💕 I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it enough to make it your mantra....wow! Thank you Tami for your kind words and for watching! I hope you have a great day!
Chop up onions and freeze them that way you can just reach and get what you want to use and you don't have to get the cutting board out every time. Also keeps your onions from ruining. You can do this with bell peppers too.
Thank you for the great tip, Rhonda! I do this sometimes too and you're so right, it's such a time saver. I'll have to try this with bell peppers as well 😃
I freeze bell peppers in strips on baking sheets, then store them in large recycled margarine tubs. Easy to take out what you need as they don’t clump together.
Do they get soggy ? I waste my bell peppers they get ignored in my refrigerator and then I want one and it’s black,yuck. So this is cool idea but do they get soggy?
Aww thank you very much! My voice is of my biggest insecurities actually so I'm surprised when someone comments positively in it. I appreciate your kind words very much! I just love Money Mom and her channel. Thank you for visiting, watching and commenting!! I hope you have a great day!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist I agree with the previous commenter, your voice is one of the reasons I subbed. I can't stand abrasive, over-the-top voices on TH-cam.
I'm so happy to hear you are getting some value from my videos and can apply some to your life! I love your thumbnail showing all your kids! 😍 Thank you for your kind words and support they mean a lot to me! I hope you have a great day!
After I flooded during Hurricane Katrina... my fridge had fallen over but my deep freeze still worked. We had lost so much that we couldn't get another fridge. I froze milk and eggs in my deep freeze. We lived that way for about 5 months until someone gave us a fridge. I never thought those things could freeze but they were fine.
I'm so sorry to hear about your fridge but am glad to hear about your deep freezer still working! Yes most things can be frozen and still be very good when thawed. I'm sorry you had to learn this in such a hard way though but happy things turned out alright!
This is funny, i just read on another video-frugal minimalst. That not to buy a deep freezer if you live in a hurricane area. Because you could lose power and end up with a stinky mess. Someone wrote that. But, in your case it all worked out. Good for you. Guess its a chance you have to take to buy one or not.
A tip I learned from a dairy farmer..whole milk last longer, is more stable, and has longer experation dates!! If you can only get to the store once a month, (like a few folks on snap I have known, that dont own a car) buy the whole milk you need for the month, (find the ones with the furtherest out date), and keep it at the back of your fridge...half and half also has a very long shelf life!!
Also, if you prefer 2%, 1% or skim or fat free milk, you can just buy while milk and dilute it accordingly with water to get the taste you prefer. Sure, the nutritional values will be slightly lower, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to get by. I would wait to dilute it till right before using it to take advantage of the longer shelf life of the whole milk. I'm so glad I found your channel this morning. I've already subscribed, and soon as I can I'll be back to binge watch!
If I have more food in a can, like tomato sauce, I freeze the 3xtra in an ice cube tray, and when frozen put them in a bag in freezer. Also lemons and limes that are about done.
Great tips!! I like the ice cube idea because that will give you nice pre-measured chunks and not wasting the leftovers. Love it!! Thank you very much for sharing and I hope you have a great weekend!
Well you got to watch it cause freezers can either stop working or gets overcrowded by ice and sometimes if you dont eat what's in there you might end up with freezer burnt food that wont taste too good..
This is very true, Gaylene! We do try to go through all the foods in a reasonable amount of time and it does help a lot with that. Thank you again for all your great tips! I hope you're having a great week 😃
True scenario from baker at grocery store: first customer was in rush, stumbled, and cake was smashed. Furious and demanded new one now since the customer was still in the store. We had to comply so we gave that customer an old discount cake to make them happy. Second customer was flustered and not focused. Dropped the cake still in store. Few deep breaths and apologizing to us the bakers and asked us very nicely if there was anything we could to help. Manners and polite. Our baker went to cooler for today's fresh cake, personally decorated it, and calmed customer down. The bakers go all day with demanding and complaining customers. To hear manners, kindness, or thank you note go a very long way for both parties.
Oh goodness I’m so sorry you had to deal with customers like that! It’s just not right or excusable on any level. I agree respect and kindness are just plain good and should be a standard!!
If it weren't for the *Whoo-Hoo!* sticker at my Kroger there'd be many meat items that I wouldn't be buy. Yes-only buy what you can use- words to live by. I just recently found out you can freeze potatoes! (Par-boiled first of course) That helped me make use of a 10lb bag of potatoes for $1.25!!🤗
I totally get what you mean, Calisa! My husband is a big meat eater and if it weren't for those stickers he'd be a sad man 😂 That's so great to hear about potatoes - I wouldn't have thought of that, but it makes so much sense because they sell shredded frozen potatoes! Thanks very much for that tip! I hope you're having a great week!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist I try my best to add in some meatless meals but that only goes so far. Just boiled a batch of be 'taters tonight as of matter of fact! You have a good rest the week too. 🤗
Wish we had a Kroger they closed down about 3 years ago so sad loved all the good Mark downs they use to have and the 10fpr 10 or 5 for 5 mix and match. The closes one to us now is an hour and a half !
❤️ the tips! When you find a good deal at any store, or when it's cheaper to buy the larger size but you can't use it all up, consider sharing with a friend or neighbor. These days we can all use a little "Care Package", even if it's a couple of potatoes, carrots and an onion for a soup.
This is such a fabulously awesome tip, Teresa! Spreading the great deals amongst friends and neighbors will bring so much good to everyone involved and make the world a much better place! 👍🤗💕
I work at a grocery chain and with few exceptions used to get the best deals on meat in the morning during the week and on the last day of the sales flyer. If an item had been over shipped and undersold then they usually will reduce the price even lower. Since meat is often a "loss leader" to get people to come in, the savings can be substantial on the last day. Try to shop on wednesday if the flyer ends on thursday etc. Deals can be had. Also, keep an eye for inventory tags being placed around the store. If the company is doing inventory soon they will often clear out excess inventory in the back room and freezers before they count. Check back each day and see whats being cleared out. Love your videos
I'll share my best tip. During the early 70's I was stationed in el paso. My wife and I only had fifty dollars a month for food. Each month I'd go to the grocery store and buy a center cut ham and have it sliced into half inch slices. It would provide fourteen or more meals for the two of us. I'd also buy hamburger meat and dried beans. What money was left went to vegetables and a bit of chicken and pork chops. By the end of the month we were out of most everything but ham, hamburger, dried beans but we never were completely out of food. Unfortunately many of todays grocery stores no longer want to slice up hams but it really stretches out the meat and there's almost no waste as the ends can be used to season the dried beans.
Thank you for this great tip! It sounds like you ate very well for very little money. Ham is a great meal stretcher indeed and very versatile. Now that Easter is almost upon us, maybe you can score some after holiday hams on markdown! I know I'll be looking out for those. I hear you on the butchers lessening their services 😰 but I've seen some already cut spiral hams after Easter marked down to very good prices so I hope you can find some! They do freeze very well 👍
You know you ought a get some those tv meal type trays and make freezer meals so when it's too tiring or hot or busy you can just smack it into a nuke box and a nice meal is ready in a few minutes.
@@gaylenewood7707 I've seen a lot of people do that so that they can save time and effort but for some of us cooking and then enjoying a fresh meal is more important. While I was in the service I didn't have a freezer at that time beyond the small one on the fridge and it did well to hold a months meats and a bit of ice. I'm old enough to remember my grandmother not having a refrigerator at all. Every day she'd walk to the grocery store and purchase a piece of meat to cook for that evenings meal. For someone who works and wants to save a few minutes tv meals are okay but I prefer fresh greens and other fresh vegetables at meal time. I do keep some frozen vegetables on hand for those times I run out of fresh but I try to shop once or twice a week to always have some fresh vegetables on hand for dinner every night. Now that I'm retired cooking is not a chore but a hobby to be enjoyed and a way to show my wife how much I appreciate her by cooking a meal she can enjoy every day.
I'm going to age myself, but here's my best deal ever: When dishwasher tablets/pods were introduced to the market, they really didn't take off. They were priced pretty high, and people weren't used to using such things. So the manufacturers issued coupons LOTS of $1 off 1 box coupons, which many stores doubled to $2. That made a box of dishwasher tablets only 16 cents! The coupons were good for 6 months and were EVERYWHERE, in Sunday papers, mailers, blinky light machines, etc. Over the course of 6 months, I stockpiled enough boxes to last my family 5 YEARS. (No, I never cleared a shelf) . My husband thought I was nuts, I had them stashed in every nook and cranny! It was a sad, sad day when I used the very last of my penny pods :(
I hear you. The tablets you bought probably had TSP in them making them very effective at cleaning. That ingredient is banned in consumer cleaners now.
Last week I was blessedly given a ton of produce. But too much too consume in a short time. Havn't yet gotten the dehydrator on my wishlist. Decided to blanch a few test batches of carrots&broccoli. Then freeze. Suprisingly it was a fairly easy task. The 'blanching' removes the enzymes or something like that, so when consumed, doesn't make it taste better. I used to just freezerbag off broccoli but got frostbite and overall not interested in it when I needed it. Blanching for freezing way much better!
Free produce is awesome, Jenny and I'm so happy to hear you found the blanching technique to work so well for you! Another viewer said the same technique works on potatoes and they freeze very well this way. I have yet to try it!
I experimented one day with limited but doable equipment. And the broccoli and carrot batches came out ok. I froze and after a month, they were soft and looking and tasting fresh. Will stick to this method and also want to try dehydrating. Potatoes I wasn't aware of but now I know also what ti do with them now!
I got a dehydrator off Craigslist on the advise of Homestead Tessie & so have a lot of fruits & veggies saved not only in the freezer but dried too. Great for cleaning out/saving your old produce from the fridge. Saves room, lightweight, & great to have emergency food on hand. Thanks Melanie 👩
I'm glad this works for you! I tend to just go for the super deals and plan around those. Generally we end up eating the same dishes but by different brands 😅
Also I'll say that as a previous baker I don't like discounting the bread and baked goods for the public as demanding by store owners. Why? We would give it to charity first before. Now it goes to discount than charity which really advances spoilage.
I’d love for less food waste and for surplus to go to those who truly need it as well! You offer an interesting perspective that I’ve not thought of before. I always thought I was helping to prevent waste by buying the close to expiry foods but perhaps that is driving owners to not donate in hopes of making more money. 🤔
Aww, have you tried doing a taste test? Maybe that would sway him...along with the money savings 😃. I wish you success in swaying him! Thank you for watching and I hope you have a great rest of the week!
You have to rotate it, like anything else. I date everything and we look through often to use whatever is getting older. It sure feels nice to walk past expensive meat knowing I have the same thing waiting in my freezer that I paid 1/2 or less for. 😆
My preferred store (Demoulas, for my fellow New Englanders who know what I'm talking about) has non-perishable shelving area in the back of the store, and the marked down meats are interspersed with the regular meats. I don't think I EVER see marked down dairy, I should ask about that. But I have not paid full price for meats in years. I buy only on sale or clearance. Great tip about being friendly with the workers to get the heads up!
Thank you for sharing! I'm a fan of all markdown areas and I hope you do find the dairy ones!! It's rare to find great deals on those but I love it when I can buy say cottage cheese and freeze for the future. I try to do the same with meats too those are always so expensive. Thank you very much for visiting, watching and commenting! I hope you have a great weekend! May you find many markdowns!! 😂
Wow! Never thought about freezing cottage cheese! I can't tell you how much I've thrown out because it got old. I'm going to buy the largest tubs I can find now and freeze what I don't eat immediately in cheap, fold lock top sandwich baggies ($1at Dollar Tree for 150 of um!) to stack flat in the freezer. ps, I prefer eating it really cold, eating frozen (at least partially) sounds pretty good, too. And I can just put my pears (my favorite) in the baggie, eat it and toss the cheap baggie. Instant portion control! It's a win, win, win, win, win situation!
I just found your channel. I really like your videos. My family is stationed overseas in Asia and we have a lot in common. I hit the mark down produce, bakery items and meat sometimes because that can get sketchy here.
Thank you so much for your kind words! That’s good you know what to look for. Yes they can be very sketchy sometimes but it helps to develop the eye to find the gems out there. I’m glad you found what works for you! Thank you very much for watching and I hope you’re having a great day!
"The thrill of the hunt"....how AMAZING label for frugality! Bravo!well done! I about to retire.... and I am so grateful to have met you!thank you for sharing your tips and life.
Congratulations on retiring soon! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the video and I'm glad you're here! Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching. I hope you have a great day!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist Thanks!!! I have a pound or so that I grew last summer that I don't want to go to waste. I've already planted all I have room for.
Your last point is so right! People stock up on a good deal and then have just piled of junk. And what's worse is that the next person that maybe actually needed those pantiliners misses out on a deal. If you can't use it, or if you don't have a plan for it, leave it on the shelf and keep moving. For example, I found a coupon that made so e cans of dogfood really cheap. I don't have any dogs, but I had read about how some people were buying up dogfood to put in the blessing boxes around town. These are like wooden boxes with a latch that you could leave food or other items and then people could go in and get things without having to go to an actual pantry. People also need things like pet food and femenine products. So I took my cheap cans of dogfood, my free pantiliners and some boxes of Mac n cheese to from off at the pantry. But I didn't buy every can of dog food and hoard up my house. Be strategic with your purchases and your budget.
Where have you been? I miss your posts. Hope all is well with you. I found your channel when we went on lockdown in 2020 and I absolutely love it. I learned so much about grocery shopping, batch cooking, saving $, and much more. I loved seeing your son involved in this journey. Most of all you made it OK for me to be frugal. Thank you 💕 Many blessings for you and your family.
July 3 I purchased about 50 ribeye steaks. I believe I paid approximately 1/3 the normal price. On a regular basis I buy French bread and Italian bread. The lowest I have managed to purchase it for is $.35 a loaf. Most of the time I get it for $.50 a loaf. I put it in my freezer and when I am ready to eat it I put the oven on 350° for approximately 15 minutes. It comes out tasting freshly baked. I have always purchased reduced or clearance milk. I have never had any spoiled milk. If you choose to freeze it remove approximately one cup out of every single gallon. It will better assist for the bottle not to break. I constantly buy cakes, pies, and donuts on the clearance rack. Are usually get it for approximately 1/3 the price. If you are planning on buying a freezer check energy star appliances. If you need to upgrade or replace your television go to the big box store and ask what they have in the store room that is on clearance. You usually get a television at half the normal price. You could do the same thing for cameras and other electronics. Buy summer clothes in winter and winter clothes in summer. If your grocery store has a terrific price on meat you will actually eat, tried to buy five times more than you usually would purchase. If you are constantly buying in bulk when the price is right you will have a nice variety of food. Today I cooked black beans. I cooked approximately 2 pounds. I divided the beans into four containers. One will be tomorrow’s meal and the three others will be used in the near future. I package it to be slightly less than we need to eat. If I feel we cannot fill our stomachs with the amount I saved, I cook one bag of vegetables as a side dish. Vegetables are much cheaper then a meat dish and also much more healthier. My grocery bill is approximately $265 every four weeks. This is for two people plus any visitors we have in the house. We virtually never eat out. And my husband comes home to eat lunch. And sometimes he brings his friend.
Thank you so much! Your comment steals my frugal heart. Thank you so much for sharing your frugal ways! I agree on so many levels and do a lot of what you do as well. I especially like your tip to ask for store room clearance items. I'll have to use that some time. Your comment can definitely be turned into a frugal tips video. 😂💪
The Frugal Minimalist I’m actually an expert at this. I am disabled and the disability insurance tries to starve me once in a while. LOL I can honestly tell you I have just about every necessity bought in bulk. If you go onto Amazon and type up 72 Colgate toothbrushes you will find that you can buy that in bulk for approximately $26. I can share this information because personally I own approximately 500 toothbrushes. I have absolutely no trinket in my house. there is a product called Steramine. It is a tablet you Dissolve in water to use as a cleaning supply. I bought some very nice spray bottles that are 32 ounces. I put hot water in the bottle with one of these tablets a few drops of dawn dishwashing liquid and about a tablespoon of Spartan airlift fresh scent. I use this for general cleaning throughout my house on a daily basis. It comes out to approximately five cents per bottle.
Good morning lovely frugal friend, :-) some of these tips don't work for me because I only eat meat about 50% of the time period. And I get grass-fed organic stuff.. Plus it's just me I'm retired and single so an appraiser wouldn't be an advantage for me because the stuff with freezer burn before I could ever get to it so anyway I take I take what I can in whatever doesn't work it doesn't matter because all your tips are great thank you so much dear!! 🤩🤗
Hi Theda, I've been very behind on comments and am just able to catch up now. Thank you so much for all your support with my videos. I'm glad that the tips are enjoyable for you! Thank you again for all your kind words and support. they mean very much to me 🙏😃
Theda Renee Williams I too am retired and single, and since I also buy grass-fed beef, organic chicken, etc, when I do buy those things I break the packages into recipe-size (1/2 to 3/4 lb) and wrap them in freezer paper, then in freezer bags. It takes a bit of time and effort, but the savings over the course of a year using my small, chest freezer this way have been enormous.
That’s awesome, Gigihonee! Are you in the States? I can send some to you! 😍. Thank you for watching and all your support! I hope you’re having a great weekend!!
Frozen doesnt mean "healthy" Please take time to store in proper container, as the frozen process may distroy the nutrient of the food and we may be left only with all the antibiotics and pesticides. What good is there if we save money on grocery, only to spend it on health bill. Be smart! Save health!
Definitely guilty myself of buying more than I can utilise reasonably and foisting it off on other people! Useful good stuff like medicine, but still, it's not frugal if you do it on someone else's behalf i guess!
This is true regarding mark downs prior to holidays, look at dumpster diving videos, these divers get all the items that didn’t sell so get to the store before it’s dumped at closing time, or of course you can always look in the dumpster later lol
That is a sweet deal on pumpkin, Cassie!! I would have loaded up on those too! That is such a great ingredient to have on hand. 😍. I love hearing about great deals thank you for sharing and for watching! I hope you’re having a great weekend!!
'The thrill of the hunt.' That's a cool way of changing perception/perspective so that 'frugal' minimal living isn't actually lacking or doing without. It makes it adventurous rather than an ascetic chore. Once again, thank you! xxx
My local health food store has wonderful deals on organic meats/frozen and produce during the year - things like eggs around Easter, overstock fresh strawberries when the harvest is in, etc. My regular grocery store has sales plus online coupons, so I can sometimes get 60% or more off a sale item for something I eat regularly. And the Grocery Outlet has wonderful deals on expired items first thing in the morning - so even their regular lowered prices have a discount. And they also carry organic - I've found discounted organic, grass-fed butter on a BOGO. Love deals like that.
That is excellent to hear! Many including myself have issues paying higher prices for organics. You are proving that there are great deals to be had out there! Smart shopping for higher quality foods is just wins all around. 🙌. The butter sounds like such a score!! Butter freezes well but you already know that. 😉. Thank you so much for sharing I love deals whether they are my own or others. Saving money is just awesome. Thank you for your great comment and for watching. I hope you’re having a great weekend!
I really like the freezer idea.... But its hard to convince my husband. I'm also concerned about higher electric bills & food waste (freezer burn, buying more than we can use or the random power outage). I love the idea of shopping less often & being able to stock up at the lower price. Any suggestions?
Aww yes there will be a higher usage for sure on the electricity. For freezer burn we have not had issues there actually and I don't do much special to store meats. I do try to use them within months though. Power outages can for sure be an issue for greater than a few days. So if you have those the freezer won't likely be a good idea. Other than a freezer I can only really see dehydration as an alternative for you to stock up on meats. The benefit here is they will take up less space! I'll think about this more and let you know if I think of anything else! Thank you so much for watching and I hope you have a great weekend!
I keep two big FDA approved ice packs that my meals from Medicaid come in (i am disabled) in our deep freeze...those combined with wrapping a heavy quilt around your freezer during power outs will help. Make sure to always unplug your deep freeze and fridge with power outs...the intial surge of power being restored can fry your freezer.
Well look energy star rated freezer and btw having an newer fridge and freezer will help lower your electric bill quite a bit and also having a bbq grill outside you ought a cook outside during the warm or hot days instead of inside cause the heat from the stove makes your home hot and also it makes your ac.work harder to keep you cool..
FREEZER NIGHTMARE ALERT: Earlier this summer I went to my trusty 23 cu ft chest freezer, only to discover it had DIED, sometime during the previous 2 weeks or so. I had been using it down and thought I was doing well, but in truth I probably threw out $300 or so in meat and products I didn't even know I had. It would have made the perfect crime scene. I gagged my way through the clean up, and then had a terrible time trying to find how to dispose of the freezer. The trash wouldn't take it away unless it was tagged that freon was removed by a certified person. The local junk yard required no tag, but freon removed, and I would have to haul (and hurl) 20 miles to get it there. My electric company would have paid me $50 if it was still working (it was not). Or for an extra $20, Lowes hauled it away. Best $20 ever spent. I downsized, and now keep an inventory sheet of contents so nothing gets wasted again. I could have turned it in to my homeowner's insurance for a bit of coverage, but I'm always worried doing so will raise my rates.
I am so sorry you had to experience that! I would have spent the $20 too. Good on you for being proactive! Inventories are a bit of work to maintain but are sooo worth it!!
Love your tips! Here's a good one: stop eating MEAT products. You will... 1) Prevent digestive problems, inflammation, and colon cancer 2) Help the environment and 3) Save lots of money $$
I tend to agree with you, Laura! I'm vegetarian myself and have tried vegan but that's tougher for me. My husband and son eat meat. I try to limit it but it's their preference. You can lead the horse to water, but you can't make him drink type of thing. Thank you for your great comment and for watching! I hope you're having a great day!
Look up discount grocery and markets for your area or city. If I go when the train delivery comes to the produce terminal, it's 4 A.M., but a group of friends purchase cases and divide. Bread factories often have a discount sales at their locations. If you can buy livestock at auction and fish at dock; there's processing nearby who may charge very small amount for storage.
That is a great tip to buy direct from factories, auctions and docks. Sounds like a great way to get fresher foods and cut out the middle man. We tend to go more toward discount grocery stores ourselves but it’s great to know this option. I’ll check it out in our area. Thank you!
I have found a gallon of chocolate milk that was marked down to $1.27. I bought 3 gallons. Poured a gallon in various pop bottles with lids and then froze them. Another gallon I poured into quart freezer bags and sealed them up and laid them out on a frozen sheet metal tray in the freezer. As long as they are thawed out under cold running water or in the fridge should be OK to consume.
I would like to buy a freezer but I don't know if I should get the box or the upright. Do you think there is a difference? Some say the box freezes more uniformly.
I've heard the box freezers are Cold to dig down in so you'll be reluctant to get to the bottom. Hence foods gets overlooked/ freezer burn. I personally have an upright. My second 1. I regularly move things up 1 shelf. Oldest on top shelf. When I go on long trips I put moving pads over the top & 3 sides. NEVER on back or bottom. Any empty space is filled with bottles of water(ice) If there is a power outage good chance everything will still be ok when I get home
I love the thrill of the hunt for grocery savings too! I wrote a post with all my tips for spending less on groceries: frugalminimalistkitchen.com/spend-less-on-groceries/ I've actually subtly followed the mark down guy once or twice lol!! Markdown stickers for the win!
Yes! I buy marked down meat at the grocery store and vacuum seal it to keep it in the freezer longer. The vacuum sealer was a good investment, but the bags are rather expensive. I most often use it just for meat because that's the most expensive thing I buy. Thank you for these tips!
Enjoy your videos, lots of good info. Thanks !!!!What I see people do is use those expensive zip bags. I buy a bulk box of 1000 plastic bags they are thinner than a bread bag and really conform to the items to keep out freezer burn. They are easy to submerge in some water to get a good seal as well. I find the meat in the trays don't keep as long as meat sold in the plastic tubes. But of course it is all about the price point.😁🌞
I'm so happy to hear you're enjoying my videos! I agree, those zip bags are expensive and like you say unnecessary. Those bags sound very useful..is there a brand to them and where do you buy them? For the majority of my freezing purposes I use really thin flip top sandwich bags and place them in freezer bags that I reuse over and over again. Seems to work well to prevent freezer burn and saves a bit of money. True, the meat in trays don't last as long for me either, so I tend to go through those more quickly. The tube meats in my house get eaten too quickly to freezer burn 😂. Thank you for all these tips! I love frugal talk 🤑 Thank you for watching and I hope you have a. great weekend!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist Still loving your videos!!!Sorry for the delay in answering. It is gardening season here in South Texas. It is always a rush to get everything planted so we can harvest before the 90ish degree weather sets in. The bags are Get Reddi Food Storage Bags PB0880418R 1000 per pack for around $25.00. My last box lasted 6 years so I consider that a bargain. They have all sizes and I use the 8x4x18 but the smaller ones work well for the freezer. Just be careful when ordering because some are the off white crinkle plastic. The ones I get are clear and very conforming. Only reason I ordered larger ones this time is because I had trouble getting my homemade bread to fit in the next size down.
I'm sorry to hear! I'm not a personal finance person, but there are so many money saving strategies out there like Dave Ramsey and Mr. Money Mustache I know are really popular here on TH-cam. Maybe some of those can help? I wish you success, friend!! I appreciate you watching and I hope you're having a great week!
Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words and support! I'm so happy to hear you enjoy them. Money mom is the best! I hope you have a great weekend!
I love ur videos you actually come up with NEW ideas so many frugal channels are repeating the same ideas over and over boring and you always have ideas I never thought of and I've been working on being frugal for over 20 years xoxo so thankyou for sharing fresh ideas and I love your humor ;)
Wright’s bacon is normally 11.99 for 1 1/2 pounds at our local Kroger. It was on sale for 5.99. I bought 15 packs over a two week period and froze them. Love your channel and tips. Thanks.
That’s so awesome, Lisa! Bacon is costly and that brand sounds like a premium one at a bargain price. 👏 Bacon from my experience does really well in the freezer too. Thank you for sharing your great find and for watching!! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Just happened upon your channel in my feed and watched and now subbed. Thanks for sharing the great tips and ideas, you’re amazing. Enjoy the journey 👍🏻👍🏻💜🤗❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👵🏼
When I was a single mom and in college, I used many of the same tricks n tips. I appreciate the fact that you show how to save money, but not by giving up things you like. I have shopped the Dollar Tree and every clearance sale I could find. Also, I don't know how you feel about it, but where I live now there is a store called Discount Freight & Grocery. Items are sometimes passed the Best IF used BY date, but still good to use. I think it's important to realize those dates mean that the items are best if used by the date stamped, but are still usable even after the date on the pkg.
I just found frozen chicken in my freezer yesterday that will be meals for the rest of the week. Your idea about reusing containers is such a good one. I will incorporate this one more in my home. Thank you! 🙂
I always reach in the back for the newly put out products. I don't mind buying discounted meat. They wouldn't sell it if it was going to kill you. I'm a subscriber
Gosh, i wish I had your discipline. You are also super creative too. I saw some of the greeting cards you and your son made and I was amazed. I usually just go to Costco and get our food. I never look for sales at our local grocery stores. It's only two of us too.
🤗 Thank you so much for all your support!! It means so much to me. May I please ask for your name? You can email me at seewendyyt@gmail.com if you feel more comfortable with that. I hope you're having a great week!
Greetings from Europe. I thought that freezer is standard as home equipment. At least for friends and families I know, have freezer. Same as dishwasher or washing machine and tumbledryer. However when do you do your shopping? We are working, my hubbie and me. Each day we leave home at 7 am and come back home at 6 or 7 pm. Our shopping is delivered to home. We do not have time for shopping. The only chance is Saturday morning, farmers market.
Greetings Darina! Your name is very pretty! The freezer is standard I suppose. I was referring to a stand-alone freezer in addition to the ones normally in the kitchen. We work too and I totally understand what you’re saying about having no time to shop. I work from home now so that’s less of an issue. But when I had long hours like you and your husband I’d shop on any one evening after work and that’s how I discovered the markdowns at the stores. Or I’d drive in before work and just store my items in the fridge at work - within reason of course. If I cannot do so during the week, then I do shop Saturday and Sunday mornings. Here farmers markets are during work days and hours so I always miss out. Even if you’re getting your groceries delivered it’s very likely you are saving money over eating out! It’s hard to balance for sure. I wish you success!! Thank you for watching and your great question. I hope that I helped a bit and I hope you are enjoying your weekend!
Hi, I live in the UK and I don’t know much about rubbing alcohol or where I would buy it from, I’ve never seen it in our super markets so which is the best type of shop to look for it please. I am enjoying your videos because who doesn’t like to save money. ..Marian
Hi Marian, I believe it's called "surgical spirit" in the UK. It may be something you'd have to ask for as they seem to store it behind the counter based on what I've read from the internet. I wish you success in finding it! :)
I have a stock up price on meat especially. i keep $50-$100 aside for when it hits rock bottom price and then buy it all. The managers know me and definately get to know the butcher. He/She may have more meat that is to be marked down in the back still. Thanks for the vids!!
I don’t have an extra freezer but I do what I can. I recently got a spiral sliced ham at Kroger that was left over from Easter and marked down to 65cents a pound! We had a nice antipasto salad with some, then I bagged up lots of the meat for future sandwiches. Then I used the bone and more meat and made ham and navy beans in the crock pot. We’ve gotten several meals out of it! And the whole piece was only $5 and change.
I'm so happy you got to take advantage of the after holiday sale, Cheryl! I love hearing about others' great deals. Ham is definitely a very versatile meat to have just as you outlined! So many great meals can be made with that one item. A definite win. Very well done! 🙌
Thank you, Chico for watching! I always appreciate your kind words and support. 😃 I put myself on the waiting list of some of those books you recommended. I hope you have a great weekend!
My mother showed us all 7 kids how to be frugal. Thank you for sharing with all your viewers. I'm can't wait for all my fruits to ripened. To make my jams jellies& this year I will make tomato jam. Me and sister were talking about the thing mom use to make when we were younger. The best thing I liked that her& my aunt would make in extra large coolers is dog relish.
It’s most definitely the way I learned too, Betty! I appreciate so much more now that I’m older the blessings of frugality. Homemade jams and jellies are delicious and very frugal! The relish sounds delicious as well! I’m touched by your stories, Betty! Thank you for sharing these beautiful memories with me! It makes me reminisce as well! Thank you for your lovely comment and for watching. I hope you have a great week!
I understand what you mean by toy. I feel like a lot of appliances feel a bit cheaply made these days. I’m glad to hear that it works to help you preserve food!!
Think of your freezer as a savings account......my new mantra!! Thank u!
💕 I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it enough to make it your mantra....wow! Thank you Tami for your kind words and for watching! I hope you have a great day!
Tami Lewis Great advise ❤️👍🏼
I want to get a Freezer. I only have a small dorm size refrigerator w tiny freezer separate section.
Chop up onions and freeze them that way you can just reach and get what you want to use and you don't have to get the cutting board out every time. Also keeps your onions from ruining. You can do this with bell peppers too.
Thank you for the great tip, Rhonda! I do this sometimes too and you're so right, it's such a time saver. I'll have to try this with bell peppers as well 😃
rhonda blanchard This is what I will start doing - thanks ❤️👍🏼
I freeze bell peppers in strips on baking sheets, then store them in large recycled margarine tubs. Easy to take out what you need as they don’t clump together.
Do they get soggy ? I waste my bell peppers they get ignored in my refrigerator and then I want one and it’s black,yuck. So this is cool idea but do they get soggy?
darcy aits They won’t be as firm as just bought fresh, so I would not use them in salads, but when put in stir fries or chili etc they are perfect.
Love your videos!! Your soft voice is so calm and soothing. Thanks for all your tips. Money mom sent me here :)
Aww thank you very much! My voice is of my biggest insecurities actually so I'm surprised when someone comments positively in it. I appreciate your kind words very much! I just love Money Mom and her channel. Thank you for visiting, watching and commenting!! I hope you have a great day!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist I agree with the previous commenter, your voice is one of the reasons I subbed. I can't stand abrasive, over-the-top voices on TH-cam.
Your voice soothes me! I’ve been binge watching and even though I have 6 kids these tips are so useful to me! Thank you.
I'm so happy to hear you are getting some value from my videos and can apply some to your life! I love your thumbnail showing all your kids! 😍 Thank you for your kind words and support they mean a lot to me! I hope you have a great day!
DeVore Wild I agree with you. She has a soothing voice and a sweet face
After I flooded during Hurricane Katrina... my fridge had fallen over but my deep freeze still worked. We had lost so much that we couldn't get another fridge. I froze milk and eggs in my deep freeze. We lived that way for about 5 months until someone gave us a fridge. I never thought those things could freeze but they were fine.
I'm so sorry to hear about your fridge but am glad to hear about your deep freezer still working! Yes most things can be frozen and still be very good when thawed. I'm sorry you had to learn this in such a hard way though but happy things turned out alright!
This is funny, i just read on another video-frugal minimalst. That not to buy a deep freezer if you live in a hurricane area. Because you could lose power and end up with a stinky mess. Someone wrote that. But, in your case it all worked out. Good for you. Guess its a chance you have to take to buy one or not.
Thank you for all your tips I appreciate you taking the time out to share with us. Have a good day🧚♂️🧚♂️
Your voice is so beautiful and calming. Great info...thank you ❤️
Thank you for your very kind words, Alexandra :)
A tip I learned from a dairy farmer..whole milk last longer, is more stable, and has longer experation dates!! If you can only get to the store once a month, (like a few folks on snap I have known, that dont own a car) buy the whole milk you need for the month, (find the ones with the furtherest out date), and keep it at the back of your fridge...half and half also has a very long shelf life!!
Also, if you prefer 2%, 1% or skim or fat free milk, you can just buy while milk and dilute it accordingly with water to get the taste you prefer. Sure, the nutritional values will be slightly lower, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do to get by. I would wait to dilute it till right before using it to take advantage of the longer shelf life of the whole milk.
I'm so glad I found your channel this morning. I've already subscribed, and soon as I can I'll be back to binge watch!
And half and half has a LONG SHELF. LIFE. Very stable.
My chest freezer is definitely one of my best frugal tools. I've never thought of it as a savings account before, but I love it!!
If I have more food in a can, like tomato sauce, I freeze the 3xtra in an ice cube tray, and when frozen put them in a bag in freezer. Also lemons and limes that are about done.
Great tips!! I like the ice cube idea because that will give you nice pre-measured chunks and not wasting the leftovers. Love it!! Thank you very much for sharing and I hope you have a great weekend!
I didnt know you could freeze limes and lemons. Thanks for the tip
Well you got to watch it cause freezers can either stop working or gets overcrowded by ice and sometimes if you dont eat what's in there you might end up with freezer burnt food that wont taste too good..
This is very true, Gaylene! We do try to go through all the foods in a reasonable amount of time and it does help a lot with that. Thank you again for all your great tips! I hope you're having a great week 😃
True scenario from baker at grocery store:
first customer was in rush, stumbled, and cake was smashed. Furious and demanded new one now since the customer was still in the store. We had to comply so we gave that customer an old discount cake to make them happy.
Second customer was flustered and not focused. Dropped the cake still in store. Few deep breaths and apologizing to us the bakers and asked us very nicely if there was anything we could to help. Manners and polite. Our baker went to cooler for today's fresh cake, personally decorated it, and calmed customer down.
The bakers go all day with demanding and complaining customers. To hear manners, kindness, or thank you note go a very long way for both parties.
Oh goodness I’m so sorry you had to deal with customers like that! It’s just not right or excusable on any level. I agree respect and kindness are just plain good and should be a standard!!
If it weren't for the *Whoo-Hoo!* sticker at my Kroger there'd be many meat items that I wouldn't be buy. Yes-only buy what you can use- words to live by. I just recently found out you can freeze potatoes! (Par-boiled first of course) That helped me make use of a 10lb bag of potatoes for $1.25!!🤗
I totally get what you mean, Calisa! My husband is a big meat eater and if it weren't for those stickers he'd be a sad man 😂 That's so great to hear about potatoes - I wouldn't have thought of that, but it makes so much sense because they sell shredded frozen potatoes! Thanks very much for that tip! I hope you're having a great week!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist I try my best to add in some meatless meals but that only goes so far. Just boiled a batch of be 'taters tonight as of matter of fact! You have a good rest the week too. 🤗
Ooh, I never thought to find a way to freeze potatoes. I'm gonna have to look into that. I'm always motivated to use them all up, but rarely do.
Wish we had a Kroger they closed down about 3 years ago so sad loved all the good Mark downs they use to have and the 10fpr 10 or 5 for 5 mix and match. The closes one to us now is an hour and a half !
❤️ the tips! When you find a good deal at any store, or when it's cheaper to buy the larger size but you can't use it all up, consider sharing with a friend or neighbor. These days we can all use a little "Care Package", even if it's a couple of potatoes, carrots and an onion for a soup.
This is such a fabulously awesome tip, Teresa! Spreading the great deals amongst friends and neighbors will bring so much good to everyone involved and make the world a much better place! 👍🤗💕
You’re AMAZING‼️ ♥️ your frugal tips🌻🍓🍒🌸🏕🌿🙏🏼🪴
Love your silliness near ends of your videos.. Quite unique and fun style u have! i love your style and topics!!!! 🥰👍 thx for all your hard work!
Haha I'm so glad you enjoyed that part, Caet! I'm always trying to try new things with videos . Thank you so much for watching! 😃
Haha yea loved the command strips story. I find myself doing those types of things!!
I work at a grocery chain and with few exceptions used to get the best deals on meat in the morning during the week and on the last day of the sales flyer. If an item had been over shipped and undersold then they usually will reduce the price even lower. Since meat is often a "loss leader" to get people to come in, the savings can be substantial on the last day. Try to shop on wednesday if the flyer ends on thursday etc. Deals can be had. Also, keep an eye for inventory tags being placed around the store. If the company is doing inventory soon they will often clear out excess inventory in the back room and freezers before they count. Check back each day and see whats being cleared out. Love your videos
I'll share my best tip. During the early 70's I was stationed in el paso. My wife and I only had fifty dollars a month for food. Each month I'd go to the grocery store and buy a center cut ham and have it sliced into half inch slices. It would provide fourteen or more meals for the two of us. I'd also buy hamburger meat and dried beans. What money was left went to vegetables and a bit of chicken and pork chops. By the end of the month we were out of most everything but ham, hamburger, dried beans but we never were completely out of food. Unfortunately many of todays grocery stores no longer want to slice up hams but it really stretches out the meat and there's almost no waste as the ends can be used to season the dried beans.
Thank you for this great tip! It sounds like you ate very well for very little money. Ham is a great meal stretcher indeed and very versatile. Now that Easter is almost upon us, maybe you can score some after holiday hams on markdown! I know I'll be looking out for those. I hear you on the butchers lessening their services 😰 but I've seen some already cut spiral hams after Easter marked down to very good prices so I hope you can find some! They do freeze very well 👍
You know you ought a get some those tv meal type trays and make freezer meals so when it's too tiring or hot or busy you can just smack it into a nuke box and a nice meal is ready in a few minutes.
@@gaylenewood7707 I've seen a lot of people do that so that they can save time and effort but for some of us cooking and then enjoying a fresh meal is more important. While I was in the service I didn't have a freezer at that time beyond the small one on the fridge and it did well to hold a months meats and a bit of ice. I'm old enough to remember my grandmother not having a refrigerator at all. Every day she'd walk to the grocery store and purchase a piece of meat to cook for that evenings meal. For someone who works and wants to save a few minutes tv meals are okay but I prefer fresh greens and other fresh vegetables at meal time. I do keep some frozen vegetables on hand for those times I run out of fresh but I try to shop once or twice a week to always have some fresh vegetables on hand for dinner every night. Now that I'm retired cooking is not a chore but a hobby to be enjoyed and a way to show my wife how much I appreciate her by cooking a meal she can enjoy every day.
I'm going to age myself, but here's my best deal ever: When dishwasher tablets/pods were introduced to the market, they really didn't take off. They were priced pretty high, and people weren't used to using such things. So the manufacturers issued coupons LOTS of $1 off 1 box coupons, which many stores doubled to $2. That made a box of dishwasher tablets only 16 cents! The coupons were good for 6 months and were EVERYWHERE, in Sunday papers, mailers, blinky light machines, etc. Over the course of 6 months, I stockpiled enough boxes to last my family 5 YEARS. (No, I never cleared a shelf) . My husband thought I was nuts, I had them stashed in every nook and cranny! It was a sad, sad day when I used the very last of my penny pods
:(
I hear you. The tablets you bought probably had TSP in them making them very effective at cleaning. That ingredient is banned in consumer cleaners now.
Last week I was blessedly given a ton of produce. But too much too consume in a short time. Havn't yet gotten the dehydrator on my wishlist. Decided to blanch a few test batches of carrots&broccoli. Then freeze. Suprisingly it was a fairly easy task. The 'blanching' removes the enzymes or something like that, so when consumed, doesn't make it taste better. I used to just freezerbag off broccoli but got frostbite and overall not interested in it when I needed it. Blanching for freezing way much better!
Free produce is awesome, Jenny and I'm so happy to hear you found the blanching technique to work so well for you! Another viewer said the same technique works on potatoes and they freeze very well this way. I have yet to try it!
I experimented one day with limited but doable equipment. And the broccoli and carrot batches came out ok. I froze and after a month, they were soft and looking and tasting fresh. Will stick to this method and also want to try dehydrating. Potatoes I wasn't aware of but now I know also what ti do with them now!
I got a dehydrator off Craigslist on the advise of Homestead Tessie & so have a lot of fruits & veggies saved not only in the freezer but dried too. Great for cleaning out/saving your old produce from the fridge. Saves room, lightweight, & great to have emergency food on hand. Thanks Melanie 👩
I remember Homestead Tessie, shes very informative. And I've owned a dehydration machine for years. Apples are the best in the fall.
Always use a shopping list and stick to it. I keep a notepad by the bed and in my purse.
I'm glad this works for you! I tend to just go for the super deals and plan around those. Generally we end up eating the same dishes but by different brands 😅
Also I'll say that as a previous baker I don't like discounting the bread and baked goods for the public as demanding by store owners. Why? We would give it to charity first before. Now it goes to discount than charity which really advances spoilage.
I’d love for less food waste and for surplus to go to those who truly need it as well! You offer an interesting perspective that I’ve not thought of before. I always thought I was helping to prevent waste by buying the close to expiry foods but perhaps that is driving owners to not donate in hopes of making more money. 🤔
I would definitely do the bonus tip but my husband doesn't like the idea of eating frozen meat that has been in the freezer for a long time.
Aww, have you tried doing a taste test? Maybe that would sway him...along with the money savings 😃. I wish you success in swaying him! Thank you for watching and I hope you have a great rest of the week!
Don't tell him.
You have to rotate it, like anything else. I date everything and we look through often to use whatever is getting older.
It sure feels nice to walk past expensive meat knowing I have the same thing waiting in my freezer that I paid 1/2 or less for. 😆
Yea..what Sherry said.. don't tell him 😄
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
This video was so inspiring!! Thank you for sharing!
That makes me so happy to hear. Thank you for your kind words!
My preferred store (Demoulas, for my fellow New Englanders who know what I'm talking about) has non-perishable shelving area in the back of the store, and the marked down meats are interspersed with the regular meats. I don't think I EVER see marked down dairy, I should ask about that. But I have not paid full price for meats in years. I buy only on sale or clearance. Great tip about being friendly with the workers to get the heads up!
Thank you for sharing! I'm a fan of all markdown areas and I hope you do find the dairy ones!! It's rare to find great deals on those but I love it when I can buy say cottage cheese and freeze for the future. I try to do the same with meats too those are always so expensive. Thank you very much for visiting, watching and commenting! I hope you have a great weekend! May you find many markdowns!! 😂
Wow! Never thought about freezing cottage cheese! I can't tell you how much I've thrown out because it got old. I'm going to buy the largest tubs I can find now and freeze what I don't eat immediately in cheap, fold lock top sandwich baggies ($1at Dollar Tree for 150 of um!) to stack flat in the freezer.
ps, I prefer eating it really cold, eating frozen (at least partially) sounds pretty good, too. And I can just put my pears (my favorite) in the baggie, eat it and toss the cheap baggie. Instant portion control!
It's a win, win, win, win, win situation!
U r the best thanks
I just found your channel. I really like your videos. My family is stationed overseas in Asia and we have a lot in common. I hit the mark down produce, bakery items and meat sometimes because that can get sketchy here.
Thank you so much for your kind words! That’s good you know what to look for. Yes they can be very sketchy sometimes but it helps to develop the eye to find the gems out there. I’m glad you found what works for you! Thank you very much for watching and I hope you’re having a great day!
"The thrill of the hunt"....how AMAZING label for frugality! Bravo!well done! I about to retire.... and I am so grateful to have met you!thank you for sharing your tips and life.
Congratulations on retiring soon! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the video and I'm glad you're here! Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching. I hope you have a great day!
Can I mince raw garlic and freeze it?
Yes! I do this all the time. Batch chop them and freeze! Makes it a little easier to cook this way :)
@@TheFrugalMinimalist Thanks!!! I have a pound or so that I grew last summer that I don't want to go to waste. I've already planted all I have room for.
Your videos are so helpful especially with the pendemic that we are going through
Your last point is so right! People stock up on a good deal and then have just piled of junk. And what's worse is that the next person that maybe actually needed those pantiliners misses out on a deal. If you can't use it, or if you don't have a plan for it, leave it on the shelf and keep moving. For example, I found a coupon that made so e cans of dogfood really cheap. I don't have any dogs, but I had read about how some people were buying up dogfood to put in the blessing boxes around town. These are like wooden boxes with a latch that you could leave food or other items and then people could go in and get things without having to go to an actual pantry. People also need things like pet food and femenine products. So I took my cheap cans of dogfood, my free pantiliners and some boxes of Mac n cheese to from off at the pantry. But I didn't buy every can of dog food and hoard up my house. Be strategic with your purchases and your budget.
Where have you been?
I miss your posts.
Hope all is well with you.
I found your channel when we went on lockdown in 2020 and I absolutely love it. I learned so much about grocery shopping, batch cooking, saving $, and much more. I loved seeing your son involved in this journey. Most of all you made it OK for me to be frugal. Thank you 💕
Many blessings for you and your family.
July 3 I purchased about 50 ribeye steaks. I believe I paid approximately 1/3 the normal price. On a regular basis I buy French bread and Italian bread. The lowest I have managed to purchase it for is $.35 a loaf. Most of the time I get it for $.50 a loaf. I put it in my freezer and when I am ready to eat it I put the oven on 350° for approximately 15 minutes. It comes out tasting freshly baked. I have always purchased reduced or clearance milk. I have never had any spoiled milk. If you choose to freeze it remove approximately one cup out of every single gallon. It will better assist for the bottle not to break. I constantly buy cakes, pies, and donuts on the clearance rack. Are usually get it for approximately 1/3 the price. If you are planning on buying a freezer check energy star appliances. If you need to upgrade or replace your television go to the big box store and ask what they have in the store room that is on clearance. You usually get a television at half the normal price. You could do the same thing for cameras and other electronics. Buy summer clothes in winter and winter clothes in summer. If your grocery store has a terrific price on meat you will actually eat, tried to buy five times more than you usually would purchase. If you are constantly buying in bulk when the price is right you will have a nice variety of food. Today I cooked black beans. I cooked approximately 2 pounds. I divided the beans into four containers. One will be tomorrow’s meal and the three others will be used in the near future. I package it to be slightly less than we need to eat. If I feel we cannot fill our stomachs with the amount I saved, I cook one bag of vegetables as a side dish. Vegetables are much cheaper then a meat dish and also much more healthier. My grocery bill is approximately $265 every four weeks. This is for two people plus any visitors we have in the house. We virtually never eat out. And my husband comes home to eat lunch. And sometimes he brings his friend.
Thank you so much! Your comment steals my frugal heart. Thank you so much for sharing your frugal ways! I agree on so many levels and do a lot of what you do as well. I especially like your tip to ask for store room clearance items. I'll have to use that some time. Your comment can definitely be turned into a frugal tips video. 😂💪
The Frugal Minimalist
I’m actually an expert at this. I am disabled and the disability insurance tries to starve me once in a while. LOL I can honestly tell you I have just about every necessity bought in bulk. If you go onto Amazon and type up 72 Colgate toothbrushes you will find that you can buy that in bulk for approximately $26. I can share this information because personally I own approximately 500 toothbrushes. I have absolutely no trinket in my house. there is a product called Steramine. It is a tablet you Dissolve in water to use as a cleaning supply. I bought some very nice spray bottles that are 32 ounces. I put hot water in the bottle with one of these tablets a few drops of dawn dishwashing liquid and about a tablespoon of Spartan airlift fresh scent. I use this for general cleaning throughout my house on a daily basis. It comes out to approximately five cents per bottle.
Steramine Case - 6 bottles of 150 Steramine Sanitizing tablets $35.79
Good morning lovely frugal friend, :-)
some of these tips don't work for me because I only eat meat about 50% of the time period. And I get grass-fed organic stuff.. Plus it's just me I'm retired and single so an appraiser wouldn't be an advantage for me because the stuff with freezer burn before I could ever get to it so anyway I take I take what I can in whatever doesn't work it doesn't matter because all your tips are great thank you so much dear!!
🤩🤗
Hi Theda, I've been very behind on comments and am just able to catch up now. Thank you so much for all your support with my videos. I'm glad that the tips are enjoyable for you! Thank you again for all your kind words and support. they mean very much to me 🙏😃
Theda Renee Williams I too am retired and single, and since I also buy grass-fed beef, organic chicken, etc, when I do buy those things I break the packages into recipe-size (1/2 to 3/4 lb) and wrap them in freezer paper, then in freezer bags. It takes a bit of time and effort, but the savings over the course of a year using my small, chest freezer this way have been enormous.
I want the Command Strips! :-) Love them and use them.
That’s awesome, Gigihonee! Are you in the States? I can send some to you! 😍. Thank you for watching and all your support! I hope you’re having a great weekend!!
Thank you so much for these clever tips! Your voice is so soothing. I just bought a freezer, can't wait to try these ideas for freezing and storage! 👍
Good advice on using the freezer. Can't freeze sour cream; it separates. Fruit, veg, eggs, other dairy all good.
Shopping at store opening has amazing advantages!1- it’s empty and 2- many types of meat etc are half price!!!
Frozen doesnt mean "healthy" Please take time to store in proper container, as the frozen process may distroy the nutrient of the food and we may be left only with all the antibiotics and pesticides. What good is there if we save money on grocery, only to spend it on health bill. Be smart! Save health!
Definitely guilty myself of buying more than I can utilise reasonably and foisting it off on other people! Useful good stuff like medicine, but still, it's not frugal if you do it on someone else's behalf i guess!
Great tips! I just subscribed to your channel, look forward to learning more❤️
That makes me so happy to hear, Deb! Thank you for your kind words, for watching and your support! I hope you have a great day!
This is true regarding mark downs prior to holidays, look at dumpster diving videos, these divers get all the items that didn’t sell so get to the store before it’s dumped at closing time, or of course you can always look in the dumpster later lol
Money Mom was right! You have wonderful ideas to share. I subscribed!
Thank you for your kind words, visiting and your support! I'm a huge Money Mom fan. I hope you have a great weekend!
Great video! Very helpful ❤️
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you for your kind words and for watching! I hope you have a great rest of the week!
Last Thanksgiving I found cans of pure pumpkin for 19 cent each. normally each can is 1 dollar. I bought 30 cans
That is a sweet deal on pumpkin, Cassie!! I would have loaded up on those too! That is such a great ingredient to have on hand. 😍. I love hearing about great deals thank you for sharing and for watching! I hope you’re having a great weekend!!
I'm jealous....i love making pumpkin bread with them...but so expensive where I live ...like 2.50minimum
You are so funny, in a low key way. Thanks for the low volume videos and the great tips.
So thoughtful, so simple and so frugal! Thanks again.
'The thrill of the hunt.' That's a cool way of changing perception/perspective so that 'frugal' minimal living isn't actually lacking or doing without. It makes it adventurous rather than an ascetic chore. Once again, thank you! xxx
You’re very welcome! 😃 It definitely helps me when I change my perspective and yes it can be adventurous and satisfying as well!! Wins all around 🙌
Command Strips are great. They will come in hand one day :).
My local health food store has wonderful deals on organic meats/frozen and produce during the year - things like eggs around Easter, overstock fresh strawberries when the harvest is in, etc. My regular grocery store has sales plus online coupons, so I can sometimes get 60% or more off a sale item for something I eat regularly. And the Grocery Outlet has wonderful deals on expired items first thing in the morning - so even their regular lowered prices have a discount. And they also carry organic - I've found discounted organic, grass-fed butter on a BOGO. Love deals like that.
That is excellent to hear! Many including myself have issues paying higher prices for organics. You are proving that there are great deals to be had out there! Smart shopping for higher quality foods is just wins all around. 🙌. The butter sounds like such a score!! Butter freezes well but you already know that. 😉. Thank you so much for sharing I love deals whether they are my own or others. Saving money is just awesome. Thank you for your great comment and for watching. I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Great video! Thanks for the tips, I'm gonna check out the clearance rack next time I go to the store 👍😊
Minimalist Smile Thank you and good luck!! I hope you find some great deals! Please share if you do! 🤗
If you still have the commander strips you can send to me I’ll use them
Thank you for your knowledge, love your videos.
Love your channel ❤️ awesome tips 👍
That makes me so happy to hear, thank you Dayana! 💕 I hope you're having a great week!
I really like the freezer idea.... But its hard to convince my husband. I'm also concerned about higher electric bills & food waste (freezer burn, buying more than we can use or the random power outage). I love the idea of shopping less often & being able to stock up at the lower price.
Any suggestions?
Newer freezers are MUCH MORE efficient. Buying a cheap older used one, will suck almost double the power!
Aww yes there will be a higher usage for sure on the electricity. For freezer burn we have not had issues there actually and I don't do much special to store meats. I do try to use them within months though. Power outages can for sure be an issue for greater than a few days. So if you have those the freezer won't likely be a good idea. Other than a freezer I can only really see dehydration as an alternative for you to stock up on meats. The benefit here is they will take up less space! I'll think about this more and let you know if I think of anything else! Thank you so much for watching and I hope you have a great weekend!
I keep two big FDA approved ice packs that my meals from Medicaid come in (i am disabled) in our deep freeze...those combined with wrapping a heavy quilt around your freezer during power outs will help. Make sure to always unplug your deep freeze and fridge with power outs...the intial surge of power being restored can fry your freezer.
Well look energy star rated freezer and btw having an newer fridge and freezer will help lower your electric bill quite a bit and also having a bbq grill outside you ought a cook outside during the warm or hot days instead of inside cause the heat from the stove makes your home hot and also it makes your ac.work harder to keep you cool..
Get a food saver machine
FREEZER NIGHTMARE ALERT:
Earlier this summer I went to my trusty 23 cu ft chest freezer, only to discover it had DIED, sometime during the previous 2 weeks or so. I had been using it down and thought I was doing well, but in truth I probably threw out $300 or so in meat and products I didn't even know I had. It would have made the perfect crime scene. I gagged my way through the clean up, and then had a terrible time trying to find how to dispose of the freezer. The trash wouldn't take it away unless it was tagged that freon was removed by a certified person. The local junk yard required no tag, but freon removed, and I would have to haul (and hurl) 20 miles to get it there. My electric company would have paid me $50 if it was still working (it was not). Or for an extra $20, Lowes hauled it away. Best $20 ever spent. I downsized, and now keep an inventory sheet of contents so nothing gets wasted again.
I could have turned it in to my homeowner's insurance for a bit of coverage, but I'm always worried doing so will raise my rates.
I am so sorry you had to experience that! I would have spent the $20 too. Good on you for being proactive! Inventories are a bit of work to maintain but are sooo worth it!!
Love your tips! Here's a good one: stop eating MEAT products. You will...
1) Prevent digestive problems, inflammation, and colon cancer
2) Help the environment and
3) Save lots of money $$
I tend to agree with you, Laura! I'm vegetarian myself and have tried vegan but that's tougher for me. My husband and son eat meat. I try to limit it but it's their preference. You can lead the horse to water, but you can't make him drink type of thing. Thank you for your great comment and for watching! I hope you're having a great day!
Hi wendy,its been a long time you dont vlog.
Look up discount grocery and markets for your area or city. If I go when the train delivery comes to the produce terminal, it's 4 A.M., but a group of friends purchase cases and divide. Bread factories often have a discount sales at their locations. If you can buy livestock at auction and fish at dock; there's processing nearby who may charge very small amount for storage.
That is a great tip to buy direct from factories, auctions and docks. Sounds like a great way to get fresher foods and cut out the middle man. We tend to go more toward discount grocery stores ourselves but it’s great to know this option. I’ll check it out in our area. Thank you!
I have found a gallon of chocolate milk that was marked down to $1.27. I bought 3 gallons. Poured a gallon in various pop bottles with lids and then froze them. Another gallon I poured into quart freezer bags and sealed them up and laid them out on a frozen sheet metal tray in the freezer. As long as they are thawed out under cold running water or in the fridge should be OK to consume.
Such a great find on the milk!! Milk is awesome frozen. My niece says she can taste a difference between previously frozen and fresh but we can’t! 😅
Freezer as a savings account - that has to be quote of the day! I love your channel and your help and advice. Thank you!
I’m glad you liked that one! I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for watching :)
I would like to buy a freezer but I don't know if I should get the box or the upright. Do you think there is a difference? Some say the box freezes more uniformly.
I've heard the box freezers are
Cold to dig down in so you'll be reluctant to get to the bottom. Hence foods gets overlooked/ freezer burn. I personally have an upright. My second 1. I regularly move things up 1 shelf. Oldest on top shelf. When I go on long trips I put moving pads over the top & 3 sides. NEVER on back or bottom. Any empty space is filled with bottles of water(ice) If there is a power outage good chance everything will still be ok when I get home
Great tips. Make total sense. Thank you
Thank you!! 🤗
I love the thrill of the hunt for grocery savings too! I wrote a post with all my tips for spending less on groceries: frugalminimalistkitchen.com/spend-less-on-groceries/ I've actually subtly followed the mark down guy once or twice lol!! Markdown stickers for the win!
That is too funny. I may have done similar stalking in the past as well. 😂 I will check out your blog thank you so much for sharing it with me!! 💕
@@TheFrugalMinimalist Thanks for your valuable videos! I'm so glad I found your channel :)
Do you where a minimal uniform wardrobe? Can you make a video thanks
I’ve never thought of it that way. I do wear a set of clothes depending on circumstance. Thank you very much for this idea, Jessie!
really enjoyed listerning to your common sense and wisdom , keep it up , thanks.
Thank you for your very kind words and for watching. I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Yes! I buy marked down meat at the grocery store and vacuum seal it to keep it in the freezer longer. The vacuum sealer was a good investment, but the bags are rather expensive. I most often use it just for meat because that's the most expensive thing I buy. Thank you for these tips!
Danise Smith you could always wash and reuse them. It might be a pain but it’s less expensive and doesn’t end up in the landfill.
@@MichelleJ1822 Brilliant idea! I'll definitely wash and reuse. Thanks!!!
Money mom sent me over. Love your channel. Thanks for your information. Rhonda
Thank you for visiting, Rhonda! I'm a huge Money Mom fan. Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching! I hope you have a great weekend!
Enjoy your videos, lots of good info. Thanks !!!!What I see people do is use those expensive zip bags. I buy a bulk box of 1000 plastic bags they are thinner than a bread bag and really conform to the items to keep out freezer burn. They are easy to submerge in some water to get a good seal as well. I find the meat in the trays don't keep as long as meat sold in the plastic tubes. But of course it is all about the price point.😁🌞
I'm so happy to hear you're enjoying my videos! I agree, those zip bags are expensive and like you say unnecessary. Those bags sound very useful..is there a brand to them and where do you buy them? For the majority of my freezing purposes I use really thin flip top sandwich bags and place them in freezer bags that I reuse over and over again. Seems to work well to prevent freezer burn and saves a bit of money. True, the meat in trays don't last as long for me either, so I tend to go through those more quickly. The tube meats in my house get eaten too quickly to freezer burn 😂. Thank you for all these tips! I love frugal talk 🤑 Thank you for watching and I hope you have a. great weekend!
@@TheFrugalMinimalist Still loving your videos!!!Sorry for the delay in answering. It is gardening season here in South Texas. It is always a rush to get everything planted so we can harvest before the 90ish degree weather sets in. The bags are Get Reddi Food Storage Bags PB0880418R 1000 per pack for around $25.00. My last box lasted 6 years so I consider that a bargain. They have all sizes and I use the 8x4x18 but the smaller ones work well for the freezer. Just be careful when ordering because some are the off white crinkle plastic. The ones I get are clear and very conforming. Only reason I ordered larger ones this time is because I had trouble getting my homemade bread to fit in the next size down.
That's my whole problem, i can't keep the money in the bank😂😂😂
I'm sorry to hear! I'm not a personal finance person, but there are so many money saving strategies out there like Dave Ramsey and Mr. Money Mustache I know are really popular here on TH-cam. Maybe some of those can help? I wish you success, friend!! I appreciate you watching and I hope you're having a great week!
I so agree with the extremes shopping tips! Thanks for sharing!! -Jan
It does help a lot to get all those markdowns on the high priced items. Thank you again for your kind words 💕
Great video! Money mom sent me and I subscribed. You're awesome!
Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind words and support! I'm so happy to hear you enjoy them. Money mom is the best! I hope you have a great weekend!
I love ur videos you actually come up with NEW ideas so many frugal channels are repeating the same ideas over and over boring and you always have ideas I never thought of and I've been working on being frugal for over 20 years xoxo so thankyou for sharing fresh ideas and I love your humor ;)
Wright’s bacon is normally 11.99 for 1 1/2 pounds at our local Kroger. It was on sale for 5.99. I bought 15 packs over a two week period and froze them. Love your channel and tips. Thanks.
That’s so awesome, Lisa! Bacon is costly and that brand sounds like a premium one at a bargain price. 👏 Bacon from my experience does really well in the freezer too. Thank you for sharing your great find and for watching!! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Your freezer is HUGE!
Also a video on your favorite frugal youtubers
You are full of great video ideas! 😃. Thank you I’ll definitely work on planning these for the future!
These are really great tips and all make so much sense! Great video. 😀
I'm so glad! Thank you so much!! 😃
Just happened upon your channel in my feed and watched and now subbed. Thanks for sharing the great tips and ideas, you’re amazing. Enjoy the journey 👍🏻👍🏻💜🤗❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👵🏼
I like the meat markdown idea! I always wondered how to tell when they would markdown the meat 😊
I'm so glad it could help! Thanks for watching and I hope you're having a great week! 😃
When I was a single mom and in college, I used many of the same tricks n tips. I appreciate the fact that you show how to save money, but not by giving up things you like. I have shopped the Dollar Tree and every clearance sale I could find. Also, I don't know how you feel about it, but where I live now there is a store called Discount Freight & Grocery. Items are sometimes passed the Best IF used BY date, but still good to use. I think it's important to realize those dates mean that the items are best if used by the date stamped, but are still usable even after the date on the pkg.
I just found frozen chicken in my freezer yesterday that will be meals for the rest of the week. Your idea about reusing containers is such a good one. I will incorporate this one more in my home. Thank you! 🙂
I always reach in the back for the newly put out products. I don't mind buying discounted meat. They wouldn't sell it if it was going to kill you. I'm a subscriber
Great video
I too would have bought many command hooks... at least they won't go off. Great tips...
You can can milk too. To free up freezer spaces
Ooh a very great tip, Betty. Thank you for that great tip and for watching! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Gosh, i wish I had your discipline. You are also super creative too. I saw some of the greeting cards you and your son made and I was amazed. I usually just go to Costco and get our food. I never look for sales at our local grocery stores. It's only two of us too.
Good video! Thanks
Thank you! 💕
I love all your tips & trades I’m listening haha!
Thank you for those tips!
Thanks for watching!
Love ya, girl!
🤗 Thank you so much for all your support!! It means so much to me. May I please ask for your name? You can email me at seewendyyt@gmail.com if you feel more comfortable with that. I hope you're having a great week!
Greetings from Europe. I thought that freezer is standard as home equipment. At least for friends and families I know, have freezer. Same as dishwasher or washing machine and tumbledryer. However when do you do your shopping? We are working, my hubbie and me. Each day we leave home at 7 am and come back home at 6 or 7 pm. Our shopping is delivered to home. We do not have time for shopping. The only chance is Saturday morning, farmers market.
Greetings Darina! Your name is very pretty! The freezer is standard I suppose. I was referring to a stand-alone freezer in addition to the ones normally in the kitchen. We work too and I totally understand what you’re saying about having no time to shop. I work from home now so that’s less of an issue. But when I had long hours like you and your husband I’d shop on any one evening after work and that’s how I discovered the markdowns at the stores. Or I’d drive in before work and just store my items in the fridge at work - within reason of course. If I cannot do so during the week, then I do shop Saturday and Sunday mornings. Here farmers markets are during work days and hours so I always miss out. Even if you’re getting your groceries delivered it’s very likely you are saving money over eating out! It’s hard to balance for sure. I wish you success!! Thank you for watching and your great question. I hope that I helped a bit and I hope you are enjoying your weekend!
Hi, I live in the UK and I don’t know much about rubbing alcohol or where I would buy it from, I’ve never seen it in our super markets so which is the best type of shop to look for it please. I am enjoying your videos because who doesn’t like to save money. ..Marian
Hi Marian, I believe it's called "surgical spirit" in the UK. It may be something you'd have to ask for as they seem to store it behind the counter based on what I've read from the internet. I wish you success in finding it! :)
I have a stock up price on meat especially. i keep $50-$100 aside for when it hits rock bottom price and then buy it all. The managers know me and definately get to know the butcher. He/She may have more meat that is to be marked down in the back still. Thanks for the vids!!
That's awesome that you keep the money aside and that the managers know you. That's definitely the way to go for huge savings 🙌👍
Thank you! You are motivating me!
I don’t have an extra freezer but I do what I can. I recently got a spiral sliced ham at Kroger that was left over from Easter and marked down to 65cents a pound! We had a nice antipasto salad with some, then I bagged up lots of the meat for future sandwiches. Then I used the bone and more meat and made ham and navy beans in the crock pot. We’ve gotten several meals out of it! And the whole piece was only $5 and change.
I'm so happy you got to take advantage of the after holiday sale, Cheryl! I love hearing about others' great deals. Ham is definitely a very versatile meat to have just as you outlined! So many great meals can be made with that one item. A definite win. Very well done! 🙌
Great tips. Tfs
Thank you, Chico for watching! I always appreciate your kind words and support. 😃 I put myself on the waiting list of some of those books you recommended. I hope you have a great weekend!
My mother showed us all 7 kids how to be frugal. Thank you for sharing with all your viewers. I'm can't wait for all my fruits to ripened. To make my jams jellies& this year I will make tomato jam. Me and sister were talking about the thing mom use to make when we were younger. The best thing I liked that her& my aunt would make in extra large coolers is dog relish.
It’s most definitely the way I learned too, Betty! I appreciate so much more now that I’m older the blessings of frugality. Homemade jams and jellies are delicious and very frugal! The relish sounds delicious as well! I’m touched by your stories, Betty! Thank you for sharing these beautiful memories with me! It makes me reminisce as well! Thank you for your lovely comment and for watching. I hope you have a great week!
I got one of the almost 'toy' dehydrators...any left over vegetable bits get the treatment....put in a jar...ready for later...no waste.
I understand what you mean by toy. I feel like a lot of appliances feel a bit cheaply made these days. I’m glad to hear that it works to help you preserve food!!