What more can I do to reduce my grocery bill

**farmgirl_82** · 10-13-2010, 03:27 PM

Okay, please help me. I’m trying to build up an emergency fund, and I need to cut my grocery bill down a little more.

I have 5 people in my family: DH and I, DD 5, DS 3, and DD 10 months. I also feed my FIL supper 3-4 times a week
I would like to get my grocery bill under $2000/year, which works out to $166.66/month.

Currently, I do a large grocery shop roughly every 6 weeks, spending close to $250 each time plus each week I stop at the local store for bread, milk, bananas, and ice cream. This usually cost $18/week. Formula for YDD is calculated in this($11/can/last two weeks), but will go away in January, when she starts on whole milk. My grocery budget is just for food, household and HBA items are a separate category.

I work full time outside the home, and have three small children to take care of at night, so I have limited time to cook from scratch, even on the weekends. I take my lunch to work (usually healthy choice meals/hot pocket meals, etc) These are bought on sale and with coupons.

I check sales flyers and cut coupons from the store flyers, Rarely, I will pay to buy the Sunday paper and use those coupons also. I have a small stockpile of food items. I don’t buy meat, as my husband has a pig and a cow butchered each year. I have to buy chicken, but I watch closely for sales. We don’t eat a lot of beans, and we don’t eat rice.

When I cook, there are not usually enough leftovers to make another meal, even for me to take to work. If I make a roast, I usually end up with a handful of meat leftover, so what to do with that?

Once a week, we have a “leftovers” night to clean out the fridge so nothing goes to waste.

Thanks in advance for the help, and let me know if you have any questions. I’ll try to answer them.

**MaryCarney** · 10-13-2010, 03:32 PM

Cook that leftover handful of roast beef with some Amish style egg noodles in beef broth, any onion, carrot that you have for beef and noodles.

**Sparklyfairy** · 10-13-2010, 03:42 PM

SOUP! Do you have a slow cooker? I throw my left over beef or chicken (pretty much anything) in mine with whatever veg I have spare with some stock cubes & water - prepare it in the am (or the night before) & turn on before you leave for work - dinner done by the time you're home! Make a quick salad or grilled cheese sandwiches if you like as well.

**Sparklyfairy** · 10-13-2010, 03:47 PM

Also, do you have a large freezer? I always buy full fat milk & decant half into an empty (clean!) bottle & top up with water...it's essentially semi skimmed milk & my family haven't noticed ANY difference at all - I must have saved a small fortune from that alone! I always make sure I have a full fat milk in the freezer as my family goes through a lot...

**farmgirl_82** · 10-13-2010, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sparklyfairy

SOUP! Do you have a slow cooker? I throw my left over beef or chicken (pretty much anything) in mine with whatever veg I have spare with some stock cubes & water - prepare it in the am (or the night before) & turn on before you leave for work - dinner done by the time you're home! Make a quick salad or grilled cheese sandwiches if you like as well.

I do have a slow cooker. I use it once in a while, as I am currently living between two houses and forget to plan ahead. this may be my biggest problem

**farmgirl_82** · 10-13-2010, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sparklyfairy

Also, do you have a large freezer? I always buy full fat milk & decant half into an empty (clean!) bottle & top up with water...it's essentially semi skimmed milk & my family haven't noticed ANY difference at all - I must have saved a small fortune from that alone! I always make sure I have a full fat milk in the freezer as my family goes through a lot...

We have a very large freezer, and it currently stocked with more bacon and pork chops than I prefer to eat. We drink 1% milk, except YDD who will be on whole milk until she's 2.

**Sparklyfairy** · 10-13-2010, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by farmgirl_82

I do have a slow cooker. I use it once in a while, as I am currently living between two houses and forget to plan ahead. this may be my biggest problem

Planning is key - it's a must, but it makes life so much easier!

I try to do a rough monthly menu plan. I ONLY buy what I need & I was initially amazed at how much I saved per month (2 adults, 2 kids 7 & 4).

I can't recommend the slow cooker enough for busy, large families - they are a god send! I'm new posting to these boards so I can't post links, but if you Google a blog called "A year of slow cooking" that will help out loads. I have even cooked things "dry" i.e. wrapped pork chops in foil, put those in the bottom, then added potatoes in foil - put slow cooker on low - left it for 8 hrs - done when we came home! I just cooked some frozen veg in the microwave & it was super easy. The more you experiment with it, the more you can make - people even make desserts & bread in them - not me, yet!

**mslolsalot** · 10-13-2010, 04:12 PM

Hmm... so, basically you want to cut your food bill in half? I can only think of really general suggestions. Have you looked into a food co-op in your area? Buying in quantity and sharing it with others can save some $$.

Were I in your situation, I'd look into frugal recipes or books like "More with Less" which talks about cooking for a crowd on a budget. Establishing a menu in advance and buying only what you need makes a big difference. Stick to the list of ingredients for your planned menu like it's law. This also cuts down on waste, which is commonly a huge drain on the budget.

I'd also take a very close look at alternatives to prepared or even partially prepared foods. Those items inevitably cost more money than making things yourself, and making them yourself doesn't have to be time-consuming. If you have a crockpot, find some great recipes for that. Perhaps plan to cook more than you already do so that you have planned leftovers (for lunch or whatever). I know that coupon shopping for some things (your frozen meals) can be really cheap, but I don't know if that's true for you. If it's not, that may be a place to trim. Even boiling a few eggs while you cook your meal or clean your kitchen will give you a fast on the go lunch in lieu of frozen meals.

Good luck!

**NikoSan999** · 10-13-2010, 04:13 PM

When you say you fix a roast and there's a handful left over...is that a large roast and everyone just eats till it's gone or you buy in portion size? If it's just being eaten in double or triple size servings... when it's done...serve serving portion sizes on a plate and container the rest. Use for another meal.
I know alot of people just put it on the table and the family of 4 will eat a 6 to 7 pound roast at one sitting. For one it's totally not healthy.
That handful will make veg beef soup, beef and noodles for somebodies lunch or two without buying the frozen meals, used in chili ( really good ) etc
Do your stores do BOGO? Great way to start a stockpile of decent size if you can combine coupons. Especially with the holiday season coming up. Sales are good.
It's hard with little ones AND working. Tired when you get home and even more tired when you go to bed.
Start small and find what works for you but in order to cut the bill you have to change something.
Another thing, with the chicken, take part of it and make soup or stirfry, dumplings, chicken noodle casserole...again you have something for lunch next day without the frozen...less salt also.

**LynnLC** · 10-13-2010, 04:13 PM

I envy you. My groceries are more per week than yours is per month. Food is very expensive where I live.

**Sparklyfairy** · 10-13-2010, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by farmgirl_82

We drink 1% milk, except YDD who will be on whole milk until she's 2.

I would then add more water to the full fat milk - like less than half ff, more than 1/4 - iykwim? I'd have a taste test of it & decide what amount would be best before it went in the fridge.

Pasta with bits of bacon is also super easy & pretty cheap - esp if you have loads in stock already.

**Sparklyfairy** · 10-13-2010, 04:20 PM

I second that about the roast chicken...we call it rubber chicken in our house b/c we make it s t r e t c h! Sun roast chicken, then remove ALL the meat for 1-2 more meals (put in freezer) then make a stock with the bones & freeze.

**farmgirl_82** · 10-13-2010, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by NikoSan999

When you say you fix a roast and there's a handful left over...is that a large roast and everyone just eats till it's gone or you buy in portion size? If it's just being eaten in double or triple size servings... when it's done...serve serving portion sizes on a plate and container the rest. Use for another meal.
I know alot of people just put it on the table and the family of 4 will eat a 6 to 7 pound roast at one sitting. For one it's totally not healthy.
That handful will make veg beef soup, beef and noodles for somebodies lunch or two without buying the frozen meals, used in chili ( really good ) etc
Do your stores do BOGO? Great way to start a stockpile of decent size if you can combine coupons. Especially with the holiday season coming up. Sales are good.
It's hard with little ones AND working. Tired when you get home and even more tired when you go to bed.
Start small and find what works for you but in order to cut the bill you have to change something.
Another thing, with the chicken, take part of it and make soup or stirfry, dumplings, chicken noodle casserole...again you have something for lunch next day without the frozen...less salt also.

The roasts are 3-4 lbs not cooked, bone in, and fat on. I usually serve potatoes and a vegi with it.
The stores around here do not do BOGO sales. I have a Hy-Vee, Fareway, and Super Target/Walmart to buy groceries at.

**NewLeaf** · 10-13-2010, 04:30 PM

Printable coupons from the internet. Coupons.com, southernsavers.com , redplum.com, smartsource.com. Southern savers - you can click in the store you shop at and it lists the sales and which coupon to use. If there is a printable then it gives you the link.

As for your leftovers, I keep a gallon size ziploc in my freezer. Every time we have leftover vegies I put them in the ziploc. When it is full we have soup! You can put any kind of meat that you would like in soup in the same bag. Some call it "garbage soup", we call it "leftover soup".

Look up $5 meals. Save a lot stores have them on their website, but I am sure if you google it you will get plenty of websites.

Go ahead and buy one paper on Sunday if you will use the coupons, if not, you can order the particular coupons you need online coupondede.com is where I get them sometimes.

Buying during a sale, with coupons in bulk and stocking up is the best way I save money. For example, today I got canned veggies for 39 cents a can. I got 12 cans and had 4 one dollar off three cans coupons. My total came to 68 cents for 12 cans of vegies!!!! Now I will go back a few more times and my dh will go too. We will have enough vegies to last all winter this way.

Google "super couponing".

Stocking up on cooking basics such as flour, rice, beans , sugar, oatmeal etc. helps too. You can search the forums for Grainlady's posts. She gives excellent advice for healthy, inexpensive cooking and can tell you how and what to stock up on.

Make mixes ahead of time. I make gravy mix , hot chocolate mix and brownie mix. Take a weekend and do this with your kids. It will be a fun mess and you will have low cost mixes already there.

Find the nearest Salvage Grocery store and check it out. They get overstock from other stores and sell it a a marked down cost. I get Starbucks coffee for $3 a bag. Yum! You can google and find out where to find one.

If you want to cut down on pre-prepared foods , you can take a weekend and do a once a month cooking or a big batch cooking. For example, I can make a few lasagna's and some meatballs and a couple meatloafs in very little time. I freeze them whole or in portions for lunches. Google OAMC cooking or batch cooking. It saves alot of weeknight time and keeps you from buying lunches during the week.

If you don't want to spend that much time doing OAMC then next time you cook, make a double batch and freeze one. It adds up.

I learned all of this from my frugal village friends. You can probably search for all the info right here!!! Good luck.

**NikoSan999** · 10-13-2010, 04:36 PM

That stinks about the BOGO...honey all you can do is take some the suggestions here and do the best you can. Your budget is already very reasonable. Partially due to the butchering.
I had a friend who took the coupon money saved and put in a savings bag. For instance if she saved $5.25 that day it went into the bag.
Maybe if you do that plus cut back a few bucks here and a few there it will get you started. You would be amazed especially if you use alot of coupons.
I'm a firm believer in soup in a "bad week". Especially potato soup with some shredded cheese and some of that bacon you have already, cooked and crumbled on top...again, lunches plus supper..