How do you budget...

[Roxy]

for healthy foods! It seems to me that the healthier food selections are so much more expensive and when you are trying to save money it can be difficult. Does anybody have some tips for budgeting?!

[Trusylver]

it can get expensive, is it possible for you to grow some of your own food ? Having a vegetable garden can save heaps for the budget.

[Roxy]

In the summer maybe, but not in the winter! hehehe

[Trusylver]

sorry, didn't look and see your from the northern hemisphere and I also often forget that many people can't grow food all year round.

[aurora14]

Hey Roxy, I'm heading to CT in about 10 days. My family's all there and my dad's sick, so I'm making the journey. What's the weather like?


Haven't been back in over 10 years (sigh).

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Roxy

for healthy foods! It seems to me that the healthier food selections are so much more expensive and when you are trying to save money it can be difficult. Does anybody have some tips for budgeting?!

I find that veggies, potatoes, and rice/pasta are generally well priced...it's really only the protein sources, meats/fish that tend to be expensive.

• Rice, try buying bulk, it's much cheaper.
• Veggies, sometimes frozen works out cheaper and more convenient.
• Pasta, buy bulk again.
• Potatoes, always seem a reasonable price.
• Fruit, is sometimes expensive, but there's always a bargain.
• Tuna (canned) is not too badly priced and is a perfect protein source.
• Peanut butter, is also a good option since it can be used sparingly...depending on how many cals are needed.
• Eggs, strangely are also decently priced, we normally buy 15 a week...but there's only the two of us.

I know it sounds odd that stuff seems reasonably priced since we live on an island where the food is more expensive than on mainland UK, but we also lived on an even smaller island where a loaf of bread cost 5 times the price is does here (and that was 10 years ago!). Taking that into account, food prices are great

[ekallal]

I found because I no longer buy "junk food" that my grocery bill really didn't increase that much. It also removes any temptation in the house when I haven't bought anything. I'm allot more likely to have a handful of carrots then a chocolate bar if I have to go to the store to get it.

[LT9Tonya]

One thing I learned was to use some of the coupon web sites. By using coupons for staple items I use that extra cash for fresh items so my grocery bill stays the same. Not sure what you have up there- but at Shortcuts.com you can load your coupons onto your Gerbes/Kroger store cards. I know other stores have their own store cards too, and that site will tell you if your local store participates. Couponmom.com lets you print coupons.
Another trick I use is fresh herbs. Those can be costly-but make food so much better. I took empty cans- like soup or veggie- and add potting soil and grow my herbs on the window sill in my kitchen. I live in MO and right now it is -5 but I still have fresh herbs avaiable. You can buy the herb seeds at home depot or lowes.
Also, buy your pork or chicken in bulk then break it down. A large pork loin at a place like Sam's Club is about $14.00-but it is not cut. I can cut it down and get 30-35 chops out of it. Loin chops at the Safeway is $10-12 for just 7-8 chops! I spent 2 dollars more, but it was worth the cutting and storing. Chicken I buy the breast with skin and bone in. 1/2 the cost of boneless skinless, it just takes a couple extra minates to cut the skin off. I leave the bone in for moisture.
Another thing we did was go in on halves with another couple for fresh beef. We have a freezer, but could not fit a cow in it! Let alone pay the price. That and we only have 3 in our family it would take us a while to go through it. But a side of fresh beef is cheaper than buying it weekly at the stores. So we cut the cost in half with another couple.
Sometimes it takes a little effort- but in the end I find my coupon cutting and budgeting works. I spend about 180-185 a month to feed all 3 of us, and we eat pretty healthy.

[almostfit]

I shop at the asian and indian grocers, they're much cheaper than the supermarkets. Also the markets at closing time can be fantastic!