Whole RAW full fat milk is the best thing to keep weight DOWN with children. Low fat/skim milk is what farmers give pigs to fatten them up. Full fat dairy keeps children (& adults!), full much longer. Sugary juices are wasted calories.
Everything you are discussing, people our age were taught in Home Economics Class in high school. It's a good you are doing this because I don't think they teach important stuff (budgeting, balancing a checking account, sewing a button) in school anymore.
Yup…exactly! This is why we have a generation that after graduation from HS, still can’t do a simple math problem! It’s so crazy to me. And my guess is that if they lost a shirt button, they’d throw away the shirt! 🙄😀🤣🤷🏻♀️
I'm in my mid- 30s and we never had any of that taught in school (or American history until 11th grade, but I'll save that rant for another time). BUT we had an entire class called "life skills" devoted to learning about various STDs, the history of sex ("important" stuff like red lipstick being a sign of being a prostitute in ancient Greece), various forms of contraception, etc. We also made pizza with premade crust, so I guess that counted as learning to cook. 🙄The class was required for graduation, so parents couldn't opt out. (Some tried after my class spilled the beans.) I thank God for a grandmother who was a true homemaker. She taught me so much.
my teaching came from my home w 2 fab cooks and house w 9 ppl total in the 50s very great wise ppl to had been raised and taught by home economics was not that informative sewing we did do I can hem we only did 2 complete meals the whole yr! did a formal table setting my Mom taught me that at home better your best teaching is AT HOME I DID IT W MY OWN CHILDREN
I was aghast to learn that many people don't eat leftovers! One of the most wasteful and nonsensical things I've ever heard!!! And food usually tastes better the next day anyway when the flavours have had time to blend.
I was an only child. My dad would not eat leftovers. We never had them. I married and had three sons. Usually no leftovers my boys were bottomless pits. I cook ahead for just hubs and I now.
Hey diner fam❤️ I’m the “franki” mentioned in the video! Yes we have saved over $8,000 since this journey started. My weekly routine is to look at the sales ads and make a list of what’s on sale, cross check those ingredients in the Dining on a dime cookbook to generate a menu, make my list that is under my budget then shop. As for leftovers.. the cookbook has an index for this!! We don’t waste food and use proper servings. It works. It takes dedication, it’s a mind shift change. I have absolutely loved cooking my way through the cookbook. And I am super excited once I’m finished with this one to start on vol 2 ❤️
Regarding only buying what's on sale. Our local grocery store start their new sales on Wednesdays. On Tuesdays they now show the sale paper that starts the next day. ... I stocked up on roasts a few weeks ago. Months ago I bought over 50 pounds of ground beef when it went on sale for a great price (cheapest price we'd seen in a while). Each time I cook with it, I'm thankful for the money we saved on it.
For tip # 6, for older adults, try intermittent fasting!! Eat only in a 4-8 hour window each day, then DO NOT EAT the rest of the time, just drink water or tea, or coffee. Ex. eat between 12-4pm each day, or just eat between 10-6 each day, then DO NOT EAT the rest of the time. You will feel better, and you might even lose some weight, and of course, save on your grocery bills.
I'm learning how to fast according to the Bible and I'm diabetic. It's not as hard as I thought it would be all these years I made excuses not to do it. I drink v-8, coffee, vitamin waters, and v-8 energy drinks and the rest of the time I am sustained by the Word of God. It is refreshing and gives a new perspective. I highly recommend it.
as U age U not as active so U don't need a bunch of food. Plus when your ON SOCIAL SECURITY we can only eat ONCE A DAY & 1x a WEEK NO MEAL because we have NO FOOD/MONEY‼️
@@ranaedownard-wooden857 The last part of your comment stood out to me because I know in my area there are resources to help seniors with food instability - Meals on Wheels, SNAP, Seniors & People with Disabilities services through DHS, other services through a local senior center. I hope that there is something in your area that might help you. You may not need as much food as you used to, but six meals a week doesn't sound like enough.
I started intermittent fasting around five years ago. I list thirty pounds and have kept it off. There are many books and videos available on the subject. Jason Fung being my favorite. He has lots of videos available on TH-cam. I notice my mind is more clear at work and I dont feel weighed down by food. My favorite part about it is not packing a lunch! I drink two cups of coffee and water throughout the day and eat a healthy late lunch and dinner.
I'm really soaking all this up. You guys are helping me a lot. I'm separated, from a 27 year marriage for around 2 years now. I'm also a very low paid church worker and also clean homes and work at an inn to supplement my income. I'm also 50. I'm learning a LOT!
It’s always good to wait 20 to 30 minutes to get seconds as well. Sometimes you may still feel hungry but if you wait about 20 minutes your food settles and more than likely you will not want another plate and will not have that overstuffed feeling. My daughter and I do this all the time and 99% of the time we don’t get another plate. :)
That also worked in Puerto Rico...I went yesterday to Costco and a small supermarket and the total amount is almost HALF of what we bought in September...THANK YOU!!!!!!!
You both are correct - buying only whats on sale works. That is when you should stock up. After doing this for about a month you will have enough to make complete meals. Then start the rotation of buying those same things on sale again.
Those grocery prices are incredible. I don’t know where you live but the prices here are triple or more even on sale. I shop the ads, use in store coupons, buy off brands. I have for years and suddenly I can’t afford the groceries.
We have cut down on meat here, because our chicken thighs went from sale price $.53 a pound to $.99 a pound. Ground meat was $4.99 and now it $7.59. we were happy to get some ground turkey for $2.50 a pound we got the limit.
Same here in Vancouver Canada $7.for family size cereal $3.33 for 1dozen eggs $4.99 for gallon milk$6.99 for cheaper ice cream I have oatmeal myself more filling. Smaller amounts of meat I make my bread most of the time. Good luck with rising prices.
@@cherilewis2899 You can buy some dried milk. Make half a gallon of dried milk and pour half gallon whole milk together. So, your one gallon of regular whole milk makes 2 gallons with adding the powered milk.
In australia stores don't have coupons. And the weekly savings are more on junk food than anything else. Through a card for coles etc i might get $20- a year free to put back into food spending. Etc.
In our house, there is no such thing as leftovers. They are just previously prepared ingredients. I usually eat them for lunch or reimagine them for another meal. Waste not, want not.
For what it’s worth, Years ago I discovered that if the skinless/bnls chicken breasts cost $1.99 or less per pound, it is cheaper than bone-in unless the boneIn is below $.99 per lb due to the weight of the bones. However, I also rarely serve each family member a whole breast half when pinching pennies. 1-2 breast pieces can easily be stretched to serve a family of 6-8 & the cost for the extra ingredients to pull it together is healthy & inexpensive. Bone-in meat is more economical depending on how it is to be served.
great tips that was how I shopped for years living on disability that is why I like to get my own groceries rather than having someone pick them up for me
Ann Marie grey I'm on disability and used to shop like that but can no longer get out.now am stuck with what I can get.I'm very thankful but wish I could do it for much cheaper
It's true, don't overwhelm little kids with too much food. Let them have more if they want it. And don't let them become picky eaters. Give them one bite of a new food. If they don't like it, try it again another day in another form. Let them taste everything but don't insist that that they take more than one bite. Keep it up and they will learn to try everything.
I love love love how you guys translate spending extra into how many hours you will have to work to pay for that thing. I have never heard anyone else say this and it makes so much sense. Thank you for all of your advice and entertainment 😉
My Aunt went to an ice cream factory as part of a school tour, she saw the 2 expensive brands on the belt next to the store brand. She's bought store brand ever since.
Italians cook a big pot of sauce on Saturday (and theirs is the very best). Then they have a different pasta every day using their “weekly” sauce. It just keeps getting better every day!
Hi Ladies! Just wanted to chime in and agree that your tips definitely work because I have been shopping this way for years. By following your tips people can save around 40 to 50% off of their grocery bill so if they want to save money and they haven't tried your tips they need to. I'm so glad that Jill moved to the same city as you so maybe we can see her in more of the videos. She is the kind of lady anyone would like to have as a Mom or Grandma, so sweet but still tells people to stop making excuses if they want to accomplish something. We can always count on Tawra to do that also. You guys are a big help to people trying to save money.
When I cook extra food, I bag them in one serving portions right after dinner and freeze them, no one sees what was left over. I I eat them for lunch, or even dinner when I don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes when my grandchildren come for lunch, I tell them the menu, of frozen dinners, and they order their meal as in a restaurant, each gets what they prefer.
I saw a short here on youtube. A woman said she was feeding her family of 12 and cooked 20 chicken breasts, 3lbs of mac and cheese (velveeta), and a ton of broccoli. I thought 20 chicken breasts for 12 people was WAY to much. Even 12 chicken breasts would be to much. You don't need 1 breast per person. A breast is 3 or 4 servings if you weigh it out.
I have not seen .39/lb on chicken thighs in many years. Our options for groceries is Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, and Albertsons. The last 3 of those are all owned by Kroger which is a back East grocery chain and have bought up so many local grocery stores and chain grocery stores throughout the US. The Kroger chain is more expensive on the whole. I really miss places like Grocery Outlet that actually does have meat for .39/lb. I catch the King Soopers occasional sale on ribeye's for $4.97/lb. It might seem like a lot, but I stock my freezer with at least 3 whole ribeyes and slice it myself and we can eat ribeyes once in a while. Otherwise, I'm very frugal with groceries, and I am growing loads of my own fruits and vegetables, plus canning loads to last us through the winter.
Hi Tawra and Jill, I am with you 100%!! I live in Ontario Canada and I only buy what is on sale and also price match! It's amazing and shocking how much money I saved. I usually save anywhere from 50%-75% per month! I can't justify spending full price for anything! We don't even buy furniture,appliances or clothes full price. We shop at Thrift stores, garage sales or people will ask us if we want their old furniture, clothes etc... I was raised up like this and I raised my children the same way. My granddaughter loves second hand stores and receiving second hand clothing. She's 9yrs old and she's awesome in looking for deals! Thank you for making these videos, they're greatly appreciated. 🥰🇨🇦
I agree on the meats. Growing up we had a Christmas tradition of a prime rib roast for our meal and a chicken breast for me (I don’t eat beef). We all looked so forward to that meal each year. It is so nice to have something like a family meal to look forward to, now that my parents are in heaven it is wonderful memories. Oh we only had prime rib at Christmas only!!
I agree with you 100%! My grocery bill is $300 for a family of 5 monthly in California, which is one of the most expensive states... it is possible! It does take effort, organization, and willingness- but it is very worth it.😉👍
300 per week or for the month? Family if 5 here as well in the Midwest and our grocery bill is rather large. Yes, we primarily use store brand products, make 95% of our meals from scratch, etc.
@@midwestfalcon5667 $300 for a family of 5 is my monthly budget Michelle, it takes work and effort- but I'm doing it!😃 This has saved me thousands of dollars yearly for a few years now- allowing my family and I to payoff debt, buy a house, help family, and travel... I wouldn't be able to do a lot of this things for my family, and with my family if I spent what an average family spends on groceries and eating out. Thank you for asking, have a great week!😊
Absolutely I was a produce manager and yes you pay for someone else to cut up your vegetables and fruit!I have shopped like you and your mother no coupons just bought sale items and serving sizes and did the work myself for lunches!always cooked at home👍even when I worked.I’m retired now was able to retire my husband and I at 55👍Smart ladies😉
My lunches at work this week consist of leftovers from the prior week. My wife is a southern cook from scratch girl. My leftovers are just as good as the first time around.
My thoughts on left overs..... I am a widow so when I cook say like spaghetti for example or anything else, I put my left overs in a individual freezer safe bowl (that I get a lot of free bowls from a friend who buys those tv dinners) then I have home made food with out all that junk & salt they put in those tv dinners from the stores & it cost me pennies on the dollar to eat, so I think this is good advice I'm giving as well. Blessings from KY ps I enjoy watching you all & I just love your Mother (=
We make home made tv dinners too. Saves us on busy days when nothing is fixed and on trips for meals we can eat in the hotel when we don't want to spend money on eating out.
Yes seniors can save money on food their is 2 of us been retired 15 year our budget back from day one was 300.00 a month guess what it still that today. For one thing we probably eat less because as you age your not eating as much. Plus during this shut down we couldn't eat out which we did once a week guess what we stop doing that except on our big once a month grocery haul. Eating is gone over board where we live and to be truthful it's not very good food. So once a month we eat a lunch out By the way I can spend whatever I want on food we retired 15 years ago on more money than when my hubby work and than 4 years later I turn 62 and we got a 800. 00 pay raise. lol choose to live this way and free to do what we want on anything else like trips. clothes and just fixing and updating our home .
You go Franki! I love the cookbook and refer to it often. Between this channel and Under the Median I have cut my grocery shopping bill more then half! Aldi is my go to and Walmart for certain items like dog food. I’m shopping once a month. My husband has learned to eat leftovers. He prefers my spaghetti sauce over jar. Cooking from scratch is making all the difference. Cook ahead and freeze saves tons of time. Love the video Tawra and Jill!
I have used all your great tips for many years....My kids are all grown but we have saved thousands by following guidelines like this....You are so correct! Love your channel!
There is this manual food processor, slicer, chopper, thing at walmart that isn't expensive that will dice, chop, grate, slice. I use it to prepare veggies to dehydrate. It is fast, easy and would be perfect to make lunch stuff ahead of time. It even has a spinner to wash salad. I laughed at it, but now I use it ALL the time. The blades are super sharp and can julienne, thin slice or thick slice. Easy clean up. It is like the crazy old ronco stuff on TV, but works WAY better. All that prepared produce could easily be done with this quickly.
Along with avoiding pre-cut vegetables and fruits, the same is true for pre-grated and sliced cheese and pre-cut meats. I rarely eat "cold cuts" so cannot attest to that. But really, "pre" anything is going to cost more and here's another tip. That grated cheese contains a starch or cellulose product to keep it from sticking together so not only are you paying the cost of someone else's labor, you are paying for less product and for putting some "unknown" substance into you or your kids" bodies! Thanks for the great budget tips!
Yes, that cellulose is why a lot of people on a keto eating plan grate their own cheese. Nobody needs those additional carbs, and grated cheese freezes just fine without cellulose coating.
One ingredient food only is what my Cowboy and I eat. No processed foods period. Real tastes SO much better . I was raised on Cows whole milk and I absolutely love drinking milk we only were served 6 oz glass we made our orange juice from oranges, from one orange not 12 🤦♀️ Creative craftsmanship in cooking your Cookbook is such a huge blessing ❤
I got bone in chicken breast for .99 a pound at my Kroger (in VA) 2 weeks ago. I brought them home cut them off the bone and threw the bones and skins in a crock pot. I cut the breasts up put them in freezer in meal size bags. After cooking the bones on low over night I strained the broth and put that in meal size bags stuck that in the freezer. I'm ready for quick chicken and dumplings or soup or even fajitas. I was really excited to find it that cheap.
I live in Canada and when able I would go grocery shopping in the USA for Tillamook cheese, it is so tasty and it lasts. We are only able to bring back 20 lbs or $20 of dairy (which ever is less),=
@@lynhanna917that’s great! I love all of their products. I’m extremely fortunate I’ve lived within fifty miles of the Tillamook creamery my entire life.
@@edefyinggravity I buy it on sale it lasts a long time recently in my area it was on sale and I stocked up to last. I will spend my money on whatever I choose. I’m not dictating to you or anyone else and I wasn’t asking permission from you anyone else! I live within fifty miles of the Tillamook Creamery. I don’t see cheddar cheese as a luxury.
Maybe because this is an Italian family, I have some advantages! I make huge pot of sauce on Sunday. It’s filled with Italian sausages, meatballs, and maybe other meats. But we are going to eat at least 3 times from that pot. First day will be pasta and meat. 2nd day might be meatball parmigiana heroes, 3rd day, if the meat has disappeared, I’ll cook a pound of sliced mushrooms, and throw it into the sauce. I’ll serve it with my awesome garlic bread and a hearty salad. We substitute meat with eggplant a lot too. Even when we don’t want to do 3 nights in a week? Sauce and the meats freeze beautifully, and taste even better! I love making my sauce. It’s on the stove all day and they come over to the stove all day, making sauce and bread sandwiches. It’s a family thing!! 🥰❤️😍
Ever since following your channel I cant even eat out anymore. If I get a meal out I'm like I could have made this for like $2. It's just ridiculous to me now. I much rather eat at home. I've saved sooooo much money
You are so right! Love how defensive people can be to defend their own bad mindset. Where there is a will there's always a better way! I am wise and I am smart. Being wise means I know I don't know everything that there's always something to learn from someone else. Love you guys!
Another tip is to PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH with our kids!! So many adults today do NOT know how to cook! That’s us momma’s fault. If we have our kids participate from the sales papers through to packing up leftovers and bagging lunches. When they move out on their own they have some life skills that will help them succeed. Same way with $$$$ money! If we don’t teach our kids, even nieces, nephews, grandkids, or even kids that are visiting your home from your youth group or school that your kids go to!! They WANT to learn! The desire is there, they just need guidance. Then what happens is they keep us adults in line because they are watching! (SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE). (I’m really not shouting! I forget caps means shouting 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️)
I totally hear ya on leftovers! I’ve tried to get better at that, I made country style pork ribs, I got 3 different dishes out of them, Pulled pork bbq sandwich Pork and sourkraut (sp?) And pork green chili burritos 🌯 So good! Not boring
I would also encourage people to always check the unit prices..either by ounce or pound..amount of slices ectcetera.. I see too many people just liking at main price on packages and not checking unit price. I plan meals with leftovers in mind. My gosh I can get many many meals from one whole chicken that I usually cook first of week. I usually cook either soups or a big pot of dry beans weekly as I can do those easy enough in Crock-Pot or pressure cooker.
I love carrots but they are awesome boiled with brown sugar thrown in towards the end and cinnamon. Find a salvage grocery store too. I just got Hagan daz cheaply. Also I now use all leftovers. 👍
That's funny. A friend from Germany wrote to me a few weeks back, and asked me how to save on groceries. I gave her the same advice to only buy what is on sale.
I buy chicken thighs and bone tnem myself. I save the bones and make soup when I have enough. I use leftovers for homemade pizza. I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. The last pizza I made had leftover broccoli and steak on it. I also try to buy only on sale.
Everything you said was true, I have done most of this and will continue because I want to hold on to my hard earned money. You can help so many people if they will just listen.
Omg pretty much only eat leftovers!! I make a meal, and then separate it into as many meals as I can, and stick em in the freezer. I don't have to make myself lunch in the morning and it saves me a ton of time, and then I have lots of meals to choose from! Saves me SO much time and money!!
I also use paper towels instead of napkins. The ones the have little squares. I also do a bits n pieces meal the day before I grocery shop to really clean out the fridge and I don’t overbuy fruit or produce. If it starts to brown I put it in the freezer for smoothies
You might want to try cloth napkins. They can easily be found at garage sales or made from old tea towels. You'll save money and the environment at the same time!
I have found that several times a year, asparagus is on sale at Aldi, below my price point of $1.99 lb. - they have it for $1.49 lb. I only buy one bag, and use it immediately. I don't care for frozen or canned, so I only have it when it is on sale. I don't care for chicken breast to start off with, so the less expensive thighs (and drums) are perfect for me anyway. I can use any recipe in your cookbooks, and sub in, whether or not we are advocating a smaller protein portion (1/2 thigh is a good portion even if not a jumbo thigh to start with). I, too, can stand to lose about 1/2 of myself. My doctor is always harping on my weight. I have been trying store brands for about 30 years. Most taste the same. I am not even a ketchup (catsup) snob for the small amounts of it I use a year. I figure that I am making "future food". I cooked a bag of pinto beans, ate for 2 meals, and then froze the rest in serving sized containers for future meals. Now that I am older, and can't cut through the hard vegetables (butternut squash comes to mind) because of arthritis and just lack of strength, I will buy those already cut. But nothing else, I believe in doing it myself. If watermelons are on sale, (big ones at Walmart were just $2 a couple of weeks ago) and I buy a whole one, I always have someone in mind to share with. I started "stocking up" so I could only buy what is on sale again, in 1989. I learned about sale cycles, I learned to talk to the butcher to get them to cut a whole frozen turkey in half, or quarters, etc. I learned to hold conversations with the produce managers to ask about food about ready to get tossed, and see if I could make a deal with them. I learned how to buy meat and cheese ends, to be used for sandwiches, and with roast beef and/or turkey to cook up some gravy and make hot sandwiches out of them, instead of cut using them as cold cuts. I will be honest, I didn't learn it all from you, but "your kind" has become "MY TRIBE". I am 66 (in 2 days), and must say, I will never be too old to learn more frugal lessons.
I just had my grandson for a week, he went home yesterday. My daughter is doing that very thing, milk and juice all day, well not this grandma I gave him milk with his breakfast and water with his lunch, he got juice and a small amount of it, he didn't seem to mind.
I live in the UK and will try to buy the offers in my local supermarket. I try to shop the offers and try to buy the store brand which is like a named brand. I know that these products are safe as I have issues with food from abusive parents. It’s easy to save money when u look around and change how u buy a product etc. Your doing amazing. Thanks for the tips.
I’ve also found pasta will get bugs really bad. I think I had mine for about a year in a vacuum sealed container but bugs are already in flour products. They don’t get in there from your cabinets. I’ve heard you can put a bay leaf in there to keep them from hatching.
I do the same thing. The grocery has loss leader items meaning the store losses money on that sale item to get you in the store. Knowing your going to pick up other items. I go get sale items and leave. Stick to your list.
Sales is the only way we shop any more. And if its a great sale we'll stock up on it for months and months worth to last to the next sale on it or even beyond. Love all your advice. Thank you.
My Thriftway grocer see's me coming and they hurry and put out reduced meat and produce. I love them, they know I know food and will buy it. Sometimes they will put out the fresh top of the line stuff for me marked down. It is good to know your grocer.
It amazes me that people aren't aware of most of these. I would add that a discount (salvage) grocery can be a great help as well. At my salvage store I bought brown rice 8 lbs for $1, and dry black beans, 4 lbs for $1, frozen salmon fillets, $4 per pound.
I love that you are a mother daughter team. I left home at 18 when I went into the military. Once I got out I moved to the next state over and was still far away. I didn’t make a lot so I rarely could afford to fly across country. Then she got early onset Alzheimer’s and died far earlier than her time. My children never knew her and I miss her every day. Cherish your time together. Phone calls aren’t the same.
So true! And DON'T buy prepared foods. Last month my DH had a medical emergency and we found ourselves in another town having to stay in a relative's empty house under remodel. Only a refrigerator was available. We slept on cots and used camp chairs and tables along with paper plates and plastic utensils. Unable to prepare any food we were forced to buy grocery store and restaurant food. Luckily we don't eat much so most times we shared a meal. The grocery store food was the least expensive but we were shocked to learn that it still cost us $1,000 for those 4-5 weeks before we could finally go home. Yes. You read that right. I repeat DON'T buy prepared foods. We had no choice but you do!
Buy an inexpensive camp stove that way if anything like that happens again, you’ll have a way to cook food you could buy from a supermarket and save money that way!
Thank you , I learned most of what you both suggest from my Mother. She was reading labels in the 60's and 70's, and usually we ate mostly what was on sale for the week at Piggly Wiggly. Even after my college degrees, I had to live frugally. Because of economic struggles, job changes, low salaries, we must learn to use our money wisely. My daughter learned by shopping with me, we never lacked good quality food, because of listening to wisdom similar to your advice. Thank you
Great advice! I am vegan, so don't purchase any animal products. I eat this way for ethical reasons, but with the rising costs of just about everything these days I would be plant based today just because we can't afford to eat any other way! We hardly ever buy cereal or anything else that we can make ourselves easily and for much less money. You said in a previous video that a bag of potatoes is much less expensive (and much more versatile) than a bag of potato chips, for example.
Almost once a week or whenever we have enough leftovers for everyone to have a serving of something, we have a leftover night. Everyone gets to pick what they will eat. It also gives me a night off of cooking. It's awesome!
I cut up chicken get 13 pieces mama taught me years ago. Thin slice my own meat. or stew meat etc. Thanks keep on talking Tawra. Just wish our sale prices were as good as your. Did find bacon for 2.99 for a lb. lat week yeah . My folks were frugal thank goodness they always talked about this. How they built and bought a new house.
In these times, it’s really good to get to know your local farmers and butchers for any food items you might not be able to grow or care for yourself. Local might be semi-expensive initially but that farmer/butcher may also give you better discounts as you get to know each other better. Your dollar can go a lot further locally than it does for something shipped across the country, if you have such resources in your area.
Yep. Yep. 1/2 portions with as much variety as possible. Eat what's on sale. Try everything. You might love it. But no matter. You fed yourself another nutritious meal for WAY less and saved calories too. Tripple win!
I love our grocery store, you buy one item say hot dogs and get 4 to 5 items free. Coupons for more expensive items will be buy $20 of laundry products and get $5 off you total bill. Last week using ad only items I saved $42.12 on my total bill.
Breakfast for dinner is a biggie! When you can buy eggs for 97 cents, add a side of bacon, ham, or sausage (whatever you got on sale). Get some 1.00 loaf of bread for toast. We do this at least once, sometimes twice a week. Big savings.
I just watched an article about this-it’s how grocery stores resell their aging produce! They even scrape mold off some things, then cut them up, for two or three times the per lb price.
My dad eats really good food eats too much of it and I’m glad y’all pointed out this very good point. Best thing for people to do is get used to eat in the less because there may be less food there’s gonna be a lot easier to do it now than later
I've shopped the way you suggest for more than forty years. I stock up during sales, use my freezer and pantry. I eat fruit and vegetables in season and on sale, or frozen and on sale. I never buy meat at full price. I have brand loyalty for a couple of items (and I only buy them during sales.) That being said, prices are going up. Dairy is up quite a bit. (Milk for example is up over 10% from a year ago and that never goes on sale around here.) The lowest sale price I can find on cheese is 40% more than last year. Canned food is way up in price. Shrinkflation has set in with frozen foods. Beef has gone through the roof. (Although when beef is high, pork usually gets lower.) The sales cycle has extended from six weeks to eight to twelve weeks. The sale circulars have fewer pages. And the stores are limiting quantities more often. This cycle reminds me of the late seventies when inflation ran rampant. Of course, the price of fuel will affect prices in a negative way, for the foreseeable future.
You ladies are a great inspiration, I'm going to start practicing your tips this week, as I have notices my grocery shop increases lately a lot. My fault I buy what I want not what I should.
I’d rather have the dark meat chicken instead of white . I love Kroger brand frozen yogurt better than any I’ve tried plus it’s cheaper !! I have been known to combine leftovers to make something different. If you buy one of the roasts on sale, cut half of it up into stew meat !! I may not save much, but I do save some !! Your ideas are great ….if naysayers would use them !!❤️❤️❤️
👍 35% off Pre-Ordering Sale NOW! 👍❤️ Quick and Easy Recipes! ❤️ Dining On A Dime Cookbook www.LivingOnADime.com
Whole RAW full fat milk is the best thing to keep weight DOWN with children. Low fat/skim milk is what farmers give pigs to fatten them up. Full fat dairy keeps children (& adults!), full much longer.
Sugary juices are wasted calories.
Ok
@@dibutler9151 great info! Thanks for sharing!
I just love your mother. She teaches so kind and compassionately. ❤️
She she is I was thinking I would donate her food if times got hard to keep her from having to eat beans.
Everything you are discussing, people our age were taught in Home Economics Class in high school. It's a good you are doing this because I don't think they teach important stuff (budgeting, balancing a checking account, sewing a button) in school anymore.
None of that important stuff are taught in schools anymore!
Yup…exactly! This is why we have a generation that after graduation from HS, still can’t do a simple math problem! It’s so crazy to me. And my guess is that if they lost a shirt button, they’d throw away the shirt! 🙄😀🤣🤷🏻♀️
I'm in my mid- 30s and we never had any of that taught in school (or American history until 11th grade, but I'll save that rant for another time). BUT we had an entire class called "life skills" devoted to learning about various STDs, the history of sex ("important" stuff like red lipstick being a sign of being a prostitute in ancient Greece), various forms of contraception, etc. We also made pizza with premade crust, so I guess that counted as learning to cook. 🙄The class was required for graduation, so parents couldn't opt out. (Some tried after my class spilled the beans.)
I thank God for a grandmother who was a true homemaker. She taught me so much.
💯🎯totally agree!
my teaching came from my home w 2 fab cooks and house w 9 ppl total in the 50s very great wise ppl to had been raised and taught by home economics was not that informative sewing we did do I can hem we only did 2 complete meals the whole yr! did a formal table setting my Mom taught me that at home better your best teaching is AT HOME I DID IT W MY OWN CHILDREN
I was aghast to learn that many people don't eat leftovers! One of the most wasteful and nonsensical things I've ever heard!!! And food usually tastes better the next day anyway when the flavours have had time to blend.
I'm on my third day of leftover chili and each day it has more flavor than the day before.
I was an only child. My dad would not eat leftovers. We never had them. I married and had three sons. Usually no leftovers my boys were bottomless pits. I cook ahead for just hubs and I now.
I can't believe that either, makes zero sense. Yes, many foods are better the next day!
I agree entirely!!!!
In the fall, I make a pot of soup and bread to eat for lunches all week for my spouse and I. Great way to save $$$.
Hey diner fam❤️ I’m the “franki” mentioned in the video! Yes we have saved over $8,000 since this journey started. My weekly routine is to look at the sales ads and make a list of what’s on sale, cross check those ingredients in the Dining on a dime cookbook to generate a menu, make my list that is under my budget then shop. As for leftovers.. the cookbook has an index for this!! We don’t waste food and use proper servings. It works. It takes dedication, it’s a mind shift change. I have absolutely loved cooking my way through the cookbook. And I am super excited once I’m finished with this one to start on vol 2 ❤️
I was paying £1.99 for 80 tea bags, recently I have started buying the generic brand for 55p. No difference in taste!! Hello from Ireland ❤️🇮🇪🍀
Where in Ireland do you buy those ?! I’m from Ireland 🇮🇪
@@sarahmc8309 Tescos own brand, they are called Stockwells, just noticed that Lidl are doing their own brand for same price!! Hello from Derry 🇮🇪🙏♥️🇮🇪
A box of 24 teabags here is like 3-4$. Wish our prices were low but everything is imported on our island. 😭
Regarding only buying what's on sale. Our local grocery store start their new sales on Wednesdays. On Tuesdays they now show the sale paper that starts the next day. ... I stocked up on roasts a few weeks ago. Months ago I bought over 50 pounds of ground beef when it went on sale for a great price (cheapest price we'd seen in a while). Each time I cook with it, I'm thankful for the money we saved on it.
Yes! I shop the sales, and I totally agree!
Not everyone has the freezer or pantry space that you have. Something to think about.
I also shop the bargain stores, If you perchance have a Wegmans near you their canned veggie price is really really good.
Agree
For tip # 6, for older adults, try intermittent fasting!! Eat only in a 4-8 hour window each day, then DO NOT EAT the rest of the time, just drink water or tea, or coffee. Ex. eat between 12-4pm each day, or just eat between 10-6 each day, then DO NOT EAT the rest of the time. You will feel better, and you might even lose some weight, and of course, save on your grocery bills.
I'm learning how to fast according to the Bible and I'm diabetic. It's not as hard as I thought it would be all these years I made excuses not to do it. I drink v-8, coffee, vitamin waters, and v-8 energy drinks and the rest of the time I am sustained by the Word of God. It is refreshing and gives a new perspective. I highly recommend it.
This is what I do only eat between 10 and 4. On a holiday or birthday I might have a small treat at 6 with my tea.
as U age U not as active so U don't need a bunch of food. Plus when your ON SOCIAL SECURITY we can only eat ONCE A DAY & 1x a WEEK NO MEAL because we have NO FOOD/MONEY‼️
@@ranaedownard-wooden857 The last part of your comment stood out to me because I know in my area there are resources to help seniors with food instability - Meals on Wheels, SNAP, Seniors & People with Disabilities services through DHS, other services through a local senior center. I hope that there is something in your area that might help you. You may not need as much food as you used to, but six meals a week doesn't sound like enough.
I started intermittent fasting around five years ago. I list thirty pounds and have kept it off.
There are many books and videos available on the subject.
Jason Fung being my favorite. He has lots of videos available on TH-cam.
I notice my mind is more clear at work and I dont feel weighed down by food.
My favorite part about it is not packing a lunch! I drink two cups of coffee and water throughout the day and eat a healthy late lunch and dinner.
You are so right. I am 65 and that is what i have done all my adult life.
I'm really soaking all this up. You guys are helping me a lot. I'm separated, from a 27 year marriage for around 2 years now. I'm also a very low paid church worker and also clean homes and work at an inn to supplement my income. I'm also 50. I'm learning a LOT!
It’s always good to wait 20 to 30 minutes to get seconds as well. Sometimes you may still feel hungry but if you wait about 20 minutes your food settles and more than likely you will not want another plate and will not have that overstuffed feeling. My daughter and I do this all the time and 99% of the time we don’t get another plate. :)
I’ve heard it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to let you brain know you’re full.
That also worked in Puerto Rico...I went yesterday to Costco and a small supermarket and the total amount is almost HALF of what we bought in September...THANK YOU!!!!!!!
You both are correct - buying only whats on sale works. That is when you should stock up. After doing this for about a month you will have enough to make complete meals. Then start the rotation of buying those same things on sale again.
Those grocery prices are incredible. I don’t know where you live but the prices here are triple or more even on sale. I shop the ads, use in store coupons, buy off brands. I have for years and suddenly I can’t afford the groceries.
We have cut down on meat here, because our chicken thighs went from sale price $.53 a pound to $.99 a pound. Ground meat was $4.99 and now it $7.59. we were happy to get some ground turkey for $2.50 a pound we got the limit.
You can add oatmeal to your hamburger patties to make more. You don't taste the oatmeal. Fyi
Same here in Vancouver Canada $7.for family size cereal $3.33 for 1dozen eggs $4.99 for gallon milk$6.99 for cheaper ice cream I have oatmeal myself more filling. Smaller amounts of meat I make my bread most of the time. Good luck with rising prices.
@@cherilewis2899 You can buy some dried milk. Make half a gallon of dried milk and pour half gallon whole milk together. So, your one gallon of regular whole milk makes 2 gallons with adding the powered milk.
In australia stores don't have coupons. And the weekly savings are more on junk food than anything else. Through a card for coles etc i might get $20- a year free to put back into food spending. Etc.
I have a big mango tree in my back yard. I freeze them for all year round
In our house, there is no such thing as leftovers. They are just previously prepared ingredients. I usually eat them for lunch or reimagine them for another meal. Waste not, want not.
If someone in my house said they refused to eat leftovers it would be "Well, your welcome so sit and visit while the rest of us eat".
Yep. Always use leftovers n if I don't eat it my dogs do. Not wasting anything if I can help it
For what it’s worth, Years ago I discovered that if the skinless/bnls chicken breasts cost $1.99 or less per pound, it is cheaper than bone-in unless the boneIn is below $.99 per lb due to the weight of the bones. However, I also rarely serve each family member a whole breast half when pinching pennies. 1-2 breast pieces can easily be stretched to serve a family of 6-8 & the cost for the extra ingredients to pull it together is healthy & inexpensive. Bone-in meat is more economical depending on how it is to be served.
great tips that was how I shopped for years living on disability that is why I like to get my own groceries rather than having someone pick them up for me
Ann Marie grey
I'm on disability and used to shop like that but can no longer get out.now am stuck with what I can get.I'm very thankful but wish I could do it for much cheaper
It's true, don't overwhelm little kids with too much food. Let them have more if they want it. And don't let them become picky eaters. Give them one bite of a new food. If they don't like it, try it again another day in another form. Let them taste everything but don't insist that that they take more than one bite. Keep it up and they will learn to try everything.
Raising 3 kids on 1 income, I sat down and made my weekly list and menu from the sale papers. Made my menu depending on what was on sale.
I love love love how you guys translate spending extra into how many hours you will have to work to pay for that thing. I have never heard anyone else say this and it makes so much sense. Thank you for all of your advice and entertainment 😉
Same. If the item is not worth the time I have to spend working, I don’t buy the item.
I do grocery pickup to save money, that way I get what I need and don't wander around a grocery store to buy stuff I may not need. ❤️ from Canada
My Aunt went to an ice cream factory as part of a school tour, she saw the 2 expensive brands on the belt next to the store brand. She's bought store brand ever since.
Italians cook a big pot of sauce on Saturday (and theirs is the very best). Then they have a different pasta every day using their “weekly” sauce. It just keeps getting better every day!
Hi Ladies! Just wanted to chime in and agree that your tips definitely work because I have been shopping this way for years. By following your tips people can save around 40 to 50% off of their grocery bill so if they want to save money and they haven't tried your tips they need to. I'm so glad that Jill moved to the same city as you so maybe we can see her in more of the videos. She is the kind of lady anyone would like to have as a Mom or Grandma, so sweet but still tells people to stop making excuses if they want to accomplish something. We can always count on Tawra to do that also. You guys are a big help to people trying to save money.
When I cook extra food, I bag them in one serving portions right after dinner and freeze them, no one sees what was left over. I I eat them for lunch, or even dinner when I don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes when my grandchildren come for lunch, I tell them the menu, of frozen dinners, and they order their meal as in a restaurant, each gets what they prefer.
Great idea!
This sounds really fun for the kids!
Great job!! You girls both look so happy. I hope this move is a true blessing for all of you!❤️❤️
I saw a short here on youtube. A woman said she was feeding her family of 12 and cooked 20 chicken breasts, 3lbs of mac and cheese (velveeta), and a ton of broccoli. I thought 20 chicken breasts for 12 people was WAY to much. Even 12 chicken breasts would be to much. You don't need 1 breast per person. A breast is 3 or 4 servings if you weigh it out.
I have not seen .39/lb on chicken thighs in many years. Our options for groceries is Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, and Albertsons. The last 3 of those are all owned by Kroger which is a back East grocery chain and have bought up so many local grocery stores and chain grocery stores throughout the US. The Kroger chain is more expensive on the whole. I really miss places like Grocery Outlet that actually does have meat for .39/lb. I catch the King Soopers occasional sale on ribeye's for $4.97/lb. It might seem like a lot, but I stock my freezer with at least 3 whole ribeyes and slice it myself and we can eat ribeyes once in a while. Otherwise, I'm very frugal with groceries, and I am growing loads of my own fruits and vegetables, plus canning loads to last us through the winter.
I’m so excited that you guys have a cookbook and it’s paperback. I like those better than ebooks
Hi Tawra and Jill, I am with you 100%!! I live in Ontario Canada and I only buy what is on sale and also price match! It's amazing and shocking how much money I saved. I usually save anywhere from 50%-75% per month! I can't justify spending full price for anything! We don't even buy furniture,appliances or clothes full price. We shop at Thrift stores, garage sales or people will ask us if we want their old furniture, clothes etc... I was raised up like this and I raised my children the same way. My granddaughter loves second hand stores and receiving second hand clothing. She's 9yrs old and she's awesome in looking for deals! Thank you for making these videos, they're greatly appreciated. 🥰🇨🇦
I agree on the meats. Growing up we had a Christmas tradition of a prime rib roast for our meal and a chicken breast for me (I don’t eat beef). We all looked so forward to that meal each year. It is so nice to have something like a family meal to look forward to, now that my parents are in heaven it is wonderful memories. Oh we only had prime rib at Christmas only!!
Use those tips all the time. I have a family of 4 and with my garden spend 100 a month. I so like your channel.
You're doing great!
We also do a garden, shop the sales and keep chickens.
U love being frugal.
When people go out to eat, they have no problem eating the leftovers. But if it’s cooked at home it’s a no no.
Very strange
I agree with you 100%! My grocery bill is $300 for a family of 5 monthly in California, which is one of the most expensive states... it is possible! It does take effort, organization, and willingness- but it is very worth it.😉👍
300 per week or for the month? Family if 5 here as well in the Midwest and our grocery bill is rather large. Yes, we primarily use store brand products, make 95% of our meals from scratch, etc.
@@midwestfalcon5667 $300 for a family of 5 is my monthly budget Michelle, it takes work and effort- but I'm doing it!😃 This has saved me thousands of dollars yearly for a few years now- allowing my family and I to payoff debt, buy a house, help family, and travel... I wouldn't be able to do a lot of this things for my family, and with my family if I spent what an average family spends on groceries and eating out. Thank you for asking, have a great week!😊
Absolutely I was a produce manager and yes you pay for someone else to cut up your vegetables and fruit!I have shopped like you and your mother no coupons just bought sale items and serving sizes and did the work myself for lunches!always cooked at home👍even when I worked.I’m retired now was able to retire my husband and I at 55👍Smart ladies😉
I absolutely love leftovers and so does my family! If you cook the food well your family will enjoy it as long as it lasts!
When we stopped buying processed foods a few years ago, we discovered that our homemade leftovers were always delicious.
My lunches at work this week consist of leftovers from the prior week. My wife is a southern cook from scratch girl. My leftovers are just as good as the first time around.
Look at the ingredients in Breyer's ice cream...2 - 3 ingredients...healthy...what you do buy when it's on sale.
My thoughts on left overs..... I am a widow so when I cook say like spaghetti for example or anything else, I put my left overs in a individual freezer safe bowl (that I get a lot of free bowls from a friend who buys those tv dinners) then I have home made food with out all that junk & salt they put in those tv dinners from the stores & it cost me pennies on the dollar to eat, so I think this is good advice I'm giving as well. Blessings from KY ps I enjoy watching you all & I just love your Mother (=
We make home made tv dinners too. Saves us on busy days when nothing is fixed and on trips for meals we can eat in the hotel when we don't want to spend money on eating out.
Yes seniors can save money on food their is 2 of us been retired 15 year our budget back from day one was 300.00 a month guess what it still that today. For one thing we probably eat less because as you age your not eating as much. Plus during this shut down we couldn't eat out which we did once a week guess what we stop doing that except on our big once a month grocery haul. Eating is gone over board where we live and to be truthful it's not very good food. So once a month we eat a lunch out By the way I can spend whatever I want on food we retired 15 years ago on more money than when my hubby work and than 4 years later I turn 62 and we got a 800. 00 pay raise. lol choose to live this way and free to do what we want on anything else like trips. clothes and just fixing and updating our home .
Hello neighbor
Custer here
@@patriciacorpe9957 I agree, why spend if not necessary. I'm a widow & own everything I have, but I chose to live this way. Blessings!
@@erindixon2877 Blessings! (=
You go Franki! I love the cookbook and refer to it often. Between this channel and Under the Median I have cut my grocery shopping bill more then half! Aldi is my go to and Walmart for certain items like dog food. I’m shopping once a month. My husband has learned to eat leftovers. He prefers my spaghetti sauce over jar. Cooking from scratch is making all the difference. Cook ahead and freeze saves tons of time.
Love the video Tawra and Jill!
I have used all your great tips for many years....My kids are all grown but we have saved thousands by following guidelines like this....You are so correct! Love your channel!
There is this manual food processor, slicer, chopper, thing at walmart that isn't expensive that will dice, chop, grate, slice. I use it to prepare veggies to dehydrate. It is fast, easy and would be perfect to make lunch stuff ahead of time. It even has a spinner to wash salad. I laughed at it, but now I use it ALL the time. The blades are super sharp and can julienne, thin slice or thick slice. Easy clean up. It is like the crazy old ronco stuff on TV, but works WAY better. All that prepared produce could easily be done with this quickly.
Along with avoiding pre-cut vegetables and fruits, the same is true for pre-grated and sliced cheese and pre-cut meats. I rarely eat "cold cuts" so cannot attest to that. But really, "pre" anything is going to cost more and here's another tip. That grated cheese contains a starch or cellulose product to keep it from sticking together so not only are you paying the cost of someone else's labor, you are paying for less product and for putting some "unknown" substance into you or your kids" bodies! Thanks for the great budget tips!
Yes, that cellulose is why a lot of people on a keto eating plan grate their own cheese. Nobody needs those additional carbs, and grated cheese freezes just fine without cellulose coating.
@@GinaKayLandis sure does! And no gumminess when sprinkled over something hot!
Yall are some real ones❤️💯
One ingredient food only is what my Cowboy and I eat. No processed foods period. Real tastes SO much better .
I was raised on Cows whole milk and I absolutely love drinking milk we only were served 6 oz glass we made our orange juice from oranges, from one orange not 12 🤦♀️
Creative craftsmanship in cooking your Cookbook is such a huge blessing ❤
I got bone in chicken breast for .99 a pound at my Kroger (in VA) 2 weeks ago. I brought them home cut them off the bone and threw the bones and skins in a crock pot. I cut the breasts up put them in freezer in meal size bags. After cooking the bones on low over night I strained the broth and put that in meal size bags stuck that in the freezer. I'm ready for quick chicken and dumplings or soup or even fajitas. I was really excited to find it that cheap.
Not all cheese is created equal. Tillamook cheese is superior to any store brand cheese.
Yup, I agree .....It's our favorite cheese brand, but once in a while I have to buy the store brand.
I live in Canada and when able I would go grocery shopping in the USA for Tillamook cheese, it is so tasty and it lasts. We are only able to bring back 20 lbs or $20 of dairy (which ever is less),=
But it's expensive, and if you're in debt you don't have the luxury of blowing money on cheese. If you don't owe anyone a dime, buy whatever you want.
@@lynhanna917that’s great! I love all of their products. I’m extremely fortunate I’ve lived within fifty miles of the Tillamook creamery my entire life.
@@edefyinggravity I buy it on sale it lasts a long time recently in my area it was on sale and I stocked up to last. I will spend my money on whatever I choose. I’m not dictating to you or anyone else and I wasn’t asking permission from you anyone else! I live within fifty miles of the Tillamook Creamery. I don’t see cheddar cheese as a luxury.
Thanks for always encouraging and challenging me to be a better steward of my money.
Maybe because this is an Italian family, I have some advantages! I make huge pot of sauce on Sunday. It’s filled with Italian sausages, meatballs, and maybe other meats. But we are going to eat at least 3 times from that pot. First day will be pasta and meat. 2nd day might be meatball parmigiana heroes, 3rd day, if the meat has disappeared, I’ll cook a pound of sliced mushrooms, and throw it into the sauce. I’ll serve it with my awesome garlic bread and a hearty salad. We substitute meat with eggplant a lot too. Even when we don’t want to do 3 nights in a week? Sauce and the meats freeze beautifully, and taste even better! I love making my sauce. It’s on the stove all day and they come over to the stove all day, making sauce and bread sandwiches. It’s a family thing!! 🥰❤️😍
Ever since following your channel I cant even eat out anymore. If I get a meal out I'm like I could have made this for like $2. It's just ridiculous to me now. I much rather eat at home. I've saved sooooo much money
You are so right! Love how defensive people can be to defend their own bad mindset. Where there is a will there's always a better way! I am wise and I am smart. Being wise means I know I don't know everything that there's always something to learn from someone else. Love you guys!
Another tip is to PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH with our kids!!
So many adults today do NOT know how to cook! That’s us momma’s fault.
If we have our kids participate from the sales papers through to packing up leftovers and bagging lunches. When they move out on their own they have some life skills that will help them succeed.
Same way with $$$$ money!
If we don’t teach our kids, even nieces, nephews, grandkids, or even kids that are visiting your home from your youth group or school that your kids go to!!
They WANT to learn! The desire is there, they just need guidance. Then what happens is they keep us adults in line because they are watching!
(SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE).
(I’m really not shouting! I forget caps means shouting 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️)
I've been doing your tips for over 40 years! We have money now, but I still watch my pennies! I buy almost everything on sale or substitute!
I totally hear ya on leftovers!
I’ve tried to get better at that,
I made country style pork ribs, I got 3 different dishes out of them,
Pulled pork bbq sandwich
Pork and sourkraut (sp?)
And pork green chili burritos 🌯
So good! Not boring
Shopping the ads and shopping seasonally are the two best ways to save money and get better food.
I would also encourage people to always check the unit prices..either by ounce or pound..amount of slices ectcetera.. I see too many people just liking at main price on packages and not checking unit price. I plan meals with leftovers in mind. My gosh I can get many many meals from one whole chicken that I usually cook first of week. I usually cook either soups or a big pot of dry beans weekly as I can do those easy enough in Crock-Pot or pressure cooker.
Hi I live in Australia and I use your tips and I have saved on my grocery her love your tips thank you 😊
I love carrots but they are awesome boiled with brown sugar thrown in towards the end and cinnamon. Find a salvage grocery store too. I just got Hagan daz cheaply. Also I now use all leftovers. 👍
Thanks Ladies. I've been doing this for over 30 years. It just makes sense to do so. Now a days most people prefer convenience over practicality.
That's funny. A friend from Germany wrote to me a few weeks back, and asked me how to save on groceries. I gave her the same advice to only buy what is on sale.
I buy chicken thighs and bone tnem myself. I save the bones and make soup when I have enough.
I use leftovers for homemade pizza. I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. The last pizza I made had leftover broccoli and steak on it.
I also try to buy only on sale.
Everything you said was true, I have done most of this and will continue because I want to hold on to my hard earned money. You can help so many people if they will just listen.
Omg pretty much only eat leftovers!! I make a meal, and then separate it into as many meals as I can, and stick em in the freezer. I don't have to make myself lunch in the morning and it saves me a ton of time, and then I have lots of meals to choose from! Saves me SO much time and money!!
When I was born I weighed 2 lb, my father was always trying to feed me more and my mother used to say to him she'll eat when she's hungry.
I also use paper towels instead of napkins. The ones the have little squares. I also do a bits n pieces meal the day before I grocery shop to really clean out the fridge and I don’t overbuy fruit or produce. If it starts to brown I put it in the freezer for smoothies
You might want to try cloth napkins. They can easily be found at garage sales or made from old tea towels. You'll save money and the environment at the same time!
I have found that several times a year, asparagus is on sale at Aldi, below my price point of $1.99 lb. - they have it for $1.49 lb. I only buy one bag, and use it immediately. I don't care for frozen or canned, so I only have it when it is on sale. I don't care for chicken breast to start off with, so the less expensive thighs (and drums) are perfect for me anyway. I can use any recipe in your cookbooks, and sub in, whether or not we are advocating a smaller protein portion (1/2 thigh is a good portion even if not a jumbo thigh to start with). I, too, can stand to lose about 1/2 of myself. My doctor is always harping on my weight. I have been trying store brands for about 30 years. Most taste the same. I am not even a ketchup (catsup) snob for the small amounts of it I use a year. I figure that I am making "future food". I cooked a bag of pinto beans, ate for 2 meals, and then froze the rest in serving sized containers for future meals. Now that I am older, and can't cut through the hard vegetables (butternut squash comes to mind) because of arthritis and just lack of strength, I will buy those already cut. But nothing else, I believe in doing it myself. If watermelons are on sale, (big ones at Walmart were just $2 a couple of weeks ago) and I buy a whole one, I always have someone in mind to share with. I started "stocking up" so I could only buy what is on sale again, in 1989. I learned about sale cycles, I learned to talk to the butcher to get them to cut a whole frozen turkey in half, or quarters, etc. I learned to hold conversations with the produce managers to ask about food about ready to get tossed, and see if I could make a deal with them. I learned how to buy meat and cheese ends, to be used for sandwiches, and with roast beef and/or turkey to cook up some gravy and make hot sandwiches out of them, instead of cut using them as cold cuts. I will be honest, I didn't learn it all from you, but "your kind" has become "MY TRIBE". I am 66 (in 2 days), and must say, I will never be too old to learn more frugal lessons.
I just had my grandson for a week, he went home yesterday. My daughter is doing that very thing, milk and juice all day, well not this grandma I gave him milk with his breakfast and water with his lunch, he got juice and a small amount of it, he didn't seem to mind.
Mom is lovely such a gentle soul .Great tips ladies!
I live in the UK and will try to buy the offers in my local supermarket. I try to shop the offers and try to buy the store brand which is like a named brand. I know that these products are safe as I have issues with food from abusive parents. It’s easy to save money when u look around and change how u buy a product etc. Your doing amazing. Thanks for the tips.
I’ve also found pasta will get bugs really bad. I think I had mine for about a year in a vacuum sealed container but bugs are already in flour products. They don’t get in there from your cabinets. I’ve heard you can put a bay leaf in there to keep them from hatching.
I do the same thing. The grocery has loss leader items meaning the store losses money on that sale item to get you in the store. Knowing your going to pick up other items. I go get sale items and leave. Stick to your list.
Sales is the only way we shop any more. And if its a great sale we'll stock up on it for months and months worth to last to the next sale on it or even beyond. Love all your advice. Thank you.
I always plan our meals, by what’s on sale. It works.
My Thriftway grocer see's me coming and they hurry and put out reduced meat and produce. I love them, they know I know food and will buy it. Sometimes they will put out the fresh top of the line stuff for me marked down. It is good to know your grocer.
It amazes me that people aren't aware of most of these. I would add that a discount (salvage) grocery can be a great help as well. At my salvage store I bought brown rice 8 lbs for $1, and dry black beans, 4 lbs for $1, frozen salmon fillets, $4 per pound.
I love that you are a mother daughter team. I left home at 18 when I went into the military. Once I got out I moved to the next state over and was still far away. I didn’t make a lot so I rarely could afford to fly across country. Then she got early onset Alzheimer’s and died far earlier than her time. My children never knew her and I miss her every day. Cherish your time together. Phone calls aren’t the same.
So true! And DON'T buy prepared foods. Last month my DH had a medical emergency and we found ourselves in another town having to stay in a relative's empty house under remodel. Only a refrigerator was available. We slept on cots and used camp chairs and tables along with paper plates and plastic utensils. Unable to prepare any food we were forced to buy grocery store and restaurant food. Luckily we don't eat much so most times we shared a meal. The grocery store food was the least expensive but we were shocked to learn that it still cost us $1,000 for those 4-5 weeks before we could finally go home. Yes. You read that right. I repeat DON'T buy prepared foods. We had no choice but you do!
Buy an inexpensive camp stove that way if anything like that happens again, you’ll have a way to cook food you could buy from a supermarket and save money that way!
Cheryl T, good thought but when dealing with a person in kidney failure, believe me, a stove was the least of my challenges.
Thank you , I learned most of what you both suggest from my Mother. She was reading labels in the 60's and 70's, and usually we ate mostly what was on sale for the week at Piggly Wiggly. Even after my college degrees, I had to live frugally. Because of economic struggles, job changes, low salaries, we must learn to use our money wisely. My daughter learned by shopping with me, we never lacked good quality food, because of listening to wisdom similar to your advice. Thank you
You are so right... thank you for sharing your wisdom in grocery shopping.
Great advice! I am vegan, so don't purchase any animal products. I eat this way for ethical reasons, but with the rising costs of just about everything these days I would be plant based today just because we can't afford to eat any other way! We hardly ever buy cereal or anything else that we can make ourselves easily and for much less money. You said in a previous video that a bag of potatoes is much less expensive (and much more versatile) than a bag of potato chips, for example.
You are the best source for how to spend less than I have ever found. Realistic and smart!
Wow, thanks!
Almost once a week or whenever we have enough leftovers for everyone to have a serving of something, we have a leftover night. Everyone gets to pick what they will eat. It also gives me a night off of cooking. It's awesome!
I cut up chicken get 13 pieces mama taught me years ago. Thin slice my own meat. or stew meat etc. Thanks keep on talking Tawra. Just wish our sale prices were as good as your. Did find bacon for 2.99 for a lb. lat week yeah . My folks were frugal thank goodness they always talked about this. How they built and bought a new house.
In these times, it’s really good to get to know your local farmers and butchers for any food items you might not be able to grow or care for yourself. Local might be semi-expensive initially but that farmer/butcher may also give you better discounts as you get to know each other better. Your dollar can go a lot further locally than it does for something shipped across the country, if you have such resources in your area.
Yep. Yep. 1/2 portions with as much variety as possible. Eat what's on sale. Try everything. You might love it. But no matter. You fed yourself another nutritious meal for WAY less and saved calories too. Tripple win!
I love our grocery store, you buy one item say hot dogs and get 4 to 5 items free. Coupons for more expensive items will be buy $20 of laundry products and get $5 off you total bill. Last week using ad only items I saved $42.12 on my total bill.
Breakfast for dinner is a biggie! When you can buy eggs for 97 cents, add a side of bacon, ham, or sausage (whatever you got on sale). Get some 1.00 loaf of bread for toast. We do this at least once, sometimes twice a week. Big savings.
Plus, the cutup veggies & fruit are old when they are cutup!
I just watched an article about this-it’s how grocery stores resell their aging produce! They even scrape mold off some things, then cut them up, for two or three times the per lb price.
Love cookbook one.. used it for Christmas presents ideas
This video is GOLD! These are great tips. Thanks to you and your Mom for keeping us all honest.
The Walton's and Little House on the Prairie, best shows ever. And full of great advice.
One item I refuse to cut back on - Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil. I have yet to find an equal to product.
My dad eats really good food eats too much of it and I’m glad y’all pointed out this very good point. Best thing for people to do is get used to eat in the less because there may be less food there’s gonna be a lot easier to do it now than later
I've shopped the way you suggest for more than forty years. I stock up during sales, use my freezer and pantry. I eat fruit and vegetables in season and on sale, or frozen and on sale. I never buy meat at full price. I have brand loyalty for a couple of items (and I only buy them during sales.) That being said, prices are going up. Dairy is up quite a bit. (Milk for example is up over 10% from a year ago and that never goes on sale around here.) The lowest sale price I can find on cheese is 40% more than last year. Canned food is way up in price. Shrinkflation has set in with frozen foods. Beef has gone through the roof. (Although when beef is high, pork usually gets lower.) The sales cycle has extended from six weeks to eight to twelve weeks. The sale circulars have fewer pages. And the stores are limiting quantities more often. This cycle reminds me of the late seventies when inflation ran rampant. Of course, the price of fuel will affect prices in a negative way, for the foreseeable future.
Love the background setting guys. Nature is beautiful.
You ladies are a great inspiration, I'm going to start practicing your tips this week, as I have notices my grocery shop increases lately a lot. My fault I buy what I want not what I should.
great tips! I always poured water with just a splash of juice for my girls growing up to get more water in and a bit of flavor for them.
I’d rather have the dark meat chicken instead of white .
I love Kroger brand frozen yogurt better than any I’ve tried plus it’s cheaper !! I have been known to combine leftovers to make something different.
If you buy one of the roasts on sale, cut half of it up into stew meat !! I may not save much, but I do save some !! Your ideas are great ….if naysayers would use them !!❤️❤️❤️
Leftover meatloaf is great in spaggi sauce.
Wonderful to have Jill on the podcasts to add a little tenderness to the tough love lessons on frugality.