I just thought of a BIG cost saver. Purchase items with less packaging. It would be very easy to spend big bucks if you buy lunchables or individually wrapped items. This tip is better on the environment too.


Barb C

Hmmmm. Well, I could definitely spend a thousand dollars without batting an eye! And we only have one child! We buy lots of organic, without high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. So the crackers that I could buy at the low end grocery stores I no longer buy, and pay three times as much for in the specialty shops. But it is worth it to me! We eat very healthy but it does cost. I do just about all my cooking from scratch (I'm even talking barbecue sauce and spaghetti sauce, and applesauce) and it Still costs a fortune. Add to it organic, fair trade coffee, organic half and half...the list is endless. Yes it does cost a fortune. But to our family it is one thing that is worth it to me!! Oh I had to edit to add that I don't go to a high end grocery for everything either. Momof2boys will appreciate this because she lives near me. I go to #1 Nature's bin for some organic fruits and veggies, brown organic coarse sugar, oatmeal in bulk, and maybe a package or two of crackers. #2 Aldis for no sugar added (no artificial sweeteners also) ice fruit pops, and all of our 'regular' cheese. Provolone, American, Swiss, Montery Jack, Colby, string cheese, mini pizza shells with sauce, I just don't buy a whole lot there anymore. Because just about everything has partially hydrogenated oils in it and I won't buy that anymore. #3 Trader Joes. Organic, fair trade shade grown coffee. Organic cookies, crackers. Non- nitrate meats (that's a HUGE expense). #4 Target - they have a wonderful line of Organic Archer Farms fruit bars - all they contain is fruit no high fructose corn syrup, no dyes, no nothing except squashed fruit into a bar. They also have a great line of non hydrogenated oils HFCS granola bars. I have to go to trader joes for my Organic non-hydro/no HFCS cereal bars. #5 Costco for my genuine wheat non wheat-like bread. It has nuts, seeds, and 5 grams of fiber per slice. No hydro/HFCS either. It weights about 2 lbs. a loaf! I buy in high volume because I can't find another wheat bread with so much fiber! I also buy Reggiano cheese imported from Italy there. I use it for homemade pesto, and for grating. We don't use those cans (perish the thought). It's about $17 a chunk. Oh and I get our organic butter lettuce there too #6 BJ's for HUGE roasting chickens that I roast at home. #7 Marcs a deep discount place around here. They actually have a great organic section where we live. I get my organic milk, etc. there. #8 The high end grocery store where I get everything else. So it takes me forever to shop. But like I said, I get the absolute best price that I can, plus we are not eating, ahem...undesirable things. Is is costly? You bet. Is it worth it to us? You BET! Oh and I have to add that if I filled my cart with Fruit loops, fatty meats, 'fruit' snacks (sans the fruit) and all of the 'kid' items that are extremely unhealthy I could spend that amount as well. It's all about choices.

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I look at my sales receipts every time I shop - 95% of my items are on sale - and at my store its usually buy 1 get 1 free or buy 1 get 2 free sales. I dont use many coupons anymore because there havent been any good ones for what I use. The store I shop at stopped doubling coupons -- so that was a huge blow. With buying mostly everything on sale Im still spending $150+ a week for 5 people. The dog - I recently bought the huge bag of purina one for $25 at walmart and Im guessing that will last longer than a month. I buy LOTS of fruit and dairy products (milk is over $4 a gallon, OJ is now $3 for 1/2 gallon on sale). Salad materials are super expensive here - 1.99 for a head of lettuce the size of a softball. I would love to spend less but there is no way. 3 growing kids and a hungry husband. Oh, and we rarely eat out. Maybe once every other month we'll get a couple pizzas, if that. I guess Im still not understanding what people feed their families for so little. Anyone care to share a monthly menu?

Stormy, this stuff is absolutely my biggest weakness. It's delish!

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The mighty oak started out as a nut that held its ground.

I have fed my kids processed foods all their lives, and they are rarely at the doctors. Just thier checkups and occassionally a cold. I am not saying it is healthy food, but it hasn't ruined my kids health. Moderation is key. My kids love fruits and veggies. I try to spend under 400 a month, sometimes there is no choice. You buy fresh in season, and frozen when its not. Frozen veggies sometimes have more nutrients because they are flash frozen right after they are picked. Fresh veggies lose some nutrients when they are shipped long distances, which happens when you live up north in the winter.
So you can still keep your bill under 400, even 300 if you are careful. And still keep it healthy. Bake from scratch, use the Smart Balance shortening, and canola and olive oil. Coupons. Sometimes I use regular noodles, sometimes I buy wheat. It is a balance. Sometimes organic veggies are on sale. I buy them if they are. Of course, if you don't keep your cupboards stocked, it is really easy to spend a lot. This happens to me sometimes. When you have the chance(meaning the money) stock up on the stuff like meat, condiments and baking supplies. Then it is easy to stay under 100 a week. And I don't buy much juice, except for a treat. They get more nutrients and fiber from eating their fruit. We drink milk and water. I make koolaid sometimes too, because it is cheaper, and I can control the sugar. When I do buy juice, I water it down for the little one. She doesn't notice.

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I have nothing to declare except my genius."
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) upon arriving at U.S. customs 1882

I used to not even notice how much money I spent at the grocery store until about 5 months ago and now I notice and I have cut way down. We only spend about $300 a month and that is with 5 of us (no teenagers yet). That includes shampoo, paper products, dog food,etc.

The bill went way down when I started cooking from scratch! I make bread, tortillias, pancakes, maple syrup, jelly, almost anything you can think of I can make. I have cut out nearly all of the pre processed sugary foods and the kids really like what I make. They don't get soda I buy them Crystal Light or they have water. They eat cheese on their sandwiches and have a glass of milk with breakfast so they are getting all of their dairy needs. It takes a little work and a menu but shopping the loss leaders will help. So does a great cookbook Miserly Mom's is what I used. Hillybilly house wife on the web is also a great source of receipes.

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