More Nifty Tips
We're still using our expense journal. Slowly, we're getting used to naturally spending less because now we know where our spending weaknesses are. Last month (and so far this month), grocery shopping was way below budget. As a matter of fact, every category was below the limit. Tracking our expenses is working!
Being aware is a priority, but we also look for ways to stretch our money when we can.
Here are some more tips from my frugalista vault.
• I'm not a stranger to buying clearance-marked meats, but I just started buying bakery rolls and bread. I freeze them immediately and thaw what I need on those nights when we really want garlic bread, but as usual, forgot to put it on the grocery list.
• The quietest day to grocery shop is Sunday.
• The best-stocked day to grocery shop is Wednesday--at least in the states.
• Shop an hour before the store closes. That's usually past my bedtime, but the few times I've been out, the store was giving away bakery goods and rotisserie chickens. It's happened to me several times, so this is standard practice for some stores.
• Is your milk nearing its expiration date? Freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can move them to freezer bags. You can do this with juice too.
• Cilantro always goes bad on me before I can use it a second time. A friend showed me to clip the stems of the remaining cilantro and stick it in a jar with water. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
• Weigh pre-bagged fruits and vegetables. You'd be surprised how much a five-pound bag of potatoes can vary.
How's your budget so far this year? Have you had any surprise expenses come up? We've had a few, most notably Maggie's large vet bill, but we managed to absorb it. As long as no one else gets sick for a couple more months, we'll be sitting pretty. :)
Being aware is a priority, but we also look for ways to stretch our money when we can.
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| Copyright: / 123RF Stock Photo |
• I'm not a stranger to buying clearance-marked meats, but I just started buying bakery rolls and bread. I freeze them immediately and thaw what I need on those nights when we really want garlic bread, but as usual, forgot to put it on the grocery list.
• The quietest day to grocery shop is Sunday.
• The best-stocked day to grocery shop is Wednesday--at least in the states.
• Shop an hour before the store closes. That's usually past my bedtime, but the few times I've been out, the store was giving away bakery goods and rotisserie chickens. It's happened to me several times, so this is standard practice for some stores.
• Is your milk nearing its expiration date? Freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can move them to freezer bags. You can do this with juice too.
• Cilantro always goes bad on me before I can use it a second time. A friend showed me to clip the stems of the remaining cilantro and stick it in a jar with water. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
• Weigh pre-bagged fruits and vegetables. You'd be surprised how much a five-pound bag of potatoes can vary.
How's your budget so far this year? Have you had any surprise expenses come up? We've had a few, most notably Maggie's large vet bill, but we managed to absorb it. As long as no one else gets sick for a couple more months, we'll be sitting pretty. :)
Comments
Ice cube molds differ in size, but mine holds 3 tablespoons.
Great tips you listed here. My mom would always go and buy "day old" meat and bread items. They were 50% off and still perfectly fine to use. I've started to look at the marked down meat at the store and get some to stockpile.
We're still adjusting to moving and catching up on some stuff we didn't do when we didn't have the income we now have with hubby's new job so our budgeting is not as good as it should be, but I'm thinking things will be leveling off in the next few months and then we'll be able to start saving money :)
betty
Every time we make a trip to south Texas, it's a minimum of $175 for gas alone. It makes a deep hole in our wallets. I'll be glad when those obligatory trips are over.
Glad you had some help with Emma.
Rotisserie chicken is good for making chicken salad!
It doesn't hurt to ask the people behind the deli counter to see when they start emptying their shelves.
As for major bills, that would be the tax bill. Glad that's off to the IRS. We'll plan better this year. Lesson learned :)
I don't like the taste of store-bought baked goods so I make most of what we eat from scratch. The cost is usually about a third of what I'd pay at the store or less. I also make homemade pizza whenever I can, and because I make my own pizza sauce this costs about a quarter of what I'd pay Domino's, and it's healthier. Ice tea I can make for pennies versus the couple of bucks they want for a half-gallon of the premade stuff.
Some store-bought things are cheaper, though. A rotisserie chicken from the deli here costs a dollar or two less than a raw chicken I'd have to cook, so I usually buy those. Same with pasta; it's cheaper to buy than make if I stock up during buy-1-get-1 sales.
My latest experiment: Keeping a small stack of hand towels by the sink and asking everyone to use them instead of paper towels to dry their hands, dishes, wipe up spills, etc. The family was using half a roll of paper towels every day before this, now a roll lasts almost a week. I'm considering getting rid of the paper towels altogether; we really don't need them.
I know, interest rates today suck, but it's better than nothing.
But you're right, nothing beats the taste of homemade.
Re: towels
Huzzah! Another convert! We've been using cloth over paper towels for many years. I still use paper on really greasy stains though.
We may have to trade chili con carne recipes. :)