My husband started his new job today after being off work for a little over a month. Without these videos I wouldn't have known that a $30 week budget for a family of five was possible...I was used to spending at least five times that, often more, and still eating out too much. This week, we are eating good, and I only budgeted $10. I'm making bread like a pro, shopping clearance, using cash back apps...Life changing!! Thanks Christine for helping me feed my family without panicking!
This made my heart so happy! Good for you, Jody, with the $10 budget!! I personally dumpster dive. Wish I could post you a picture! We had T-bone steaks mashed potatos and cucumbers in Italian dressing last night...100% for freeeeee!!!! I love it SO much. Been doing it for 8 yrs now. I do have the money for groceries, just WHYYYY would I want to spend it knowing what's right out back?! We eat so well, its ridiculous! Maybe take a kid with ya and give it a shot if you have a dumpster nearby rather than a compactor.
@@katiemartell6520 I’m sorry, I don’t. I’ve never used a bread maker. I use Christine’s easy, no knead bread recipe and a couple of regular loaf pans in the oven.
I’m 25, and have learned so much being in my own first apartment! I use all tips! I don’t have parents, so you are my “TH-cam mom” LOL thank you so much!
I love how you can get info across without acting like you know it all or talk down to us. You have a gift and I’m so glad you are on TH-cam. I use all of these tips! Great video!
When I started watching your channel, I wasn’t dealing with food insecurity, but now I am and your channel gives me a lot of hope that I can get through it. I’m thinking of going to a food bank soon, which is something that never would have occurred to me if you didn’t always say it’s okay to use those resources if you need them.
I bought some gluten free bread that was moldy the day we bought it. The next day I was going to return it but couldn’t find receipt. Husband said toss it. What a waste of $6.99. Now I keep all receipts until I know it’s good, then I toss receipt. Thanks for listening to my rant!
My late friend , a widow, living on her own would get up early every morning and drive to the local small supermarket . She would buy the morning paper and just enough food for her daily meals. She never had food rottinging in the back of the fridge or forgotten in some corner. My husband wanted a biohazard decal to stick on my fridge. Her shopping trips got her out of the house, talk to strangers, kept her car battery from going flat and she never bought more than she needed.
We always go to Aldi & Lidl (Belgium, EU) and we browse, oh we browse, because you never know what's new or on promotion somewhere else in the store and as far as chocolate and things you don't need? Restraint: pure & simple. ;) Not getting stuff that much beyond your grocery list in other words.
After watching your video where you said about the food that I could get for free for Thanksgiving at WalMart with the Ibotta app I downloaded the app and went to WalMart. It was quick download and easy to use. i liked your idea of picking up all the items even if I wouldn't use them myself and to donate what I don't use. I picked it all up and decided to give it all away to someone I know that is struggling. Saving money and being able to help someone out at the same time was a wonderful thing.
I fondly remember going grocery shopping with my Dad as a child. He taught us how to shop and would take a selection of us every Saturday morning. With 7 kids he usually had at least 2 or 3 and often 5! He did a Tom Sawyer, if you didn't behave when you were out with him, you didn't get to go again for awhile. Gave my Mom a break and he actually enjoyed it! He taught us the trick of getting the heaviest bag of apples or potatoes. We could only weigh 2 bags, so he taught us how to feel the weight by comparing two and then after checking several bags deciding which was the better deal.
Congrats on a smart dad. You learned to go shopping by going shopping. He had it right -- consequences if you don't behave. My granddaughter went to play in the toy isle behind my back. When I found her we went home. Her comment to me was "but I thought we had to go grocery shopping? We did, but you finished it." She never left the cart after that.
I have another way to pinch some pennies with meat, sometimes for example they have chicken legs on sale, $5.00 a package across the board, check each package and make sure you pick the one that is heaviest.
I personally don’t like ordering my groceries and picking them up. I genuinely like to grocery shop and don’t like other people picking out my produce. It’s relaxing for me. I am a stay at home mom of 2 small kids but I don’t take them. One evening a week I go grocery shopping right after supper and my husband puts the kids to bed. It’s my me time. My husband is great. I know not all moms can do this but if you can, I highly recommend it. No screaming kids to stress you out or drive up the grocery bill.
I don't trust others to pick out my produce either. I prefer to not buy broccoli with all the stem because I usually don't use it & it's throwing out money. Or I don't know how many "pounds" of an item I want...I want 3-8 potatoes depending on their size, I want 1-2 heads of broccoli depending on the size. I remember watching a youtuber who did grocery pickup & had ordered a head of broccoli, the broccoli in stock were apparently all tiny so their plan for a side had to be adjusted because there wasn't enough for 5 people to have more than a single floret each. And the quantity for something like bananas, does 1 mean 1 banana or 1 hand of bananas. I've seen youtubers with that battle too. Or for meat, occasionally you actually want the leaner or fattier cut, the shopper isn't psychic to know that.
I agree I don't like the idea of somebody else picking out my produce and need either period And I do get really tired of those store employees who are shopping for the people who are picking up shoving me out of the way so they can get what they need
I prefer to go in person myself and shop. I'm a stay at home mom with no young kids. So, it's me time to get out of the house. I usually shop Albertsons and Krogers ads for any good sales, And some of Kroger digital coupons can be used up to 5 times. But I do my main grocery shopping at Winco. I have always learned to compare prices. I'm trying to get back into baking cookies, muffins, brownies, etc., for my guys to take to work for snacks, instead of buying all the Little Debbie snacks. And my guys are trying to take food from home to work, to eat for lunches. Which means I need to get busy and make more burritos for them. I just made a big batch of chili the other day and froze some of it in bags for them to take to work.
I always preferred to go shopping without my son. He stayed home with my husband or my husband went shopping with us. I know that is not possible for everyone and I did appreciate my situation.
One of my favorite tips is don’t be beholden to one brand! My kids eat whatever yogurt, whatever fruit snacks, whatever breakfast bars. So I go to my Grocery Outlet and pick whatever is cheap there! I save a ton of money (especially on snackier foods) that way! Works for Ibotta deals too.
I live in France but this has to be available in other countries too: some of the supermarkets have hand-held scanners where you scan every item as you place it in the shopping cart. You always know how much you are spending as you keep a running total, plus you have the advantage of being able to verify that the correct price appears on you scanner. Easier to stay on budget.
I recently saw a cut up cabbage for over $6!!!! The whole cabbage was $.59 a pound. Avoid the cut up food it’s usually the good part of the produce turning bad. Also a great tip is to carry those flyers with you when shopping. Helps to know what is on sale and also some stores Walmart is one) will price match the competitors price if you have the flyer. Stay frugal, y’all!
I also don’t by bars of any kind!! They’re always filled with sugar or fat or both and are just too caloric! We only eat plain cereal like oatmeal, etc. and never but any kind of pop tarts or Hostess like stuff! Always watch at check out bc I used to be a big couponer!
Taking 4 kids to the store is like being pecked to death by chickens...I was letting the dogs outside when I heard that and I laughed so loud...my neighbor thought I was crazy im pretty sure 😆
Here in Ontario Canada, almost every store has a little known thing. At the checkout you'll see a thing in small writing. That states if the price down not ring up the right price. The item is free up to $10. I just did this at Walmart the other day. Saved a total of$25 on a vacuum. Ended up paying half price ☺️
I just started using the walmart pickup and it is fantastic! I may never go into a walmart ever again! We also started planning out our meals for the week and just shopping one day a week for groceries. I would also recommend shredding your own cheese. An 8 oz block of cheese is way cheaper than an 8oz bag of cheese, at least in my area! Thanks for all your tips!
Shredded is cheaper where I am. Plus time saving as well. I got tired of people in my house not washing the shredder immediately and leaving me having to scrub it trying to get the cheese off.
When my kids were small, we had a grocery store that had a daycare area for their customers. It was wonderful especially during those times when I was by myself. The store itself was pricey, but it was worth it.
If the store uses some money to make customers happy it's worth it if you can. Imagine the money you would spend on daycare/nanny or the stress with your kids in the supermarket. These are all costs, too.
We have a credit card that gives points. We put all expenditures through the week (grocery, gas, etc.) on the card. We save the receipts and then my husband sits down and adds them up and cuts a check every week. We deposit it into the checking account that we use ONLY for this purpose. Then, when the check clears, I pay the card off (no interest..) Then we save the points and get Visa gift cards that we use on vacation every year. Usually adds up to $4-500. a year.
I have one card that always gives 3% cash back at the grocery store and another that does 5% for 3 months of the year. We throw all of our extra cash back at the principle on our mortgage and it really adds up! I am not sure what we will do with our cash back once the house is paid off next year but I was thinking it could go towards Christmas each year. But putting it towards a vacation is also very tempting! Great idea.
I also consider myself a very savvy shopper with saving money on groceries being one of my best skills. So far this year with my grocery store rewards card, menu planning, shopping clearance and sales I have saved $2000 for my family of four. After watching a few of your videos and applying a couple techniques I had not been using, I have now taken my grocery savings to a whole new level. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and advice.
I use the shop online function to do my grocery list because I can tell exactly what the total will be when I shop in person. I don’t place the order, I just use their computer skills to add everything.
My number one way to save money on shopping: use cash only, set aside and budgeted for that purpose. Make and use a grocery list, based on menus you make for that week, and don't go off the list. Simple as that. I spent $75/week on food for a family of seven for years until inflation made me up my budget.
Hey Christine, I just discovered your Channel while searching TH-cam here in Germany 🇩🇪 on money saving ideas and all the amazing frugal tips, especially on low budget meals. The past two years have been tough for me, also money wise with the pandemic and being put twice into short-time work (I was out of work for about 1 year in total). And just now, at the beginning of December I have to fear again being put into short-time work by my employer for the 3rd time due to the rising Cvid cases again, amid all this inflation and rising prices on food and overall groceries. Really appreciate your ideas and as it is just the beginning of December with only 50€ left for food for this month, I do not fear any longer. I know I can do it! My mom and grandma always taught me to read the supermarket brochures ahead with offers and I only buy stuff that’s on offer now. For Xmas I‘ll be home at my family, so that week is good savings ;-).
Lately I’ve been weighing produce and getting bags with higher weights. Sometimes bagged apples, for examples, can be bruised. Not always, just saying!
These are great tips! ♥️ And yes, pick-up for moms is heaven-sent. Idea if you don't want to use cash: get one prepaid card and load it with a budget. And only carry that to the store. You can't overspend, either. Or you could also buy yourself store gift cards if you stick to one store. My favourite tip so far is to identify your keeper ingredients and to shop them first. Then you have a rest budget you can use for whatever you like.
I can't believe I never consider the possibility that the "5 pound, 3 pound bags" are not all exactly the same weight. Seems so obvious now! Thanks for the tip!!!
The stop shopping rule I used when my now adult kids were small. If I was out of something I when without and cooked dinner calling it "invene-a-meal" With doing that our menu always changed and we never got bored.
In Australia all grocery stores have done away with plastic shopping bags, meaning we have to take our own reusable cloth bags or buy the plastic ones for 15 cents each.
When we started going from 1 roll of paper towels per week to 1 per day, I started hitting then$1 store, thrift stores, and yard sales for cheap cloth towels. Then I started storing all but the current roll of paper towels outside the kitchen until we were using 1 roll/ 2 weeks-1 month. This got me looking at our other disposables and into cloth napkins, a re-usable coffee filter, huge jugs of dish soap portioned into handier sizes for actual use, etc...We did a little at a time and it was not until I went with someone on a paper product run to Cost-Co, where sizes are huge but prices generally low and especially for the quality, that I realized how MUCH we save.
Oh yes.... watch the cashiers while they ring things up! I didn't watch one not too long ago, a very young man at Wal-Mart and he rang up my four plums as PASSION FRUITS. lol do you know how much those cost? they were about 5.00 each! I had to make a trip back to the store.. I didn't pay very good attention that day to say the least.
Thank You So Much for posting these money saving videos. Single mom ,lost my job during covid, still having alot of after health affects. My youngest college son moved back home to help with my health issues.. we're struggling so bad, I pray for everyone daily thats needs help! It's so scary the cost of things now...I used to be on the other financial side, giving,donating etc. .. now need help. It hurts my pride and heart .🙏😥❤
We avoid snacks, candy, pop, and alcohol. I check all the clearances. Recently, I got egg noodles for 25 cents per pound. I buy most craft supplies second hand, but if I need something, I'll wait til it's 75% off. Tina
Being pecked to death by chickens is EXACTLY how taking my four children grocery shopping feels! Walmart grocery pickup is the BEST thing that has ever happened in my shopping life. I love it and my kids love it. I pay a little more for some things than I would at Aldi's but I'm absolutely glad to do it! Also- no impulse buys 😊
You are so right about pointing out mistakes at the cash register. there are literally a hundred thousand items on the shelf and it's very easy for someone miss an entering an item in the store computer. I like the nice way you have of pointing it out. My Dad used to say, "Good manners don't cost you a dime, but they pay off quite nicely"
I love the Walmart pickup, Contactless though? Come on, I live in rural Alabama - we just have to roll down the window and talk to the folks putting our groceries in the car.
I went ahead and got a Costco membership for oil for my car and oil for my cooking specifically. Their avacado oil is $3 cheaper than aldi, and 3x as large. Same thing for coconut oil and olive oil. Also, they have big cartons of plain organic greek yogurt that my hubby and I love. I add chocolate chips and sometimes coconut for a sweet treat that isn't overwhelmingly so.
For shaving, wash legs with soap. Rinse. Turn off water (if in shower). Re-soap. Put your FAV cheap hair conditioner on legs/pits. Shave and rinse. Love it! Silky smooth and wonderful smelling.
Use frozen cut veggies, broccoli florets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, even peppers & onions, to make roasted veggies! Cheaper than "fresh" & you don't have to do all the cleaning & cutting!
My husband is the worst. He is the cook/shopper (so why am I watching these videos? haha). Anyway he loves grocery stores and loves to visit new area of the country grocery stores. He actually admitted many years ago that when raising our girls, he admitted he went through the store once to get the stuff on the list and once more to "impulse" shop. He actually used the word "impulse". I could not believe it! He will run to the store for one item to make whatever it is he is making! Anyway I am grateful that when working full time, I came home to dinner being prepared. I hate shopping, I go in and get what I need, but no he wants to wander up and down every aisle. So we rarely shop together.
If you are buying produce for lunches, look for the bags with the highest number of the item, not just the one that weighs the most. If it weighs the most, you eat more at one time (not always bad). If you get the bag that has the highest number of the item, it will last for more days. I did this when my kids were packing lunches. It meant more lunches per bag of produce/whatever.
Making meal plans using what’s in my freezer & pantry first definitely saves money. Shopping online for groceries keeps me from buying impulsively. Good tips in your video!
Where I shop (in Australia) has a policy that if an item scans at the wrong price (high or low) you get it for free. If you have multiples you get the first free and the rest at the correct price. [Of course if you have multiples, you need to do a bit of calculating if it scans low to see if it's worth complaining. The free item may not cover the increased cost of the other ones.] I got a meat tray for free because it scanned at $15 but the shelf ticket price was $12. I queried it. FREE!!!! Best steak ever.
Definitely check your receipts. A couple weeks ago, none of the items that I was purchasing were discounted after being scanned. After the cashier fixed it after I pointed this out, my bill went from $38 down to $21! I've also greatly reduced how often I shop as well. I usually only go once a month. Doing one large shopping trip a month I typically spend $200 for our family of 3, whereas I was spending around $300 a month when I did a smaller shopping trip weekly.
My local Kroger screws me over almost every time I go. I never leave the store without going over my whole receipt. They screw up all the time. A great example is my local Hallmark store. Before Christmas. I almost always make it a point to add everything up in my head. Before I check out. With coupons . I knew my billshould not be over 30.00. That's with tax. Ofcourse they were busy. But. I stood my ground. When the lady said 58.00 total. Number one. I didn.t have that much money on me. Like I said. I do it all in my head before I get in the cashiers line. In the end. I only owed 28.00. If I had been richer. Or in a hurry. I might have let it go. I.m not stupid. By any means. I would have had to pay 58.00 for only a 28.00 purchase. Incredible.
"Taking kids to the grocery store felt a lot like being pecked to death by chickens." GIRL! Never have truer words been spoken! I have three littles and grocery shopping was always a family activity in the evenings or weekends when my husband was home to help. Walmart Grocery Pickup saved my life! A by product was the savings from avoiding impulse purchases, but I originally started using pickup just so I didn't have to drag my kids through the store and say "No, we're not buying that today" 10,000 times.
I love shopping online at Walmart. Definitely a huge money saver, no impulse buying!!!! The best part is... you can run back to your fridge or pantry and double-check if you need it or not! Brilliant!!!!
I have a tip to share! Buy bulk wrapping paper or gift bags. I bought a whole bunch of those brown craft gift bags with two different colors of tissue paper years and years ago and literally have not had to buy gift bags or wrapping paper since! Such a money saver, especially when you have kids and you’re going to birthday parties all the time.
This video is particularly very helpful! I've not been weighing my produce nor the receipt anymore but used to. Thank you Christine for kicking me in the butt to get back to more frugal shopping!
I recently started shopping inside the stores again because the labor shortage has caused our curbside pickup to be a nightmare. You are so right! I just scoot over to home section and find new pots and pans and mirrors and blah blah blah that I definitely didn't have on my list!
Hi from Canada - here we have a scanning code of practice - Stores opt in but the majority of large retailers do. If a price scans differently than the price marked to a max of $10 and you catch it (during the checkout or later) you get the first item free. If you buy more than 1 than you get the advertised price for the other items. Anything over $10 you get a discount of up to $10. So if you bought something advertised for $25 and it rang up as $40 you would get it for the $25 + an additional $10 off. It's amazing how many thing scan wrong, so always know your prices and watch the register.
So many great tips, most I already do, but not the weighing and comparing the produce in the bag! 😱 I will say, I have been using Walmart pickup for years now and love it! After a few tips from my husband, I realized you really should scroll for the best price and don’t even expect Walmart brand to always be cheapest! Since paying attention to unit value, I even realized Walmart brand diapers are sometimes cheaper in smaller packages than larger as I have always assumed bulk = paying less per unit! So… scroll and check is my tip for pickup-ers! And yes, I can’t believe how much grocery delivery is! I have compared prices, they mark up every item nearly 20%! I only do Walmart because they do not markup the items.
The best thing you forgot lol (don't have to do this) grow your own veggies anywhere , flower bed, garden, pots ect, grow what grows great where you live, herbs-basil, parsley, dill, ect. lettuce, peppers, potatoes anything!! get exercise and its cheap! Grow what works well in your area.
Cash only is the way to go. Some stores have Card-only self-scanners. But cashiers still take cash. If you're single it doesn't make much sense to buy a 'bag' of something, when all you need is one or two.
Another tip: the person in the house with the weakest disposition does not go into the grocery store, ahem, my husband. He stops for one needed item and walks into the house with five bags. Also, portion control. Our food lasts much longer when we follow the portion size. We always have fresh fruit and fresh or frozen veg in the house and try to eat that along with our meals so that portion of meat and rice or potatoes doesn’t seem so restrictive.
I specifically buy frozen blueberries to put in my oatmeal. When cooked, the frozen berries will bleed out into the oatmeal, sweetening it without adding sugar or other sweetener. I'm going to try them with plain yogurt as well, though defrosting them first.
I love the Walmart grocery pickup. Whenever we run out of something, I bring up the Walmart app, scan it and add it to my list. We do a grocery pickup once a month. We also keep a list on the fridge. I meal plan from what we have in the freezer, the fridge and the pantry before I make a list. We eat what we have first!! Then every Saturday we go to our local grocery store and fill in with fresh stuff. We absolutely do not go to the store any other time. We stick to a $100 a week for a family of 4 with two teenage boys and my hubby's soda addiction. 🙄 Shop around the perimeter of the store.
my tip for myself, if I just need milk/ just 1-2 couple of grocery items, I ask my husband to get it. if I enter, I will remember few more items missing and definitely I will end up buying 3 times more than my original list. So that tip always work for me
"don't go shopping!" is the best one! I also don't use "girl's stuff". I use same shaving stuff as my husband, we share shower gel and shampoo all with my kid too. my biggest problem is stoking up my cupboards(I'm glad I don't have big pantry!) with food just because there is special offer and ending up with tons of food hidden at the back...but this year I'm trying to change my buying habits
I got My girl scout merit badge in grocery shopping and others as well. I was teaching my mother about unit pricing because it came out when I was 9 years old so I was showing her how she could save money by using the unit price. Grocery stores got nothing on me! :-)
Christine, you've gotta install Coinout too! I already have $15 in like 8 mo. I don't shop, but my bf works at the store so I get his break time& cigarette 🤮 receipts every day. I very recently installed receipt hog , but I haven't quite figured it out. Fetch is 1000 points =$1, coinout is straight up change. ("You got .03 cents for your reciept") Also, I felt it deep when you said your husband gets mad at you bc there's crumbs in the bed and its a whole thing. Lmao!! He gets SO irked when I eat in the bed. One time I had the sheets on to wash and dropped red sauce on the mattress cover! Oops! Like, THIS is why he gets mad at me 🤣 I scrubbed until that red stain was GONE!
We are allergic to sugar and most things down the middle isles of the grocery store are just full of sugar. We just avoid it unless there is something specific like, flour.
And precut are likely from damaged, leftover etc veggies. Kroger no longer gives coins back in change unless you check out at the self-check. They only put coins back on your loyalty card. My fave: Weigh the produce. I thought my grandmother was cheap doing this, but wow, there are huge variences.
Due to COVID alongcwith a disability, I began using shoppers (instacart, etc.) Not a perfect shopping experience (not all shoppers are conscientious) but reducing my aisle browsing definitely helps me save $$!
I’m ahead of you on the don’t go shopping hack! I figured that one out while stuck at home during 2020. I also have quit looking at Amazon unless I need something specific! Saves lots not shopping online either!
I lived in Ohio when my kids were small. I haven't seen this anywhere else, but in Ohio, they have drive throughs that sell beer, wine, liquor - often attached or part of the gas station. I could go through that drive through and pick up a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. It was more expensive to buy "groceries" this way, but well worth it so I didn't have to drag kids behind me into a store in bad weather.
In SE Michigan we hade/have the Mr. Fresh milk depots. Just little refrigerators Bosh’s with sliding doors on either side with milk pop eggs bread chips and small variety of pharmaceuticals so if your kid was sick you could get cough syrup bread and Vernors without getting out of the car. It was great!
I always check what I have in the refrigerator, cupboards, and pantry room when I make my list before heading to the store. I also use Walmart online for the big bags of cat food, canned cat food, cat litter, and any big bulky things I buy. That way I don't have to load them in the truck or carry them into the house. I let hubby do that when he gets home after work.
Right on about watching prices as items are scanned (or at least checking receipt on way to car). At HEB recently, noticed something scanned as "prepared fresh guacamole for $12, which I definitely did not buy! Very nice in giving back credit for it, and paid 78 cents for 1 avocado instead. Obviously better to catch inaccuracy at the register. Have also learned that "marked-down or discounted" products often need an override from the attendant at self-checkouts in most of my stores, so I save those for last so they only have to come over 1 time. You are a joy to watch Christine - pure entertainment & relatable! 👍 from Texas
I expected "try not to buy in bulk' (eg Costco). It's well known in the industry that bulk buying doesn't generally save money. This is what happens: if you buy 8 tubes of Crest you will use 2x the amount on your toothbrush (no joke). This goes for almost any consumable product. You use more toilet paper, over-eat the chips, et al . It generally encourages waste. (I worked for Procter & Gamble for 8 years.)
I agree, single mum who raised 4 kids - the more you buy, the more they will eat. To survive and thrive, only bought a week's worth at a time, rarely went back before the week was up, grew some food at home (eggs and veg), meat free a couple of meals, keep it simple, shop seasonally and all the reduced items. I think they all learned the skills they need to get through any tough times ahead 😀
Definitely interesting to hear this again. I don't know that I fall prey to it, thankfully. I only buy bulk if price is worth it. I store back portions of said items- just because I have it doesn't mean to use it all. I definitely only buy bulk of consistently used items. I store by date and never waste anything. Bulk buying meat and dividing into your needed portions stretch out your future meals and budget. I've trimmed my budget further by reducing the amount used per meal. Less than 1 lb. per meal for the entire family and it's usually lunch the next day too. Soups and stews are the best frugal foods to make. God bless
@@justpatty7328 Great comment. I thought of people like you and Christine (a minority but heavily featured on social media; big freezers, buying 1/2 cows, strategically frugal) when making my comment. I'm speaking about regular suburban America with a 2000 sq home in the 'burbs. The Costco/Sam's Club "promise" is saving money. But for most US households that's just not how the "savings" on these bulk products work. (Trust me, this is heavily studied by consumer packaged goods companies.) The reason the Procter & Gambles like bulk selling is that you get locked into Crest (or whatever product) for a looong time, then consume more than you would otherwise. Meanwhile. they make the same margins (more, usually) than if you would have bought Colgate on sale the next week at Albertson's instead. Hope that makes sense.
I do a monthly grocery list and do the spending in the beginning of the month and freeze what I don’t need right away like meat or milk. I actually meal prep my meat into dinner size amounts and freeze them after I cook it
Tip #3 has been a life changer for me. I would always realize I was out of an item around dinner time and would make a special trip to the store for that 1 item. Well typically the store would be packed and I would rationalize getting other items to make it worth it waiting in the long lines.
Not going shopping has helped us big time 😂 No, but seriously. We were once a week shoppers and would browse the isles...yikes 😬 Then we cut back to two times a month and sticking to a list. Now, I plan meals ahead of time, make a list, go only once a month, and bam! We have been saving soooooo much money. And keeping under our budget 😁
I have been skipping the isles in the grocery store for years. The ones I skip include baked goods, candy, pet food and cleaning products. I always check the unit weight on the price signs, definitely a must. As far as produce, I anticipate how much I can use before it goes bad, I live alone. I’m the person who will buy one apple 🍎, two bananas 🍌, and one ear of corn 🌽!…. Etc. I use IBOTTA after you mentioned it in a past video, thank you, and have been using Fetch for a while. I do use my Credit card, I get points… I use my Fetch points for Amazon for cat food and litter, they deliver it right to my door every other month…saving me, carrying a 35+ lb. box 📦 for a long walk. I’m a little old grandma 👵! This video has a lot of good information, I’m happy to know that some things I’m already doing. Love your channel.
Please share all of your knowledge and wisdom on credit card churning, Christine!! Ever since your video about frugal vacations, I've been considering when to get a card (COVID is definitely holding me off for now) for travel points and things like that.
A big bag of produce may be too much for you, and parts of the contents might spoil. So buy according to household size. Write a shopping list according to the way you walk through the store for each store you plan to head to. It is like it is, there will still be a few extras in the cart but not that many if you were browsing.
I am so thankful you mentioned paying with cash 💸!! This is what I do because for me it keeps me accountable, and I visually 👀 see what I have to spend and it keeps me on budget! I will say in my small town of Lebanon, MO our Walmart is frustrating in they are trying to enforce using plastic at self-check, and at the pharmacy! They are refusing cash at these areas! So, I am utilizing my Aldi and Dollar Tree as much as possible. Love your tips here! Thank you, and God Bless!
Using the online order and pickup at Walmart has been my saving grace. Started using it during the pandemic for health reasons but have cont’d due to I HAVE NEVER KEPT SUCH A CLOSE EYE ON MY BUDGET BEFORE IN MY LIFE😂. I can see a total and when I’m getting close or go over my budget I go back through my cart and take out what I absolutely don’t need. I tend to over buy now because of the shortage during the pandemic and this really helps!
Last summer, during the pandemic, I got some screaming deals on berries...all kind of berries...and knew I didn't have time to make jam, etc. I bagged them up and froze them until I was able to use them...and experienced price savings I have not seen in well over 20 years...maybe 40 years.
I made half a dozen bags from my husband's jeans that had holes in the knees. Used the legs to make straps. They are great for groceries and if something spills...well I'm washing jeans anyway. They are also great for picnics with pockets for sunscreen, but spray, flashlight. We call them the "butt bags" because you never really get that shape out of them.
@@homestatzfarmher8919 I didn't have a pattern. I cut them just below the "seat" and double seamed them inside out. I cut 4 inch strips from the legs as long as you want the handles - keeping in mind they will be half that length when attached. I made a seam along the long cut edge (again inside out) turned it and attached each handle in 2 places along the waistband - one in front and one in back - toward the edges. I did use an extra heavy needle for my machine and heavy duty quilting thread. They have held up well.
My boyfriend and I are such big impulse shoppers and love snacks and candy, but we found a good way to stick to a budget and without wandering the aisles and that was grocery pick up at Kroger! It’s a game changer!
I agree with the point of not buying precut produce but for a person alone that doesn’t want to eat cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and watermelon for 2 weeks, that gotta a great buy!
Certain names, certain colors, certain things definitely up charge for no reason this is very true. I love walmart pickup. I'm sure they hate me and my large monthly grocery orders in my small town but 🤷♀️. So convenient with my little ones.
I like going to the Kroger store in the hip part of town because their clearance section is a lot more fun! I’m not going to find those products in my part of town, much less at that price!
This time of year I always buy 2 or 3 turkeys. I always cut 1 up and smoke it because i love smoked meat in my bean soup. 1 i break down and have turkey strips for salads and shred the rest for tacos , taquitos, soups, sandwiches.. Right now i bought my turkeys for .37lb when you can buy meat for less than a dollar a pound i stock up
Checking the screen at checkout and your receipt is so important. About a month ago a local store had a specific toothbrush on sale for about $1 each when you bought 4 otherwise they were like $5 each. I got the correct product and the correct amount but they didn't ring up correctly. I caught it before I paid but the cashier couldn't do anything. So she recommended I just pay and take the receipt to customer service. That is what I did. Customer service was just as confused as I was and I got $12 back. Then last week at a different store I had one of those coupons you get at checkout for $2 off the whole order when I bought $15 of frozen food,which I did. The cashier scanned the coupon but it didn't take the money off my order. The cashier didn't pay attention and she put the coupon in that locked coupon drawer. I was looking at the screen and pointed out it didn't scan correctly. She did try to say it did scan because I also had $2 in store points, I corrected her, she then tried to say I needed to buy $15 of frozen food which I did have. She went through the screen to verify I did in fact buy the frozen foods. She was able to get the coupon out and she called a manager over to correct the problem. My daughter works at Bath and Body Works and she said this is why they are trained to make sure the coupon scanned correctly and they don't put the coupon in the coupon box until the transaction is complete, plus they rip the coupons in half.
The only "shopping' I do is for food, and I have food myself spending too much of 'shiny' things. Need to get that back in check, thankyou for the reminders and great video.
My husband started his new job today after being off work for a little over a month. Without these videos I wouldn't have known that a $30 week budget for a family of five was possible...I was used to spending at least five times that, often more, and still eating out too much. This week, we are eating good, and I only budgeted $10. I'm making bread like a pro, shopping clearance, using cash back apps...Life changing!! Thanks Christine for helping me feed my family without panicking!
Good luck to your husband on his new job. It's been a tough time for many.
This made my heart so happy! Good for you, Jody, with the $10 budget!! I personally dumpster dive. Wish I could post you a picture! We had T-bone steaks mashed potatos and cucumbers in Italian dressing last night...100% for freeeeee!!!! I love it SO much. Been doing it for 8 yrs now. I do have the money for groceries, just WHYYYY would I want to spend it knowing what's right out back?! We eat so well, its ridiculous! Maybe take a kid with ya and give it a shot if you have a dumpster nearby rather than a compactor.
Hi, Jody. Do you have a recommendation for a bread maker? I’ve never had one but think (at 70!) it’s time!
@@katiemartell6520 I’m sorry, I don’t. I’ve never used a bread maker. I use Christine’s easy, no knead bread recipe and a couple of regular loaf pans in the oven.
Our local thrift stores have them for less than $10. I've seen them in boxes and they have never been turned on.
I’m 25, and have learned so much being in my own first apartment! I use all tips! I don’t have parents, so you are my “TH-cam mom” LOL thank you so much!
I love how you can get info across without acting like you know it all or talk down to us. You have a gift and I’m so glad you are on TH-cam. I use all of these tips! Great video!
I appreciate that!
When I started watching your channel, I wasn’t dealing with food insecurity, but now I am and your channel gives me a lot of hope that I can get through it. I’m thinking of going to a food bank soon, which is something that never would have occurred to me if you didn’t always say it’s okay to use those resources if you need them.
It is 100% okay to go to a food bank. One day you'll be back on your feet and you can give back. God Bless!
Me too. ❤
Absolutely, it's there for those who need it.
Go! Growing up, my dad finally agreed to get help through our church.
@@psymompa Sometimes we are the "helper" sometimes we are the "helped". It takes a village.
I bought some gluten free bread that was moldy the day we bought it. The next day I was going to return it but couldn’t find receipt. Husband said toss it. What a waste of $6.99. Now I keep all receipts until I know it’s good, then I toss receipt. Thanks for listening to my rant!
My late friend , a widow, living on her own would get up early every morning and drive to the local small supermarket . She would buy the morning paper and just enough food for her daily meals. She never had food rottinging in the back of the fridge or forgotten in some corner. My husband wanted a biohazard decal to stick on my fridge. Her shopping trips got her out of the house, talk to strangers, kept her car battery from going flat and she never bought more than she needed.
We always go to Aldi & Lidl (Belgium, EU) and we browse, oh we browse, because you never know what's new or on promotion somewhere else in the store and as far as chocolate and things you don't need? Restraint: pure & simple. ;) Not getting stuff that much beyond your grocery list in other words.
After watching your video where you said about the food that I could get for free for Thanksgiving at WalMart with the Ibotta app I downloaded the app and went to WalMart. It was quick download and easy to use. i liked your idea of picking up all the items even if I wouldn't use them myself and to donate what I don't use. I picked it all up and decided to give it all away to someone I know that is struggling. Saving money and being able to help someone out at the same time was a wonderful thing.
I've started doing a once a month $20.00 grocery week. Saves me tons of money and forces me to use what I have so less waste.
What a great challenge! Good idea!
wow, that's a great idea! I consider myself an expert frugal grocery shopper, so I rarely hear new information
I fondly remember going grocery shopping with my Dad as a child. He taught us how to shop and would take a selection of us every Saturday morning. With 7 kids he usually had at least 2 or 3 and often 5! He did a Tom Sawyer, if you didn't behave when you were out with him, you didn't get to go again for awhile.
Gave my Mom a break and he actually enjoyed it! He taught us the trick of getting the heaviest bag of apples or potatoes. We could only weigh 2 bags, so he taught us how to feel the weight by comparing two and then after checking several bags deciding which was the better deal.
Congrats on a smart dad. You learned to go shopping by going shopping. He had it right -- consequences if you don't behave. My granddaughter went to play in the toy isle behind my back. When I found her we went home. Her comment to me was "but I thought we had to go grocery shopping? We did, but you finished it." She never left the cart after that.
I have another way to pinch some pennies with meat, sometimes for example they have chicken legs on sale, $5.00 a package across the board, check each package and make sure you pick the one that is heaviest.
I personally don’t like ordering my groceries and picking them up. I genuinely like to grocery shop and don’t like other people picking out my produce. It’s relaxing for me. I am a stay at home mom of 2 small kids but I don’t take them. One evening a week I go grocery shopping right after supper and my husband puts the kids to bed. It’s my me time. My husband is great. I know not all moms can do this but if you can, I highly recommend it. No screaming kids to stress you out or drive up the grocery bill.
I don't trust others to pick out my produce either. I prefer to not buy broccoli with all the stem because I usually don't use it & it's throwing out money. Or I don't know how many "pounds" of an item I want...I want 3-8 potatoes depending on their size, I want 1-2 heads of broccoli depending on the size.
I remember watching a youtuber who did grocery pickup & had ordered a head of broccoli, the broccoli in stock were apparently all tiny so their plan for a side had to be adjusted because there wasn't enough for 5 people to have more than a single floret each.
And the quantity for something like bananas, does 1 mean 1 banana or 1 hand of bananas. I've seen youtubers with that battle too.
Or for meat, occasionally you actually want the leaner or fattier cut, the shopper isn't psychic to know that.
I agree I don't like the idea of somebody else picking out my produce and need either period And I do get really tired of those store employees who are shopping for the people who are picking up shoving me out of the way so they can get what they need
I prefer to go in person myself and shop. I'm a stay at home mom with no young kids. So, it's me time to get out of the house. I usually shop Albertsons and Krogers ads for any good sales, And some of Kroger digital coupons can be used up to 5 times. But I do my main grocery shopping at Winco. I have always learned to compare prices. I'm trying to get back into baking cookies, muffins, brownies, etc., for my guys to take to work for snacks, instead of buying all the Little Debbie snacks. And my guys are trying to take food from home to work, to eat for lunches. Which means I need to get busy and make more burritos for them. I just made a big batch of chili the other day and froze some of it in bags for them to take to work.
I love grocery shopping. Don't like others picking out my items.
I always preferred to go shopping without my son. He stayed home with my husband or my husband went shopping with us. I know that is not possible for everyone and I did appreciate my situation.
One of my favorite tips is don’t be beholden to one brand! My kids eat whatever yogurt, whatever fruit snacks, whatever breakfast bars. So I go to my Grocery Outlet and pick whatever is cheap there! I save a ton of money (especially on snackier foods) that way! Works for Ibotta deals too.
Good mom. Eat what you get and be happy. But show them how to sho as well. They too will be adults some day.
I live in France but this has to be available in other countries too: some of the supermarkets have hand-held scanners where you scan every item as you place it in the shopping cart. You always know how much you are spending as you keep a running total, plus you have the advantage of being able to verify that the correct price appears on you scanner.
Easier to stay on budget.
I’ve heard about some stores that have these scanners but I don’t have any near me. Go France, you have great ideas!
By the way my hubby is half French!
I recently saw a cut up cabbage for over $6!!!! The whole cabbage was $.59 a pound. Avoid the cut up food it’s usually the good part of the produce turning bad.
Also a great tip is to carry those flyers with you when shopping. Helps to know what is on sale and also some stores Walmart is one) will price match the competitors price if you have the flyer. Stay frugal, y’all!
I also don’t by bars of any kind!! They’re always filled with sugar or fat or both and are just too caloric! We only eat plain cereal like oatmeal, etc. and never but any kind of pop tarts or Hostess like stuff! Always watch at check out bc I used to be a big couponer!
Taking 4 kids to the store is like being pecked to death by chickens...I was letting the dogs outside when I heard that and I laughed so loud...my neighbor thought I was crazy im pretty sure 😆
This made me chuckle! 🤣
Never, I say NEVER, has it occurred to me to weigh the prepackaged produce to determine the actual weight!!! Brilliant
Here in Ontario Canada, almost every store has a little known thing. At the checkout you'll see a thing in small writing. That states if the price down not ring up the right price. The item is free up to $10. I just did this at Walmart the other day. Saved a total of$25 on a vacuum. Ended up paying half price ☺️
That is a rock star move thank you ! Walmart up charges me a lot
I just started using the walmart pickup and it is fantastic! I may never go into a walmart ever again! We also started planning out our meals for the week and just shopping one day a week for groceries. I would also recommend shredding your own cheese. An 8 oz block of cheese is way cheaper than an 8oz bag of cheese, at least in my area! Thanks for all your tips!
Plus freshly-grated cheese melts so much better than a pre-shredded cheese!
also shredded cheese in the bag has chemicals in it to keep the shape, that is also why the block cheese melts better
They cost the same at my local store. I also find that when i shred/slice it myself i use far more than when i use the prepared ones.
Shredded is cheaper where I am. Plus time saving as well. I got tired of people in my house not washing the shredder immediately and leaving me having to scrub it trying to get the cheese off.
The grocery store will slice it for you. They may also shred it. Ask nicely.
I use the tip “shop your pantries first” all the time. It reminds me what I have and what items I need to stock up on at the same time.
When my kids were small, we had a grocery store that had a daycare area for their customers. It was wonderful especially during those times when I was by myself. The store itself was pricey, but it was worth it.
If the store uses some money to make customers happy it's worth it if you can. Imagine the money you would spend on daycare/nanny or the stress with your kids in the supermarket. These are all costs, too.
Great idea.
We have a credit card that gives points. We put all expenditures through the week (grocery, gas, etc.) on the card. We save the receipts and then my husband sits down and adds them up and cuts a check every week. We deposit it into the checking account that we use ONLY for this purpose. Then, when the check clears, I pay the card off (no interest..) Then we save the points and get Visa gift cards that we use on vacation every year. Usually adds up to $4-500. a year.
I have one card that always gives 3% cash back at the grocery store and another that does 5% for 3 months of the year. We throw all of our extra cash back at the principle on our mortgage and it really adds up! I am not sure what we will do with our cash back once the house is paid off next year but I was thinking it could go towards Christmas each year. But putting it towards a vacation is also very tempting! Great idea.
I also consider myself a very savvy shopper with saving money on groceries being one of my best skills. So far this year with my grocery store rewards card, menu planning, shopping clearance and sales I have saved $2000 for my family of four. After watching a few of your videos and applying a couple techniques I had not been using, I have now taken my grocery savings to a whole new level. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and advice.
I use the shop online function to do my grocery list because I can tell exactly what the total will be when I shop in person. I don’t place the order, I just use their computer skills to add everything.
My number one way to save money on shopping: use cash only, set aside and budgeted for that purpose. Make and use a grocery list, based on menus you make for that week, and don't go off the list. Simple as that. I spent $75/week on food for a family of seven for years until inflation made me up my budget.
Yes. If I'm working with cash on hand, I definitely budget better.
Except when I go to buy certain items to make a meal and the shelves are bare
Hey Christine, I just discovered your Channel while searching TH-cam here in Germany 🇩🇪 on money saving ideas and all the amazing frugal tips, especially on low budget meals. The past two years have been tough for me, also money wise with the pandemic and being put twice into short-time work (I was out of work for about 1 year in total). And just now, at the beginning of December I have to fear again being put into short-time work by my employer for the 3rd time due to the rising Cvid cases again, amid all this inflation and rising prices on food and overall groceries. Really appreciate your ideas and as it is just the beginning of December with only 50€ left for food for this month, I do not fear any longer. I know I can do it! My mom and grandma always taught me to read the supermarket brochures ahead with offers and I only buy stuff that’s on offer now. For Xmas I‘ll be home at my family, so that week is good savings ;-).
Lately I’ve been weighing produce and getting bags with higher weights. Sometimes bagged apples, for examples, can be bruised. Not always, just saying!
These are great tips! ♥️ And yes, pick-up for moms is heaven-sent.
Idea if you don't want to use cash: get one prepaid card and load it with a budget. And only carry that to the store. You can't overspend, either. Or you could also buy yourself store gift cards if you stick to one store.
My favourite tip so far is to identify your keeper ingredients and to shop them first. Then you have a rest budget you can use for whatever you like.
I can't believe I never consider the possibility that the "5 pound, 3 pound bags" are not all exactly the same weight. Seems so obvious now! Thanks for the tip!!!
The stop shopping rule I used when my now adult kids were small. If I was out of something I when without and cooked dinner calling it "invene-a-meal" With doing that our menu always changed and we never got bored.
So true!! We called it "Pioneering with a fork and spoon".
Can i say, without you all getting the wrong idea, that I love you, Christine? Your videos rock and help us so much.
In Australia all grocery stores have done away with plastic shopping bags, meaning we have to take our own reusable cloth bags or buy the plastic ones for 15 cents each.
When we started going from 1 roll of paper towels per week to 1 per day, I started hitting then$1 store, thrift stores, and yard sales for cheap cloth towels. Then I started storing all but the current roll of paper towels outside the kitchen until we were using 1 roll/ 2 weeks-1 month. This got me looking at our other disposables and into cloth napkins, a re-usable coffee filter, huge jugs of dish soap portioned into handier sizes for actual use, etc...We did a little at a time and it was not until I went with someone on a paper product run to Cost-Co, where sizes are huge but prices generally low and especially for the quality, that I realized how MUCH we save.
The number one tip to saving on groceries to have a list!
Oh yes.... watch the cashiers while they ring things up! I didn't watch one not too long ago, a very young man at Wal-Mart and he rang up my four plums as PASSION FRUITS. lol do you know how much those cost? they were about 5.00 each! I had to make a trip back to the store.. I didn't pay very good attention that day to say the least.
Thank You So Much for posting these money saving videos. Single mom ,lost my job during covid, still having alot of after health affects. My youngest college son moved back home to help with my health issues.. we're struggling so bad, I pray for everyone daily thats needs help! It's so scary the cost of things now...I used to be on the other financial side, giving,donating etc. .. now need help. It hurts my pride and heart .🙏😥❤
I’ve been ordering groceries online for some time and love it. It takes care of impulsive buys and helps me save money. AND it protects me from Covid!
We avoid snacks, candy, pop, and alcohol. I check all the clearances. Recently, I got egg noodles for 25 cents per pound. I buy most craft supplies second
hand, but if I need something, I'll wait til it's 75% off. Tina
Being pecked to death by chickens is EXACTLY how taking my four children grocery shopping feels! Walmart grocery pickup is the BEST thing that has ever happened in my shopping life. I love it and my kids love it. I pay a little more for some things than I would at Aldi's but I'm absolutely glad to do it! Also- no impulse buys 😊
Shop your pantry, freezer and fridge is the best tip.
Thank you ❤🇨🇦🇮🇪
You are so right about pointing out mistakes at the cash register. there are literally a hundred thousand items on the shelf and it's very easy for someone miss an entering an item in the store computer. I like the nice way you have of pointing it out. My Dad used to say, "Good manners don't cost you a dime, but they pay off quite nicely"
I love the Walmart pickup, Contactless though? Come on, I live in rural Alabama - we just have to roll down the window and talk to the folks putting our groceries in the car.
I went ahead and got a Costco membership for oil for my car and oil for my cooking specifically. Their avacado oil is $3 cheaper than aldi, and 3x as large. Same thing for coconut oil and olive oil. Also, they have big cartons of plain organic greek yogurt that my hubby and I love. I add chocolate chips and sometimes coconut for a sweet treat that isn't overwhelmingly so.
For shaving, wash legs with soap. Rinse. Turn off water (if in shower). Re-soap. Put your FAV cheap hair conditioner on legs/pits. Shave and rinse. Love it! Silky smooth and wonderful smelling.
Use frozen cut veggies, broccoli florets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, even peppers & onions, to make roasted veggies! Cheaper than "fresh" & you don't have to do all the cleaning & cutting!
My husband is the worst. He is the cook/shopper (so why am I watching these videos? haha). Anyway he loves grocery stores and loves to visit new area of the country grocery stores. He actually admitted many years ago that when raising our girls, he admitted he went through the store once to get the stuff on the list and once more to "impulse" shop. He actually used the word "impulse". I could not believe it! He will run to the store for one item to make whatever it is he is making! Anyway I am grateful that when working full time, I came home to dinner being prepared. I hate shopping, I go in and get what I need, but no he wants to wander up and down every aisle. So we rarely shop together.
Was taught to shop this way by frugal parents and grandparents 60 years ago. Thank you for teaching the "untaught"...
If you are buying produce for lunches, look for the bags with the highest number of the item, not just the one that weighs the most. If it weighs the most, you eat more at one time (not always bad). If you get the bag that has the highest number of the item, it will last for more days. I did this when my kids were packing lunches. It meant more lunches per bag of produce/whatever.
Making meal plans using what’s in my freezer & pantry first definitely saves money. Shopping online for groceries keeps me from buying impulsively. Good tips in your video!
Where I shop (in Australia) has a policy that if an item scans at the wrong price (high or low) you get it for free. If you have multiples you get the first free and the rest at the correct price. [Of course if you have multiples, you need to do a bit of calculating if it scans low to see if it's worth complaining. The free item may not cover the increased cost of the other ones.] I got a meat tray for free because it scanned at $15 but the shelf ticket price was $12. I queried it. FREE!!!! Best steak ever.
Definitely check your receipts. A couple weeks ago, none of the items that I was purchasing were discounted after being scanned. After the cashier fixed it after I pointed this out, my bill went from $38 down to $21!
I've also greatly reduced how often I shop as well. I usually only go once a month. Doing one large shopping trip a month I typically spend $200 for our family of 3, whereas I was spending around $300 a month when I did a smaller shopping trip weekly.
My local Kroger screws me over almost every time I go. I never leave the store without going over my whole receipt. They screw up all the time. A great example is my local Hallmark store. Before Christmas.
I almost always make it a point to add everything up in my head. Before I check out. With coupons . I knew my billshould not be over 30.00. That's with tax.
Ofcourse they were busy. But. I stood my ground. When the lady said 58.00 total. Number one. I didn.t have that much money on me. Like I said. I do it all in my head before I get in the cashiers line. In the end. I only owed 28.00. If I had been richer. Or in a hurry. I might have let it go.
I.m not stupid. By any means. I would have had to pay 58.00 for only a 28.00 purchase.
Incredible.
"Taking kids to the grocery store felt a lot like being pecked to death by chickens." GIRL! Never have truer words been spoken! I have three littles and grocery shopping was always a family activity in the evenings or weekends when my husband was home to help. Walmart Grocery Pickup saved my life! A by product was the savings from avoiding impulse purchases, but I originally started using pickup just so I didn't have to drag my kids through the store and say "No, we're not buying that today" 10,000 times.
I love shopping online at Walmart. Definitely a huge money saver, no impulse buying!!!! The best part is... you can run back to your fridge or pantry and double-check if you need it or not! Brilliant!!!!
I have a tip to share! Buy bulk wrapping paper or gift bags. I bought a whole bunch of those brown craft gift bags with two different colors of tissue paper years and years ago and literally have not had to buy gift bags or wrapping paper since! Such a money saver, especially when you have kids and you’re going to birthday parties all the time.
yes!~ don't be shy about returning things you can't/won't use! Preach!
This video is particularly very helpful! I've not been weighing my produce nor the receipt anymore but used to. Thank you Christine for kicking me in the butt to get back to more frugal shopping!
I recently started shopping inside the stores again because the labor shortage has caused our curbside pickup to be a nightmare. You are so right! I just scoot over to home section and find new pots and pans and mirrors and blah blah blah that I definitely didn't have on my list!
I have been using Harry's for years! My starter kit was $5.00 and the razors are so cheap. Their bar soap is amazing too!
Hi from Canada - here we have a scanning code of practice - Stores opt in but the majority of large retailers do. If a price scans differently than the price marked to a max of $10 and you catch it (during the checkout or later) you get the first item free. If you buy more than 1 than you get the advertised price for the other items. Anything over $10 you get a discount of up to $10. So if you bought something advertised for $25 and it rang up as $40 you would get it for the $25 + an additional $10 off. It's amazing how many thing scan wrong, so always know your prices and watch the register.
So many great tips, most I already do, but not the weighing and comparing the produce in the bag! 😱 I will say, I have been using Walmart pickup for years now and love it! After a few tips from my husband, I realized you really should scroll for the best price and don’t even expect Walmart brand to always be cheapest! Since paying attention to unit value, I even realized Walmart brand diapers are sometimes cheaper in smaller packages than larger as I have always assumed bulk = paying less per unit! So… scroll and check is my tip for pickup-ers! And yes, I can’t believe how much grocery delivery is! I have compared prices, they mark up every item nearly 20%! I only do Walmart because they do not markup the items.
The best thing you forgot lol (don't have to do this) grow your own veggies anywhere , flower bed, garden, pots ect, grow what grows great where you live, herbs-basil, parsley, dill, ect. lettuce, peppers, potatoes anything!! get exercise and its cheap! Grow what works well in your area.
Cash only is the way to go. Some stores have Card-only self-scanners. But cashiers still take cash. If you're single it doesn't make much sense to buy a 'bag' of something, when all you need is one or two.
Another tip: the person in the house with the weakest disposition does not go into the grocery store, ahem, my husband. He stops for one needed item and walks into the house with five bags. Also, portion control. Our food lasts much longer when we follow the portion size. We always have fresh fruit and fresh or frozen veg in the house and try to eat that along with our meals so that portion of meat and rice or potatoes doesn’t seem so restrictive.
I specifically buy frozen blueberries to put in my oatmeal. When cooked, the frozen berries will bleed out into the oatmeal, sweetening it without adding sugar or other sweetener. I'm going to try them with plain yogurt as well, though defrosting them first.
I love the Walmart grocery pickup. Whenever we run out of something, I bring up the Walmart app, scan it and add it to my list. We do a grocery pickup once a month. We also keep a list on the fridge. I meal plan from what we have in the freezer, the fridge and the pantry before I make a list. We eat what we have first!! Then every Saturday we go to our local grocery store and fill in with fresh stuff. We absolutely do not go to the store any other time. We stick to a $100 a week for a family of 4 with two teenage boys and my hubby's soda addiction. 🙄 Shop around the perimeter of the store.
my tip for myself, if I just need milk/ just 1-2 couple of grocery items, I ask my husband to get it. if I enter, I will remember few more items missing and definitely I will end up buying 3 times more than my original list. So that tip always work for me
Loved them all! The memorable tip was take a picture of the pre-prepared tray of veggies and dip, then buy and assemble yourself :)
"don't go shopping!" is the best one! I also don't use "girl's stuff". I use same shaving stuff as my husband, we share shower gel and shampoo all with my kid too. my biggest problem is stoking up my cupboards(I'm glad I don't have big pantry!) with food just because there is special offer and ending up with tons of food hidden at the back...but this year I'm trying to change my buying habits
I got My girl scout merit badge in grocery shopping and others as well. I was teaching my mother about unit pricing because it came out when I was 9 years old so I was showing her how she could save money by using the unit price. Grocery stores got nothing on me! :-)
Christine, you've gotta install Coinout too! I already have $15 in like 8 mo. I don't shop, but my bf works at the store so I get his break time& cigarette 🤮 receipts every day. I very recently installed receipt hog , but I haven't quite figured it out. Fetch is 1000 points =$1, coinout is straight up change. ("You got .03 cents for your reciept")
Also, I felt it deep when you said your husband gets mad at you bc there's crumbs in the bed and its a whole thing. Lmao!! He gets SO irked when I eat in the bed. One time I had the sheets on to wash and dropped red sauce on the mattress cover! Oops! Like, THIS is why he gets mad at me 🤣 I scrubbed until that red stain was GONE!
I never go down the cookie and chip isle. I’m a recovering junk food junkie and can’t be putting myself in that bad situation.❤️
I hear that.
We are allergic to sugar and most things down the middle isles of the grocery store are just full of sugar. We just avoid it unless there is something specific like, flour.
This is why I avoid the cereal aisle. Poptart addict 🙋🏼♀️
@@kimbarbeaureads I’m glad I never got that addiction.😬
I am ALL about the Walmart grocery pickup. I save SO much dollhairs by not impulse shopping in store. HIGHLY recommend trying it!!!
And precut are likely from damaged, leftover etc veggies. Kroger no longer gives coins back in change unless you check out at the self-check. They only put coins back on your loyalty card. My fave: Weigh the produce. I thought my grandmother was cheap doing this, but wow, there are huge variences.
Due to COVID alongcwith a disability, I began using shoppers (instacart, etc.) Not a perfect shopping experience (not all shoppers are conscientious) but reducing my aisle browsing definitely helps me save $$!
If you live in Michigan really do check your receipt because our state has the Michigan's Scanner Law - The Shopping Reform and Modernization Act.
I’m ahead of you on the don’t go shopping hack! I figured that one out while stuck at home during 2020. I also have quit looking at Amazon unless I need something specific! Saves lots not shopping online either!
I lived in Ohio when my kids were small. I haven't seen this anywhere else, but in Ohio, they have drive throughs that sell beer, wine, liquor - often attached or part of the gas station. I could go through that drive through and pick up a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. It was more expensive to buy "groceries" this way, but well worth it so I didn't have to drag kids behind me into a store in bad weather.
In SE Michigan we hade/have the Mr. Fresh milk depots. Just little refrigerators Bosh’s with sliding doors on either side with milk pop eggs bread chips and small variety of pharmaceuticals so if your kid was sick you could get cough syrup bread and Vernors without getting out of the car. It was great!
I always check what I have in the refrigerator, cupboards, and pantry room when I make my list before heading to the store. I also use Walmart online for the big bags of cat food, canned cat food, cat litter, and any big bulky things I buy. That way I don't have to load them in the truck or carry them into the house. I let hubby do that when he gets home after work.
Right on about watching prices as items are scanned (or at least checking receipt on way to car). At HEB recently, noticed something scanned as "prepared fresh guacamole for $12, which I definitely did not buy! Very nice in giving back credit for it, and paid 78 cents for 1 avocado instead. Obviously better to catch inaccuracy at the register. Have also learned that "marked-down or discounted" products often need an override from the attendant at self-checkouts in most of my stores, so I save those for last so they only have to come over 1 time. You are a joy to watch Christine - pure entertainment & relatable! 👍 from Texas
I expected "try not to buy in bulk' (eg Costco). It's well known in the industry that bulk buying doesn't generally save money. This is what happens: if you buy 8 tubes of Crest you will use 2x the amount on your toothbrush (no joke). This goes for almost any consumable product. You use more toilet paper, over-eat the chips, et al . It generally encourages waste. (I worked for Procter & Gamble for 8 years.)
That's so interesting!
I totally agree with this but thought it was just me that does that! 😁
I agree, single mum who raised 4 kids - the more you buy, the more they will eat. To survive and thrive, only bought a week's worth at a time, rarely went back before the week was up, grew some food at home (eggs and veg), meat free a couple of meals, keep it simple, shop seasonally and all the reduced items. I think they all learned the skills they need to get through any tough times ahead 😀
Definitely interesting to hear this again. I don't know that I fall prey to it, thankfully.
I only buy bulk if price is worth it. I store back portions of said items- just because I have it doesn't mean to use it all. I definitely only buy bulk of consistently used items. I store by date and never waste anything.
Bulk buying meat and dividing into your needed portions stretch out your future meals and budget. I've trimmed my budget further by reducing the amount used per meal. Less than 1 lb. per meal for the entire family and it's usually lunch the next day too. Soups and stews are the best frugal foods to make.
God bless
@@justpatty7328 Great comment. I thought of people like you and Christine (a minority but heavily featured on social media; big freezers, buying 1/2 cows, strategically frugal) when making my comment. I'm speaking about regular suburban America with a 2000 sq home in the 'burbs. The Costco/Sam's Club "promise" is saving money. But for most US households that's just not how the "savings" on these bulk products work. (Trust me, this is heavily studied by consumer packaged goods companies.) The reason the Procter & Gambles like bulk selling is that you get locked into Crest (or whatever product) for a looong time, then consume more than you would otherwise. Meanwhile. they make the same margins (more, usually) than if you would have bought Colgate on sale the next week at Albertson's instead. Hope that makes sense.
I do a monthly grocery list and do the spending in the beginning of the month and freeze what I don’t need right away like meat or milk. I actually meal prep my meat into dinner size amounts and freeze them after I cook it
Tip #3 has been a life changer for me. I would always realize I was out of an item around dinner time and would make a special trip to the store for that 1 item. Well typically the store would be packed and I would rationalize getting other items to make it worth it waiting in the long lines.
Not going shopping has helped us big time 😂 No, but seriously. We were once a week shoppers and would browse the isles...yikes 😬 Then we cut back to two times a month and sticking to a list. Now, I plan meals ahead of time, make a list, go only once a month, and bam! We have been saving soooooo much money. And keeping under our budget 😁
I have been skipping the isles in the grocery store for years. The ones I skip include baked goods, candy, pet food and cleaning products. I always check the unit weight on the price signs, definitely a must. As far as produce, I anticipate how much I can use before it goes bad, I live alone. I’m the person who will buy one apple 🍎, two bananas 🍌, and one ear of corn 🌽!…. Etc. I use IBOTTA after you mentioned it in a past video, thank you, and have been using Fetch for a while. I do use my Credit card, I get points… I use my Fetch points for Amazon for cat food and litter, they deliver it right to my door every other month…saving me, carrying a 35+ lb. box 📦 for a long walk. I’m a little old grandma 👵!
This video has a lot of good information, I’m happy to know that some things I’m already doing.
Love your channel.
Please share all of your knowledge and wisdom on credit card churning, Christine!! Ever since your video about frugal vacations, I've been considering when to get a card (COVID is definitely holding me off for now) for travel points and things like that.
A big bag of produce may be too much for you, and parts of the contents might spoil. So buy according to household size.
Write a shopping list according to the way you walk through the store for each store you plan to head to. It is like it is, there will still be a few extras in the cart but not that many if you were browsing.
I am so thankful you mentioned paying with cash 💸!! This is what I do because for me it keeps me accountable, and I visually 👀 see what I have to spend and it keeps me on budget! I will say in my small town of Lebanon, MO our Walmart is frustrating in they are trying to enforce using plastic at self-check, and at the pharmacy! They are refusing cash at these areas! So, I am utilizing my Aldi and Dollar Tree as much as possible. Love your tips here! Thank you, and God Bless!
You and your daughter have an adorable relationship.
Using the online order and pickup at Walmart has been my saving grace. Started using it during the pandemic for health reasons but have cont’d due to I HAVE NEVER KEPT SUCH A CLOSE EYE ON MY BUDGET BEFORE IN MY LIFE😂. I can see a total and when I’m getting close or go over my budget I go back through my cart and take out what I absolutely don’t need. I tend to over buy now because of the shortage during the pandemic and this really helps!
Last summer, during the pandemic, I got some screaming deals on berries...all kind of berries...and knew I didn't have time to make jam, etc. I bagged them up and froze them until I was able to use them...and experienced price savings I have not seen in well over 20 years...maybe 40 years.
I made half a dozen bags from my husband's jeans that had holes in the knees. Used the legs to make straps. They are great for groceries and if something spills...well I'm washing jeans anyway.
They are also great for picnics with pockets for sunscreen, but spray, flashlight.
We call them the "butt bags" because you never really get that shape out of them.
This is awesome! Would you share the pattern or directions? I love this idea!
@@homestatzfarmher8919 I didn't have a pattern. I cut them just below the "seat" and double seamed them inside out. I cut 4 inch strips from the legs as long as you want the handles - keeping in mind they will be half that length when attached. I made a seam along the long cut edge (again inside out) turned it and attached each handle in 2 places along the waistband - one in front and one in back - toward the edges. I did use an extra heavy needle for my machine and heavy duty quilting thread. They have held up well.
Thanks! I’ll give it a shot! 😉
My boyfriend and I are such big impulse shoppers and love snacks and candy, but we found a good way to stick to a budget and without wandering the aisles and that was grocery pick up at Kroger! It’s a game changer!
I agree with the point of not buying precut produce but for a person alone that doesn’t want to eat cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and watermelon for 2 weeks, that gotta a great buy!
Certain names, certain colors, certain things definitely up charge for no reason this is very true. I love walmart pickup. I'm sure they hate me and my large monthly grocery orders in my small town but 🤷♀️. So convenient with my little ones.
I like going to the Kroger store in the hip part of town because their clearance section is a lot more fun! I’m not going to find those products in my part of town, much less at that price!
This time of year I always buy 2 or 3 turkeys. I always cut 1 up and smoke it because i love smoked meat in my bean soup. 1 i break down and have turkey strips for salads and shred the rest for tacos , taquitos, soups, sandwiches.. Right now i bought my turkeys for .37lb when you can buy meat for less than a dollar a pound i stock up
Thank you! I work with 3 guys. My Christmas shopping is done.
Checking the screen at checkout and your receipt is so important. About a month ago a local store had a specific toothbrush on sale for about $1 each when you bought 4 otherwise they were like $5 each. I got the correct product and the correct amount but they didn't ring up correctly. I caught it before I paid but the cashier couldn't do anything. So she recommended I just pay and take the receipt to customer service. That is what I did. Customer service was just as confused as I was and I got $12 back. Then last week at a different store I had one of those coupons you get at checkout for $2 off the whole order when I bought $15 of frozen food,which I did. The cashier scanned the coupon but it didn't take the money off my order. The cashier didn't pay attention and she put the coupon in that locked coupon drawer. I was looking at the screen and pointed out it didn't scan correctly. She did try to say it did scan because I also had $2 in store points, I corrected her, she then tried to say I needed to buy $15 of frozen food which I did have. She went through the screen to verify I did in fact buy the frozen foods. She was able to get the coupon out and she called a manager over to correct the problem. My daughter works at Bath and Body Works and she said this is why they are trained to make sure the coupon scanned correctly and they don't put the coupon in the coupon box until the transaction is complete, plus they rip the coupons in half.
The only "shopping' I do is for food, and I have food myself spending too much of 'shiny' things. Need to get that back in check, thankyou for the reminders and great video.