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Need to pinch pennies til they scream!

3K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  reader99 
#1 ·
Or I am going to scream, haha! Dh's checks this month have been about half of what they usually are. Our garden is a complete bust this year so far cause of all the rain we have had. So, we will be eating from what's left in the freezer and pantry and buying only what is necessary. Dh is diabetic so I must still fix low carb meals which can be expensive. I must stay at home as much as possible since gas prices have gone up again. I must meal plan instead of just winging it. I have got my work cut out for me! The Let the Games Begin thread will be read and re-read as well as many other threads. We have been doing ok paying off bills and have only one left to pay on for the 11-12-13 challenge. It was going to be tough getting that one paid off before but now it really will be. Thank you all for the inspiration I find here! Hope to post more and come out of lurking. I will be trying to feed 4 adults for as little as possible. Dh's check this week was $360 and I have to pay bills, gas and groceries. See my challenge?!
 
#2 ·
My DH is diabetic and has to stay low glycemic as well, so I understand that part. Load him up on seasonal vegetables if you can, big salads for lunch with lowfat cheeses, hard boiled egg and home-made ranch dressing. Add a little sprinkle of bacon or ham if you can. Cottage cheese is great for snacks too, if you can find it on sale. Low carb doesn't *have* to be expensive, go for the vegetables and the dairy instead of the meat counter. :)

Come on over to the 30 day pantry and freezer challenge, where we're clearing our stockpiles too.
 
#3 ·
Ouch, that is tight! Sorry to hear that. But... it can be done!!!

Are you paid weekly? If so, this is what we do. Dh is paid weekly, so it can make it tough when a bunch of bills have the same due date. SO, we decided we pay each bill weekly. We divide each bill by 4, and pay that weekly. Yes, some months have that extra week, we don't worry about it...it's budget planning for the higher months, or really tight months. Eventually we'll have a full month pre-paid, which can give a little relief.

now that won't help this minute, as you have bills due now, but consider doing that for the next pay period.

I get paid month, so things we can't pay weekly, I pay... bus pass, piano lessons.

making a good plan for meals will cut down costs immensely. Find what your cheapest protein is and go from there.
 
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#4 ·
I was just thinking this today after going to the grocery store, and then coming home and bringing my bank book up to date. Yowza.

Ditto on the diabetic husband that has to avoid carbs and such. Really makes it hard to fill them up, when you can't poke potatoes, macaroni, cereal, or bread down them. Everything he needs to eat is very expensive.

Plus DS#2 came home for the summer. However I'm glad to have him home, of course. But he's 6'6" and can eat! I'm having trouble finding food that he will eat, dh CAN eat, and I myself have been trying to just eat up what is in the pantry and freezer.
 
#5 ·
My DH is also diabetic. He can't do low carb because of his kidneys (too much protein) but he does well on moderate carbs (about 100 grams a day). We do lots of beans and lentils, salads with a few ounces of chicken per serving and homemade dressings, and tofu stir fries. We buy tofu at the Asian grocer for half the price or less of the regular grocery store.
 
#11 ·
I think DH's family is "predisposed" to have it. His parents and his brother had it. And yes, he's overweight and does not exercise. Several people I know were either told, or came to believe that playing sports or doing energetic activities or work outside "was for people who don't work with their brain". So they never learned to take enjoyment out of physical activity and now it's something they "have" to do. I'm constantly pushing to get DH moving, but it's only in the past few years he's accepted that he's getting old and he needs to move it or lose it.

His visit to the doctor last month revealed he has lost 10 lbs and is technically no longer diabetic, and was told he could stop his meds. However, I'm still feeding him on a no-sugar, low-fat, low-glycemic (low carb), no saturated fats diet plan. We eat a lot of chicken, fish, and turkey. I buy turkey sausage and chicken bratwurst, make turkey chili and chicken empanadas. Some of the unusual turkey and chicken products can be expensive right off the shelf, but I find they are also the most likely to get marked down if they don't sell well, and I keep an eye out and stock up when I see it.
 
#7 ·
My dad is a type one diabetic. He can eat potatoes, pasta and bread. I don't know if he could eat cereal, because I think there always is sucrose in there. He has been a diabetic for 25 years and I am raised with my dad's diet so Im honestly curious on why the diet is so different. Do they have type 2 (traditionally called old age diabetes)?

@ Giro: my dad used to swim a lot and still swims once or twice a week. He also works in the garden, so he isn't desactive or anything like that. Diabetes is a multifactorial desease meaning no exercise or being obese trigger the chances on getting diabetes. However it also has a genetical part. Because my dad has diabetes, I have a 1/5 chance on getting it myself. As Im hyperactive and underweight, that works in my favour, so it reduces chances again.
 
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#8 ·
This thread has got me inspired to cook healthier meals to keep me and my little family healthy. I have been so busy and stressed so I have been throwing fish and chips into the oven for dinner. Tonight we are going to have a meal from the slow cooker. Lots of vegetables, some beef and tomato. I find healthy meals cheaper too.
 
#10 ·
We actually got some green beans and some kind of beans/peas (dh can't remember what kind, but they are delicious) from the garden and a few cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Grateful for that! We have had rain everyday for weeks so we were shocked to get that. We have been eating thru the stockpile and we won't be buying anymore mixes, boxed potatoes,etc. Whole foods and basics are cheaper and just takes some time to cook from scratch. I make a lot of food from scratch already and will be adding more to the list.
 
#12 ·
After watching a few documentaries and doing some research, we have no excuse to die this much from heart disease, diabetes and cancers. Our lifestyles and nutritional choices are incredibly out of hand. And also, we should not be burdening our society and our healthcare industry the way we are.

People actually said playing sports or doing energetic activities or work outside "was for people who don't work with their brain"? That sounds like an extremely dumb thing to say for so-called smart people. The last time I checked, physical exercise stimulates brain and memory growth. It also gives you energy to focus and work harder. I like to be physically healthy and a lot of that is exercise and proper nutrition.
 
#15 ·
Problem is Giro, how can you say it is a preventative form? We have one person every 2 generations having type 1 diabetes. If someone with an increased chance on diabetes would be so unlucky to marry someone who also has a part of the genetic burden, you wouldn't know until they researched it. Don't get me wrong I think it is important to keep your weight balanced. And while I am on the skinny side, it doesn't mean I can't understand it would be very hard to do so. It is just really frustrating for me to see people increasing their chances on diabetes, because of poor life style choices. Occasionally people on FV say that budgetting should be thought in school, for me healthy cooking would be a good second one to add to the list.
 
#16 ·
Ayanka, I agree with you! Healthy cooking is a real must have. But I think the big corporations would revolt. I need to think on this one. I think my house needs to be healthier! It might be a little more work, but it would be so worth it, long term. Time to get back to basics...
 
#17 ·
The research says that diabetes and heart disease are primarily due to poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. Those are both choices and preventative. If you are more susceptible, it is even more crucial to exercise and eat well.

According to the American Diabetes Association, only 5% of people with diabetes has type 1 diabetes.
 
#18 ·
@Mommy4ever: honestly the remark the big companies would revolt somehow makes me uneasy. Why would the big companies revolt, wouldn't be in their own interest to sell healthy products? After all even McDonalds has salads (they are ok, but toss the added sauce). Inhere one of the most expensive things in the high end stores is premade salads of all kinds. They are healthy and for people that don't have time/feeling like healthy cooking. If you want to make more healthy meals, try to go for some kind of meal plan, so you can try to combine them, that might help with the work.

@ Giro: Estimates for Europe are 10% (as far as a quick search could tell me). It surprised me that it is that much, because I do know more people with type 1 diabetes (most of them can't help it, as you get it on an early age).

Further I agree with you. Now how do we get all those people who have 'poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle' to change it? Because that is going to be one of the challenges of the 21st century in my opinion.

I am still wondering though does anyone know what exactly is so bad about carbohydrates in general (so not sugars, just carbs as in potatoes)? Inhere they are considered something that you have to eat in order to stay healthy, in the US they are to be avoided. Ever since I came to the village I have been wondering why the difference would be. Could someone enlighten me?
 
#19 ·
Carbohydrates from starchy foods like potatoes, corn, white bread, pasta, rice, and even milk.... turn into glucose (a sugar) when digested by the body. Your pancreas releases insulin to help digest the sugar. Lots of carbs= lots of sugar= lots of insulin ->cell resistance to insulin -> diabetes.

Note that fruit is no better, an apple or a banana has nearly the same amount of fructose sugar in it as a candy bar.
 
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#20 ·
Contrary Housewife - but fruit has more fiber and the newest research for fruit with diabetes is actually quite good. This is an example Fruit intake and incident diabetic retinopathy ... [Epidemiology. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI My kids do a lot better with fruit than with grains and ironically, my husband does better with a candy bar than grains. There are other forms of diabetes, not just type 1 or type 2. My oldest daughter has a form of monogenic diabetes (maturity onset diabetes of the young) that all my kids have a 50:50 chance of having. Hubby has it and would be classified as prediabetic only because he is on a moderate carb diet. Oldest daughter has lots of high fasting readings so could technically be classified as diabetic and my other two daughter look like they have the gene based on their fasting glucose.
 
#21 ·
Ayanka, where I am the city is fighting to have vending machines removed from schools, sports facilities, or if not removed at least filled with healthy choices, yet the alternatives, aren't really all that much better, really. There is SO much chaos with that. It is big businesses sponsoring sports facilities.... Powerade is a Coca-Cola company, if you let one in, the other is there, but neither are great choices. Schools, thankfully many schools don't have cafeterias here, but those that do say 'they can't afford whole foods', the menu is all deep fried type stuff, a salad is highly over priced, as is a basic sandwich. These cafeterias aren't run by the school, they don't have a budget to do that, it's rented out, and it's big companies that run it, huge chains that run many food facilities. Our health programs are great, no problem with the nutrition information shown, but when you move in the the foods class, it's all high carb foods, and in the CALM class(life skills for highschool) nothing is taught about menu planning or creating a balanced meal.

I'd be challenged to find anywhere where whole foods is readily and affordably offered to purchase. It's all processed, unless you go to a really high end restaurant.

Here every company has a healthy alternative, yes, but it's more expensive. Paired with the lack of education in proper menu planning, it leads to lesser quality choices.

Grocery stores are expensive in Canada in general, but produce in natural state is affordable (not prewashed, etc) IF you get it in season and stick with sale items, but admittedly I like the convenience, with our hectic life.

I don't imagine Mr. Christie would be too happy if we taught the kids that sugary carbs are really bad for you especially when paired with the saturated fats, nor would Doritos, or Lay's or Hershey's, McDonald's, Arby's or Swiss Chalet. I haven't alot of faith in large companies looking out for their consumer, as really, it's the bottom line they care about. And they have the best marketing. So no, I don't feel big companies would like it if we all ate and lived as we should, many would either have to change their ways or go under.
 
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#22 ·
I don't eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar content. Some fruits are better than others, but grapes, bananas, oranges, watermelon, etc are avoided in my house. I will eat blueberries and I love tomatoes. We also try to eat gluten free and avoid most other carbs as well. High protein and a few veggies. It's basically a lean meat diet with a small side of broccoli. :)
 
#23 ·
Justann, I'm sorry that your thread has turned into a rehash of the conventional "wisdom" on diet and health, with some diabetic-bashing on the side.

To address your need to cost cut, let me mention that my food budget went down nearly 30% when I started using more eggs and cheese (and a little chicken) instead of buying meat all the time. Also non-starchy vegetables can be quite filling in quantity. I was surprised at how hard it was to adjust my mind to buying "so much!" vegetables. A one pot meal of many non-starchy vegetables and a little chicken with seasonings is easy and filling. I freeze extras in one serving containers. Depending on your carb needs you could include green peas, lentils (a high protein bean), lima beans or butter beans. For higher protein stir in some eggs and mix well so they sort of disappear into the stew.

I make a big pot of chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, yellow squash, zuccini and green onions with half as much cooked brown rice as vegs. Sometimes I stir eggs into it like Chinese restaurants to in fried rice. I parcel it out in half cup servings and melt sharp cheddar cheese (no lactose in aged cheese) over it for a delicious and easy lunch. Broccoli and cauliflower would be good in this too.

You may already be using cloth instead of paper products around the house. If not, you may already have materials on hand that could be used as cleaning rags, kitchen towels and cloths and cloth wipes for urine. Toilet paper isn't cheap anymore and I've noticed the rolls are getting narrower. Not shorter, but more of the spindle shows than it used to. I use pieces of T-shirt material as a cloth alternative to TP. I put the used ones in a step lid wastebasket and wash them when it's full. Some people rinse one out in the bathroom and keep reusing it. Families that are washing diapers for a baby sometimes use cloth for #2 as well. I'm not quite ready for that, but it's nice to know it's possible, supposing I were completely out of money and TP both at once.

Is the water bill an issue? If so I bet people here have all kinds of water saving and water reusing ideas.

If your current lower income puts your family below the poverty line in your state you could get some help from food pantries and SNAP until it picks up again.
 
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