[ConservativeInPA]

I’ll start with my most recent cost cutter. I have baked bread for years. It tastes better than store bought. It has no preservatives. It’s less expensive than any loaf you can buy. But I often find that half of what I bake goes to waste. Homemade bread goes stale before it starts growing mold if you don’t have enough people around to quickly eat it. You can make toast, breadcrumbs, French toast and a few other things from stale bread, but after awhile you still find that you are wasting bread.

The solution: I bought a 1/2 loaf Pullman bread pan. It can be used without it’s top to make a regular loaf or with it’s top to make pain de mie.

Pain de Mie

Half Pullman Bread Pan

A half loaf pan has a couple of advantages beyond cutting the amount of stale or moldy bread. It requires half the ingredients to make a loaf. A half loaf is easier to knead than a full loaf. And, it cuts baking time (energy savings) and rise times are also reduced.

I generally make a loaf every three or so days, say that is about twice per week. That means I don’t waste a loaf of bread per week. Let’s guesstimate a loaf of homemade bread costs $0.80 to bake. The cost of a half pullman pan is about $20. It takes 25 weeks to recoup the cost of the pan. Savings are even greater if you use the price of a really good loaf of bread from a bakery.

While saving a buck or two a week doesn’t sound like much, it does add up over a year. When you combine additional cost savers it really adds up. You can eat healthier and better tasting food for much less.

[circlecity]

Clip coupons. You can save as much as $150 a week

[knarf]

Learn to eat cheaply.

STOCK UP ON VITAMIN PILLS . . . who cares if they lose their potency over time . . . replace them semi annually

It'd be nice to have steak, but Ramen will keep you alive on the cheap.

ANYTHING that mixes with water is a deal.

The main thing is to TEACH YOURSELF you CAN survive on bread and water.

[Fido969]

Bolt on the check.

(Only kidding)

[who_would_fardels_bear]

1. I used to eat out a lot, but now I cook much more.

2. I try to buy in bulk as much as possible. I am also shopping for my aging mother who can't handle bulk items such as large bottles of tea and juice. So I bought some cheap small pitchers and I refill them from the large bottles as she empties them.

3. More fresh items rather than processed items. Create salads from scratch rather than bag-o-salads. I've found ways to keep the items fresher for longer so I can use (for example) an entire head of lettuce before it goes bad.

4. Watch lots of YouTube videos. Lots of great advice on recipes, keeping food fresh, what can be shoved in the freezer, etc.

[MeganC]

I buy as much as I can through a restaurant supply company and that saves us about 30% across the board on food. 50# sacks of flour and oats, 25# sacks of sugar and salt, bulk spices, frozen fish, things like that.

[cherry]

my son in law bakes....I bought him a full size pullman pan, and maybe a half size would work better for him and my dtr....

we have stopped eating out wily nily....

we don't order drinks when out, unless its included in the price...

I shop sales, always...

trying to NOT waste anything....what's not eaten at supper, we will eat for lunch...

[SubMareener]

https://www.towergarden.com/

[philippa]

I take advantage of sales. Giant has sales every week. I also use coupons.

[taxcontrol]

Garden for fresh veggies

[FLT-bird]

I don’t eat at restaurants except on very rare occasions. I cook my own meals and usually make the giant family size portion and then freeze several meals in individual ziploc baggies.

I’ve done this for years.

[Rokke]

Don’t eat out. Buy cheap cuts of meat. Avoid junk food.

[Hattie]

Got loaf of bread, package hamburger buns and one of hot dog buns for $1.00 each yesterday at Walmart. Buying hamburger meat in rolls, wrap and freeze. Buying canned vegetables.

[humblegunner]

Cocaine is an excellent appetite suppressant, but expensive.
Smart consumers will jack up a dealer at gunpoint.

[magyar]

If we didn’t eat it fresh from the garden, we canned it.
Beans, corn, pumpkin, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and the wild black raspberries and mulberry.
We also shop the sales...and rarely eat out anymore

[cyclotic]

I travel extensively for work. I let them pay for my meals.

Actually I’m usually frugal on trips too.

The last trip included the grocery store and several meals in the hotel room.

[ansel12]

I might bake during the winter but usually use a bread machine instead.

I let the loaf fully, 100% cool, then slice it and freeze it, then I pull out a day’s supply at a time.

[Leep]

Still eat meat..just bulk it up with beans and lentils.

Microgreens.

[usconservative]

How I save money:

1. Cook from scratch as much as I can;
2. I use coupons extensively. Typically, if I don't have a coupon, I don't buy it;
3. If I have a coupon for "FREE" at the grocery store, I also buy one. (Examples: Oatmeal, fresh meats, frozen veggies, canned soups);
4. I always look at the per ounce price and go for the lowest cost per ounce, especially when buying bulk;
5. I avoid pre-packaged/pre-prepared meals, the cost for what you get is too high. I'll spend the time preparing my own food.

I may go out to eat once or twice a month now, that's it, and not to an expensive restaurant either. GF and I are aren't "cheap" we both prefer to get something basic at a decent place and get on with our evening.

[Persevero]

My Costco membership pays for itself in gas alone.

I buy many things there but I’ll emphasize bread. You have to buy two large loves but I freeze them in chunks of ten slices or so. Keeps wonderfully, good quality bread.

Other random thoughts:

Drink tap water.
If you must buy coffee out (kinda part of my job) get the peets gift certificates at Costco save 20-30%.
Banana bread with your old bananas. Old bananas grease until you need them too.
Otc meds at Costco are the best deal.
Buy gallons of milk and freeze some - best deal is on gallons.
Butter also at Costco. Butter also freezes.

[ansel12]

The most fundamental way to save money on food is to cook.

If you are poor cook your poor foods, if you are used to dining out, then buy your shrimp and steaks and baking potatoes and cook them yourself.

People can eat pretty well on a home stir-fry with a little luxury in it, such as a few shrimp.

You will eat food every day of your life, find ways to attain those foods in the cheapest manner possible.