How Are You Combatting The High Price Of Food?

**staceyy** · 07-22-2006, 12:12 AM

I am shocked at how high grocery prices have gone up. To combat this, I purchased a few things at the dollar store (popcorn and applesauce). I never purchased food items there before. I also now hit several different stores within close proximity of each other looking for loss leaders . I am now watering down my detergent and whole milk and cooking and baking almost everything from scratch. (I purchased the books, "Make Your Own Groceries" and "More Make Your Own Groceries". I'm now making my own salad dressings, pickles, mustard, Clorox Spray, Olivio, Spray & Wash etc. I'm also switching to a few generics such as Wamart paper towels and dishwashing detergent.l

I still use coupons but these aren't helping that much as I'm not buying as many processed foods. I noticed the stores in my area are not putting as many things on sale as before. I also noticed that our Giant Eagle has now switched to selling almost all organic produce and lots of organic meats. These foods have always been higher priced and although I recognize the superior nutritional value of these foods, I just can't afford them.I figure the fact that I'm cooking so much from scratch now counters the ill effects derived from additives and preservatives in the processed foods I used to buy though I know if does nothing to counter the dyes, hormones, pesticides etc. in the non-organic fruits, vegetables and meats I'm still purchasing.

**SHOPGIRL** · 07-22-2006, 01:27 AM

I haven't really noticed food prices going up in my area. I rarely pay full price for anything. I do my grocery shopping based on what's on sale. If the item is a good price, then I stock up.

So, if prices are going up, which would make sense, I guess I'm dealing with it by only buying what's on sale.

**halloweenfreak** · 07-22-2006, 01:37 AM

i haven't noticed prices going up too much, but i have noticed a decline in what goes on sale. i haven't bought anything from our wed. grocery ads or sun. paper ads in months. coupons haven't been great either. i have started buying more grocery items from the dollar store tho and haven't found anything yet that i thought was worse then the grocery store version. as for walmart papers towels, i cant stand those. they're too thin for me. i think i get the sparkle brand from our dollar general. i can get 6 or 8 rolls for 4 dollars. ive tried the dollar general brand toilet paper too. wont do that again! i'll stick with paying a little bit more for that item!

**Nada.Leona** · 07-22-2006, 08:37 AM

I like to make stuff myself. "Conglomeration Soup" (a bucket of leftovers in the freezer) is a great way to get the most out of your meals.

was appauled at this idea, but he'll learn to love it (he likes most of my frugal ideas). Bake my own bread (I can bake a loaf of bread cheaper than buying it), make my own applesauce in the crockpot, etc.

**JustJoy** · 07-22-2006, 10:35 AM

I do most of my shopping at Aldi (90%). Saves me a ton!

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 07-22-2006, 10:36 AM

i'm a HUGE coupon shopper. i get sooooo much for free its crazy. there are some things i have to pay full price for, but i buy my coupons from www.couponsandforms.com/ and i save tons of money when i buy these coupons.........i mean a ton of $$$$$$$$.

**Daisygirl** · 07-22-2006, 10:52 AM

I have noticed fewer sales also. I still manage to buy mostly sale priced stuff and am fortunate enough to have a very large pantry, so I am able to stock up every time something we like goes on sale. Coupons are not a big thing here in ONtario, they do not have the double and triple coupons like they do in the states so I very rarely use them. My main strategies are buying sale items in quantity and buying reduced produce and meats, then freezing them.

**Telephus44** · 07-22-2006, 11:30 AM

I have also noticed less "sales" - well, items that are really on sale (instead of just a nickel or so cheaper). The biggest shift we've made is changing from ground turkey to ground beef - the turkey is 93% lean, and used to be 3.99/lb but would go on sale every other week for half off. Now they have dropped the price to $2.99/lb, but it never goes on sale. We can get 90% lean hamburger at BJ's (warehouse club) for $1.99/lb every day.

We have also moved to make a trip to BJ's twice a month for most of the essentials (I did a price comparison of what was cheaper there, it for us it turns out to be eggs, milk, bread, butter, hamburger) and then once a week we go to the grocery store to get sale items only. If it's not on sale, we don't buy it. I do use some coupons, but I just haven't been able to save with them like I used to.

**MelissaMarie** · 07-22-2006, 11:50 AM

I buy food from Save A Lot and Big Lots. Buy things at Big Lots like Chicken Boullion that I can make soup with (99 cents for a big jar that lasts), and big bags of pasta (about 80 cents) that I can put it in for chicken noodle soup. Went to Save A Lot last night and got some pretty good deals on tarter sauce (99 cents for a pretty big bottle), bagels (99 cents for 6 GIANT ones), cream cheese, milk, bleach, laundry detergent, etc... I had a FULL cart with all sorts of things that will last awhile, and the total was only 25 dollars. I try to only buy my meats from Publix, which can be kind of expensive, but a few weeks ago they had delicious boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for 1.99 a pound, cheaper than Save A Lot which doesn't have very fresh meat... I stocked up on that and have a bunch of chicken breast in the freezer... it's good with the 80 cent good sized bottles of hot sauce from Big Lots

**dwallyfam** · 07-22-2006, 03:51 PM

I am combatting by going straight to the source, the farmer. Every year I get a side of beef and a pig. Nothing like spending $1.64 for the extra lean ground beef and on Tbones. I try to buy all of my produce from the farmers as well and preserve them for future use.

As for everything else, it comes from Save-a-lot or a really great sale at the regular grocery store. I have been trying to make more from scratch as well.

Kellie

**Persimmon Lace** · 07-22-2006, 03:52 PM

I used to make my own salad dressings, bbq sauce and such, guess I need to start again. I've run out of the free dressings I got some time back! I use the farmer's market and the local produce market that buys from producer here in our county, I like that I am not contributing to the high price of gasoline by buying fruits and veggies in season and within 100 miles of my home. Anything that I buy from the farmer's market used fresh goes into the freezer for a later date. I also garden but the hot weather has taken it's toll on me and the veggies, just not the weeds!

Buying loss leaders and places other than the grocery stores can save a lot of money.

**chatterweb** · 07-22-2006, 04:38 PM

As a mystery shopper, I have shops in my area for food stores. So, I get paid to shop and reimbursed for what I buy.
I did go to Costco today and noticed certain foods were more, but other things had gone down, so I guess it balanced out?

**marei** · 07-22-2006, 11:52 PM

I keep a very well stocked pantry and freezer - actually 2 freezers - and for my main shopping only buy loss leaders. I find the best buy in town and stock up on it and then replace what I have used the next time it goes on sale. Always a couple of fresh vegetables on sale or this week was given some fresh produce from a neighbours garden and just ate the last of it last night. I try to use 100% of everything I buy.

**SammeyG** · 07-23-2006, 08:59 PM

Here lately our local stores have been having some great sales. So I have been able to stock up my pantry for this winter. But I have noticed a slight increase over the last few months at our stores.

**peanut** · 07-23-2006, 09:19 PM

I've been noticing fewer sales, higher prices and poorer quality produce.

My response has been to pay the extra money to go to u-picks for my year's supply of fruit. To pay those prices for woody, tasteless fruit is just disgusting.

Also to work a deal with dbil in PEI to fly some low bush blueberries from his blueberry farm to a wedding we're all going to in September. He has four kids going, and that equals 40 lbs. (4 10 lb. boxes) of frozen low bush blueberries as carry-on luggage! He packs them in 1" thick styrofoam. They stay frozen for days, which is good. They'll need to! He's sending them out for free, though I offered to pay for them.

Other than that, I'm adjusting our diet so we simply eat cheaper in-season foods.

I'm making sure to extend meat further too. We're eating more lean hamburger. We're also eating more meatless meals.

And, sad to say, I'm increasing our grocery budget by $100cdn./mth.

Jean