This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

[Alienore]

I am also doing this WOE on a budget. I recently stocked up at a cheap supermarket and got lots of frozen meat and veg for just over £25.00. With any luck what I've now got in my freezer will do me the month, with just the odd purchase of cold meat or tuna or eggs for breakfast or lunches.

I find that buying the reduced produce in a supermarket is great, because you can cook it immediately you get it home and freeze it. I'd be lost without my freezer, that's for sure.

[Desertthorn]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I'm bumping this up cause there are lots of us on budgets lately

[jsj0305]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

A.M.E.N.

I live off of tuna, eggs, and whatever meat is on sale. I get veggies as I need 'em b/c they are WAYYY to expensive to let them rott. Lettuce is the only thing I eat on a regular basis.

Also, check your local grocery store's meat dept. Here at Food Lion and Giant, they put their meats on sale REAL cheap they day before the sell by date. I once bought 50 dollars worth of steak for 20 bucks!!! And the meat is great to freeze. I've never bought any dicounted meats that were bad.

Great post, lets keep this one alive

[Gknight]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I buy things in bulk and tons of baggies to cut and portion the meat it saves money and also pennies, Sundays is a cook day and I also make meals in freezer containers and eat of them for two weeks. Example 6lb roll of ground beef makes 16 meal portions it takes up a wee bit of time but in long run its worth it.

[not2late]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

Look around for in-store specials too. Last week I bought a leg of lamb for only $10.00, the usual price for that leg would have been at least $30.00. And once I got a deal on globe artichokes: 3 for a dollar, usually priced at 1 artichoke for $1.49.

[Desertthorn]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I am a coupon hound but I only clip them if I generally use the product. Very often you can get a better deal with housebrands.
Also, not using junk frankenfoods is a great money saver.

[Elizellen]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

Also, not using junk frankenfoods is a great money saver.

Good point
I think that alone is for me the reason I dont spend anything like as much as I used to to groceries and eating out!

[kpoll19]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I am a coupon fiend!! I go to the following website and trade for coupons I use for stamps or other coupons. www.couponforum.com You can get produce coupons, $$ off produce when you buy fresh chicken or a specific salad dressing for example. I also get "winetags" which are originally found around the neck of a wine bottle but a lot of people get them and trade/sell them. They are usually meat - 2.00 off chicken, seafood or beef. All kinds of stuff. My favorite is Perdue Short cut chicken. I buy tons when they are on sale at Shop Rite for 2.99 (normal 4.99-5.49) and then I get 1.00 off coupon! I just freeze them. I agree with everyone else about the wholesale clubs though as well. But, if you can coupon you can get coupons for 75% of the stuff you buy. I typically save $40-50 a week just on coupons. Private Message me if you want more info!

Kelly

[schellie]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

Dont forget about the miraculous burger......you can put about anything on it to make it taste good and even like other things we cant eat.

[Heidi3]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

first of all I cook or prepare every meal ..(unless I want to go out to eat of course..but I only go out to eat things that are special and something I do not make at home) I buy everything as fresh , as in season and as close to the source as possible.....I shop a lot actually for food and only buy what I need for the meal I am preparing ..I buy very high quality food ..but in small amounts...because I don't buy bulk or have anyone at home who does not eat like I do ...it is really easy for me to spend very little on wonderful food...I can make a terrific meal around a perfect bell pepper or chicken breast ....and I drink lots of water it is free!

[stlsweeti]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I agree with all of the previous suggestions. I also buy at Sams in bulk (we're a family of six) and we eat a lot of chicken. We also buy Beef sirloin roasts (3.19 lb) and slice them into steaks and use the meat for a large variety of dinners. We rarely eat expensive seafood items. My husband fishes and we'll eat that though. I also have a garden and will do some canning to help cut food costs down. I rarely use coupons because I can buy store brand items cheaper on sale and I haven't found many coupons for the type of foods we should be eating on a LC diet. You could also visit your loss leader stores.....like Aldi's and local farmers Markets. You might also have a food coop in your area....I wish we did. I think it helps to plan your menus ahead and ALWAYS stick to your grocery list when shopping.

You could make meals that will stretch also. Example, you could cook a turkey and have a turkey dinner one night, make a salad with turkey the next day, use the turkey carcass and make a LC turkey vegetable soup (which you can also freeze for a later time.) Of course, you can also cook a chicken and have it for dinner one night and then use the leftovers and make soup with it. You can really stretch your budget with soups. There are cheapo meals like good old eggs (and I'm not an egg lover, but I'll eat them to save money.) You can make egg drop soup and also quiches, which are relatively inexpensive to make.

Also, if you're married and your husband hunts, you are one lucky lady because you can save a bundle of money by cooking the meat he brings home.

[stlsweeti]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

There's a similar topic here: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ic.php?t=73987

and here: http://atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/v...ghlight=afford

When I click on these links, I'm taken to the homepage.

[Elizellen]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

When I click on these links, I'm taken to the homepage.

Any links posted that long ago will probably not work as either the original threads were culled when the board moved, or they were kept and will have different url's.
Try doing an 'advanced search' using the words Atkins and budget using the 'search' link at the top of the page.

[Checkers]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

I have been buying the meat that has two days until the 'freeze or use' date. They mark these way down in plenty of time for me to stick them in the freezer. They have all tasted just fine. They are marked down 30-40%.

[Rubysugar]

Re: This WOE on a budget.. How do you do it?

Beef is usually fine to buy on the "sell by date" Many cuts of beef are expensive because they have been aged.
Chicken can sometimes smell off when bought at a discount. Rinse it under warm water and pat it dry and then smell it again. Sometimes it's just the blood and juices in the package that has started to get nasty, once rinsed off it is fine.

I use 3 stores. Super Target- they carry Redmill's flax meal @ $2 lb and almond flour at that price too. Good price on frozen shrimp too. Kroger often has frozen veggies @ $1 a bag. I buy fresh veggies and herbs at the farmer's market, especially discounted old veggies. For dry goods (canned and jarred), if it's on sale, I buy it whether I need it or not. Because when I do need it, it's already in the pantry.
But with all that shopping, it's obvious that I have more time than money$$$!!!