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grocery bill last month out of this world.....

Posted: Nov 7, 2012

I was watching extreme coupons yesterday and decided to see what I actually spent in groceries for Oct. A whooping $1300.00!! I always spend around $800-$1000 but couldn't believe this. (There are 5 of us at home.) We're not doing anything different, (or at least I think we aren't.) I think it is just the general increase in regular groceries. I'm sick about it and am going to do everything I can to cut that bill in half. I was just wondering if there are any couponers out there or if you know some great tips to cut your grocery bill, web sites, sites you subscribe to. I would love to hear what they are. My husband and I work so hard for our money and I don't want to throw iit all into the grocery store starting now!! Thanks for any tips and suggestions :-)

;

I have some fabulous sites and tips! - xtrememe

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but can't post the links here because the mods get cranky. Send me an e-mail and I'll be more than glad to help you out!

I emailed you...thanks :-) - cuttingback

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nm

Replied to your e-mail! - extrememe

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Let me know if I can clear anything up! :)

I sent many of you - xtrememe

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links, etc. via e-mail, but don't know if you received my e-mails or not, as you hadn't responded back. If you asked for links and didn't get a message back, please let me know or check your spam box! :)

A couple of things we do - Poor MT

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We belong to Sam's Club, and buy our chopped meat in the big log then form our own burgers and freeze them. We put wrap between each burger when freezing them so that they're easy to pull apart for individual burgers.

Also, if you'll notice in your regular grocery store, the more expensive items are at eye level. Look way down or way up, and you'll see equivalent products for less money. DO take note that they also put appealing more expensive items at KID eye level, especially cereals and cookies with neat colors and pictures so the kid bugs the parent to get it.

See if coffee is cheaper if you grind it yourself. Little things like that.

Well to cut you sometimes have to give up - MT

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I have been without meat for quite a while. I used to get hot dogs but now don't even get that. I guess I have gotten used to being poor. A big meal for me has become pasta, and that used to be less of an option.
I remember growing up and then getting married each meal would naturally have a meat, potato, veggie. But no more. I even forgot about it for a while.
Sad. But it is me and my 12 year old son and I am down to 400 a month or less depending on how much I bring home. I have lived on 50 a week before when I had to and gave him food. I just did not eat. Good luck to you.

that is just so sad - couponing single mom

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I average spending $200 a month and that includes buying stockpiles of items, fresh meat and vegetables. I used to spend over $600 a month (just my 9 yo and me), but started couponing and it has made a world of difference.

There is a local store that sells meat at buy one, get one free, so I go there to load up and freeze the extra. It can be expensive to do that, for example when there is a sale on roast cuts, but I can spend $15 one one roast that will make 3-4 meals and get the second roast for free, giving me up to 8 meals for the price of one roast.

I have been shopping at Aldi's for my veggies, milk and eggs and save a ton of money on those. Those are the things you hardly ever get coupons for. And I really load up. Every week I get a bag of lemons, two packs of mushrooms, a bag of onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, milk, two dozen eggs, yogurt, and a few other things and never spend more than $35.

I don't buy soda, chips or snack foods (empty calories) except at the holidays.

For desperate situations, you might try - this website.

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I like to do weird experiments, (one year our family tried to buy everything used), so one month we tried the Hillbilly Housewife $45/week meal plan and found it was pretty tasty. You can get it here:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm

I just found out she has a new $70/week plan with more meat in it:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/70dollarmenu.htm

Her shopping lists include all the condiments, spices, etc., so you can probably do it a little cheaper if you have some items on hand and look for sale items.

here is the link to the thread about couponing - it helps

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further down this page

Laundry Soap - Another Hint

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I use only 1/2 the amount of laundry soap they say to use, but I do use a stain remover beforehand. If it's play clothes, who cares, skip the stain remover. For work or school clothes, it matters, and that's where the stain remover comes in. We have separate clothes for play or knocking around, and separate for work/school. We never use the play clothes for work, and vice-versa.

Also, as to clothing and other items, pocketbooks, etc., I shop at the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Your money is a donation, and they have WAY better prices than consignment shops. You can also try thrift shops, but I found GW or SA to have better prices.

Meal planning - Less food, more money

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In April of 2009, my husband's job was being phased out, and we began to really look at our budget. I tracked my grocery bill, including food, cleaning supplies, paper stuff like toilet paper, and vitamins/medications. I spent $1200 that month and was really shocked!

I immediately turned to coupons, sales, but what really got my food budget under better control was meal planning. I never buy frozen foods now and no packaged foods like cookies. I buy crackers still and pasta, but I bake and cook everything now. I plan my suppers for a month at a time and twice a week I make something sweet like cookies. It is more work on me since I have to cook more, but it has got my kitchen under control. I no longer impulse buy or panic over dinner and just grab take out. I plan easy suppers for busy nights and longer dinners for weekends.

I only plan suppers and sweets, but I keep plenty of easy lunch fixings like sandwiches and yogurts, oatmeal, eggs for breakfast. We really only eat one large meal a day and two small meals so it benefits our waistlines also.

I do use coupons but only from the newspaper and usually only for bathroom stuff as most coupons seem to be for processed foods. I also shop sales religiously! I now spend between $600-700 a month and we only eat out 2 times a month.

Forgot to add that we are a family of 5 with 3 teen boys. - Less food, etc

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Nm

thank you so much for all the replies! - cuttingback

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I am taking notes as I read each one. The suggestions and tips are great! I'm going to the store this weekend and will be implenting things as I go and learn. I just have to change the way I think and buy food, and with time, I'm sure it will become second nature. We too have 3 teen boys at home!

hey one other tip - it helps

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Last night I was at Wal-Mart because I needed to buy a roll of sugar cookie dough to make in a recipe and found the Halloween dough on sale for $1 each (that's for 24 cookies). You can print a coupon online for 40 cents off three to make it even cheaper. If you have the freezer room and you don't mind the boys teasing you about serving Halloween cookies at other times of the year, that's a good stock up price. You could really cause some embarassment if you buy the Cinderella glass slipper dough and serve when they have friends over :)

LOL...great tip. I'm cracking up!! - cuttingback

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nm

Markets - Caalyx

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We too do some shopping at Sams's in our house. We also shop the veggie markets at the flea market along with the Asian market, Arab market, etc. If you have some of these stores in your ares you can find some great deals.

Produce Stands - See Message

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I live in FL, and there are produce stands open year round. We do much better there. Some produce places have a "bin" where some not very pretty veggies are, but there's nothing wrong with them and they are quite cheap.

Bean Soup - See Message

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I make bean soup by the bucket load. Buy some dried assorted dried beans (sometimes they come in just one package) and soak them overnight.

Then, we brown up some sort of meat (usually Italian sausage), then throw onions, celery, carrots, herbs, etc., in there and let cook. Delicious and EXTREMELY good for you. Lots of protein and fiber. A medium-sized bowl fills a tummy really well!

Here's an example of what we did - link too - have to cut too

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I can't believe the amount of money we have spent on groceries over the past few months. Sometimes going over $1000 (and there is just 2 of us). Last week for the first time ever my groceries came to $105. I bought stuff for chicken soup (lasts us 4 night) ground turkey with beans and rice (lasts 2 nights) and some turkey thighs with frozen spinach for our 7th night. It's PB&J sandwiches and chilimac for lunches, toast and pumpkin muffins for bfast. I bought no snacks, no chips, no sodas. I did buy apples. We had a couple extra things in there like napkins and TP. But that was it. Told him if we don't get our food under control it's never going to work. For snacks I'm making homemade cookies.

I did find a website called Hillbilly Housewife. I want to try her menu just once. She has a thing called Emergency menu, feed 4-6 on $45 for one week. Here's the link.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm

Did you see the yahoo story about the family - L&L

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spending $28,000 per year to eat out. Then losing their jobs and having to cut back. And we are supposed to feel sorry for these people?

99-Cents-Only stores a lifesaver! - Bindi

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I really balked at going into the 99-Cents-Only store when my friend suggested it. My past experience with stores like that (years ago) were aisles and aisles of cheap trinkets, but, wow, I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of name brand foods, a freezer section, a produce section, household items, holiday decorations. I try to stick to the name brands but have been happy with many of the off brands. This place has been a true life-saver.

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