Notes from "Tightening Budgets and Cutting Food Costs"

Thanks to all of you who attended playgroup and/or our first Sisters' Night Out Activity!

Here's a brief synopsis of the SNO -

It was helpful to compare processes and approaches to cost cutting. Our speaker LeAnna (sorry, I don't use last names online ; ) gave some helpful information about cost cutting and shared the process she's evolved to reduce her monthly food/food storage/household expenses for four people to $250-300 per month.

As we moved to discussion, it was obvious that no single approach will suit every family. It was interesting to compare notes and swap ideas.

Some tips about one "couponing" website (even if you are not interested in shopping with coupons, pay attention to the parts in red - they could still help you save money):

• Grocery Smarts posts the weekly store ads in an abbreviated (list) form. The site tells what's on sale, how those prices rate (compared to the bottom price that an item typically drops to once or twice a year), and if there are coupons that can further reduce the cost (that's where the real savings come in).
• Full-sized file boxes are helpful for couponing. Have one hanging folder for each ad company (e.g. Red Plum, Smart Source, etc). When you get your Sunday paper (some people get one paper subscription per family member so they can get multiple items), take the ad packet out, write the date on top, and stick it in the appropriate file folder. Keep these for about five months, and within that time most of the coupon items will come on sale in at least one store. I once used this method to get jars of baby food for $0.50 - the only time it was cheaper to buy it than make it. ; )
• Grocery Smarts allows you to make a list of the ad items you want. You can customize your own list by using the "start," "shrink," and "print" buttons at the top of the store ad list page.
• Wal-Mart will ad match. Previously, they accepted a Grocery Smarts list printout as proof of price. Now, most checkers will ask to see the store's ad, so have the ads with you as backup.

Other tips:

• Retailmenot.com has promotional codes for different websites. Before you buy something online (e.g. photobooks, blinds, toys, baby gear, etc), put the store's URL into the search field and see if there's a code that can save you more.
• Envelopes labeled with each aspect of your budget could save you money. When pay day comes, get cash for everything you'll be paying out of pocket and put the amount you've budgeted for each category into the appropriate envelope. This method will ensure you don't overdo any one aspect of your budget. At the end of the month, put left over money straight into savings! Just be careful - this could be problematic with loss or theft. For a sturdier method that won't loose your change, use tape to reinforce the edges of some snack sized baggies. Poke holes in the bags and fix them together with a book ring. Then you don't have to take all of the baggies with you to the store.
• Wholesale produce is the way to go if you have access to it and people to split the cost with. One sister shared about living in Manhattan with a family of five. She and a friend with six children went to the wholesale produce market in the Bronx to purchase their produce in bulk. They spent far less and had lots more to share. Anyone know a wholesaler? ; )
• Meat can be pricey, but less so if you buy the cow direct from the owner. One sister calculated their beef at $1.99 per pound (for all cuts) - that's a sweet price for steaks! (Obviously this works best if you have a deep freeze.)
• The Cannery usually has the best price on oats and such. You can just go in and buy items in bulk. If you've never been there, ask someone for more information on how it works.
• Blue Chip Group Inc. is a food storage company that can save a lot of money for large groups of people wanting to buy their food storage in bulk (the prices through this method are much lower than when you buy through a store).

That's enough for now - sorry if I forgot your tip! Leave a comment if you have more ideas to contribute!

Last but not least, the cost saving refreshments!: Stay tuned for Elisa's amazing bread recipe and see below for my granola bar recipe - I save money by making snack foods myself, but then my family eats more so it's a trade off ; ).