Taking a Vow of Frugality

If you are spending more on groceries per meal than eating out you aren't doing what the other commenter recommended. Wholesome=whole foods. You are buying junk or paying too much, shop around and stock up on non-perishables or freezer items, and buy in bulk. Go to stores close together or stop in if you happen to be driving by. Unless you've choose to live in the boonies, your choice don't whine about lack of competition, it is not that far. For months I was spending $20 a month on gas including when it was over $4 so I obviously wasn't driving all over every week.

Most things will keep, can be frozen, or dried. Stop buying prepared food and buy a bread maker,freezer and dehydrater and shop once a month if you live in the boonies. Im assuming you have to find civilization occasionally.

I'm 8 months pregnant. Hubby and I in a day made and frozen more than 120 servings of meals for when our baby arrives. We used a foodsaver but we regularly put his lunch (leftovers) in reusable containers or try freezer bags. And he carries them frozen biking 8 miles one way to work.

Whole grains:

regular not quick oatmeal

bag of uncle bens brown rice parboiled

tortilla-whole wheat or multi-grain

barley

popcorn

whole wheat pasta

whole wheat bread

Try day old bread outlet and freeze or invest in a griner and buy the wheat berries, grind yourself and make your own pancakes, crepes, bread, cookies, muffins...

Protein-(The chicken,roast and whole frozen turkey was on sale recently cheaper than Costco so we multiple family packs of each.)

Lean meat-Eating out usually means it is not lean. Hamburger patties at Costco cheaper than the chubs at 50 cents each. Frozen meat last a year.

Bag of dry beans=numerous servings. Soak overnight and cook or in pressure cooker, try using crock pot/slow cooker. Also tonight we bought cooked canned beans at Smith's case sale for 50 cents in bulk.

Low fat dairy-we make a stop at a grocery store that usually sell milk, now 1.69 gallon (try dry) as the loss leader as well as cottage cheese and sour creme for $1

Fruit- My costco has apples regularly under 60 cents and bananas cheaper than anywhere else. And apples last. Freeze over ripe bananas and use them in baking. Buy whats a good price when you stop in for something else at a variety store like Super Target.

Vegtables-buy only what you will eat before it goes bad or buy frozen. Watch prices and then try something new. Tonight saw 16 oz for 91 cents. Costco sells like 5 heads of lettuce for $3. Add some meat/beans/cheese=entree.

Oh, also I live in Albuquerque, NM. NO PORT, everything flown or trucked a long way inland.

STOP LYING TO YOURSELF

Holly Turner of NM 7:15AM April 04, 2009