baking at home??? I am not buying any cookies, pies, individual cakes, etc but am baking all our sweets at home....trying to save money on the grocery bill. Do you think (know) it really saves much money? Has anyone ever crunched the numbers to see how it works out? Buying chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, evaporated milk, etc. probably adds up quite quickly too. I was just wondering if buying that $2.00 bag of cookies or that $ 3.00 package of cakes for treats would be just as cheap as buying all the ingredients for home baking?

IMHO-it would seem cheaper to just buy the packages of cookies and stuff but it is cheaper in the long run to bake it yourself. I usually will stock up on baking supplies when they go on sale- it will usually last until next Christmas time when I need to replenish. I never did the break down- but I can see it being cheaper to make your own in the long run.

I just also have to add- i hate buying all this stuff at once because it adds up really fast!

If you can stock up on baking supplies when they are on sale like stevesgal suggested then baking at home can be cheaper. It also depends on the recipe. I have some that are cheap to make and some are more expensive so I don't make them as often.

I think of baking as fun though. I have good memories of helping my mom and grandma bake and quite honestly a lot of it tastes better too.

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley

MY BLOG!

It is probably cheaper to buy the snacks at the store but it tastes better and is healthier to make them at home. You don't have any of those yucky additives in your homemade stuff.

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Just buy them on sale. In the summer, by the time you heat up the oven and the kitchen it just isn't worth it!

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~Happiness is a large family~

It depends on whats cooking. But fore alot of things yes. You really have to look at what it is and what is in in. Something like a chocolate cake is deffinately cheeper while something like a cheese cake I know will cost me alot more.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

I buy everything for baking when it goes on sale (like most do on this thread) the reasons why I know it costs less to make at home instead of buying in the store...

~When you buy all of the items to make a baked good, you get more baked goods than you'd get in the pre-packaged goods.

here's an example. for homemade beer bread I spent

$1.89 on a large bag of self rising flour
$6. 00 on a six pack of bottled beer
$3.80 on a huge bag of sugar
$2.80 on 4 sticks of butter

Now, all of those ingrediants would make at least 6 loaves of beer bread! (it would make a heck of a lot more by just buying more beer!) each loaf of beer bread at my bakery here in town costs $6.50! I make it for a heck of a lot less! Also, you can buy the Tastefully simple box and just add a can of beer (which puts the one loaf up to being at least $6.00!) I know there are not many ingred. in this recipe, so this may not be a good example, but it is one that I just priced out by buying and baking myself, so the costs are fresh in my head. I am know I can make an entire loaf for less than $3.00.

I can make 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies for $3.80. Buying it in the store is definately more. I buy a lot of generic ingred. (flour, sugar, chocolate chips and other things) but last week, I had so many good coupons for things, I stocked up!!! I ended up getting mostly store brand items, because the coupons actually made the name brand items cheaper than the generics. I just freeze the chocolate chips and the things like evaporated milk and other canned items last for quite a while.

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One happy wife and mommy!!!

thanks for starting this post. It has gotten me thinking about making my own mixes to use later (like gifts in a jar for myself!) We use a lot of bread machine mix. If I premade these mixes (as much as possible) I could save a bunch compared to buying it boxed!

Thanks ladies for putting something out there for me to think about!

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Mom to Kaylee (10/2006)
Waiting on our second bundle of joy to arrive January 2009!

That's what I was going to say. I hate turning the oven on now. Our AC works hard all day and can't seem to get the house cooler than 80 as is. I would hate tot hink how hard it work if I was baking all day!

Thanks for your replies ladies...anyone else have anything to add?