Good morning to all. Hope you are all well. It is a lovely morning here. 50's and bright and sunny. Pretty breezy, but it is going to be a super day. We will surely be changing by Sunday and the first of next week - the cold will be here at least for a while. Time to get the birdbaths ready for heaters for a day or so.
Sunset last night from my front porch and what I also saw out my living room window.
As you can see the trees have finally started changing color. There are so many beautiful colors. Lots of green too - but the colors just glow! I am thankful for nature.
Grocery shopping can be a pain. I keep hearing people say they are spending more and more every week. I hate that. Today I looked at the Kroger ad, and I see ways to change up the strategy some may have. I know many don't believe me, but I am actually spend less when I go shopping and I think very different about things.
First there are many discount markets around today - that we didn't have years ago. I hope some of you get to take advantage of those.
If you are in need, do not be ashamed of going to a food pantry at your church or in your community. They can help so much.
I see chuck roast on sale this week for 5.99/lb. - that is $3lb. discount! Do people really spend that? Not this gal. 5,99 sounds like too much to me. I would check markdowns - if nothing, look for a different cut. BUT a choice that could be made for a pork loin for 1.79/lb. Yes, it is totally different, but it is a lot cheaper. We normally have half and whole pork loins on sale for 1.99/lb. They sure can make a lot of meals in so many ways!
Chicken wings for 2.99/lb. Remember when they couldn't hardly give them away? No one wanted wings back in the day. Anyway - you can have for 2.99/lb., or you could buy already cooked ones for 7.99/lb.!!!!!!! Good golly, what a difference in cost for just a little work.
Chicken and pork are often quite a bit cheaper here than beef (almost always).
The other day we mentioned potato skins in the comments. I remember they were a delicacy at restaurants back years ago - they got smart and thought of a way to make money on something they would have trashed. Like many, I have always used the skins (kept them on). My only exceptions have been mashed and potato salad. I know many always use the skins. This week they are ADVERTISED for a small box of cheesy skins for 8.99! Good golly Miss Molly, I can buy an awful lot of whole potatoes for that amount.
Convenience foods are costly!
Fruit is another big-ticket item. Buy what is cheaper and utilize the sales. Apples are currently in season. I wish they were still cheaper - but around $1 a pound is a normal sale price around here. There are 5 lb. bag for $5 this week. Grapes (seedless) are .99 lb. (coupon). I find those items good - vs. 6 oz. of blueberries for 2.99. Sure they are good - but you can get a value for your dollar subbing something else. Buy what is in season and what is on sale.
There are eggs - 18 count for 1.99 (coupon) and you can get 5 boxes. Great protein. Think about making more meals using eggs. Cheese (Kroger brand) is 2.49/lb. (coupon) - same with this! So many ways to add cheese into meals.
Soon potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cranberries will be super cheap. Take advantage and plan meals around those. Turkeys and hams will be cheaper as well - much cheaper than any deli meat or packaged lunch meat. It is also healthier. These items can be used in so many ways.
Baking goods are soon to be on sale.
Always look for clearance items in all departments. I recently got 5 huge peaches for 1.50 and a few weeks ago, I got 6 juicy pears for 1.50. Much cheaper than they were selling for on the non-sale racks. I find ground pork and chicken often for $2 or less a pound. Cook with other seasoned items (in soups and chili) or add beef bouillon to change the flavor. WM generally has loaves of French bread for $1 on clearance - great for garlic bread or pizza. Freezes well. Many church thrift stores have FREE bread days.
I know not all have Kroger - but just giving examples of how to change up your thinking and your recipes. Use what is on sale! FIRST use what you HAVE!!!!!! Check your freezers and get out the things that have been lounging in there for a bit too long. USE IT.
Hopefully many still have garden produce to use - squashes and pumpkins keep and last. Cabbage lasts and stores well too.
Take some time to develop a new strategy to shopping and cooking. It surely can save you funds that can be used for stocking up or for some other bill.
Have a wonderful day - get out and enjoy the sunshine if possible.
SMILES and HUGS
I'm sitting in the rocking chair looking out the west window where the full moon is just setting behind the hill. The east window with the morning sky in all its glorious colors is reflected in the west window. And a new day begins. My neighbor once commmented that I am not high maintenance when we were in the grocery store together and I said I didn't need anything. It's true. I can easily like what's on sale & do without. Living alone, I don't have to cater to anyone else's preferences. I do remember having discussions with my son way back when about the economy of things. He wanted the kits w/ crackers, lunch meat & cheese & we talked about the cost of prepared vs making the same snack ourselves.
ReplyDeleteEast and West both such beautiful views at different times.
DeleteSame here - I don't NEED a thing. I can curb my wants easily.
You bring up another thing that costs so much more to buy than make. Lunchables are expensive. My goodness, that was a way of life growing up. A piece of bologna cut up and some saltines. PB on saltines. Yep, we just ate that as normal - homemade.
Yes, being alone does give us a lot of freedom on what to eat and when to eat. I wish I could cater to someone's likes, but that is not to be now. I am easy to please.
I feel that I’m a pretty good grocery shopper. Although I am seeing higher prices on a lot of items, I’ve also been able to stay well below my budget this year. I almost never buy red meat just because I don’t care about it. My go-to meat is boneless, skinless chicken thighs, $2.99/pound on sale at Aldi for a pack of 8. For years Publix was my main store but their prices have really increased except for sale items. I do still like their store brands which are excellent. Aldi is my main store now. I think they are quite a bit less expensive than Walmart but I do buy a few things at Walmart. My mom always shopped multiple stores and I’ve always done so, too. I have a file in my Notes app with prices of things I buy regularly. I always check the ads and use a list.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day, Cheryl. My contractors are going to be jackhammering the shower drain area for about two hours this morning so I’m enjoying the quiet now!
I see the higher prices on some things too, I just decide not to buy them! I can do without those and sub something else.
DeleteI do like Aldi - and for some reason I don't get there often.
Nice to have a little price book of sorts. That helps I am sure.
Enjoy the quiet while you can. Hopefully it all gets done quickly!
The moon was so beautiful last night and this morning. It always puts a smile on my face.
ReplyDeleteI have a full freezer and pantry so like you I only buy items that we may need soon that are on sale.
If anyone lives in an area with local farms and ranches, I highly recommend checking them out. The product and the prices are always better.
Enjoy the day!
It was just gorgeous. Supposed to happen again tonight.
DeleteThe pantries and freezer being full makes such a big difference. I really hope we can teach newbies to stock up and keep food on hand.
Local is always great and fresh and helping your community.
Your prices have nothing to do with mine. Eggs here, store brand, have finally come down to $2.50 a dozen. Seedless grapes are $3.48 a pound. Ground beef of any sort starts at $5.99 a pound and goes up depending on % fat. I do not see anywhere a clearance section on anything, although occasionally I'll see some meat marked down, but it is all mixed in with the full price. When I've bought it, I've not had great luck with freezing it, it's too close to "going off" and smells funky when I'm trying to package it for the freezer. There are all sorts of little signs that say "sale", but they're only showing the ordinary price. Pfft.
ReplyDeleteIt must be nice to be the Only Grocer In Town. Charge whatever you want. Going anywhere else is a trip to another city through traffic and construction.
Yes, there is a local discount/damaged store, but there's no telling what will be offered there, it's not a full service store and if something is not damaged it is even more expensive than the regular grocery!
Pretty much, I just eat less, try to eat "in season" and pray for the best.
This is, I believe, a downside of living in a tourist town. It wasn't like this when I moved here 45 years ago - this little town in the mountains. Every political person here wants *growth*. They want to be in charge of a new Atlanta or something. Sigh.
MaryB
Sorry it doesn't help you out. yes, only having one grocer in a small town is crummy. Living in a big town can have its perks.
DeleteI give tips for many just starting out. Some folks have never been taught how to shop for the deals or how to make do with different items in a recipe.
Eating in season is big. Glad you can do that.
I am not a big person on change to the big things, so I have compassion for you.
Excellent tips! I always buy sweet potatoes around Thanksgiving as they are always on sale. It is food for the dogs as well as us. I like MaryB's comment: "eat less, in season and pray for the best."
ReplyDeleteThe sun is beautiful this morning and the Farmer said it will get up to 70*. Enjoy it while we can. Colder weather coming, which is to be expected.
Bits will be looking for a sunny window this winter. Erin's cats love sitting in the windows and chattering at the birds.
Prices have definitely gone up. We eat mostly chicken and very little red meat. Most of our dinner meals are casseroles (hot dishes), stir frys, hearty soups, and quiches that require small amounts of protein as add-ins. As we prefer these types of dishes, this is not a sacrifice on our part. We purchase bagged fruit that is season and frozen vegetables. I can make a loaf of Dutch oven bread for pennies that will sell for $5.99 in the store. When we get a sweet tooth urge, I can make a batch of cookies or a crazy cake. Buying ingredients instead of ready made items can save a lot of money. I am truly fortunate that I learned such wonderful homemaking lessons from my mother and my grandmother who lived only 1 1/2 blocks away from my childhood home. Thoughts and prayers to those who are struggling with food insecurity and please do seek out food banks for help as they are wonderful folks who want to help others in need. Jenny
ReplyDelete