Grocery expenses.

[Annie]

$20 as in twenty dollars?

Yep. Been doing so for over 9 months now.

what do you eat? ramen exclusively?

Not at all. I buy wisely and cook good. I tend to make 4-8 servings and freeze. Utilizing best buys with rice, pasta, potatoes, and vegetables. I use fresh when I can, frozen or canned when not. I plan. I bake my own bread, cookies, and other sweets and blend my own spices. I buy very little 'processed' foods. I buy on sale, with coupons.

While never a spend thrift, I wasn't much of a bargain hunter either, figuring my time off was worth plenty. Circumstances changed, so did I.

 

[Samson]

Does anyone on this thread hunt game to supplement their diet/income? I do.

Or grow their own vegetables, perhaps? I don't, but it's currently under consideration.

In the US, rats don't count as "game."

 

[KissMy]

I've been spending about $20 a week, mostly for me, but I've had friends and kids too for an occasional dinner or lunch. It's become much more difficult to hold costs down in the past 3 months or so. With gas prices doing what they are, I expect it's going to get much, much worse.

$20 as in twenty dollars?

Yep. Been doing so for over 9 months now.

What are you eating? I mean a bag of dog food is almost $2 a pound now days.

The best deals I get lately are whole chickens at $0.49 a pound. I put that in a crock pot with potatoes & carrots, mmm...mmm...good. If I need to feed more people I can throw in 3 chicken brest that soak in that whole chicken taste & stock. I even feed my dog some of this left-over chicken & stock mixed with rice because it is cheaper than dog food.

 

[Samson]

When in college I lived on a very low food budget.

Free Food Happy Hours were my secret.

 

[Blagger]

Does anyone on this thread hunt game to supplement their diet/income? I do.

Or grow their own vegetables, perhaps? I don't, but it's currently under consideration.

In the US, rats don't count as "game."

Who said/wrote that they are? What a bizarre reply.

 

[Annie]

$20 as in twenty dollars?

Yep. Been doing so for over 9 months now.

What are you eating? I mean a bag of dog food is almost $2 a pound now days.

The best deals I get lately are whole chickens at $0.49 a pound. I put that in a crock pot with potatoes & carrots, mmm...mmm...good. I even feed my dog some of this left-over chicken & stock mixed with rice because it is cheaper than dog food.

I'm not of the mindset to turn this into a 'save money' or 'recipe thread.' I make lots of stews, soups, chilis. I freeze and use for lunches and other dinners. I eat oatmeal most mornings. I have an occasional steak that I'll buy at 50% off because of expiration date. I've no problem using left over chicken, pasta, olive oil, garlic, with some veggies thrown in. I've used left over meatloaf with homemade marinara sauce.

I make my own bread crumbs and breading mixtures and croutons from left over bread. I make my own hair conditioner which works much better than what I use to buy. I shop at Aldi's for many items, Trader Joe's too. I use Target and Ultra Foods for many things I used to go to supermarket for.

Store brands go on sale, I utilize those and keep my cards up-to-date with coupons. We have loadable coupons here, don't have to fool with clipping.

 

[KissMy]

When in college I lived on a very low food budget.

Free Food Happy Hours were my secret.

Yeah back in the late 80's I lived at college with a $2.65 a day food budget. It was rough. Lots of beans, rice, potatoes & coupon clipping. I got a hold of a stack of 50 news papers that had free McLean burger coupons from McDonalds. I ate for a month on those. I went to free food seminars, happy hours, buffets, promotions etc. I would take plastic bags to haul out some extras. The best feeds by far are farm seed, chemical, machinery & such promotions / shows. They have all the steak, beer, fresh fruits & veggies you can eat. Nobody threw down a big feast like these farm promotions.

 

[Grace]

$20 as in twenty dollars?

Yep. Been doing so for over 9 months now.

What are you eating? I mean a bag of dog food is almost $2 a pound now days.

The best deals I get lately are whole chickens at $0.49 a pound. I put that in a crock pot with potatoes & carrots, mmm...mmm...good. If I need to feed more people I can throw in 3 chicken brest that soak in that whole chicken taste & stock. I even feed my dog some of this left-over chicken & stock mixed with rice because it is cheaper than dog food.

Better than dog food, too. I have lots of whole chicken in the freezer for stew. For them, for us.

 

[Annie]

Today I had baked oatmeal for breakfast. It included 1/3 C steel cut oats, 3 T brown sugar, 1/4 C walnuts, 1/8 C cranraisins, 1/8 C raisins, 1 C skim milk.

Lunch was leftover noodles with garlic olive oil and red pepper flakes along with about 1/2 C left over chicken from stew. 2 low cal carmel corn flavored rice cakes; blueberry yogurt; salad; and diet ginger ale.

I chose not to eat dinner. If I do get hungry before bed, will probably have reduced fat Ritz crackers and peanut butter.

 

[KissMy]

Another large driver of food prices are the millions of 2012 doomers stocking up enormous stockpiles of food. There are even large corporations storing food for members. Survival cities have been built & are being stocked full of food. 2012 fear is a very big & booming world wide business.

 

[LumpyPostage]

US$102.442 per month according to the currency converter.

 

[Toro]

dp

 

[Toro]

~$650 a month, family of three, excluding restaurants.

 

[Samson]

I remember having a "Grocery Budget" of $300/mo back in 1985 when I graduated from college and got my first job.

Now, 26 years later, feeding 4 others and making well over 4 X my 1985 income, I don't bother budgeting food.

I let the family Department of Health and Human Welfare do it for me.

But it seems to me that every year the budget grows larger. Last year the Bureau of Slave Affairs demanded that we join Costco as a "Cost Saving Measure" that would "Benefit Children" and "Increase Test Scores." As far as I can tell, test scores have DECREASED and they are drinking about a 55 G Drum of 2% milk every month.

 

[AllieBaba]

Switch to whole milk.

 

[Samson]

Switch to whole milk.

You're from the Dairy Farmers Lobby.



It appears they are getting well over their daily allowances of Hormones, even to the degree that some (NOT ME) have declared that my 8 yo daughter may soon need to wear female undergarments......

****I refuse to say "THE WORD"****

 

[AllieBaba]

I just know it makes you smarter and better looking, that's all.

 

[Samson]

I just know it makes you smarter and better looking, that's all.

Insidious claims of the Dairy Farmer's Lobby.

The older slave got his wish for Whole Milk, and is now EVEN BETTER LOOKING THAN I AM.

Unfortunately, the intelligence thing hasn't kicked in yet.


I expect I'll be repaid with an unwanted grandchild soon.

 

[AllieBaba]

There's no such thing as unwanted grandchildren!

 

[Samson]

There's no such thing as unwanted grandchildren!

OK OK.....UNPLANNED Grandchildren: m'k Mrs Palin?

(Actually, I was pleased that the older slave asked me to but him some prophilactics the last time we were in Wal-Mart)