Saving money on groceries and other stuff

[TD]

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[MrDawn]

What tips and tricks do you have to mitigate those costs?

We often just buy the after market brands. Name brand is absurdly overpriced.

 

[shortkut]

Store brand, but no matter what, it just seems like we spend the same amount each time. I blame buying healthy foods

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

Store brand, but no matter what, it just seems like we spend the same amount each time. I blame buying healthy foods

Yup. I keep receipts for business tracking expenses and though I change the menu every week, I'm always within $5-$8 each week. Talking between $198 and $205 every time. Rarely strays from that.

We have one grocery store here called Market Basket that is a high volume store and always busy but my bill is 30% less than any other store and the food is fresher because of how often they need to restock.

Other tips:

Don't buy pre-cut veggies, fruit, or prepared meats with seasoning, etc.
Stick to the edges of the stores - dairy, produce, meats, the aisles have all the expensive processed stuff.
Make 1-2 crock pot or bulk meal per week and use for work lunches. Often comes out to less than $1 per serving if you avoid prepackaged items.
Making my own pizza costs $1.50 or so in ingredients, as opposed to $12-$15 at the pizza shop.
I cook all my meals, very little is prepared in advance at the store, the cost savings is insane. Unless you're buying really expensive ingredients all the time. Like Saffron.

My wife also makes her own playdoh, slime, pureed baby food and such for her business. Basically if you do it yourself you save the labor cost in anything...

 

[Crystal]

I use outlet stores, too, for whatever I can. Bakery outlet for breads, grocery outlet for limited groceries and such, etc. Saves a little bit.

 

[Gloom-is-good]

Not sure if anyone has heard of the app Too Good to Go but it's been a game-changer in my area. It's a decent bread/grocery supplement

 

[Crystal]

Not sure if anyone has heard of the app Too Good to Go but it's been a game-changer in my area. It's a decent bread/grocery supplement

Now THIS looks interesting, I've never even heard of it!

 

[Gloom-is-good]

We've only used it a couple of times but it's been decent stuff. If we didn't live in the burbs, we would have more options available.

 

[Spiner202]

The quality of Too Good To Go is almost entirely dependent on how much your local store(s) like using it. I used to check it every day, but the two grocery stores closest to me that used it would always put the same items on, and they were sorta low quality stuff. Out of curiosity, I checked some other stores that were too far away for me to get to, but it looked like they had a much better selection.

I live by Flipp. I have a ton of grocery stores near me so I always check the flyers every Wednesday. Probably about 75% of what I buy is whatever is on sale in a given week.

 

[Lunar Kreskents]

Not groceries, but I use camelcamelcamel.com notifications to wait for things on Amazon to be at lower price before buying.
Cooking in bulk. Cooking your own food is great and all, but time is money too and not everyone is able to cook everyday, so making food in bulk and freezing into portions helps.

 

[Christina]

So biggest thing would be to have a meal plan and a list and stick to it. Plan between time and cost. There is nothing wrong with pre-cut veggies can be big for people that don't have a lot of time. So paying a little more will save time and guarantee you cook instead of buying take out. Plan around your life and schedule. If you have more time, you can save more money by giving your time to preparation.

Plan foods that keep you full. Cheap oatmeal will keep some full for hours and other will be hungry in an hour. If you get hungry, you will eat. Shop the sales. Convert price to per pound (or whatever metric is) cost to really figure out what protein is cheaper. Breans. The answer is beans.

Saving money on food is all about planning and fitting it into your life style. A stay at home person and a person working 2 full jobs have very different needs. If the later tried to make everything from stratch, they would just be stressing themselves out.

Tools can pay for themselves if you commit to using them. An instant post, air fryer, sous vide, etc. Watch videos and be real about whether these things fit into your life and would make things easier. I have a bread machine, it's easier for me because I work from home. It takes me 5 minutes to set it up, and I'm at home when I need to check it and when its done. Bread machine may work for you if you set it for over night, or you know you will realistically be too tired to deal with it so skip it.

Some meal plan subscriptions work great for people who just want a made meal but have no time.

Time is money and money is time. Sit down and be honest with yourself.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Don't buy fruit or veggies that are out of season. Get those frozen or canned. Note: Some veggies are better frozen than canned (spinach for example). Do some research on that. Corn fine canned, but I think it's cheaper frozen.

The larger the size of container, the cheaper the item is (per ounce). If you use something at lot, get the larger item. If you don't use the item a lot and it has a short shelf life, maybe buy the smaller item. Don't spend more just because it's cheaper per ounce but don't buy smaller just because it's cheaper right now.

A2 milk lasts for a month and a half.

"Large" eggs may be cheaper per dozen, but the price per ounce is not good. I found that basically 2 "large" eggs are practically 1 extra large egg.

Don't buy groceries at 7-11. Eggs ate like 4.50 here at 7-11, but under 2 bucks at local grocery stores.

Buy food items that come in packages that can be resealed or have a good way to reseal them. When I buy bacon, I buy the stuff with the ziplock type seals because my bacon will go to waste otherwise.

Freeze stuff you don't use.

Pork is cheaper in the fall.

Unless you're close to a major ocean shore, buy your fish frozen.

Buy in bulk. But only the stuff you know you're going to use.

Only buy what you NEED and try to get the cheapest items for those needs. Grocery stores are set up to entice you into buying more stuff than what you need.

Frozen pizzas are king, but DiGorno is overpriced and kinda shit.

Don't buy from Nestlé. This isn't a money saving tip. Nestle is an awful company.

Don't buy bottled water. Get a filter if you can.

Buy soda in 2 liter bottles. Cans and 20 hours bottles may be more convenient, but they're super expensive. Cans and glass are more easily recycled than plastic though.

Use powdered laundry and dish detergent, but don't use store brand stuff for those. Cascade's powder detergent seems to clean and rinse away better than my local grocery store brand stuff. Use Gain for Laundry detergent. You my end up having issues with the detergent clumping up due to moisture in the air, but it's SOOOOOOOO much cheaper than liquid detergent and those pods. Long live powder detergents.

Outside of some items, try to get store brand stuff. Sometimes, the quality of store brand items are no worse than the brand name stuff, but some things are. Seasonings are typically going to be the same quality regardless of the brand, but canned foods might not be as good.

Sometimes, the cheapest brand of tortilla chips are not in the chip isle, but are with the Mexican food isle with the salsas. Tostitos sucks.

Salsa, honey, and pasta sauces are not necessarily the best to buy cheap. If you can make your own salsa and pasta sauce, that is the best option, but don't get Rago or store brand sauce and salsa. They are shit. Buy good stuff. Cheap honey can often be watered down or mixed with other sweeteners despite saying it's 100% honey. Buy local honey if you can.

Buy coffee that isn't preground. Loose leaf tea is cheaper too (and typically better). Get canned tins to increase the longevity of coffee and tea. Plastic won't do.

Buy the "expensive" electric tooth brushes and then buy the Target brand brush head replacements. Single non-electric toothbrushes suck.

Don't buy grocery store brand razers. Buy Gillett's Mach 3 razer and then by the Target razer heads. Or get an electric razer if you don't need to get as close. Panasonic>Braun.

When buying paper towels, look for 2 ply and try to math out the cost to sheet. Or buy reusable and rewashable cloths.

There is no buying cheap toilet paper. Get the best 2 ply that feels good on your butt. I prefer Quilted Northern.

Do not buy single rolls of TP or paper towels. Waste of money. Buy in bulk if you can store it.

Buy butter sticks not the stuff in the tubs. It's cheaper and they can last longer.

Get wax or parchment paper to separate your frozen meats.

Noodles last like 2 years. Put them in a sealable container and stick them on your shelves.

When you but sugar, empty the bags into sealed containers so it lasts longer and doesn't clump up as easily.

Put cereal in sealed containers as well. Chips as well, or just get the bag clips.

Don't but disposable dishware and silverware unless your hosting a party. Cheaper to put stuff through the dishwasher than to constantly have to buy more dishes.

Glass>Plastic.

Buy kidney beans, not chili beans.

Instant ramen is still cheap. Mixes well with many things.

 

[Christina]

Don't buy grocery store brand razers. Buy Gillett's Mach 3 razer and then by the Target razer heads. Or get an electric razer if you don't need to get as close. Panasonic>Braun.

I would add to this, buy a reusable razor. It havi g 4 blades and some gummy stuff on the blade that just clogs your razor up.

I can buy a razor like this for $20 maybe even cheaper.
Replace blades are $3 for 5. You can use a new blade for each shave and it would still be cheaper than disposable and you save on plastic. Works just as well for men and woman.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I would add to this, buy a reusable razor. It havi g 4 blades and some gummy stuff on the blade that just clogs your razor up.
View attachment 7488
I can buy a razor like this for $20 maybe even cheaper.
Replace blades are $3 for 5. You can use a new blade for each shave and it would still be cheaper than disposable and you save on plastic. Works just as well for men and woman.
View attachment 7489

I don't like safety razers. They don't work well, and take an annoying amount of time to shave with.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I'll add some stuff.

Use a credit card with cash back instead of a debit card. Pay off your card every month (or every time you buy something). Free money.

Also, if you shop or eat somewhere a lot, get the damn rewards card/account. Even if it's something as shit as IHG's rewards program, it's better than nothing.

Obviously don't buy stuff just to get rewards points and cash back, but if you are going to buy stuff anyway, there is literally no reason to not participate in the rewards programs. Gas rewards programs that give you a certain amount off per gallon are probably the most beneficial if you drive a lot. Don't use Circle K's though, as their system is kinda fucked, and you connect it to your checking account like the default Target Red card, and if that gets compromised, you'll have an uphill battle getting that money back. The only thing that keeps from doing a gas rewards program is that they all require your GPS to be enabled on your phone. You don't get a card anymore.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Oh, Kiwis, Onions, and Potatoes last a long time.

Put your bread in your fridge.

Bananas always seem to be cheap, I think we always get them from tropical regions and they're never out of season as a result.

Organic is overrated.

So are air fryers.

 

[Christina]

You take that back about air fryers! I use mine everyday a lot of times multiple times a day. Takes way less energy to use than an oven. Ovens are a big cost on your energy bill. Also here in Florida nobody wants to turn the oven on in the summer.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Toaster ovens are more flexible.

 

[Lunar Kreskents]

get the bag clips.

Buy large binder clips instead. They can clip basically anything, don't break all the time, and cheaper.

 

[The Eye in the Sky!]

I also 10000% agree about meal planning. If you know what you are eating you can account for the grocery trip leaving less indecision and saving money going with a plan.

Also I'm not 100% sold on my air fryer but it definitely gives you a better finished product on some items than an oven but I'm saving for an oven with air fry because I don't like having another counter top appliance. I won't have a deep fryer for health and safety reasons, but the air fryer gets 60% of the way there, so it's acceptable.

 

[Christina]

The air fryer thing is very much like all tools, you have to figure out what is going to work for you and yours. It took a long time before I finally agreed to let Vash buy one. We got a ninja one that does grilling, baking, dehydration, and air frying. We have the counter room for it, and honestly if my oven broke we would not be quick to spend the hundred/thousand dollars to replace that because we have the air fryer for what we need.

If you have a bigger family I can see an air fryer not being enough. Toaster ovens are good too, we had one before the air fryer, but found the air fryer is better.

I work from home, so being able to cook a frozen fish fillet and some veggies in 10 minutes, is nice. Our toaster oven was not good at this.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I just remembered. Something my mom did was add oats and onions to ground beef when making burgers and meatloaf. Meat can get expensive, but oats aren't and you can basically make more "meat" by adding oats to the beef. You basically get to make larger patties and loaves with less meat.

Also, she liked to mix random shit she had left over together to make other things.

Cook too much rice for a meal? Reheat in the morning and serve the rice for breakfast with butter, sugar, and milk like you would a bowl of oatmeal. Or add the rice to a dish the next evening.

Bread get stale? Turn it into stuffing or use as breadcrumbs. As long as it's not molding it's fine to eat.

Never under-estimate the power of turning left over ham or turkey into ham/turkey sandwiches the next day.

Still have hot dogs but no buns? Eat them right out of the fridge, or chop them and added them to naked beans and Mac and cheese.

Also, instead of buying hamburger and hit dog buns, just used sliced bread instead. Sliced bread is more versatile so if you're on a budget, buying buns may not be economically sound. They also take up additional space.

 

[Smacktard]

These are all great tips.

I never even realized the "edges of the store" thing but you're right.

Same. Mind blown.

Also:
Frozen (whole) foods are often cheaper than fresh foods, and typically more nutrient-dense (especially for fruit/veg)

 

[Jon]

We have one grocery store here called Market Basket that is a high volume store and always busy but my bill is 30% less than any other store and the food is fresher because of how often they need to restock.

I MISS TRASH BASKET! It will always be DeMoulas' to me though. Yes, I'm old...

Publix is just not the same as Market Basket. I do miss it.

 

[shortkut]

Toaster ovens are more flexible.

you obviously don’t know how to use an air fryer. For example, it is far superior for reheating a sandwich

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I have additional things to add, since I forgot them:

Bar Soap > Liquid Soap. It's cheaper, it lasts much longer and you can do just about everything you can with liquid soap. Only issues is that it's harder to clean up after. Get a scrubbing pouch (or use a wash cloth) if you want something like a loofah.

Colgate or Arm and Hammer toothpaste. Everything else overly expensive. And the super cheap stuff is nasty and might not have whitening, enamel protection, or the other stuff. Also, if you use mouthwash, use the Antiseptic stuff. That is antiplaque stuff. The anticavity is just doing what your toothpaste is already doing.

Get a sideloading laundry machine. Saves water, and your clothes. Only downside, if you like to refresh your colored clothes with dye, you'll need to resort to the bathtub.

Also, wash your clothes inside out. Don't use hot water and use low heat in the dryer. Don't waste your money on dryer sheets. You can find little balls that take away static and help with wrinkles. I found ones made of wool that allow you to put a couple drops of essential oils in them to make your clothes smell nice.

If you have hair, get a brush, not a comb. Spend less time treating your hair that way. Also, you don't really need to wash your hair every day unless you do a lot of sweating or whatever. Once every other day should be fine. Some might suggest waiting longer.

 

[shortkut]

Get a sideloading laundry machine. Saves water, and your clothes. Only downside, if you like to refresh your colored clothes with dye, you'll need to resort to the bathtub.

Unfortunately, top loaders clean better

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Unfortunately, top loaders clean better

They beat up my clothes. Maybe I should consider getting one without the agitator in the middle.

 

[Christina]

 

[Mark]

They beat up my clothes. Maybe I should consider getting one without the agitator in the middle.

Yeah, the newer high efficiency top-loaders are pretty good at agitating the clothes without actually having a center agitator.

Also, to build off of your bar soap suggestion… you can use it with a loofah, but you won’t get the lasting suds that you will with liquid body wash. I typically have to reapply soap 2-3 times to the loofah per shower with regular Irish Spring.

 

[Kat]

Making my own pizza costs $1.50 or so in ingredients

How?! I'd use more than $1.50 worth of just cheese.

Put your bread in your fridge.

The fridge is a perfect environment to make bread stale due to the temp and humidity. I keep mine in the freezer, but I use it exclusively for toast, so YMMV.

Don't waste your money on dryer sheets.

I once ran out of dryer sheets in the middle of doing laundry, so I dried my clothes without them. I couldn't tell the difference, so I never bought more. I feel like such a sucker, buying dryer sheets for so long.

They beat up my clothes. Maybe I should consider getting one without the agitator in the middle.

The ones without an agitator are sooo much better than the ones with one. I used to have a washer that regularly ate clothes, but my current top loader with no agitator works great. I've never had a front loader, so I can't compare there.

My only grocery saving tip is to make friends with people who like to cook for others and eat over at their place a lot.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

I once ran out of dryer sheets in the middle of doing laundry, so I dried my clothes without them. I couldn't tell the difference, so I never bought more. I feel like such a sucker, buying dryer sheets for so long.

Literally the only good thing about dryer sheets are the anti-static properties. The fabric softener stuff doesn't do jack compared to what the stuff you put in the wash does.

Another tip, if you can't find the little balls to put in your dryer, aluminum foil does the trick. Roll up some into a ball and toss it in the dryer and there should be a marked reduction in static. And the aluminum is much more compact than when you put it in.

I prefer the reusable balls because... well, they're reusable. You can really only use the aluminum foil balls once.

Speaking of reusable. K-cups. If you like to make coffee and only need like a cup or so, don't waste your money (and the environment) one time usage k-cups. Get a reusable one that let's you put whatever type of coffee that you want in it. All you need to do after is empty the grounds and rinse the k-cup. Keurig is kinda dickish nowadays, and their newer machines force you to use their proprietary K-cups, but older ones (or ones made without the computer chips) won't give you a fit. Alternatively, you can get machines that aren't branded by Keurig that will let you use whatever K-cup you want. Some companies have machines that provide the flexibility of using a single cup or a full pot, like Hamilton Beach.

 

[Kat]

Literally the only good thing about dryer sheets are the anti-static properties. The fabric softener stuff doesn't do jack compared to what the stuff you put in the wash does.

The only time my laundry is staticky is when I wash a bunch of fuzzy blankets together. I've never noticed any static at all with anything else.

I don't use fabric softener either, but that's more about avoiding scents than anything else.

I did find powdered dishwasher detergent is cheaper and more effective than the liquid stuff, especially if you sprinkle a bit outside of the dispenser for it so it has soap in the pre wash cycle.

 

[Christina]

If you are getting static in your clothes, you are drying your clothes too long. With the exception of a few types of fabric. Static comes from over drying clothes.

There used to be a smart device that you could put in your dryer to send you a notification of when your clothes where really dry. You may be surprised at how little time you really need in the dryer. Sadly, the one I was using is no longer supported.

Line drying is always way better for your clothes and costs pretty much nothing. You can buy drying racks for indoors or smaller ones for balcony use. You can even use the shower bar to just hange your clothes on, just becareful of weight. Indoor drying will take longer depending on the temp and humidity in your home. If you do line dry outside full sun drys faster but it can be more harsh on your clothes than the shade and can bleach out your colors so if you only have full sun, make sure you check on your clothes and bring them back in as soon as they are dry.

 

[Mark]

If you are getting static in your clothes, you are drying your clothes too long. With the exception of a few types of fabric. Static comes from over drying clothes.

That’s what I was coming here to say… certain materials, especially synthetics or wool blends love to retain and build on even the most minuscule static charge.

 

[Kat]

If you are getting static in your clothes, you are drying your clothes too long. With the exception of a few types of fabric. Static comes from over drying clothes.

There used to be a smart device that you could put in your dryer to send you a notification of when your clothes where really dry. You may be surprised at how little time you really need in the dryer. Sadly, the one I was using is no longer supported.

Oh, interesting. My dryer has a moisture sensor, so that's probably why it never has any static.

Line drying is always way better for your clothes and costs pretty much nothing.

It seems so time consuming though.

 

[Mark]

It seems so time consuming though.

It is, but it pales in comparison to using a washboard or a crank powered agitator to wash them. She hasn’t gone full pioneer woman yet. Give it time.

 

[Christina]

It seems so time consuming though

It is. This is very much a time for money equation. I do it sometimes, but not all the time. I do have certain clothes that are always lined dryed just to keep them nicer for longer.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

Oh, interesting. My dryer has a moisture sensor, so that's probably why it never has any static.

My dryer is an older type, so it probably doesn't have a moisture sensor.

But it's by far the best dryer I've ever used. I've had issues with newer dryers not fully drying despite taking an obnoxious amount of time, but I've never had that issue with my current dryer. Parts may fall off and it doesn't have any fancy features, but the dryer actually drys my clothes. I could probably try reducing the time I run the machine, though.

It seems so time consuming though.

Not only that, but some clothes feel off after they dry. They feel scratchy. Jeans especially.

 

[Kat]

My dryer is an older type, so it probably doesn't have a moisture sensor.

But it's by far the best dryer I've ever used. I've had issues with newer dryers not fully drying despite taking an obnoxious amount of time, but I've never had that issue with my current dryer. Parts may fall off and it doesn't have any fancy features, but the dryer actually drys my clothes. I could probably try reducing the time I run the machine, though.

You'd know if it did because it'd have an option to dry to a moisture level instead of a set time.

If your laundry is very hot when it comes out, then you can reduce the dry time. It doesn't heat up until all the moisture is gone. I like to put my blankets on "very dry" so I can lay in the scorching hot pile of them, but my clothes go on "mostly dry" so the elastic and whatnot isn't overheated. They still feel dry to the touch, but they're a bit cool instead of hot when they come out, even with the heat on the highest setting.

 

[Fool's Requiem]

You'd know if it did because it'd have an option to dry to a moisture level instead of a set time.

If your laundry is very hot when it comes out, then you can reduce the dry time. It doesn't heat up until all the moisture is gone. I like to put my blankets on "very dry" so I can lay in the scorching hot pile of them, but my clothes go on "mostly dry" so the elastic and whatnot isn't overheated. They still feel dry to the touch, but they're a bit cool instead of hot when they come out, even with the heat on the highest setting.

I only use Knit/Delicate

 

[Kat]

View attachment 8782
I only use Knit/Delicate

Maybe it does have a sensor then?

 

[Mark]

View attachment 8782
I only use Knit/Delicate

My parents had the same dryer back in the day… when was the last time you took the panel off and cleaned under the lint trap? SO much shit accumulates there over time.