Freeper Kitchen: Bargain Shopping Thread

[HungarianGypsy]

Let us put the blame where it started. On this thread PJ-Comix made a statement about saving money on food.

Which in this time is always a good thing. Do you coupon? Shop the ads? Buy things at the scratch and dent store? How do you saveon your grocery budget?

[HungarianGypsy]

My family of seven had our food budget cut from $200 to $100. Sometimes I might go over just a little. Shhh! As far as produce, goes we started in this little produce co-op almost six years ago called Bountiful Baskets. At that time we were excited about what our $15 per basket could get us with ten baskets. Then, the co-op exploded, so it's now throughout Arizona, as well as in Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, and one town in Texas.

I have started ordering samples again and always looking for more ideas on cutting grocery costs. Enough of my rambling! Make this your thread!

[Sherman Logan]

Aldis. Local product stands.

[HungarianGypsy]

**Freeper Kitchen Ping**

And a guest ping to PJ-Comix, since I mentioned his name.:)

[bgill]

Sadly, we only have one grocery store in town so bargain shopping consists of stocking up on what’s on sale. Frankly, they really don’t have any fantastic prices so I’ve about given up sales and just stock when I’m low.

[EDINVA]

We ‘found’ Aldi’s a few months ago and doing my marketing has become SUCH a pleasure as I mentally calculate how much I am NOT spending. All their house brand products really are as good as the name brands. We’ve probably reduced our grocery budget a good 35-40%. Occasionally I will pick up at a special sale at other markets, but Aldi’s really is it for us.

Produce stands here, too ... other than potatoes, onions, etc., I haven’t been too impressed with Aldi’s produce.

[dynachrome]

Just saw this posted a few minutes ago. Never heard of “Winco”, but sounds good:

“The selection is HUGE, and they have many items that come in bulk (I bought a can of pork and beans SEVEN POUNDS, a #10 can, for 5.98).

I was thinkin when I entered that they might not have much veggie-wise or meats, but they have a complete bakery, huge dairy section, lots of vegetables and a pretty good selection of sundries.

They also had a shelf full of Mountain House freeze dried meals, which I expect before the day is over, I will be back there and just buy them out.

But!!!

No frills. Bag your own stuff. Nothing on sale. Most importantly, a big sign when you enter that basically says “the banks have screwed everybody over with the credit card fees, yada yada, to keep our prices down, NO CREDIT CARDS...”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2520273/posts

[doodad]

Thanks for posting this. I just looked at the site he mentioned and did not see much that we eat.

With no employment on the horizon and funds falling, we have a garden (small), ability to cook and farmer’s markets (although too pricey for most things due to city proximity). Looking to max the dollar.

Tried to join a CSA and they are full. May look further in relative’s areas for deals on large cuts as I can butcher to a degree.

[cyclotic]

Due to a job change, we now have two households. Me in an apartment and my wife and kids back home. For exaclty four more weeks thanks God, then they move here with me.

We both shop at Aldi. I’ve learned over the last six months to just get by with whatever they sell. I think I’ve only been to a couple other grocery stores.

Everything I own fits in my Pontiac Vibe so I’ve tried very hard to buy pretty much nothing while I’m here. My furniture consists of a lawn chair and a folding camp table that I brought from home.

A couple years ago, I rode my bicycle to work about half the time. 32 mile round trip. Saved over $10.00 a day in gas

[SevenofNine]

I go Stater bros I do look at shopping ads every Sunday and Monday when they come out from Ralphs to Northgate market small time Latino market that has good meats and baked goods

Also I used coupons that I get through the LA Times SUnday paper which only time I buy LA Times

[mplsconservative]

bookmark

[libertarian27]

I am addicted to mysavings.com - the free samples and online coupons help a great deal...I have to get back to the drugstore savings schemes at walgreens/cvs, etc.
I wish we had an Aldis around here but we do have Price Rite ...I go there first before the regular store. My favorite ‘hit’ at Price Rite is $3.99/lb Beef Tenderloin - yum

[A_Tradition_Continues]

The Aldi's in NW Indiana are all extremely small, poorly stocked, dark, dirty and smelly.

I'll pass on Aldi's.

[illiac]

We go to Costco (although we will soon have a Winco which is cheaper). We buy meat on sale (not old stuff because they sometimes have great buys on ribs, roasts, and hamburger. We use the roasts for stews, pot roast, taco meat (I have a great recipe from a Mexican orphanage) and stretch our meats as far as we can. We also buy paper towels and the like because they are so much cheaper than the grocery stores here.

[spaced]

If you have an 99cent only store in the area, try it. While they don’t replace a supermarket, their selections of fresh and canned vegetables, soaps, breads, etc are worth checking.

Another supplemental shopping idea is Big Lots. Watch for expiration dates and know your prices, but good deals on canned foods can be found.

[30Moves]

I have found that the sale meats that don’t sell on Friday and the weekend are sold on Monday - even more drastically reduced. I stock up on anything I normally buy if its on sale.

I have a garden - fruit and nut trees - raspberry bushes and a grapevine. I can tomatoes, salsa, spaghetti sauce. Freeze veggies. Tennessee has great salvage stores so I stock up on paper products etc. You just have to make sure you know the going prices. All clothing from yard sales and flea markets. It can be fun trying to beat the system.

I will be getting chickens - I have 6 acres in the city but I also could have livestock if I choose to. But.....can’t kill anything and eat it yet but I will if I have to.

[McLynnan]

I’ve bought from Angel Food Ministries a few times and was very pleased with the quality of the food and you can’t beat the price. Not to mention somebody else goes to the store for you (my kind of shopping) https://www.angelfoodministries.com/

[doodad]

Aldi’s just came here to Atlanta and there is a new one up the road, but we were not impressed. Maybe because there are so many choices here, but it seemed shoddy. That and they purposefully put it next to the Habitat the county shoved in our area due to racial politics.

[Free America52]

Without a doubt - shop at Aldi’s - we save 40% - 50% on our food bill since they opened in our town. And the quality is outstanding on everything they offer.

[Freddd]

I first educated myself of what a ‘portion’ actually is. Sometimes it’s a quarter of a cup of an item...Eat by portion.

Food isn’t just food. It’s actually like medicine to keep your body healthy and disease free and for energy.

Instead of using food to ‘calm’ or ‘soothe’ or ‘comfort’ yourself, or as a ‘treat’, use food as it was intended, and you’ll probably halve your grocery bill, you will stop buying potato chips and soda, and put in healthful fruits and veggies! And really you do not need meat 3 times a day!

I have a garden and fruit tree’s. I also will ‘accept’ fruit being given away, because they have too much. I can, I freeze and I dehydrate. I make my own long term storage foods.

You can get 5 gallon buckets from Walmart for a buck from their bakery dept. and that includes the lid.
You can get mylar bags and oxygen absorbers online. Also craft stores carry silica to absorb moisture.
What price you pay today for food, bought by cases and stored properly, you won’t have to pay the full price of in the future that’s going to be outrageous, because of the Trillion dollar spending spree’s of Obama, Pelosi and Reid.

In my area recently dry spagetti was .59 Cents a lb! I bought cases and cases.

Ravioli also was on sale for .59 cents a can, (yes
Chef Boy Ardee with a pop top lid), bought cases and cases.

Cheese was on sale for .99 cents 12oz slices. I bought many, many, and froze them after vacuum sealing.

I have 5 freezers. One for beef, one for pork, one for fruit and veggies, one for mixed like sausage, hot dogs, mixed veggies etc. and then the freezer on my fridge for the product to be used first.
I vaccum seal or double bag and vacuum seal EVERYTHING that goes in a freezer, doesn’t matter what they came in. I do it anyway.

On meat I wait til it’s on sale, a good price, a really good price or I simply don’t buy. I go for weeks without shopping. Except milk etc.

No, I am not wealthy. No I did not need a lot of money to start doing this. I simply would buy extra in the beginning, and that is how I got started.

When the SHTF, I can feed myself and my neighbors who will help defend us if they also want to eat!...I have enough for one day to several years if not decades. When I leave this world, my remaining family knows of my ‘investments’.

[McLynnan]

I would love to, but Aldi’s isn’t in this market. I’ve heard nothing but good about them. There isn’t much competition here. We have WalMart, Sam’s and HEB.