Newly retired hubbie got "sticker shock" when he saw we spent $625 on groceries
- Thread starter marilynfl
- Start date
melissa-dallas
Well-known member
Ethnic markets are a good place to look for cheap protein & sometimes fruit & veggies.
The little Mexican carnicerias (butcher shops) around me have great prices-especially on chickens, whole or boneless breasts. As a bonus they are never frozen, or "enhanced", plus you actually have real full service butchers on duty. Also the loss leaders at the grocery store. Fiesta had whole fresh pork picnic shoulders for .57 cents a pound last week. That's a lotta carnitas or pulled pork for next to nothing. The Asian groceries also tend to have good prices. I try to buy only the truly special things at my expensive markets (great bakery bread, things I can't get elsewhere) and then buy the rest of my groceries at cheaper stores.
The little Mexican carnicerias (butcher shops) around me have great prices-especially on chickens, whole or boneless breasts. As a bonus they are never frozen, or "enhanced", plus you actually have real full service butchers on duty. Also the loss leaders at the grocery store. Fiesta had whole fresh pork picnic shoulders for .57 cents a pound last week. That's a lotta carnitas or pulled pork for next to nothing. The Asian groceries also tend to have good prices. I try to buy only the truly special things at my expensive markets (great bakery bread, things I can't get elsewhere) and then buy the rest of my groceries at cheaper stores.
dawn_mo
Well-known member
I make out a very exact grocery list for
Hubba Bubba. For instance:
2-Bay's English muffins (in cooler case by cream cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Best Choice pepperjack cheese
1 can Bush's black beans
etc.
It takes a little time on my part, but when I couldn't drive it was a lifesaver to have him shop for me. I try to put it in the order of the market too. When you shop as much as I have, it's pretty easy to do that. That way I get exactly what I want. If I don't care about an item, then I let him choose what he wants. He used to be really bad at picking up things from the market. This method works pretty well for us.
Thankfully, I am on the road again so this doesn't happen very often.
Hubba Bubba. For instance:
2-Bay's English muffins (in cooler case by cream cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces Best Choice pepperjack cheese
1 can Bush's black beans
etc.
It takes a little time on my part, but when I couldn't drive it was a lifesaver to have him shop for me. I try to put it in the order of the market too. When you shop as much as I have, it's pretty easy to do that. That way I get exactly what I want. If I don't care about an item, then I let him choose what he wants. He used to be really bad at picking up things from the market. This method works pretty well for us.
Thankfully, I am on the road again so this doesn't happen very often.
They get cuts from the rocks and hooks and then staph sets in.
Both the fish and people are getting it. I don't know if the fish are carrying it or microbs in the water...not sure. Hospital is having a hard time getting cuts under control. I won't go into the water in that area.
Both the fish and people are getting it. I don't know if the fish are carrying it or microbs in the water...not sure. Hospital is having a hard time getting cuts under control. I won't go into the water in that area.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Both of my aunts got this, and once you get it you are deemed a "carrier" and the hospitals don't
want to admit them or keep them in hospital very long. One aunt got it from surgery as well as my friend's DB, the other aunt pricked her thumb while quilting and got it. Fortunately all three are fine now. Scary indeed.
want to admit them or keep them in hospital very long. One aunt got it from surgery as well as my friend's DB, the other aunt pricked her thumb while quilting and got it. Fortunately all three are fine now. Scary indeed.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
Now that I'm on a very strict job-less budget I'm getting creative with food shopping.
I go to TJ's for many items, and Costco for things I just cannot live without like a ribeye and smoked salmon and ham for lunchmeat. I package them up in singles for my freezer and have a running list.
For the steaks, I rub them with olive oil and put them in foil, then ziplock bags, this really mitigates the freezer burn. For fish, my fishing pals taught me a trick to put the fish piece in a ziplock then fill with cold water and freeze. It makes the fish freezer burn proof. If you freeze them flat, once solid you can stand them up like little novels. Smoked salmon and lunch meat I freeze in portions for 2 people and they defrost quite nicely.
Veggies I've been going to the super cheap farmers market, and soon will be trekking to Chinatown. Sigh. Not organic and the crowds and pushing, ugh, but cheap is the word!
Now I eat meat only once or twice a week if I'm lucky, I eat a lot of veggies, I'm making my own bread (thanks to that nice baker I met on Twitter!), and really cutting back on wine during the week. Fortunately my liquor cabinet is well stocked but when that gets depleted I'm going to be a sad sad puppy!
Another fun thing I've been doing is having leftover parties with my friends. We had been getting together weekly for dinner and trading left overs, so nice to have someone else's great cooking for dinner, and the subsequent week we return all the tupperware and talk about what's on the menu for the week. We are so pitifully broke, so it's a nice togetherness. But we haven't done this in a while, my friend's debutante ball for her daughter is coming up and she's just frantic getting everything done. But it's going to be a great party!
Anyway, I hope some of these ideas help you out a bit.
Hugs!!!
I go to TJ's for many items, and Costco for things I just cannot live without like a ribeye and smoked salmon and ham for lunchmeat. I package them up in singles for my freezer and have a running list.
For the steaks, I rub them with olive oil and put them in foil, then ziplock bags, this really mitigates the freezer burn. For fish, my fishing pals taught me a trick to put the fish piece in a ziplock then fill with cold water and freeze. It makes the fish freezer burn proof. If you freeze them flat, once solid you can stand them up like little novels. Smoked salmon and lunch meat I freeze in portions for 2 people and they defrost quite nicely.
Veggies I've been going to the super cheap farmers market, and soon will be trekking to Chinatown. Sigh. Not organic and the crowds and pushing, ugh, but cheap is the word!
Now I eat meat only once or twice a week if I'm lucky, I eat a lot of veggies, I'm making my own bread (thanks to that nice baker I met on Twitter!), and really cutting back on wine during the week. Fortunately my liquor cabinet is well stocked but when that gets depleted I'm going to be a sad sad puppy!
Another fun thing I've been doing is having leftover parties with my friends. We had been getting together weekly for dinner and trading left overs, so nice to have someone else's great cooking for dinner, and the subsequent week we return all the tupperware and talk about what's on the menu for the week. We are so pitifully broke, so it's a nice togetherness. But we haven't done this in a while, my friend's debutante ball for her daughter is coming up and she's just frantic getting everything done. But it's going to be a great party!
Anyway, I hope some of these ideas help you out a bit.
Hugs!!!
music-city-missy
Well-known member
That is exactly what happened when I lost my job - DH had a fit on groceries
he had been complaining a while but it's my indulgence. I haven't given up totally and I'm having fun. Like you I always splurge but then do things like buy a whole chicken but it's because of not only the savings but what I can do with the whole. I have found that I can save on proteins by going to the grocery around 6pm-7pm when they mark stuff down and I stock up on all the mark downs that are priced really low. I subscribe to newsletters and get the specials sent to me and maximize thoughs. And of course, Costco is hard to beat.
I shop several ethnic markets and find proteins there tobe a good bit more affordable and seafood MUCH more affordable. The little ole in the wall markets are thebest - I find out what day they get their shipmens and go either that day or the day after and get great fresh proteins and produce..
I also can and freeze everything - all trimmings. I find ways to use it. I made a killer stock one day using a lot of unusual leftovers in the freezer.
Another thing is I love fresh local farmers market stuff. So I subscribe to their wekly emails. One of the local famers always has a weekly special - buy one get one free on his meats. So I stock up when he does that.
he had been complaining a while but it's my indulgence. I haven't given up totally and I'm having fun. Like you I always splurge but then do things like buy a whole chicken but it's because of not only the savings but what I can do with the whole. I have found that I can save on proteins by going to the grocery around 6pm-7pm when they mark stuff down and I stock up on all the mark downs that are priced really low. I subscribe to newsletters and get the specials sent to me and maximize thoughs. And of course, Costco is hard to beat.
I shop several ethnic markets and find proteins there tobe a good bit more affordable and seafood MUCH more affordable. The little ole in the wall markets are thebest - I find out what day they get their shipmens and go either that day or the day after and get great fresh proteins and produce..
I also can and freeze everything - all trimmings. I find ways to use it. I made a killer stock one day using a lot of unusual leftovers in the freezer.
Another thing is I love fresh local farmers market stuff. So I subscribe to their wekly emails. One of the local famers always has a weekly special - buy one get one free on his meats. So I stock up when he does that.