I buy whole chicken at $6/pound from my local farm in Southern California, but I don't whine about it. Yes, it's expensive, but it's great quality, I feel good about supporting my community (and these small farmers here are struggling!) and comparing the prices to other states won't do me any good. The point is that by applying your ATTITUDE and resourcefulness to what I do buy, I am able to be less wasteful and spend much less than what I used to! Love your videos and your books!
I love this video. The lesson applies for everything in life, not only buying groceries. ‘Stop being a victim. Stop whining and feeling sorry for yourself.’ So true, so smart. Life isn’t always fair. We must make do with what we can afford. Believe me, it’s more than most people have.
When we were worse than dirt poor I would buy the cheap hotdogs (under $1 at the time) and that did us for 2 meals. They weren't the healthiest option, but it kept us from starving.
You said it right there, "...you are not taking the effort to improve your situation..." yes, it can be hard because you have to alter your errand time/travel. But in the long run it can be done. I just want to thank you for your advice. I love your cookbook. I already make many things from scratch that I was use to growing up so you save money right there. But what I enjoy most from your cookbook is the black and white guides to homemade cleansers/ointments etc. I like it because its all in one book. Thank you for sharing. May you and your family be richly blessed not because of your knowledge but because you CARE to share. :)
LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU ARE SO RIGHT!! I hear the same things all the time from people I know saying "oh woe is me. I have to feed my kids PB&J or certain grocery items cost too much! " I am like "Oh no! It is not hard to feed your family and kids fro less!" You eat whats on sale and in season and look for the best deals wherever you can find them!!
I get frozen fruits and veggies since they are cheaper. I used to be full of excuses like others, but I started watching my portions and realized I was eating way too much before. If you eat smaller amounts, it's cheaper no matter what lol
EVEN COSTCO HAMBUGER IS 3.79 A POUND, COSTCO IS VERY HIGH PRICE ON MEAT. I GO TO A MEXICAN MARKET TO BUY MY MEAT AND ITS THE BEST MEAT I'VE EVER HAD...
it is my experience whenever a person says they can’t afford yaddayadda if you watch them for awhile you’ll see them spending money on non-necessities that could be diverted to the grocery budget. it’s a choice they make. glad you to see you make this video!
I agree! What is affordable is completely subjective. For me, as long as I can have a roof over our heads, pay bills, and have food, we are not poor but others who can't make their annual trip to Disney Land makes them feel destitute.
Another biggie is portion control! As you often say meat should be a condiment. Went to lunch yesterday. 9.00 1/2 pound hamburger. To me it looked gross. I can make a whole meal on a 1/2 pound and have leftovers. Portions nowadays are so huge and we wonder why we have an obesity problem.
Back in the day, certain veggies and fruits were not available because groceries were not as global. You never had corn on the cob in the winter or strawberries! What a delight when it was actually strawberry season, or corn season!
It's hard to believe that people don't know this stuff, but not everyone was blessed to have been raised like this and they just don't know. Thank for spelling it out... this information is important and needs to be taught.
YOU are SOOO correct :) and if they are willing to learn frugality, then they need a gentle frugal teaching friend who can help them stretch that dollar :)
I totally agree with you ladies. One year my grandmother only could afford potatoes to feed her 4 children. She became very creative with fixing potatoes and occasionally she would buy a little meat to mix in with the potatoes. They not only survived that year but they were grateful for the food.
YAY 🙋 Finally someone tells these people to stop whining! When I see fresh fruit on sale I stock up and freeze it in portion size baggies. Same thing with meat and chicken. Load up on chicken thighs. Good video ladies
I agree with you but for one exception: There are those, who due to age, disabilities, illness, etc.. can no longer drive and who are isolated in the rural area with no one to help them. They are dependent on what is available. In my small town of 700 it means a gas station. It carries highly processed, nutritionally poor, and expensive items only. What few fresh produce exists consists of apples and iceberg lettuce (no nutritional value) that is more expensive than the bags of chips. No meats and individual servings of milk only. The only corner grocery store bugged out years ago.
You are so right. I learned to not waste my left over London broil. I may pay 9 dollars for it but you taught me how to get more than one meal out of my meat. We eat our London broil the first night like a regular piece of steak. Now the next night I make steak wraps with the leftover London broil. I sauté onion and pepper and wrap that up in a wrap, which the wraps, onion and pepper cost maybe 3 more dollars but I got 2 decent meals for 12 bucks. And side dishes I always have rice in the pantry. Your friend Kathy from Montgomery NY
Preach on sister! We are so darn blessed to live here..and we all (me included) take for granted those blessings. My son is at basic training and he wrote how excited he was for the chance to get to earn a radio. He is 17 and said "its amazing what we take for granted." Food in this country is abundant.... we just have to be creative and put in some extra effort.
I agree! I live in the UK and a 5min walk from an Asda (same company as Walmart) but although it’s not an expensive supermarket over here, I drive for an extra 10mins to our local Aldi and the local fruit/veg shop and I’ve worked out with my husband that we save around £200 a month doing this! And we get much fresher fruit and veg from the smaller shop without loads of plastic packaging! 😊
While I will never agree with anyone who says Canadian groceries aren't expensive, I DO agree with you ladies that playing the "victim" isn't helpful. Everyone has "something" to deal with. Canadians get a year maternity leave. Canadians have AMAZING healthcare. Our Prime Minister has GREAT hair!😝 I live in a VERY expensive city. I don't have a pity party when I (constantly) see videos where people are feeding 6 people for $400/month. It's irrelevant! I watch videos and instagram and search for ideas that WORK FOR ME. Some things work, some don't. Focus on what you CAN do, and you WILL lower your grocery bill! ❤
Groceries aren't expensive in 'Canada'. I see food prices in the US and they look pretty much the same as in my town. Are you judging prices for all of Canada just based on your city? You do know there are thousands of other cities and towns and several other provinces in Canada aside from your own, don't you? You're like someone who lives in New York City who tells people how expensive all of the US is just because New York is. smh
Sharon MacDougall You clearly didn't understand my comment. It stands and I'm not going to explain it to you. I won't be back to argue with you either.
If you are in Canada, check the Salewhale site and app. It has ALL the grocery flyers, and more, for your area. I am in Ontario, and I do not agree that Canadian groceries are that much more expensive. Tawra is right,people are snobs. They scoff at No Frills and Food Basic(discount grocery stores and these sell the SAME stuff), and want to shop at Sobeys and Loblaws, and then cry that they cannot afford food. I do occasionally go to those stores, BUT only if they offer stuff cheaper than anywhere else, which is rare. And let's not be coy ,we Canadians can EAT . We can stand to trim our portion sizes.
I like this video! I got strawberries on sale two weeks ago at Aldi and made 22 containers of jam for cheap! The berries were $1.29/pint at Aldi, and at the local orchard they were $3.97/pint. Craziness. Peaches are now on sale at Aldi for 99¢/#! I'm going to get some to can. I'm so blessed I have an Aldi and Walmart next to each other. Also, I look ahead at the prices at Walmart, write them down, and go to Aldi first and get anything that is cheaper. I've saved quite a bit doing this. Meat is always cheaper at Aldi but many other things differentiate.
Great video! I just saved on ham and bacon by going to the Save A Lot after dropping my husband off at work in that town. You need to shop around!! Great advice. Thanks again for a great video.
I always search all the ads before I go to the grocery the grocery store(s). I stock up on meat only when it's on sale. Like ground beef, I buy 5lb rolls & that makes 5 meals for us. I too stock up on veggies when there on sale & freeze.
A gal posted on the forum that she needed to save money, but frankly all she liked to eat was berries and wild salmon. Not many ways to slice that. You eat what you can afford! I needed burger for casseroles and tacos, but wasn't finding a sale that week. I ended up with one pound tubes of ground turkey from Walmart. Now, I probably wouldn't try to grill it.....its different in those dishes but not worse. Just different. And a whole bunch cheaper! There is one other problem that should be addressed in a video too. There are food snobs and then there are folks that raise picky eaters. Now, before you blast folks....I WAS one of those picky kids. They did me NO favors by catering to that. Requiring children to eat a bit of whatever is served is not going to kill them. I mean really a spoonful of 12-15 peas....and they throw a fit? You're the adult, you pick the menu within your budget and cook the best you can within it. Kids need to learn to sit up and eat. As a friend said once about those cutesy kid yogurts...."he can eat the yogurt out of a regular cup like the rest of us. He ain't special."
But she wouldn't eat frozen fish or berries. I'm not saying she should compromise but instead realize that those things are not always inexpensive. She was asking how to lower her grocery bill specifically. I won't dignify your "jealous" comment. I have plenty of wild salmon in the freezer....caught by me in my boat...far far more expensive than what you find in the store. I can assure you a dab of frozen ground turkey will not put me in the ground prematurely.
Thanks Ladies,,,, a few weeks ago I discovered how wonderful Alides is!!! So excited to save so much, paying off other debts! You changed my outlook on groceries. Bought 3 books, 2 I gave to my adult children, Thanks again ladies!!!
I live in Canada and this week, chicken legs and tighs are 88cents/lbs. No excuse, even for us sweet canadians ;) LOVE your channel!!! Thank you for everything!
You have to be observant. I used to buy Great Value brand items at Walmart automatically instead of name brands. I noticed one day that a name brand bag of sugar was cheaper then Great Value. So now I always check the others in case they've gone down too. I always try to stay away from name brands but there are 4 or 5 things I'll only buy by brand name. I've found that in some very rare cases cheaper really isn't better.
My husband and I are transitioning to plant based eating and we are actually seeing our grocery bills decrease but we don’t buy a lot of snacks or packaged foods. And yes we are eating a lot more rice and beans. ( though I know They aren’t a favorite in your house) I have converted bean haters with some of my recipes so don’t think all beans are created equal. The problem I see with most people is first they compare their situation with other s and think it can’t be done. Second they never even get off the couch and try. And third they are spending way to much money in the middle of the grocery store where costs are higher not just in price but in health as well. Make it yourself. A great saying from a quilting book I own is “Use it up, wear it out, or make do”. It rings true for saving money and food too! 😉😍
Meat can be really high here in Australia, particularly where I live. I use the cheaper cuts of meat, chicken it’s usually cheapest here youcan often buy for $3 a kilo. That is good value. I can feed a family of 5 with a can of tuna as protein. Which I can buy for about $2 or just over.
Jill's 100% correct. Our nation is a blessed spoiled one. My grandmother raised 5 kids alone when grandad divorced her and shortly after died. So no child support. Oldest was 13, youngest 3 yrs old. Grandma was registered nurse but it was still tough. All kids got jobs by 14 and went to school. They lived in a cheap tiny house on an orange/grapefruit grove. Thank goodness everyone in Miami grew lots of fruits, berries and melons of all kinds. Had chickens for fresh eggs. Didn't eat meat everyday, but every other day. When they bought boloney, they knew take one piece not 2, same with cheese. They had a 'victory' garden grew everything from cabbage to tomatos. To the day mom passed on to Heaven, she loved onion sandwiches. So does my husband. In fact, any and many veggies and greens make great sandwiches. People just need to be proactive, explore, be curious, think. Easy one pan meal, take a whole well seasoned chicken, bake with carrots, onions, garlic, potato's, celery, and radish. We actually prefer radish's baked than plain in salad. Keep up the good work ladies teaching and getting the word out.
Good show again Tawra & Jill. Another way to look at the cost is "how many servings will this make so how much per serving." Like you have said on many of your show look how many meals are in one roast. You don't need to buy the lunch meat that week...you have roast for sandwiches. etc. Have a Blessed day.
Margaret Bedwell I buy chicken breasts at my local grocery store, in what is called a "pick 5." You can get 5 items for $19.99, which equates to $4 per pack. I choose the packs of meat that are HIGHER than $4, because I can get more meat in the package, for less!! I bought 5 last week, with price stickers ranging from $4.79 - $6.50, and only paid $4 per pack. Each pack lasts my family of 5 for 2-4 meals depending on what I cook.
Good job Mary White...there are some chicken recipes out there that you can use 2# of chicken breast (like Brunswick Stew) and it will make a large crock pot full, more than enough for 10 or more servings.
I'm a Californian and people don't know how to shop. I get great prices and if it's not on sale or at a reasonable price I do not buy it . Also I think people over feed their families. I know my mother-in-law whom I love and adore do just that in her home. It blows my mind.
I buy reduced meat all the time, and it is fine, only buy meat and produce in season. I do agree we have to work smarter, and just like couponing, you have to do the work yourself because you are the one in charge. My mom's family lived off of tomatos, corn, and beans from the garden each summer.
PREACH!!!! I hear folks complaining all the time that meat is "so expensive!" at Food Giant (our local chain grocery store), but when I mention (or remind them) that we have another grocery store, a locally-owned U-Save DIRECTLY RIGHT BEHIND THE FOOD GIANT, they say, "I don't like shopping there." Why? I don't understand why folks have negative connotations with small grocery stores?? I have been comparing prices between the two, and I found a few cuts of meat cheaper at the chain grocery store, so I'll get those things that are on sale at the big store, then get my other stuff at the smaller one. Some people are just too lazy. And fruit?? I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices on fresh fruit. If I can't grow it, or get it on sale, or reduced, I don't buy it. Period. Stop being spoiled and feeling "entitled" because you can't afford "organic, non-gmo, fresh, grass-fed" whatever.. if you're complaining about prices, your not in a position, financially, to be choosy. My own family is learning a painful (for them) lesson in "use it up, and make it do, or do with out" because, frankly, we can't afford to spend the ridiculous amount of money we have been on food. So right now they sort of hate me, haha.. they'll live.
I have 7 grocery stores with in five miles of my home I shop all them one of my favs is Aldi and krogers. All ways look for mangers specials on meats bring them home split them up and bag and freeze. You just have to take the time to look For example I have watched for pasta on sale now I have a food grade bucket (38 lbs )of pasta for around $20.00 just dip out what I need and good to go Blessings
With my meat I buy in bulk and separate. For instance I buy the big bag of chicken quarters and separate the legs from thighs. As a family of 4 we can easily get 6 or 7 meals from that for 6 dollars a bag. Just ordered your book, can't wait to get it!!!
Ppl these days always want to be victims. Cry and whine about everything. I can't afford this or that and they will have a cigarette in their hand. Smh
Tina Mitchell...Amen to that. I tire of people crying the blues because this neighbor or thathas so much more than they do and they smoke that cigarette or guzzle that beer. Those aren't free but they don't seem to realize how much is going up in smoke or going down the drain.
I live in northern Canada. I love my no frills. I can get points watch sales and even later buy stuff with the points. They also have imperfection fruit and veggies. They might be small or funny shaped but still tastes good.We buy lots of frozen berries because I can buy 10lb at a time. Mangos this week are on sale . I'll be dehydrating mangos this week. Canada is expensive but you can cut costs.
Amen!!! Plan around what's on sale and what's in season!!! If chuck roast isn't on sale this week guess what, we don't have chuck roast this week! If you live in an area that has a pick-your-own veg/fruit farm, that's a steal! Bagels and English muffins got to be a luxury item that my family loved so I just started making my own. I always have the stuff on hand anyway! Same with pizza. I can't tell you the last time we got a frozen pizza or pizza delivery. Canned tomato sauce is cheap, I always have cheese, all I have to remember to pick up is pepperoni. I also save all my chicken carcasses and veggie scraps and make stock. My last batch yielded over five gallons of stock using stuff that I would have just thrown away and I use it for everything. It just takes some extra planning and effort, and yeah sometimes some sacrifice.
I do the same things, if I have to drive - I have to save at least that much on the sale prices. We had blueberries one time for .88/lb. I went to the store 4 days and bought the limit - 4 lbs. I ended up with about 16 pounds of blueberries. They lasted a very long time for smoothies. I never include cost of my time - I was off work - the time I was shopping isn't wages I was losing by not working.
All great points! We live in So Cal, I buy meat on sale and in bulk. We have 2 dedicated areas in our backyard where we garden and grow as much produce as we can. We added watermelon and cantaloupe to the garden this year. We have a greenhouse that hubby keeps filled with plants to add in year round. I meal plan and buy around store sales and we just make it work!
We have a great number of grocery stores in Canada. Your right look fr the deals. If u have a cell phone download the app Flip, it will give u the sales on all grocery stores. Free flyers come in the mail too. Cheap stores are NO FRILLS , FOOD BASICS , WALMART etc..
I wonder if the chicken breast phenomenon was a ploy by the chicken processors to get people to spend more on their product. Grocery stores are designed to get us to boost their sales
I shop at different stores as needed depending on prices. I love clearance and markdowns for meat, produce, dairy etc. Many stores have these you just need to know where to look.
I shop at a salvage grocery store that sells meat that was hard frozen right before it expired and it’s like .50-.80 cents a pound and all I have to do is thaw it out when I want to cook it. They also sell fruits and vegetables that are close to going bad but are so very cheap so I just pick out the few moldy ones and it’s still cheaper.
We have a frozen food auction once a month in an old storefront about 5 minutes from my house. I once got 20 pounds of sliced, cook deli roast beef (in 5# pkg) for $16!! That's just one example of the great savings. He used to get a lot of sweets and snacky things too but I went very light on those and chose to mostly buy up the meats and frozen veggies or fruits.
Thank you for budget talk,,, we need to wake up and scale down our dinners,,, we had a pbj sandwich for dinner and it was easy and cheap! No one complained and everyone was happy,, for a Friday after work it was just what I needed to make! great week to you... Sass
I enjoy looking at the manager special sometimes they are perfectly great and it's getting close to expire ation date and other times it's beyond expiration date but it is frozen so it buys you in a little bit of leeway
I'm not sure about in the States but where I am in Canada, alot of our grocery stores offer price match. So if another store is advertising a less price for the item, the store will honour the lower price advertised by the competition. You don't have to drive the extra mile or two just to get the deal. You just have to pay attention to the ads in flyers and do a little math sometimes. I do all my shopping at one store and still get the deals from the other stores. 👍
Tawra, I feel you did a good job in getting the message across. Sometimes we have to speak up loud and clear. It is a good wake up call to reality and there will be those who will benefit from it and will appreciate your direct approach. You are candid and you were impressed to deliver this message and I feel you did a good job. Thank you !
I have no car and I the bus to my main grocery store and get most of the month's worth of groceries,then I take uber back...I then take the bus to other stores after I have looked thru the circulars for good deals on other things I need, or to to put in my freezer.
if you want to do it you can. some times you have to shop in a store you wouldn't usually shop at....but when you have to shop and save money you do what you HAVE TO DO!!!
Southern Ca here. Lately blueberries have been .88 a box. Whole chickens .69 to .89 a pound. I track prices in a notebook so I know what the lowest prices are and when its a good deal. And then I stock up. And from the bones of a whole chicken I make my own stock. I will hit 3 stores. Sprouts, Stater Bros and Albertsons to save. All within 5 miles of my house. And my oldest is on a special food plan due to celiacs, allergies, and medical conditions. Single income. We make it work! Also good farmers market in town too. Yes prices have gone up, BUT when you track proces and shop salea it works out :)
Meat here in my country is quite expensive, but... with one roast we have several meals. Pork is less expensive, chicken not so much, and there are some fish that are not expensive, so, we may eat meat three times a week, the other days we can have meals with eggs, spaghetti, etc. today we are having lentils, the weather is quite cold, so it is nice. Food is something you don’t have to spend much money, you just have to use the food wisely. We eat a lot of vegetables, what is in season, we find great recioes, like vegetable lazagna, onion quiche, etc. Love your videos!!,
The closest grocery store to me is about 45 mins from me. I make my list look at all the adds plan my meals and map out my shopping trip. That way I only make one big trip every two weeks. It saves alot. Plus I go in on the goodwill 50% weekend and by my clothes or other things a need. I try to make all my trips very purposeful.
Oh, and I have to say, as well, we HAVE chosen to eat less meat to save money on groceries. We are eating well. We are loving our meals. You don't have to have a self-pity mindset bc you're eating less meat to lower your grocery bill. ❤
Hi Im from Australia,and they whinge and whine about food costs here too.However its all about attitude.We are senior citizens and we waste nothing!I use the vege peels and onion ends and celery trimmings and make a wonderful vege stock in my crockpot.If we have chicken I save the bones in the freezer until I get enough and then make chicken stock in the crock pot.So much is wasted these days!If you got tuna,onion and mashed potato(even instant is ok)Then you have fish cakes.These were a favourite of my kids.Also a stew doesnt need heaps of meat,pad it out with pasta and veges.When butternut squash is cheap buy it and make a simple soup with chicken stock ans onion,yum,very filling and nutritious.This can be served with homemade garlic bread for pennies.I love your cookbook Tawra and Jill,and all the practical "no nonsense" advice thanks,take care,Foxy.
I ttly agree. Im from Cali It's not hard to shop around there's soooo many options to get the best price. Heck there's apps that will do the work for you. Like flipp (just as an example) it loads all the ads for the week for you based on your zip code. Then you can actually clipp the items right on the app and create your grocery list so all you have to do is pull up the app and BOOM there ya go. Easy peasy!
I went to Aldi's the other day and was so excited to get milk for $1.05 a gallon. We had been paying over $2.50-$3.00 a gallon. I also got eggs for 0.88 cents!!! Also got a bag of chips for .88 cents and a huge bag of chips to make nachos for 0.99 cents!!! I also was shocked to find frozen fruit more than 1/2 the price than most other stores for smoothies! We will be shopping more at Aldi's!!!
I’m an Aussie our prices are twice as much as USA, our mince is $6 500 grams I shop around and check out all the catalogues, I’ve learnt to have some meatless nights , that way it cuts down your meat bill, I have a huge pantry, buy what’s on special great video
My favorite is the grass and grain fed beef.. the largest marketing Ploy and Everyone Falls for it. The cows only have to be fed grain for a certain amount of time like a week to two weeks before they are slaughtered to be called grain-fed. The quote grass that they are feeding they would feed anyway it's normal. Your pasture that they say that they were on is an 8 x 10 small Patek.
Yay,, go Tawra! I'm a family of 4 and this week grocery shopping was $39. I shop my own pantry , fridge and freezer first and only buy what's on sale. I usually bake our desserts which is another money saver. I will happy drive the extra miles to go to a food store to save money for my family. They are worth it! :-)
Stretch what you have as far as it will go... we have eaten dried beans and rice A LOT... why, because they are an inexpensive protein... When I cook for our mission church, two of our favorite meals is Pinto bean soup.. I use flavoring instead of meat... and Cabbage and noodles w/bacon grease... gee...good flavors....and we can eat pork and sauerkraut for days... common guys...what you are really saying is that you are not getting what you like to eat... 50# potatoes goes really far and can make lots of meals, not just fried potatoes.... 1 potato, one egg, one onion and 1 cup of flour make tons of porgies. Takes a lot of work, but feeds a family of 4 with one can of green beans! Be creative ....
Yes, my husband is from Polish descent and I cook him pierogies often. They remind me of pasties only smaller. I also cook cabbage rolls (he calls them guemkies sp? lol) which is also a cheap delicious meal. Potato soup is a standard in my kitchen as well as pinto beans and homemade tortillas...nothing much is cheaper then those ingredients. You don't have to suffer if you are creative as these commenters have said.
We have evolved on the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and make Mock stuffed cabbage in the slow cooker. Also make stuffed pepper soup instead of stuffed peppers! Yep, getting more and more creative and more frugal.
If anyone lives in California, try grocery outlet. I know it’s in northern Cali for sure. When I lived there I would stop by everyday after work to see what they got on their shipment that day. SO CHEAP!
Don't forget pick your own farms. We pick our blueberries and freeze enough to last a year. Lots of muffins and pancakes! I dry my green peppers in the oven and store in a mason jar. I buy a whole chicken and get lots of meals out of it. Food trends do drive up prices. I love to buy off season items like sweet potatoes after the holidays. Bake them and freeze them into portions. Right now I have lettuce growing on my porch and have been enjoying fresh salads for weeks from one small container!!
I live in Mississippi I can find all kinds are bargains on food I by bent and dent can goods on mark down sometimes for a quarter if ground turkey on sale I buy that and mix some with ground deer makes good hamburger. I have your recipe book if I don’t have the meat you have in the recipe I swap it for what I have. We have you pick farms here I go there get a 5 gallon bucket full of vegetables or fruit for $11 if you really look you find cheap good food. I find stuff on discount fruit I get it and dehydrated it. I’ve always been cheap when buying I even coupon at DG BUT your recipe book has helped me fine tune ideas for meals I’m using stuff in my pantry so no running to the store so much I’m stocked so THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL COOK BOOK!
@Vicki Town i live in between bay springs and Laurel I go to Krogers they have good sales especially meat I can get pork tender lion for 1.99 pound I get the market to cut it into chops for me I buy at least 5 when I go and the most I pay is 8.73 or less for each one I watch ppl who coupon at dollar general family dollar and krogers On UA-cam I usually buy $200 worth groceries and pay $80 to $112 for them I use Ibotta and any perks they have I get free stuff at DG when I coupon LIVING ON A DIME is right if you look you can truly save and krogers I get discount on gas
We go to Laurel to Krogers and also go to Dollar General. Used to go to Winn Dixie some before they shut down. I used to coupon some...I definitely have to get back into that. Thank you for your answer....it is a big help.
Vicki Town at krogers if you go on the baby aisle and on the aisle with the Toliet paper they have mark down buggies I got KELLOGS cinnamon Frosted Flakes marked down to 1.25 each and I had a coupons for $3 off 5 KELLOGS cereals I also buy Laurel leader calls on Saturday they are 75 cents and I get 4 only pay $3 for them where Hattiesburg American is 2.50 you can actually buy them in ellisville on Saturday morning at Anderson Deason shell station hope this helps and watch Christa Coupons on UA-cam
I live in one of the expensive city's in Canada and I travel on the city buses and I literally lug stuff across town if there is a great sale because I know it can save me money. We r a house hold of 2 adults and we spend $130 cad every 2 weeks on food and if I can't get a deal I due without. I always get comments on how amazed people are on how I can spend less and still eat well and be full on what I buy. And I always watch your shows and do the math because I know the difference between cad and USD and I can get the same prices on most things
Preach it ladies!! We are completely debt free, and a one income family. I buy probably 90% of my groceries at Aldi because its the cheapest store, but I also feel like its high quality food. I have a family member who is retirement age, but she can't retire because she is still paying for tons of debt. She refuses to shop at Aldi because only "poor" people shop there. I want to tell her to look in the mirror because SHE is poor!! I'm not poor because I make wise choices and I try to be a good steward with the money the Lord blesses us with. Even if I was poor, I would still be grateful for the food that I do have, and not complain and feel sorry for myself because I can't afford more expensive food.
OMG AMEN!!! My friend who is one paycheck away from homelessness with 2 kids is so damn picky! i took her grocery shopping to help her out a few wks back. ( my hubby & I are struggling as well ) I cant stand to see kids go hungry....anyway I was MORTIFIED at what she shoved into my cart! 5 pack Totinos frozen pizza, ice cream, cookies, go gurts, Chicken breast skined and deboned ( $4.99 a lb) case of Ravioli, case of Gatorade, Rock Star energy drinks... all prepared foods except for the chicken! $150 later. I asked her "do you spend this much a week"? She laughs and said We eat out..... This woman graduated from culinary school. I am not joking I forward your videos to her BTW her 5 yr olds mouth is full of silver...ugh
We buy when on sale and where on sale and eat some nights meatless meals and use chicken , I'm a single disabled mom but I look for sales and clip coupons, I find good deals, we plan our menu around what's cheapest, my daughter likes baked potato night with side salad, about half a bag from Aldi it's.85cents for a bag, so .42-.43cents for our two side salads I use homemade dressing, and two potatoes,one each. Cheap meals like one dollar maybe dollar and a half feeds us both, I make jam and jelly myself when ingredients on sale, I buy leg thigh quarters, I separate leg from thigh freeze in smaller packs I eat one thigh daughter likes one leg so a cheap bag leg thigh quarters makes like ten dinners and it's usually under,4bucks a bag, I miss when wings were cheap, and I can beans, I can make ten pints canned beans cooking them in canner for like a buck, I'm far from town to so I plan it out to save gas,nice video
You can get fruits and vegetables at the 99 cent only stores. If your lucky you can find organic. A lot of people are to snobby to shop there. I know you have to use some things up faster or it spoils but it's way better than paying 5 bucks for spinach in a plastic shell. Even with the prices going up there it's still worth trying.
Food snobs annoy me too! I don’t drive, and my hubby works at a grocery store. We get 10% off on store brands, and I stalk up on meat when it’s on sale. I really want to get a deep freezer.
The woman whose husband died would 1- qualify for dependents benefits from Social Security for her kids and 2- her autistic child would qualify for disability social security along with medicaid insurance. There are no if, ands, or buts about this. If her story is as you say, and her child has a definitive diagnosis, her family qualifies for those benefits.
I check the mark down meat at the grocery store. For lucky windfalls, I'm set up so i can pressure can it when I get home. I prefer to freeze ground meats; such as bison, lamb, or grass fed beef which I typically cannot afford. The canned meat is for when I need a meal on the table quick.... life's little emergencies. I don't think it's healthy to eat all the time, but a lot lot healthier than fast food.
Well said. (Hand clapping) In the 90s, I'd educate myself about what was affordable. While kids enjoyed the library, I'd go to parenting rack to research nutrition. Broccoli was sooooo cheap then, a 'brain food' in the books, so I'd put a huge bowl on the table as a filler if kids were still hungry. I used Joy of Cooking cookbook to learn how to cut up my own chicken.... and discovered I could make my own chicken stock too. That extended the protein and calcium in our diet, since I couldn't always get meat. Oats were cheap, so I made oatmeal bread, oatmeal of course, and granola that was much higher in protein than the stores. I used cheap factory seconds almonds at the distribution outlet store. In other words, looked for local bargains that packed a nutritional punch.
...and cut portion sizes. My neighbour lays the flyers out on the table and marks the 'sale' items with a black sharpie. Then coordinates all errands in the same circular route. it does become expensive if one drives out of their way to buy one item!
Exactly.....I sooooo agree with you. I have a brother,sis n law, with 2 grown boys living with them and they cry all the time about being broke 2 weeks after their disability checks come in. I say its because the way you spend your money instead of going for the good deals. yet all 4 get phone cards a month, fast food everyday for 2 weeks. and they goto convienent stores paying a mark up of 300% on things instead of going literally 2 miles down the road to the grocery store. its insane! as for us, we have no way of making much more money a month...hubby works 6 to 7 days a week now, (1 of the best paying jobs around that he still has to drive over 30 minutes to get to) so I have to get clever to make extra money reselling things...however, we are debt free! I am not a pitty party kinda person....I say "never ask me a question unless you are prepared for a non sugar coated truthful answers" lol. But, we took alittle money and bought fruit trees, 300+strawberry plants,grapevines,blueberry bushes,blackberries and raspberries,goji berries, and grew a huge garden that saved us alot on grocery costs. So even if you cant squeeze much more money out of your income...you can still do things to lower your costs alot. Some as simple as just watching grocery sales for the stores every week. We reuse as much as we can,grow as much as we can, raise as much of our meat as we can, we even only heat our water heater up 1 time a day and thats it. tv is limited,lights are low watts and turned off when not in a room, blah blah blah...but we do without nothing that we NEED. I dont know "the jones" lol so I dont care what they have,nor do I want to keep up with them lolol heck, I dont even Keep up with the Kardashians on tv lolololololol. love your channel!
LOL food snob ;) ... I got pork for 1.49 an lb the boneless was 2.49$ so I will cut around a small bone ;) ... I dont get to shop around as much as I dont drive and have three stores in town :) but still its not too hard and rarely spend over 3$ a lb on meat... Tawras make and freeze in portions has saved me about 10$ a trip :)
I got bone in pork chops and split chicken breasts on sale for 99¢ a pound. And the hubby said he didn't want it. 🙄 He is a picky one. He also doesn't want dark meat. Me and the kids will eat it!!! I cooked some chicken in the oven last night and it was soooo good. I am thinking about getting more... We don't have a freezer for storage though. I may just Cook it off and pull the meat off and freeze it.
You 100% right last week I got organic kale at aldi for 1.19..... to put in smoothies. These people just want to act like two year old in the cereal section...as Dave Ramsey would say lol
looking good ladies! yes it pays to shop around and buy up and freeze , bottle or even dry veges and fruit on special and buy in season when they are cheaper.
I've been poor enough to know that sometimes you just need to buy the cheapest food so you can eat, but other times I've taken a small budget and bought more quality food by "sacrificing" in other areas. I might buy "expensive" blueberries (in season) because they were so healthy, but I wouldn't buy juice, or other snacks; the blueberries were my treat and I enjoyed and appreciated them. I got to where I would only buy organic milk because its the only milk that tastes good enough to drink to me, but if I couldn't afford it that week, I wouldn't buy it. It's not the end of the world to go a week, or a month, or several months without milk, or meat. I might buy more humanely raised meat, but I would buy less - we don't need meat for every meal. I would also cut out other things we didn't need- like salad dressing, candy/chocolate, many beauty products. So, sometimes you can afford "better" food if you will both shop around, and re-adjust your shopping list to make trade-offs.
You can get our cookbook here: www.livingonadime.com/store/
Living On A Dime i ordered one on Wednesday. I so can't wait.
Loving mine! Easy recipes, can actually read ingredients.
Love your cookbook. I have had mine for quite awhile now.
Me too... but I bought 4 more for my daughter in laws... ;) Christmas in right around the corner LOL
One of my fave things about this channel is the "screw your excuses" stuff. So glad someone says it.
I buy whole chicken at $6/pound from my local farm in Southern California, but I don't whine about it. Yes, it's expensive, but it's great quality, I feel good about supporting my community (and these small farmers here are struggling!) and comparing the prices to other states won't do me any good. The point is that by applying your ATTITUDE and resourcefulness to what I do buy, I am able to be less wasteful and spend much less than what I used to! Love your videos and your books!
I love this video. The lesson applies for everything in life, not only buying groceries. ‘Stop being a victim. Stop whining and feeling sorry for yourself.’ So true, so smart. Life isn’t always fair. We must make do with what we can afford. Believe me, it’s more than most people have.
I’m with you Tawra! People need to stop whining!
I love your no nonsense approach!
When we were worse than dirt poor I would buy the cheap hotdogs (under $1 at the time) and that did us for 2 meals. They weren't the healthiest option, but it kept us from starving.
You said it right there, "...you are not taking the effort to improve your situation..." yes, it can be hard because you have to alter your errand time/travel. But in the long run it can be done. I just want to thank you for your advice. I love your cookbook. I already make many things from scratch that I was use to growing up so you save money right there. But what I enjoy most from your cookbook is the black and white guides to homemade cleansers/ointments etc. I like it because its all in one book. Thank you for sharing. May you and your family be richly blessed not because of your knowledge but because you CARE to share. :)
LOVE YOU GUYS! YOU ARE SO RIGHT!! I hear the same things all the time from people I know saying "oh woe is me. I have to feed my kids PB&J or certain grocery items cost too much! " I am like "Oh no! It is not hard to feed your family and kids fro less!" You eat whats on sale and in season and look for the best deals wherever you can find them!!
I get frozen fruits and veggies since they are cheaper. I used to be full of excuses like others, but I started watching my portions and realized I was eating way too much before. If you eat smaller amounts, it's cheaper no matter what lol
EVEN COSTCO HAMBUGER IS 3.79 A POUND, COSTCO IS VERY HIGH PRICE ON MEAT. I GO TO A MEXICAN MARKET TO BUY MY MEAT AND ITS THE BEST MEAT I'VE EVER HAD...
it is my experience whenever a person says they can’t afford yaddayadda if you watch them for awhile you’ll see them spending money on non-necessities that could be diverted to the grocery budget. it’s a choice they make. glad you to see you make this video!
I agree! What is affordable is completely subjective. For me, as long as I can have a roof over our heads, pay bills, and have food, we are not poor but others who can't make their annual trip to Disney Land makes them feel destitute.
debbieomi so true
Another biggie is portion control! As you often say meat should be a condiment. Went to lunch yesterday. 9.00 1/2 pound hamburger. To me it looked gross. I can make a whole meal on a 1/2 pound and have leftovers. Portions nowadays are so huge and we wonder why we have an obesity problem.
Back in the day, certain veggies and fruits were not available because groceries were not as global. You never had corn on the cob in the winter or strawberries! What a delight when it was actually strawberry season, or corn season!
That is so true. I grew up on a farm (still live on one) and when the big garden season is here, we are extremely busy.
It's hard to believe that people don't know this stuff, but not everyone was blessed to have been raised like this and they just don't know. Thank for spelling it out... this information is important and needs to be taught.
YOU are SOOO correct :) and if they are willing to learn frugality, then they need a gentle frugal teaching friend who can help them stretch that dollar :)
I hit my Aldi about 9:15 am and wow the deals!! $1 off and $2 off!
I totally agree with you ladies. One year my grandmother only could afford potatoes to feed her 4 children. She became very creative with fixing potatoes and occasionally she would buy a little meat to mix in with the potatoes. They not only survived that year but they were grateful for the food.
YAY 🙋 Finally someone tells these people to stop whining! When I see fresh fruit on sale I stock up and freeze it in portion size baggies. Same thing with meat and chicken. Load up on chicken thighs. Good video ladies
Who's thumbing this down? Great advice ladies on how to feed our families with what we got👍
I agree with you but for one exception: There are those, who due to age, disabilities, illness, etc.. can no longer drive and who are isolated in the rural area with no one to help them. They are dependent on what is available. In my small town of 700 it means a gas station. It carries highly processed, nutritionally poor, and expensive items only. What few fresh produce exists consists of apples and iceberg lettuce (no nutritional value) that is more expensive than the bags of chips. No meats and individual servings of milk only. The only corner grocery store bugged out years ago.
Paula Monaghan hopefully you have some community through a church or family that can help, this is very sad that people are isolated in food deserts.
You are so right. I learned to not waste my left over London broil. I may pay 9 dollars for it but you taught me how to get more than one meal out of my meat. We eat our London broil the first night like a regular piece of steak. Now the next night I make steak wraps with the leftover London broil. I sauté onion and pepper and wrap that up in a wrap, which the wraps, onion and pepper cost maybe 3 more dollars but I got 2 decent meals for 12 bucks. And side dishes I always have rice in the pantry. Your friend Kathy from Montgomery NY
Preach on sister! We are so darn blessed to live here..and we all (me included) take for granted those blessings. My son is at basic training and he wrote how excited he was for the chance to get to earn a radio. He is 17 and said "its amazing what we take for granted." Food in this country is abundant.... we just have to be creative and put in some extra effort.
Right on Tawra! I started shopping aldis..thanks to you and I am getting so much more for less! Saving hundreds😄😄😄👍👍👍
I agree! I live in the UK and a 5min walk from an Asda (same company as Walmart) but although it’s not an expensive supermarket over here, I drive for an extra 10mins to our local Aldi and the local fruit/veg shop and I’ve worked out with my husband that we save around £200 a month doing this! And we get much fresher fruit and veg from the smaller shop without loads of plastic packaging! 😊
While I will never agree with anyone who says Canadian groceries aren't expensive, I DO agree with you ladies that playing the "victim" isn't helpful. Everyone has "something" to deal with. Canadians get a year maternity leave. Canadians have AMAZING healthcare. Our Prime Minister has GREAT hair!😝 I live in a VERY expensive city. I don't have a pity party when I (constantly) see videos where people are feeding 6 people for $400/month. It's irrelevant! I watch videos and instagram and search for ideas that WORK FOR ME. Some things work, some don't. Focus on what you CAN do, and you WILL lower your grocery bill! ❤
Groceries aren't expensive in 'Canada'. I see food prices in the US and they look pretty much the same as in my town. Are you judging prices for all of Canada just based on your city? You do know there are thousands of other cities and towns and several other provinces in Canada aside from your own, don't you? You're like someone who lives in New York City who tells people how expensive all of the US is just because New York is. smh
Prairie Girl no hate from me. Nothing but love for you, my fellow Canadian. Nothing but love.❤
Sharon MacDougall You clearly didn't understand my comment. It stands and I'm not going to explain it to you. I won't be back to argue with you either.
If you are in Canada, check the Salewhale site and app. It has ALL the grocery flyers, and more, for your area. I am in Ontario, and I do not agree that Canadian groceries are that much more expensive. Tawra is right,people are snobs. They scoff at No Frills and Food Basic(discount grocery stores and these sell the SAME stuff), and want to shop at Sobeys and Loblaws, and then cry that they cannot afford food. I do occasionally go to those stores, BUT only if they offer stuff cheaper than anywhere else, which is rare. And let's not be coy ,we Canadians can EAT . We can stand to trim our portion sizes.
I like this video! I got strawberries on sale two weeks ago at Aldi and made 22 containers of jam for cheap! The berries were $1.29/pint at Aldi, and at the local orchard they were $3.97/pint. Craziness. Peaches are now on sale at Aldi for 99¢/#! I'm going to get some to can. I'm so blessed I have an Aldi and Walmart next to each other. Also, I look ahead at the prices at Walmart, write them down, and go to Aldi first and get anything that is cheaper. I've saved quite a bit doing this. Meat is always cheaper at Aldi but many other things differentiate.
I’m excited because an Aldi opened up near me!!! I was already using lots of your tips but am super excited about Aldi!
Great video! I just saved on ham and bacon by going to the Save A Lot after dropping my husband off at work in that town. You need to shop around!! Great advice. Thanks again for a great video.
I always search all the ads before I go to the grocery the grocery store(s). I stock up on meat only when it's on sale. Like ground beef, I buy 5lb rolls & that makes 5 meals for us. I too stock up on veggies when there on sale & freeze.
A gal posted on the forum that she needed to save money, but frankly all she liked to eat was berries and wild salmon. Not many ways to slice that. You eat what you can afford! I needed burger for casseroles and tacos, but wasn't finding a sale that week. I ended up with one pound tubes of ground turkey from Walmart. Now, I probably wouldn't try to grill it.....its different in those dishes but not worse. Just different. And a whole bunch cheaper!
There is one other problem that should be addressed in a video too. There are food snobs and then there are folks that raise picky eaters. Now, before you blast folks....I WAS one of those picky kids. They did me NO favors by catering to that. Requiring children to eat a bit of whatever is served is not going to kill them. I mean really a spoonful of 12-15 peas....and they throw a fit? You're the adult, you pick the menu within your budget and cook the best you can within it. Kids need to learn to sit up and eat. As a friend said once about those cutesy kid yogurts...."he can eat the yogurt out of a regular cup like the rest of us. He ain't special."
But she wouldn't eat frozen fish or berries. I'm not saying she should compromise but instead realize that those things are not always inexpensive. She was asking how to lower her grocery bill specifically. I won't dignify your "jealous" comment. I have plenty of wild salmon in the freezer....caught by me in my boat...far far more expensive than what you find in the store. I can assure you a dab of frozen ground turkey will not put me in the ground prematurely.
mdoe37 I love the line about the kids yogurts!
Thanks Ladies,,,, a few weeks ago I discovered how wonderful Alides is!!! So excited to save so much, paying off other debts! You changed my outlook on groceries. Bought 3 books, 2 I gave to my adult children, Thanks again ladies!!!
Yes Aldi's is a great store :)
I live in Canada and this week, chicken legs and tighs are 88cents/lbs. No excuse, even for us sweet canadians ;) LOVE your channel!!! Thank you for everything!
You have to be observant. I used to buy Great Value brand items at Walmart automatically instead of name brands. I noticed one day that a name brand bag of sugar was cheaper then Great Value. So now I always check the others in case they've gone down too. I always try to stay away from name brands but there are 4 or 5 things I'll only buy by brand name. I've found that in some very rare cases cheaper really isn't better.
My husband and I are transitioning to plant based eating and we are actually seeing our grocery bills decrease but we don’t buy a lot of snacks or packaged foods. And yes we are eating a lot more rice and beans. ( though I know They aren’t a favorite in your house) I have converted bean haters with some of my recipes so don’t think all beans are created equal. The problem I see with most people is first they compare their situation with other s and think it can’t be done. Second they never even get off the couch and try. And third they are spending way to much money in the middle of the grocery store where costs are higher not just in price but in health as well. Make it yourself. A great saying from a quilting book I own is “Use it up, wear it out, or make do”. It rings true for saving money and food too! 😉😍
Meat can be really high here in Australia, particularly where I live.
I use the cheaper cuts of meat, chicken it’s usually cheapest here youcan often buy for $3 a kilo. That is good value.
I can feed a family of 5 with a can of tuna as protein. Which I can buy for about $2 or just over.
Jill's 100% correct. Our nation is a blessed spoiled one. My grandmother raised 5 kids alone when grandad divorced her and shortly after died. So no child support. Oldest was 13, youngest 3 yrs old. Grandma was registered nurse but it was still tough. All kids got jobs by 14 and went to school. They lived in a cheap tiny house on an orange/grapefruit grove. Thank goodness everyone in Miami grew lots of fruits, berries and melons of all kinds. Had chickens for fresh eggs. Didn't eat meat everyday, but every other day. When they bought boloney, they knew take one piece not 2, same with cheese. They had a 'victory' garden grew everything from cabbage to tomatos. To the day mom passed on to Heaven, she loved onion sandwiches. So does my husband. In fact, any and many veggies and greens make great sandwiches. People just need to be proactive, explore, be curious, think. Easy one pan meal, take a whole well seasoned chicken, bake with carrots, onions, garlic, potato's, celery, and radish. We actually prefer radish's baked than plain in salad. Keep up the good work ladies teaching and getting the word out.
Good show again Tawra & Jill. Another way to look at the cost is "how many servings will this make so how much per serving." Like you have said on many of your show look how many meals are in one roast. You don't need to buy the lunch meat that week...you have roast for sandwiches. etc. Have a Blessed day.
Margaret Bedwell I buy chicken breasts at my local grocery store, in what is called a "pick 5." You can get 5 items for $19.99, which equates to $4 per pack. I choose the packs of meat that are HIGHER than $4, because I can get more meat in the package, for less!! I bought 5 last week, with price stickers ranging from $4.79 - $6.50, and only paid $4 per pack. Each pack lasts my family of 5 for 2-4 meals depending on what I cook.
Good job Mary White...there are some chicken recipes out there that you can use 2# of chicken breast (like Brunswick Stew) and it will make a large crock pot full, more than enough for 10 or more servings.
I'm a Californian and people don't know how to shop. I get great prices and if it's not on sale or at a reasonable price I do not buy it . Also I think people over feed their families. I know my mother-in-law whom I love and adore do just that in her home. It blows my mind.
I buy reduced meat all the time, and it is fine, only buy meat and produce in season. I do agree we have to work smarter, and just like couponing, you have to do the work yourself because you are the one in charge. My mom's family lived off of tomatos, corn, and beans from the garden each summer.
PREACH!!!! I hear folks complaining all the time that meat is "so expensive!" at Food Giant (our local chain grocery store), but when I mention (or remind them) that we have another grocery store, a locally-owned U-Save DIRECTLY RIGHT BEHIND THE FOOD GIANT, they say, "I don't like shopping there." Why? I don't understand why folks have negative connotations with small grocery stores?? I have been comparing prices between the two, and I found a few cuts of meat cheaper at the chain grocery store, so I'll get those things that are on sale at the big store, then get my other stuff at the smaller one. Some people are just too lazy. And fruit?? I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices on fresh fruit. If I can't grow it, or get it on sale, or reduced, I don't buy it. Period. Stop being spoiled and feeling "entitled" because you can't afford "organic, non-gmo, fresh, grass-fed" whatever.. if you're complaining about prices, your not in a position, financially, to be choosy. My own family is learning a painful (for them) lesson in "use it up, and make it do, or do with out" because, frankly, we can't afford to spend the ridiculous amount of money we have been on food. So right now they sort of hate me, haha.. they'll live.
I have 7 grocery stores with in five miles of my home I shop all them one of my favs is Aldi and krogers. All ways look for mangers specials on meats bring them home split them up and bag and freeze. You just have to take the time to look For example I have watched for pasta on sale now I have a food grade bucket (38 lbs )of pasta for around $20.00 just dip out what I need and good to go Blessings
In my vintage cookbooks you pretty much never see chicken breast listed
With my meat I buy in bulk and separate. For instance I buy the big bag of chicken quarters and separate the legs from thighs. As a family of 4 we can easily get 6 or 7 meals from that for 6 dollars a bag. Just ordered your book, can't wait to get it!!!
Yes :) That's what my Mom has taught me too :) And Aldi's seems to have the best deals on chicken :)
Love your straightforward advice! Thank you. 💝
Ppl these days always want to be victims. Cry and whine about everything. I can't afford this or that and they will have a cigarette in their hand. Smh
Tina Mitchell...Amen to that. I tire of people crying the blues because this neighbor or thathas so much more than they do and they smoke that cigarette or guzzle that beer. Those aren't free but they don't seem to realize how much is going up in smoke or going down the drain.
Great video! Thank you so much. Jill and Tawra, you two are just the best there is!
I live in northern Canada. I love my no frills. I can get points watch sales and even later buy stuff with the points. They also have imperfection fruit and veggies. They might be small or funny shaped but still tastes good.We buy lots of frozen berries because I can buy 10lb at a time. Mangos this week are on sale . I'll be dehydrating mangos this week. Canada is expensive but you can cut costs.
Amen!!! Plan around what's on sale and what's in season!!! If chuck roast isn't on sale this week guess what, we don't have chuck roast this week! If you live in an area that has a pick-your-own veg/fruit farm, that's a steal! Bagels and English muffins got to be a luxury item that my family loved so I just started making my own. I always have the stuff on hand anyway! Same with pizza. I can't tell you the last time we got a frozen pizza or pizza delivery. Canned tomato sauce is cheap, I always have cheese, all I have to remember to pick up is pepperoni. I also save all my chicken carcasses and veggie scraps and make stock. My last batch yielded over five gallons of stock using stuff that I would have just thrown away and I use it for everything. It just takes some extra planning and effort, and yeah sometimes some sacrifice.
I do the same things, if I have to drive - I have to save at least that much on the sale prices. We had blueberries one time for .88/lb. I went to the store 4 days and bought the limit - 4 lbs. I ended up with about 16 pounds of blueberries. They lasted a very long time for smoothies. I never include cost of my time - I was off work - the time I was shopping isn't wages I was losing by not working.
All great points! We live in So Cal, I buy meat on sale and in bulk. We have 2 dedicated areas in our backyard where we garden and grow as much produce as we can. We added watermelon and cantaloupe to the garden this year. We have a greenhouse that hubby keeps filled with plants to add in year round. I meal plan and buy around store sales and we just make it work!
We have a great number of grocery stores in Canada. Your right look fr the deals. If u have a cell phone download the app Flip, it will give u the sales on all grocery stores. Free flyers come in the mail too. Cheap stores are NO FRILLS , FOOD BASICS , WALMART etc..
I search the ads for the best deals. I know what price per pound I am willing to pay and do my shopping on my way home to avoid extra driving.
That's a great plan to save money & fuel :)
I wonder if the chicken breast phenomenon was a ploy by the chicken processors to get people to spend more on their product. Grocery stores are designed to get us to boost their sales
I shop at different stores as needed depending on prices. I love clearance and markdowns for meat, produce, dairy etc. Many stores have these you just need to know where to look.
I shop at a salvage grocery store that sells meat that was hard frozen right before it expired and it’s like .50-.80 cents a pound and all I have to do is thaw it out when I want to cook it. They also sell fruits and vegetables that are close to going bad but are so very cheap so I just pick out the few moldy ones and it’s still cheaper.
We have a frozen food auction once a month in an old storefront about 5 minutes from my house. I once got 20 pounds of sliced, cook deli roast beef (in 5# pkg) for $16!! That's just one example of the great savings. He used to get a lot of sweets and snacky things too but I went very light on those and chose to mostly buy up the meats and frozen veggies or fruits.
Thank you for budget talk,,, we need to wake up and scale down our dinners,,, we had a pbj sandwich for dinner and it was easy and cheap! No one complained and everyone was happy,, for a Friday after work it was just what I needed to make! great week to you... Sass
I enjoy looking at the manager special sometimes they are perfectly great and it's getting close to expire ation date and other times it's beyond expiration date but it is frozen so it buys you in a little bit of leeway
I'm not sure about in the States but where I am in Canada, alot of our grocery stores offer price match. So if another store is advertising a less price for the item, the store will honour the lower price advertised by the competition. You don't have to drive the extra mile or two just to get the deal. You just have to pay attention to the ads in flyers and do a little math sometimes. I do all my shopping at one store and still get the deals from the other stores. 👍
Get it together people. Something is always on sale. You have to flexible. Be a victor not a victim. Eat in season. Its healthier too.
That's why I love HEB, something for all budget
I get meat pretty inexpensively because I hunt so I usually cook with venison.
I agree with you! Some people just aren’t smart shoppers.
Tawra, I feel you did a good job in getting the message across. Sometimes we have to speak up loud and clear. It is a good wake up call to reality and there will be those who will benefit from it and will appreciate your direct approach. You are candid and you were impressed to deliver this message and I feel you did a good job. Thank you !
I have no car and I the bus to my main grocery store and get most of the month's worth of groceries,then I take uber back...I then take the bus to other stores after I have looked thru the circulars for good deals on other things I need, or to to put in my freezer.
if you want to do it you can. some times you have to shop in a store you wouldn't usually shop at....but when you have to shop and save money you do what you HAVE TO DO!!!
Southern Ca here. Lately blueberries have been .88 a box. Whole chickens .69 to .89 a pound. I track prices in a notebook so I know what the lowest prices are and when its a good deal. And then I stock up. And from the bones of a whole chicken I make my own stock. I will hit 3 stores. Sprouts, Stater Bros and Albertsons to save. All within 5 miles of my house. And my oldest is on a special food plan due to celiacs, allergies, and medical conditions. Single income. We make it work! Also good farmers market in town too. Yes prices have gone up, BUT when you track proces and shop salea it works out :)
Meat here in my country is quite expensive, but... with one roast we have several meals. Pork is less expensive, chicken not so much, and there are some fish that are not expensive, so, we may eat meat three times a week, the other days we can have meals with eggs, spaghetti, etc. today we are having lentils, the weather is quite cold, so it is nice. Food is something you don’t have to spend much money, you just have to use the food wisely. We eat a lot of vegetables, what is in season, we find great recioes, like vegetable lazagna, onion quiche, etc. Love your videos!!,
I love these informative videos with Jill! Please make more!!!!
Tawra you should've been a school teacher.. Well maybe not. 😂
Our dollar tree has 12 oz bags of frozen blueberries, we use those in our smoothies.
The closest grocery store to me is about 45 mins from me. I make my list look at all the adds plan my meals and map out my shopping trip. That way I only make one big trip every two weeks. It saves alot. Plus I go in on the goodwill 50% weekend and by my clothes or other things a need. I try to make all my trips very purposeful.
Oh, and I have to say, as well, we HAVE chosen to eat less meat to save money on groceries. We are eating well. We are loving our meals. You don't have to have a self-pity mindset bc you're eating less meat to lower your grocery bill. ❤
Hi Im from Australia,and they whinge and whine about food costs here too.However its all about attitude.We are senior citizens and we waste nothing!I use the vege peels and onion ends and celery trimmings and make a wonderful vege stock in my crockpot.If we have chicken I save the bones in the freezer until I get enough and then make chicken stock in the crock pot.So much is wasted these days!If you got tuna,onion and mashed potato(even instant is ok)Then you have fish cakes.These were a favourite of my kids.Also a stew doesnt need heaps of meat,pad it out with pasta and veges.When butternut squash is cheap buy it and make a simple soup with chicken stock ans onion,yum,very filling and nutritious.This can be served with homemade garlic bread for pennies.I love your cookbook Tawra and Jill,and all the practical "no nonsense" advice thanks,take care,Foxy.
WOW YOU HAVE GREAT FRUGAL IDEAS :)
Foxy great advice
Thankyou!
Thankyou!
I ttly agree. Im from Cali It's not hard to shop around there's soooo many options to get the best price. Heck there's apps that will do the work for you. Like flipp (just as an example) it loads all the ads for the week for you based on your zip code. Then you can actually clipp the items right on the app and create your grocery list so all you have to do is pull up the app and BOOM there ya go. Easy peasy!
I went to Aldi's the other day and was so excited to get milk for $1.05 a gallon. We had been paying over $2.50-$3.00 a gallon. I also got eggs for 0.88 cents!!! Also got a bag of chips for .88 cents and a huge bag of chips to make nachos for 0.99 cents!!! I also was shocked to find frozen fruit more than 1/2 the price than most other stores for smoothies! We will be shopping more at Aldi's!!!
I’m an Aussie our prices are twice as much as USA, our mince is $6 500 grams I shop around and check out all the catalogues, I’ve learnt to have some meatless nights , that way it cuts down your meat bill, I have a huge pantry, buy what’s on special great video
My favorite is the grass and grain fed beef.. the largest marketing Ploy and Everyone Falls for it. The cows only have to be fed grain for a certain amount of time like a week to two weeks before they are slaughtered to be called grain-fed. The quote grass that they are feeding they would feed anyway it's normal. Your pasture that they say that they were on is an 8 x 10 small Patek.
Yay,, go Tawra! I'm a family of 4 and this week grocery shopping was $39. I shop my own pantry , fridge and freezer first and only buy what's on sale. I usually bake our desserts which is another money saver. I will happy drive the extra miles to go to a food store to save money for my family. They are worth it! :-)
Stretch what you have as far as it will go... we have eaten dried beans and rice A LOT... why, because they are an inexpensive protein... When I cook for our mission church, two of our favorite meals is Pinto bean soup.. I use flavoring instead of meat... and Cabbage and noodles w/bacon grease... gee...good flavors....and we can eat pork and sauerkraut for days... common guys...what you are really saying is that you are not getting what you like to eat... 50# potatoes goes really far and can make lots of meals, not just fried potatoes.... 1 potato, one egg, one onion and 1 cup of flour make tons of porgies. Takes a lot of work, but feeds a family of 4 with one can of green beans! Be creative ....
I feel so dumb, but what’s porgies?
lol a misspelled perogi www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23058/perogies/ It is like a potato, or sauerkraut ravioli ... LOL.. .just different nationalities!
Yes, my husband is from Polish descent and I cook him pierogies often. They remind me of pasties only smaller. I also cook cabbage rolls (he calls them guemkies sp? lol) which is also a cheap delicious meal. Potato soup is a standard in my kitchen as well as pinto beans and homemade tortillas...nothing much is cheaper then those ingredients. You don't have to suffer if you are creative as these commenters have said.
We have evolved on the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and make Mock stuffed cabbage in the slow cooker. Also make stuffed pepper soup instead of stuffed peppers! Yep, getting more and more creative and more frugal.
If anyone lives in California, try grocery outlet. I know it’s in northern Cali for sure. When I lived there I would stop by everyday after work to see what they got on their shipment that day. SO CHEAP!
Don't forget pick your own farms. We pick our blueberries and freeze enough to last a year. Lots of muffins and pancakes! I dry my green peppers in the oven and store in a mason jar. I buy a whole chicken and get lots of meals out of it. Food trends do drive up prices. I love to buy off season items like sweet potatoes after the holidays. Bake them and freeze them into portions. Right now I have lettuce growing on my porch and have been enjoying fresh salads for weeks from one small container!!
I live in Mississippi I can find all kinds are bargains on food I by bent and dent can goods on mark down sometimes for a quarter if ground turkey on sale I buy that and mix some with ground deer makes good hamburger. I have your recipe book if I don’t have the meat you have in the recipe I swap it for what I have. We have you pick farms here I go there get a 5 gallon bucket full of vegetables or fruit for $11 if you really look you find cheap good food. I find stuff on discount fruit I get it and dehydrated it. I’ve always been cheap when buying I even coupon at DG BUT your recipe book has helped me fine tune ideas for meals I’m using stuff in my pantry so no running to the store so much I’m stocked so THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL COOK BOOK!
WOW YOU ARE VERY FRUGAL :) YAAY :)
What stores do you shop at, if you don't mind me asking? I'm in Mississippi too. Around Hattiesburg.
@Vicki Town i live in between bay springs and Laurel I go to Krogers they have good sales especially meat I can get pork tender lion for 1.99 pound I get the market to cut it into chops for me I buy at least 5 when I go and the most I pay is 8.73 or less for each one I watch ppl who coupon at dollar general family dollar and krogers On UA-cam I usually buy $200 worth groceries and pay $80 to $112 for them I use Ibotta and any perks they have I get free stuff at DG when I coupon LIVING ON A DIME is right if you look you can truly save and krogers I get discount on gas
We go to Laurel to Krogers and also go to Dollar General. Used to go to Winn Dixie some before they shut down. I used to coupon some...I definitely have to get back into that. Thank you for your answer....it is a big help.
Vicki Town at krogers if you go on the baby aisle and on the aisle with the Toliet paper they have mark down buggies I got KELLOGS cinnamon Frosted Flakes marked down to 1.25 each and I had a coupons for $3 off 5 KELLOGS cereals I also buy Laurel leader calls on Saturday they are 75 cents and I get 4 only pay $3 for them where Hattiesburg American is 2.50 you can actually buy them in ellisville on Saturday morning at Anderson Deason shell station hope this helps and watch Christa Coupons on UA-cam
I appreciate your bluntness!
I live in one of the expensive city's in Canada and I travel on the city buses and I literally lug stuff across town if there is a great sale because I know it can save me money. We r a house hold of 2 adults and we spend $130 cad every 2 weeks on food and if I can't get a deal I due without. I always get comments on how amazed people are on how I can spend less and still eat well and be full on what I buy. And I always watch your shows and do the math because I know the difference between cad and USD and I can get the same prices on most things
Preach it ladies!! We are completely debt free, and a one income family. I buy probably 90% of my groceries at Aldi because its the cheapest store, but I also feel like its high quality food. I have a family member who is retirement age, but she can't retire because she is still paying for tons of debt. She refuses to shop at Aldi because only "poor" people shop there. I want to tell her to look in the mirror because SHE is poor!! I'm not poor because I make wise choices and I try to be a good steward with the money the Lord blesses us with. Even if I was poor, I would still be grateful for the food that I do have, and not complain and feel sorry for myself because I can't afford more expensive food.
OMG AMEN!!!
My friend who is one paycheck away from homelessness with 2 kids is so damn picky!
i took her grocery shopping to help her out a few wks back. ( my hubby & I are struggling as well ) I cant stand to see kids go hungry....anyway I was MORTIFIED at what she shoved into my cart!
5 pack Totinos frozen pizza, ice cream, cookies, go gurts, Chicken breast skined and deboned ( $4.99 a lb) case of Ravioli, case of Gatorade, Rock Star energy drinks... all prepared foods except for the chicken! $150 later. I asked her "do you spend this much a week"? She laughs and said We eat out.....
This woman graduated from culinary school. I am not joking
I forward your videos to her
BTW her 5 yr olds mouth is full of silver...ugh
Mel B How incredibly annoying ugh
We buy when on sale and where on sale and eat some nights meatless meals and use chicken , I'm a single disabled mom but I look for sales and clip coupons, I find good deals, we plan our menu around what's cheapest, my daughter likes baked potato night with side salad, about half a bag from Aldi it's.85cents for a bag, so .42-.43cents for our two side salads I use homemade dressing, and two potatoes,one each. Cheap meals like one dollar maybe dollar and a half feeds us both, I make jam and jelly myself when ingredients on sale, I buy leg thigh quarters, I separate leg from thigh freeze in smaller packs I eat one thigh daughter likes one leg so a cheap bag leg thigh quarters makes like ten dinners and it's usually under,4bucks a bag, I miss when wings were cheap, and I can beans, I can make ten pints canned beans cooking them in canner for like a buck, I'm far from town to so I plan it out to save gas,nice video
You can get fruits and vegetables at the 99 cent only stores. If your lucky you can find organic. A lot of people are to snobby to shop there. I know you have to use some things up faster or it spoils but it's way better than paying 5 bucks for spinach in a plastic shell. Even with the prices going up there it's still worth trying.
Food snobs annoy me too! I don’t drive, and my hubby works at a grocery store. We get 10% off on store brands, and I stalk up on meat when it’s on sale. I really want to get a deep freezer.
The woman whose husband died would 1- qualify for dependents benefits from Social Security for her kids and 2- her autistic child would qualify for disability social security along with medicaid insurance. There are no if, ands, or buts about this. If her story is as you say, and her child has a definitive diagnosis, her family qualifies for those benefits.
I check the mark down meat at the grocery store. For lucky windfalls, I'm set up so i can pressure can it when I get home. I prefer to freeze ground meats; such as bison, lamb, or grass fed beef which I typically cannot afford. The canned meat is for when I need a meal on the table quick.... life's little emergencies. I don't think it's healthy to eat all the time, but a lot lot healthier than fast food.
Well said. (Hand clapping)
In the 90s, I'd educate myself about what was affordable. While kids enjoyed the library, I'd go to parenting rack to research nutrition. Broccoli was sooooo cheap then, a 'brain food' in the books, so I'd put a huge bowl on the table as a filler if kids were still hungry. I used Joy of Cooking cookbook to learn how to cut up my own chicken.... and discovered I could make my own chicken stock too. That extended the protein and calcium in our diet, since I couldn't always get meat. Oats were cheap, so I made oatmeal bread, oatmeal of course, and granola that was much higher in protein than the stores. I used cheap factory seconds almonds at the distribution outlet store. In other words, looked for local bargains that packed a nutritional punch.
...and cut portion sizes. My neighbour lays the flyers out on the table and marks the 'sale' items with a black sharpie. Then coordinates all errands in the same circular route. it does become expensive if one drives out of their way to buy one item!
There is a store near me that sells chicken hind quarters for $3.99 for a 10lb bag. Lots of meals can be made.
Exactly.....I sooooo agree with you. I have a brother,sis n law, with 2 grown boys living with them and they cry all the time about being broke 2 weeks after their disability checks come in. I say its because the way you spend your money instead of going for the good deals. yet all 4 get phone cards a month, fast food everyday for 2 weeks. and they goto convienent stores paying a mark up of 300% on things instead of going literally 2 miles down the road to the grocery store. its insane! as for us, we have no way of making much more money a month...hubby works 6 to 7 days a week now, (1 of the best paying jobs around that he still has to drive over 30 minutes to get to) so I have to get clever to make extra money reselling things...however, we are debt free! I am not a pitty party kinda person....I say "never ask me a question unless you are prepared for a non sugar coated truthful answers" lol. But, we took alittle money and bought fruit trees, 300+strawberry plants,grapevines,blueberry bushes,blackberries and raspberries,goji berries, and grew a huge garden that saved us alot on grocery costs. So even if you cant squeeze much more money out of your income...you can still do things to lower your costs alot. Some as simple as just watching grocery sales for the stores every week. We reuse as much as we can,grow as much as we can, raise as much of our meat as we can, we even only heat our water heater up 1 time a day and thats it. tv is limited,lights are low watts and turned off when not in a room, blah blah blah...but we do without nothing that we NEED. I dont know "the jones" lol so I dont care what they have,nor do I want to keep up with them lolol heck, I dont even Keep up with the Kardashians on tv lolololololol. love your channel!
LOL food snob ;) ... I got pork for 1.49 an lb the boneless was 2.49$ so I will cut around a small bone ;) ... I dont get to shop around as much as I dont drive and have three stores in town :) but still its not too hard and rarely spend over 3$ a lb on meat... Tawras make and freeze in portions has saved me about 10$ a trip :)
Thank you for making these videos. Love listening to you both!
I got bone in pork chops and split chicken breasts on sale for 99¢ a pound. And the hubby said he didn't want it. 🙄 He is a picky one. He also doesn't want dark meat. Me and the kids will eat it!!! I cooked some chicken in the oven last night and it was soooo good. I am thinking about getting more... We don't have a freezer for storage though. I may just Cook it off and pull the meat off and freeze it.
You 100% right last week I got organic kale at aldi for 1.19..... to put in smoothies. These people just want to act like two year old in the cereal section...as Dave Ramsey would say lol
Farmers markets are a good place to get fresh veggies in season at good prices. Buy and dry or freeze
Our farmers market is very, very high priced.
looking good ladies! yes it pays to shop around and buy up and freeze , bottle or even dry veges and fruit on special and buy in season when they are cheaper.
I've been poor enough to know that sometimes you just need to buy the cheapest food so you can eat, but other times I've taken a small budget and bought more quality food by "sacrificing" in other areas. I might buy "expensive" blueberries (in season) because they were so healthy, but I wouldn't buy juice, or other snacks; the blueberries were my treat and I enjoyed and appreciated them. I got to where I would only buy organic milk because its the only milk that tastes good enough to drink to me, but if I couldn't afford it that week, I wouldn't buy it. It's not the end of the world to go a week, or a month, or several months without milk, or meat. I might buy more humanely raised meat, but I would buy less - we don't need meat for every meal. I would also cut out other things we didn't need- like salad dressing, candy/chocolate, many beauty products. So, sometimes you can afford "better" food if you will both shop around, and re-adjust your shopping list to make trade-offs.
Well said ladies!