M-states.
You have lots of really good advice already...but, for what it's worth here it goes:
I easily feed my family for $150.00 a week. I watch adds really closely- and keep coupons.
Until I had kids I rarely cooked from scratch, grew a garden, or canned- unless it was jam. Feeding a family of seven has changed my tactics.
Growing a garden will save you more than you can imagine in produce. Investing $40 in plants will supply you until fall...especially tomatoes and cucumbers. I can tomatoes, juice, fruit, etc. I even made pickles last year- way easier than I thought. Most extensions or communities have classes. Another resource I use are farmers markets. I also keep my ears open for local growers who will let us glean or pick inexpensively. I make bread regularly because it's cheaper, keeps tummies full longer, and is a lot better for them. I have my bread recipe on my blog if you are interested. I use the same recipe for rolls and pizza dough.
Being frugal is a lot of work, but I love looking in my storage room...and the boys are very enthusiastic canners....tools and knives, you know.
Oh honey I'm with ya! My 2 boys eat us out of house & home. They are 12 & 8. All I ever hear out of their mouths are 'I'M HUNGRY'!!!! UGH!!!! haha... I am soo not good a cutting coupons or price checking. I have NO time for that!!!! Love to read some of these ideas ;-)
So I know this post is way old but I have some websites for you:
1)http://www.utahdealdiva.com/
1a)http://www.utahdealdiva.com/search/label/Food%20Storage%20Friday
2)http://www.momadvice.com/index.aspx
3)http://www.printablecouponsanddeals.com/
4)http://hip2save.com/
5)http://www.onefrugalfoodie.com/page/3/
6)http://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/
Let me know if you desire any more. I've got a billion, these are some of my favorites.
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