Saving 62% off groceries- without coupons

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

I've run across this argument many times before. If you are shopping weekly or twice a week, it makes some sense. Otherwise, it simply is not a factor. The depreciation on a car will happen whether or not you drive it. The costs involved are primarily the cost of gas, oil, and a minor amount of tire wear..

A lot of people will ask me where to get the best deals on groceries in this area where there are a minimum of a dozen groceries and markets within three miles. When I tell them that "getting the best deals" may involve shopping at three places, I always get the "oh, I don't want to spend $$$s on gas and driving" and they pay top dollar at Jewel or Dominicks. Of course, these are the SAME people whose kids are playing on the travel soccer teams.

I rarely make "special trips" for groceries. Over the course of a week, work takes me past a LOT of food stores and other than the summer months, I keep a cooler in my trunk to keep purchases cold (or to keep them from freezing).

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by sterlinggirl

The other day I looked at vanilla at Wal-Mart and was shocked at how expensive it was. $4 for a two ounce bottle of the watered down stuff that we're used to accepting in the US is just ridiculous.

Today I went to the local mexican grocery store and picked up a 16 oz bottle of the good stuff for $4, and could have gotten a 32 oz bottle for $6. The same amount at Wal-Mart would have been $72.

Good for you! You really have to watch out in the spice and flavorings aisle. Example, this spring I walked into the Piggly Wiggly looking for dill weed. The CHEAPEST they had worked out to over $173/lb.. I walked out. We were at a Mennonite store yesterday that carries repackaged bulk spices, and saw dill weed for 60 cents for a tuna can sized amount. Didn't need it, since we had grown our own in the meantime. Neener neener.

There is no question that knowing the reasonable prices helps when shopping. Around here - chicken and pork at $1/lb is good. Beef at $2.50/lb is good. I'll walk down the meat aisle and see chuck-eye steaks at $6+/lb, and boneless chuck roast at $2.50/lb. I buy the chuck roast, butterfly it, cut out the eyes for steaks, and use the rest for stir fry, stew or something else, and still end up paying less.

Canned tuna is another example of trying various brands and learning. The five ounce cans (used to be six oz.) are now close to $1. I can go to one discount store and buy the store brand for less than 70 cents per can and the tuna is REAL chunks of tuna and not the cat food mush that the major brands now pack to trick the consumer into thinking they are getting a lot of tuna. We buy it by the case on a special trip.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by LittleDolphin

My DH may be a little odd in our eating habits--we don't mind eating a favorite meal 3-4 times in a row if it's something we really like. So when I get some chicken breasts on special, I'll cook them up and then shred them for chicken and make into chicken, onion, tomato and black bean burritos which we'll eat til it's gone...if it's too much to finish in 3-4 servings then I'll freeze some for the future...in fact my favorite meal is--left-overs!

FWIW, I buy chicken breasts in bulk at Sam's when they're considerably cheaper than at the grocery store, repackage them wrapped individually and freeze, and cook up and shred a bunch of them and freeze them in individual one-chicken-breast-half amounts for use like you do above, then just pull out as much as I need from the freezer. They'll be very tasty for at least 3 months (as long as I've kept them) this way, so you can have your savings and some variety, too! (Especially good in things like chicken pot pie and chicken soups.)

[VegasGrace]

One thing about the chicken.... I paid 79 cents a pound for a whole chicken...the kind you have to boil down and remove the skin/bones yourself....

I looked what was in my bowl after doing all the work and I really think it may be cheaper to buy those $7 bags of boneless/skinless chicken breasts in the freezer dept. I think I got more out of those for the buck.

Anyone have a tip on this? Fresh chicken or frozen?

[yellowsnow]

If I didn't have 2 dogs and make chicken soup, it would be cheaper for me to buy frozen chicken.

Except when they put the boneless/skinless thighs on sale for.77 at Liborio.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by sterlinggirl

Today I went to the local mexican grocery store and picked up a 16 oz bottle of the good stuff for $4, and could have gotten a 32 oz bottle for $6. The same amount at Wal-Mart would have been $72.

All spices, herbs, etc are way cheaper at ethnic food stores. I'm not even sure why, as even the ones that are commonly used in American foods are cheaper.

Many standard grocery stores even have a separate spice section in their "ethnic foods" aisle with spices a good 3~4 times less than those in in the regular aisle (usually with the baking stuff). A funny and extreme case of price discrimination.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by VegasGrace

One thing about the chicken.... I paid 79 cents a pound for a whole chicken...the kind you have to boil down and remove the skin/bones yourself....

I looked what was in my bowl after doing all the work and I really think it may be cheaper to buy those $7 bags of boneless/skinless chicken breasts in the freezer dept. I think I got more out of those for the buck.

Anyone have a tip on this? Fresh chicken or frozen?

Are you buying a whole chicken for just the breasts? If you just want breasts than buying split breasts is usually the best deal. Its rather easy to cut them off the bone and the bones can be used for other things.

Anyhow, the reason why buying the whole chicken seems wasteful to you is that you're not utilizing some good stuff! Those bones simmered all day with some vegetables and herbs make a great stock.


Endless to say fresh chicken tastes better than frozen.

[descovy]

That's pretty much what I do (minus the Walmart part) I find that many things that I buy (just normal stuff not specialty or organic, etc...) are more expensive at Walmart. And my local Walmart is hard to get to. Suprisingly enough, SuperTarget has great deals (especially on generic brands)

My grocers are all on one street... Fiesta, HEB, Randalls, Kroger. Put a cooler in the back of the car and hit 'em all. Takes less than 2 hours on a Wednesday afternoon. I do use coupons... not in a whole binder, double, triple, grocery game kind of way... just clip what I know I like to buy.

Originally Posted by VegasGrace

Thanks to this forum!

I spend $520 or so on groceries each month. Just going to a store, buying what looks good, throwing out food because it gets old or finally getting tired of seeing it in the refrigerator.

I made a monthly menu (this doesn't include lunches M-F since daughter in school and I'll just eat leftovers) w/ breakfasts, weekend lunches, snacks, and dinner- USING weekly circulars from local grocery stores (online versions since I don't get them in the mail).

Made a list and headed to Walmart to compare prices and if something was cheaper than the ad- I got it at Walmart, and for things not found in ads.

Then I headed to the other 3 grocery stores all w/in a block or so.

$196.46!!!! My refrigerator and freezer and pantry are stuffed!

Thanks again! (Walmart doesn't match buy 1 get 1 free promos so that's why I don't do the 'bring circular and we'll match it' thing)

[RHB]

Healthfood stores are a good place to get spices, they are cheaper than the grocery store, and if you want to try something new, you can just get that little bit you need rather than a big expensive container.

Good for you VegasGrace! That's quite an accomplishment!