Healthy Groceries for around $100/month
fatalis_vox
Posts: 106 Member
Greetings fellow MFPers! I've had this on my mind for a while, and I thought I'd write a post on it, just in case anyone else could use my model.
Disclaimers: I live in Texas, and the cost of living here isn't terribly high. I'm citing my grocery prices locally; yours may be different.. A week's worth of groceries here typically costs me around $20. The remaining $20 goes to things I don't buy every week. It covers items that I buy bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc. For example: Seasonings, sauces, rice, oatmeal, etc. Also, I live alone with just my dog. So this is a one-person meal budget. It may not work properly for people with mouths to feed. If you lift or do other heavy exercise, this plan likely won't work for you. You'll probably wind up needing to double the amounts or more. Sorry I can't be of more help! But for people like me, who are trying to lose fat through diet and light exercise (rather than gaining muscle), it's a great starting point.
Backstory: Some of you know, I've been dealing with depression and a particularly rough patch of life. I gave myself until April to mope around and eat my feelings (gaining 20 pounds) and then I told myself I would start taking care of myself again. I did this in various ways, but I'm talking about groceries here.
I've always had a problem: I hate cooking for one. I feel like it's a waste of my time and energy. But eating out or ordering in all the time was getting really expensive, both financially and physically. So when I decided to start taking care of myself, I knew this would involve some cooking. I resigned myself to it.
So I decided that I would start walking to the grocery store and getting groceries for a couple meals at a time and walking home. Two healthy decisions! Eventually I got that down to one trip a week.
Here's what I get EVERY WEEK when I go to the grocery store:
One package(2-3 pounds) fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts: (~$5)
One package (10 oz) fresh salmon* (~$8)
2-3 pounds of whatever fresh vegetables look good that week. (Generally $2-4)
*Salmon can be replaced with cheaper fish or another meat. I mostly have it in here because I love it and it's full of good fats.
That's my week's worth of lunches and dinners. For $15-$20.
About every other week, I get my snacks. I usually grab one of the 5-lb bags of apples that cost about $3, a package of raw almonds that's about $4, and a 3-pack of seasoned seaweed sheets. ($1. Don't judge me; they're a delicious, nutrient-dense, calorie-light munchy-snack.)
So that's about another $8.
About once a month, I get:
One 2-lb bag of rice ($2-$3)
One container store-brand organic one-minute oats ($3)
Every once in a while, I get soy sauce, terriyaki sauce, lemon and lime juice, sugar, spices, a package of dried fruit for a change, etc. This usually winds up being about $5 a month, because I don't need to get every one every month. Some months, I don't need to get any.
So.
$20 x 4 = 80
$8 x 2 = 16
$5 x 1 = 5
So we have 80 + 16 + 5 = $101.
Bam.
I generally eat about 5-6 ounces of chicken at a meal, which is around half a chicken breast. The salmon I buy is generally in two 5-oz portions anyway, so that works for two meals. That 3-pound pack of chicken is good for six or eight meals.
My prep generally includes preparing 2 servings at a time. I throw the rice in a rice cooker and forget about it until it beeps (I eat about a half-cup of cooked rice at a time.) While the rice is cooking, I preheat the oven to $350. I line a baking pan with foil and put my protein in the middle. One whole chicken breast, or both salmon fillets. I pack the vegetables around the outside or the protein (Broccoli, green beans, asparagus, squash, carrots, whatever. I get different veggies every week.) and then add my seasoning. It usually winds up being about a quarter-pound of veggies per serving, so that's 8 meals.
You can use almost anything you like as seasoning, just make sure you check the serving size and plan accordingly. Soy sauce, citrus juice, herbs and spices, pasta sauce (A serving is a quarter cup, and if that's how much you use it isn't too bad), balsamic vinegar, herbed butter, whatever. Sometimes I even like to use salsa, even though it's high-sodium.
So I top that off with foil (and usually a little water in the bottom of the pan) and throw it in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. I serve myself up one meal, and then I put the rest in a container for lunch the next day.
Breakfast usually consists of a bowl of oatmeal, lightly sweetened and seasoned, and I mostly drink water. For a few extra dollars, you can add on tea bags to make hot or iced tea, water flavorings, herbs and berries for water infusions, etc.
Breakfast generally runs me about 300 calories (I'm including coffee with creamer in this, because I don't do it every day and it's free at my office)
Lunch and dinner usually run 350-400 calories
I allow myself 200 calories of snacks--Generally, an apple and a handful of almonds.
That tops off at about 1300 calories. MFP often suggests you eat 1200, but I think most people aim a little higher than that. I, personally, aim for about 1400. This gives me about a hundred calories of wiggle-room that I can fill with "a little extra" or one thing or another and, coupled with regular (light) exercise, has allowed me to lose ten pounds since I started in April (I topped off at 150; I just broke below 140) and I feel healthier and more energetic the longer I stick with it.
Now you'll notice that there isn't a full 21 meals/week on here. Mostly, that's because I account for real life. I aim for the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time, I try to stick to my diet plan. The other 20% is for when real life happens--I forget my lunch at home. Someone buys pizza for the office. A friend invites me to dinner. I'm just plain not hungry. I don't have the energy for more than a drive-through on my way home.
Whatever. It's life, and it happens. So I account for it in my budget, and try to not to buy food that I'm not going to eat. (Worst case, I make one extra run to the store for stuff for one or two meals.)
Disclaimers: I live in Texas, and the cost of living here isn't terribly high. I'm citing my grocery prices locally; yours may be different.. A week's worth of groceries here typically costs me around $20. The remaining $20 goes to things I don't buy every week. It covers items that I buy bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc. For example: Seasonings, sauces, rice, oatmeal, etc. Also, I live alone with just my dog. So this is a one-person meal budget. It may not work properly for people with mouths to feed. If you lift or do other heavy exercise, this plan likely won't work for you. You'll probably wind up needing to double the amounts or more. Sorry I can't be of more help! But for people like me, who are trying to lose fat through diet and light exercise (rather than gaining muscle), it's a great starting point.
Backstory: Some of you know, I've been dealing with depression and a particularly rough patch of life. I gave myself until April to mope around and eat my feelings (gaining 20 pounds) and then I told myself I would start taking care of myself again. I did this in various ways, but I'm talking about groceries here.
I've always had a problem: I hate cooking for one. I feel like it's a waste of my time and energy. But eating out or ordering in all the time was getting really expensive, both financially and physically. So when I decided to start taking care of myself, I knew this would involve some cooking. I resigned myself to it.
So I decided that I would start walking to the grocery store and getting groceries for a couple meals at a time and walking home. Two healthy decisions! Eventually I got that down to one trip a week.
Here's what I get EVERY WEEK when I go to the grocery store:
One package(2-3 pounds) fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts: (~$5)
One package (10 oz) fresh salmon* (~$8)
2-3 pounds of whatever fresh vegetables look good that week. (Generally $2-4)
*Salmon can be replaced with cheaper fish or another meat. I mostly have it in here because I love it and it's full of good fats.
That's my week's worth of lunches and dinners. For $15-$20.
About every other week, I get my snacks. I usually grab one of the 5-lb bags of apples that cost about $3, a package of raw almonds that's about $4, and a 3-pack of seasoned seaweed sheets. ($1. Don't judge me; they're a delicious, nutrient-dense, calorie-light munchy-snack.)
So that's about another $8.
About once a month, I get:
One 2-lb bag of rice ($2-$3)
One container store-brand organic one-minute oats ($3)
Every once in a while, I get soy sauce, terriyaki sauce, lemon and lime juice, sugar, spices, a package of dried fruit for a change, etc. This usually winds up being about $5 a month, because I don't need to get every one every month. Some months, I don't need to get any.
So.
$20 x 4 = 80
$8 x 2 = 16
$5 x 1 = 5
So we have 80 + 16 + 5 = $101.
Bam.
I generally eat about 5-6 ounces of chicken at a meal, which is around half a chicken breast. The salmon I buy is generally in two 5-oz portions anyway, so that works for two meals. That 3-pound pack of chicken is good for six or eight meals.
My prep generally includes preparing 2 servings at a time. I throw the rice in a rice cooker and forget about it until it beeps (I eat about a half-cup of cooked rice at a time.) While the rice is cooking, I preheat the oven to $350. I line a baking pan with foil and put my protein in the middle. One whole chicken breast, or both salmon fillets. I pack the vegetables around the outside or the protein (Broccoli, green beans, asparagus, squash, carrots, whatever. I get different veggies every week.) and then add my seasoning. It usually winds up being about a quarter-pound of veggies per serving, so that's 8 meals.
You can use almost anything you like as seasoning, just make sure you check the serving size and plan accordingly. Soy sauce, citrus juice, herbs and spices, pasta sauce (A serving is a quarter cup, and if that's how much you use it isn't too bad), balsamic vinegar, herbed butter, whatever. Sometimes I even like to use salsa, even though it's high-sodium.
So I top that off with foil (and usually a little water in the bottom of the pan) and throw it in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. I serve myself up one meal, and then I put the rest in a container for lunch the next day.
Breakfast usually consists of a bowl of oatmeal, lightly sweetened and seasoned, and I mostly drink water. For a few extra dollars, you can add on tea bags to make hot or iced tea, water flavorings, herbs and berries for water infusions, etc.
Breakfast generally runs me about 300 calories (I'm including coffee with creamer in this, because I don't do it every day and it's free at my office)
Lunch and dinner usually run 350-400 calories
I allow myself 200 calories of snacks--Generally, an apple and a handful of almonds.
That tops off at about 1300 calories. MFP often suggests you eat 1200, but I think most people aim a little higher than that. I, personally, aim for about 1400. This gives me about a hundred calories of wiggle-room that I can fill with "a little extra" or one thing or another and, coupled with regular (light) exercise, has allowed me to lose ten pounds since I started in April (I topped off at 150; I just broke below 140) and I feel healthier and more energetic the longer I stick with it.
Now you'll notice that there isn't a full 21 meals/week on here. Mostly, that's because I account for real life. I aim for the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time, I try to stick to my diet plan. The other 20% is for when real life happens--I forget my lunch at home. Someone buys pizza for the office. A friend invites me to dinner. I'm just plain not hungry. I don't have the energy for more than a drive-through on my way home.
Whatever. It's life, and it happens. So I account for it in my budget, and try to not to buy food that I'm not going to eat. (Worst case, I make one extra run to the store for stuff for one or two meals.)
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Replies
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I think it's cool you shared this.
I couldn't eat that because I would be sick of it all really quickly, and would never wanna look at another apple or chicken breast again.
But -- I think it's great for others who may want ideas, and it's nice to see that other people can eat cheaply and well. My husband and I spend anywhere from $150-250 per month on our groceries, which I learned in other threads here is "crazy low" and I don't feel that we pinch pennies all that much.0 -
I don't tend to get sick of it that much because there's SO MUCH that you can do to change the flavor. I'm really good with seasonings.
And I don't think I could ever get sick of apples. I admit to having it easy, lol! (Though you could easily substitute other hand fruits.)
What's your grocery list usually like?0 -
This just made me depressed about how much more expensive food is here in Australia0
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I don't like cooking either, but you make it sound so simple. This is the third time I have heard of a rice cooker, so I'm seriously thinking of getting one.
Thanks for sharing!0 -
Wish I lived in Texas. I spend $350+ A WEEK on groceries.0
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My groceries run about $400 a month. But that includes food for my two adult sons who live here and our really big Labrador. It also includes all paper goods, pet food and treats, and cleaning supplies. I do coupon, shop sales and stockpile enough for between sales. If I didn't coupon our grocery bill would probably be twice that. But then my boys are big meat eaters and they love fresh fruit.0
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about 1200
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So what about Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, bread, or other fruits? Those are all staples for me and I'd go nuts without them lol. I also live in Texas and spend about $80-$100/ week for me and my boyfriend, but this also includes basic toiletries, cleaning supplies, and random household things like dryer sheets and paper plates.
Since you basically buy the same things each week does that mean that you pretty much eat the same things every day?0 -
wow here in Canada food must be really expensive. I just went to the local market the other day and picked up just a few things....
2 nectarines -$1.52
yellow string beans -$.80
2 chicken breasts- $5.43
1 haddock fillet $2.45
2 store made fish cakes $4.07
Totaling $14.27.... So much for a weeks worth of groceries here for under $20
one thing I find really expensive though is butter. $4.99 for a regular block.
Another thing I try to do is look at the flyers and base my "veggies" or even meals around the items that are on sale.0 -
One of the few things I miss from living in Texas was the grocery bill. The other two things were the gas bill and electricity bill.
Seaweed is awesome.
Rice cookers are a life saver! You can also cook quinoa, steel cut oats, and stuffed grape leaves in that thing. I also use it to keep soup warm. Good stuff.0 -
Thanks for posting this. I'm a pescatarian so the non-fish meaty items would be off my list, but it makes me think more about budgeting. I only have about $80 a month for food for myself as I have a little guy who eats $150, plus snacks for my fiance. I'm in Arizona, so the cost of living is pretty cheap here too. Not Texas cheap, but cheap enough.
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That's amazingly low... I'm jealous! I'm in Connecticut and spend for myself and my daughter around $400 a month. I could do much better though if I would look for sales items more or simply skip expensive things.0
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Methinks my husband and I need to move to Texas. We spend 200 per week on food - for the TWO of us. :grumble:
ETA: We also live in the Baltimore/D.C. metro area, so everything is SUPER expensive here. And I'm a diabetic, so I need some "specialty" things (sugar-free versions of stuff, etc., which is almost ALWAYS twice as much money).0 -
Very interesting.
My first impression is that you're a bit nutrient light. I just can't imagine that you're getting enough servings of fruits and/or veg, in a variety of colors, per day on your plan. You didn't ask for advice, but I want to offer the thought that it's not JUST about calories. It seems like you're eating at most two servings of fruit or vegetable a day.
That said, it's clearly working for you to achieve your goal, it's very economical, and it shows a LOT of discipline. I admire your dedication. I budget 100 dollars a week for myself and two cats for food and other sundries (toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc.) But I tend to eat a LOT of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. I love my antioxidants. An unbiased person looking at my plan would probably tell me to eat more protein and whole grains. :-)0 -
That's amazingly low... I'm jealous! I'm in Connecticut and spend for myself and my daughter around $400 a month. I could do much better though if I would look for sales items more or simply skip expensive things.
I grew up in Ct but moved to NC years ago. You definately could cut your bill with coupons and figuring out the sales cycles. We do very well here once I figured it out. We typically go through 2-3 gallons of milk a week, have hamburger (93%), steak, chicken breast, and fish, lots of fruit and veggies (whatever I find on sale, just froze some bananas tonight), not to mention cheese, hummus and snack for my sons. I have paid no more than $1 for a box of cereal (all name brands including Bare Naked, Quaker, Kelloggs etc).0 -
WOW....THAT'S INCREDIBLE!!! ONLY 100 HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH...WHAT STATE DO YOU LIVE IN? I LIVE IN NJ AND MY FOOD BILL IS APPROX. 150 A WEEK FOR MYSELF AND HUSBAND PLUS WE EAT OUT 2-3 TIMES A WEEK.0
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I live in the NY area.(...)
One package(2-3 pounds) fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts: (~$5)
One package (10 oz) fresh salmon* (~$8)
(...)
The absolute cheapest, lowest-quality stew beef that I've seen at my nearest supermarket is 5$/pound.
Yes mad.0 -
We eat a lot of bananas (super cheap!) And potatoes, instead of your apples and rice. I don't like fish, but pork is very cheap, and has lots of lean cuts too.
I also go by what's in season (meaning it's on sake) and what meats are on sale. I like to get turkey and ham when they go on sale at different holidays.
We also eat lots of eggs (cheap and fast) and homemade granola with yogurt. A minimum amount of work goes a long way to saving money on food.0 -
For 2 years and 11 months we really lived off rice, beans, eggs, yogurt, frozen mixed veg and whatever meat was $0.99 a lb or less. This allowed us to pay off our mortgage. We became super creative with every permutation of this combination of food. Honestly tho, we often just ate bacon, egg and veggie fried rice. We would buy a 5 lb box of bacon ends, put handfuls into zip lock baggies, freeze and hack off an inch to season our food. We bought brown rice in 20 lb bags at the Asian mkt. We weren't shy to let everyone know we would accept any extra produce from their garden or really any food they didn't want. People gave us deer meat, crappie, berries, figs, corn, and so much yellow squash my husband stopped eating it for 5 years:). Was totally worth all the teasing when we ripped up the mortgage.0
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I don't tend to get sick of it that much because there's SO MUCH that you can do to change the flavor. I'm really good with seasonings.
And I don't think I could ever get sick of apples. I admit to having it easy, lol! (Though you could easily substitute other hand fruits.)
What's your grocery list usually like?
A big mix, really, but we try to think of 5-6 meal ideas for each week and shop pretty strictly from a list. We live near 3 stores that provide a good mix and low prices (Aldi, a discount supermarket, and a locally owned natural food store).
We eat a lot of eggs, beans, lentils, a mix of fresh & frozen vegetables and fruit, brown rice, etc. Frozen salmon and shrimp, some tofu and veggie burgers/bacon (my husband is pescetarian so I don't cook/buy meat and just order it occasionally when we go out). Most weeks we'll do Mexican style food once or twice, a stir fry, soup, breakfast for dinner (vegan pancakes or some sort of crepe), some sort of Thai- or Indian-inspired meal, and Italian (healthier versions of pasta or pizza). Breakfast is usually eggs or fridge oats with Greek yogurt, fruit & flaxseed.0 -
So what about Greek yogurt, milk, eggs, bread, or other fruits? Those are all staples for me and I'd go nuts without them lol. I also live in Texas and spend about $80-$100/ week for me and my boyfriend, but this also includes basic toiletries, cleaning supplies, and random household things like dryer sheets and paper plates.
Since you basically buy the same things each week does that mean that you pretty much eat the same things every day?
I don't eat those things too often, except for other fruits. Whatever looks good or is on sale. Or sometimes if I Have a craving, I'll just go buy one of what I'm craving. (Last week, it was a mango.)
I've never really been a huge bread eater, and for the time it takes me to make a sandwich I can have my dinner prepped and in the oven. Eggs I get sometimes, swapping them out for the oatmeal, but I usually do breakfast at the office instead of at home, so eggs aren't the best breakfast option for me.
I -do- tend to eat the same basic meal: Oatmeal breakfast. Protein, 1-2 servings of vegetables, and a side of rice lunch/dinner. However with seasonings and sauces, there are so many ways to change the flavor. It doesn't taste like I'm eating the same meal all the time. Get creative! It doesn't always work out (Oh man) but I've discovered some great combinations.0 -
Very interesting.
My first impression is that you're a bit nutrient light. I just can't imagine that you're getting enough servings of fruits and/or veg, in a variety of colors, per day on your plan. You didn't ask for advice, but I want to offer the thought that it's not JUST about calories. It seems like you're eating at most two servings of fruit or vegetable a day.
That said, it's clearly working for you to achieve your goal, it's very economical, and it shows a LOT of discipline. I admire your dedication. I budget 100 dollars a week for myself and two cats for food and other sundries (toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc.) But I tend to eat a LOT of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. I love my antioxidants. An unbiased person looking at my plan would probably tell me to eat more protein and whole grains. :-)
I did consider that I might not be getting all of my nutrients, but the recommended daily fruit/vegetable intake for a woman of my age and activity level is 2 cups a day, and I definitely get that or more. (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ ; they re-vamped the food pyramid based on current knowledge of health and nutrition)
I don't include other sundries such as cleaning supplies and toiletries in my grocery list--I'm in the military, so I usually get those at the BX when I need them. My dog food costs me about $60 a month currently (though as he continues to fill out, I'm sure that'll go up) and I have petflow.com deliver it every month. So I actually budget for those things separately--This is just my food-from-the-grocery-store budget, lol.
Everyone needs different things, of course, so if what you do works and makes you happy, rock on!
And thanks for your input, compliments, and concern. 0 -
I don't like cooking either, but you make it sound so simple. This is the third time I have heard of a rice cooker, so I'm seriously thinking of getting one.
Thanks for sharing!
Rice cookers are awesome. And someone else on this thread mentioned that you can use them for way more--quinoa, oatmeal, keeping soup warm. Mine also comes with a steamer basket so you can throw vegetables or whatever in there, put water in the bottom, and use it as a steamer.
I usually spend about ~5 minutes prepping my meal, and it gives me two(me-sized) servings. Give it a try for a week, maybe, and see what you think?0 -
$100 a month?! $100 a week, maybe.0
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I was rocking the $100 budget for groceries for a while when I was single too. It is hard, but I found it really rewarding to win the grocery game, so to speak. I like your menu. I'm trying to think of what my go-to tactics were for back then too, now.
Lots of lentil soup nights because I could buy those in bulk (did the same with other beans and grains. Anything I could buy from a bulk bin, I did). I was a vegetarian by choice back then too, so not being able to buy meat really didn't hurt.... lol
I got big into coupons to save money on whatever I could, but that takes a bit of time and effort that you may not have depending on your work situation, but even just being able to stock up on toothpaste and toilet paper with a good discount meant there was just that much more I could spend on food when I needed to.
Skipping the grocery store and going to a farmer's market or CSA for produce saves a *lot* if you have that option available. Along those lines, anything you can grow rather than buy saves as well (dried herbs are expensive, snipping them right off your plants is heavenly.)
I baked my own bread and made my own tortillas, too. Which not only saved a lot of money (it's like pennies to make both) but gave me a chance to experiment.0 -
I got big into coupons to save money on whatever I could, but that takes a bit of time and effort that you may not have depending on your work situation, but even just being able to stock up on toothpaste and toilet paper with a good discount meant there was just that much more I could spend on food when I needed to.
Skipping the grocery store and going to a farmer's market or CSA for produce saves a *lot* if you have that option available. Along those lines, anything you can grow rather than buy saves as well (dried herbs are expensive, snipping them right off your plants is heavenly.)
I baked my own bread and made my own tortillas, too. Which not only saved a lot of money (it's like pennies to make both) but gave me a chance to experiment.
I'm also big on coupons too. We usually spend about $200 a week on groceries/eating out but it's me, my boyfriend, my 20 year old daughter and my boyfriend's mom. I do all the grocery shopping. I'm trying to get everyone to eat healthier. They aren't always on board.
We do go to the farmers market on occasion but I don't know where everyone else lives but they are almost always more expensive than the grocery stores. They do have a lot of great looking produce but I spend $40 on two bags of produce last time I was there.
I would love any bread or tortilla recipes you would like to share.
Thanks for sharing Fatalis_vox!!0 -
Good basis, I think. But yeah, all that stuff costs more here too... 3 chicken breasts will be $9 here and once you remove the fat, there's enough for 4/5 meals maybe. Salmon is typically $11 a pound so I guess it's pretty close though (but catfish is typically $7 a pound and sometimes cod is too). Cheap veggies are pretty much $2-3 a pound here.. You're often better off buying frozen veggies on sale at $1 a bag. 5 pounds of apples would probably be $5 or something. I'm in NJ. And the farmer market is just as expensive here.
I spend like $160 a week for 4, and that's including overpriced snacks and yogurts for my 6yo twins (and organic milk). I can almost never find coupons on things I actually buy sadly though (and buying the Sunday paper hasn't seemed worth it just to save $3 on things I actually use).
I'd definitely add some beans, lentils and eggs to your list though... but again I'd need variety.0 -
That's unfortunate about the farmers' markets for you guys. Here we have a pick-your-own produce farm that is ridonkulously cheap if you can get it together to get out there early enough and avoid the heat, and a couple of the farmers' markets that can go either way. If I get sucked into the super pretty what-is-that days, I can overspend there too, but if I put my blinders on and just get the basics I've saved a bunch. I live in the middle of a desert, too, so I assumed it would be better in places that can actually grow things without tons of effort.
Sad to hear it isn't so.
With the coupon game, part of the reason it takes time and effort is because you may not be getting coupons for stuff you want, but you're watching out for the coupons for OTHER things in the store that will let you get the stuff you want for free. It's definitely a process - and it's one that I don't really do much anymore because it's a PITA - but if you're determined to get it down and you have the time to do it, it is an AWESOME feeling to get $100 worth of groceries (including the fresh stuff you can't get coupons for) for under $10. I think that's why the extreme couponers get so into it - it's kind of a rush. lol0 -
That's unfortunate about the farmers' markets for you guys. Here we have a pick-your-own produce farm that is ridonkulously cheap if you can get it together to get out there early enough and avoid the heat, and a couple of the farmers' markets that can go either way. If I get sucked into the super pretty what-is-that days, I can overspend there too, but if I put my blinders on and just get the basics I've saved a bunch. I live in the middle of a desert, too, so I assumed it would be better in places that can actually grow things without tons of effort. Sad to hear it isn't so.
With the coupon game, part of the reason it takes time and effort is because you may not be getting coupons for stuff you want, but you're watching out for the coupons for OTHER things in the store that will let you get the stuff you want for free. It's definitely a process - and it's one that I don't really do much anymore because it's a PITA - but if you're determined to get it down and you have the time to do it, it is an AWESOME feeling to get $100 worth of groceries (including the fresh stuff you can't get coupons for) for under $10. I think that's why the extreme couponers get so into it - it's kind of a rush. lol
Oh definitely, I see some friends who get things for dirt cheap. I don't know any store here that doubles coupons though, so that's another downer.0 -
I've found that, in Florida, you can get really amazing deals at unexpected places. Unfortunately there isn't a lot of grocery store competition down here, we basically have Publix, Wal-Mart, Target, and the occasional Food Lion or Winn-Dixie. Wal-Mart is the only reasonably priced store pre-coupons, and because there isn't much competition, there aren't many coupons that can be put to use here (or the rules are really stringent). Anyway, I was looking for new food options and wandered into some cultural stores, like Indian, Hispanic, etc, and I've found that their prices are MUCH cheaper than any big store, even after coupons (unless you're an Extreme Couponer). You'll be slightly limited if you intend on doing your shopping at these types of shops because they're catering to speciality meals but the prices are just unbeatable. $3.99/lb cashews! at the Indian stores. At the Latino grocery stores the fruits and vegetables are just jaw droppingly inexpensive. Where I'd normally spend about $100-$150 on groceries from Wal-Mart I spend about $50 for the same quantity and sometimes better quality produce.
I'm also pretty big on rice which is cheap regardless of where you buy it (I think - I usually go for the 50lb bag at Sam's Club). You can do amazing things with rice and vegetables. Rice is a great food in that it'll be pretty good regardless of what you pair it with.0
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