BEST WAYS TO SAVE ON GROCERIES THAT NO ONE TALKS ABOUT

[@sarasullivan9698]

When I go to Costco I portion it down and store… so for example I DO buy my garlic there… all 15 bulbs… then peel it all, put in a blender and spoon onto a cookie sheet, freeze for 24hrs and then put the little nuggets into a zip loc. When I need garlic I always have it in the freezer, peeled and portioned and I saved $$ 😊

[@FrugalFitMom]

That's actually brilliant

[@niccolecarew7766]

I do this too. Also the same with ginger.

[@twovirginiacats3753]

That is what I do too. I have small cube ice trays and portion the food processed garlic into the trays, freeze and then put them in a zip lock bag. I do the same with fresh ginger. Saves time too when I am cooking.

[@sharons4611]

I bought a bag of peeled garlic bulbs at Costco a month or so ago

[@jrae6608]

👍

[@snuassauns]

1. Cook from scratch. You can make many foods from the same basic ingredients. It's great for teaching kids how to cook and fractions. 2. Instead of chips, buy popcorn kernels and pop them in a heavy pot over the stove. A bit of oil and pop corn kernels in a pot with a lid on high heat. Shake the pot while they pop. Once they stop, take off the heat and pour into a bowl. 3. Shop the sales. 4. Eat seasonally. When a fruit or vegetable is in season it will be much cheaper. 5. If a product is shelf stable, on sale and you use it a lot stock up. Buy enough to last until the next sale but only if you are not carrying credit card debt. Do not pay interest in order to save money.

[@recoveringsoul755]

High heat on my electric stove tends to burn too many and leave others unpopped. Heat less than halfway works better for me to have less unpopped kernals You do need to stand at the stove and keep the pot moving Doesn't take very long and you control the sodium and seasonings I recently tried butter and salt and dumped it into a gallon size ziplock bag I reuse. And then put a spoonful of powdered sugar on top and shook it up. Eat with a spoon. So good

[@charlenecastaldo3602]

I throw two Tablespoons of popcorn in a plain brown lunch bag, fold the top down and microwave until the popping slows, pull it out, dump it a bowl or eat it out of the bag. No pan to wash.

[@femaleKCRoyalsFan]

Or an air popper which doesn't need oil

[@Troubles0125]

@@charlenecastaldo3602 Good idea I have to try it TY

[@pal5683]

The silicone popcorn poppers are great! Works perfectly, easy to clean. Only about $10.

[@lilykitty185]

Grocery shopping in Puerto Rico IS really a challenge!! I have switched from doing a monthly haul of over $500 for 3 people to looking for the weekly sales and working and cooking wt what the stores have. Hubby works in construction and eating fast food is out of the question!! So I make him breakfast and lunch (for him AND his helper, yeah yeah I know 😂) and it saves TONS of money...bc of course I'm a good cook (yes I'm tooting my own horn😂😂😂) This week I only spent $112 (I was trying to spend only $100 but it's my first time doing this, so I think I did pretty well. Plus I bought chicken breast at .97 cents a pound bone in and pork chops also bone in at $1.27 a pound!! I did fantastic😊😊😊 BTW Christine I love your videos!!💕

[@nunusky3942]

Wow you did great

[@leytonfortnite4724]

You go girl 🎉

[@brittanym8481]

I'm always interested to see what my MIL's budget is when I'm in PR. She makes all my favorite dishes but several things come from her yard like plantains, pana, and avocados.

[@lilykitty185]

@@brittanym8481 I have the fortune to also have a backyard...we have plantains, avocados, bananas and some herbs. I wish I had a green thumb but noooo...mine is as black as my soul!! 🤣 🤣 🤣 Those things that we have is bc nature is good to us!

[@kellychuba]

I miss buying a gallon of bacardi at Kmart for $4. 1989. OMG what a year

[@kristathehungrymelon]

If you have to have snacks for your kids, you can save money by packaging them yourself. Like buying the huge box of goldfish instead of the individual snack packs, or buying a gallon of applesauce instead of the cups with foil lids. Or take it a step further and bake a huge batch of mini muffins yourself. It's okay if you're not ready to cut out snacks, you can just find cheaper ways that work for you

[@jessann5581]

I hate individual packets for kids. Can’t do it.

[@jenniferdevries2343]

This is so true! I made my teenager their own blend of trail mix, with only the things they liked in it. (They were bringing home the little bags with only the almonds left!!!)

[@jessann5581]

@@jenniferdevries2343 oooo what have you put in your child/rens trail mix? I have seen your basic mix nuts and M&Ms BUT I kinda wanna add some other things and just don’t have a clue what. Haha. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 😊

[@jenniferdevries2343]

@@jessann5581 peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, cashews, raisins, dried cranberries, M&Ms of course, chocolate chips (or other flavors of chips), dried blueberries. Not all these things in one. I choose three things and then assemble in snack sized bags. Not almonds, but maybe your kiddos would eat them! 😊

[@jessann5581]

@@jenniferdevries2343 thank you. My kids don’t eat almonds either. Haha. I was really stuck in what could go in them. Just didn’t wanna do nuts and m&ms. I have bought the premix ones and they had dried fruit of some sort and my kids hated it. Haha. I didn’t even like the dried fruit. Don’t even know what it was just didn’t taste nice. Haha. Thank you so much. I’ll look into some dried blueberries. They enjoy them. Thank you again. I have a few more things I can chuck in and give a try. Have a good day if you’re in Australia, or night where you are. ☺️

[@marilyns6043]

I’m with you on the bacon question. When I open a packet of bacon for my son and myself - I cook the whole thing and we have it as we need it throughout the week. A) it’s convenient b) nobody in their right mind has ever opened the fridge and said ‘wow - raw bacon - yum”. Might as well cook it all and have it handy!

[@tinamcclure7984]

I cook the entire package in the oven and then I dont have to worry about it for a week

[@woldrawm]

A package of bacon doesn't sit in my home unless it is frozen

[@dianasimplifies]

Apparently my hubby and I are pigs, we have to control ourselves from eating the entire pkg 😆

[@michelleconcannon7584]

We cook 2-3 lbs at one time on the blackstone, pop it in the freezer cooked and have it ready to go later

[@nancyshrout-wankowski7147]

What is a blackstone?@@michelleconcannon7584

[@uphillhomestead6188]

I agree wholeheartedly about bigger meals instead of snacks and better food choices than junk food. My kids are healthier and I do save money.

[@cookshackcuisinista]

Bulk stores add to the stress of the home because then you have huge inventory and you may not have the space. Thank you Christine.

[@HeronCoyote1234]

And you have to schlep all that stuff from the car to the house. And honestly, how many of us have family members who actually help with that?

[@dsa2591]

Amen! I live in a 500 sf apt, and have very little storage space, and only one refrigerator/freezer. I couldn't buy in bulk if I wanted to.

[@user-ju1gf8dg9g]

I buy the bacon at costco and precook 2 packs at a time until they're about 3/4 done. I use parchment and a ziplock to store them in the freezer and just take out however much I need at a time and pop em in the microwave. Works really well.

[@laurancurtis5669]

Exactly. I find "my" precooked bacon much better than the packaged precooked, anyway - it tastes better!

[@bun04y]

I buy up bacon when it is on sale and then I portion it in 2 strip raw circles...just roll it up like a cinnamon roll. Place all the rolls of bacon into a storage bag and freeze it. Then I can remove a two strip portion at a time per person. Then I don't have to thaw the entire package to use just 4 strips, etc.

[@Jackie_W82]

Same! Such a game changer baking two sheets of bacon in the oven and having it ready to go on a moments notice for a recipe...or snack

[@onlybev1]

I have been doing this on a random Sunday when I run out of my pre-cooked bacon that I cooked myself in the oven. Best advice I have ever gotten on KZbin.

[@anastasiya8314]

I microwave my bacon for four minutes between two paper towels on a plate in the microwave. It always comes out evenly crispy and my kids will only eat the crispy parts so it lets them eat the whole piece instead of just parts. plus it’s super quick if I want to make hot breakfast in mornings. Then I’ll microwave some whole potatoes for 5 minutes while I have a pan of oil heating on stove and cut the cooked baked potatoes up then toss them on the pan on medium high heat and season it browns them into home fries. While I do this I usually have a small pan of eggs over easy cooking too. The whole thing takes like ten minutes for a hot breakfast

[@olderandwiser78]

I agree with everything you have said. I have been blessed with good health and I attribute it to my mother who always cooked good healthy from scratch meals. She learned to cook in the 1930s by her foster mother who was an old German lady. When I was learning to cook my mother preached about how unhealthy it was to eat fried food and too much red meat. She insisted on removing the skin from the chicken before cooking it. We only drank pop as a special treat and eating sweets was not done everyday. Each week we ate at least one meatless dinner. The produce came from our garden and was canned or frozen for future use. Our favorite sandwich was peanut butter and apple. I continued cooking as my mother did and my 3 kids who are now in their 40s and 50s have never had any health issues either. Mom was just shy of 99 when she passed.

[@kellychuba]

My Russian grandmother approves

[@CupcakeCottage]

Good for you guys! That’s the way to do it

[@lethiapage4767]

I have a bacon hack...ends and pieces. My brand is wrights and the price is going up but I bet there are brands and sales that help. If you find it under 10 for 3lb bulk buy! I buy them 2 at a time 3lb packages...for about 8-10 dollars each and put them in my oblong crockpot. Half cover it with water and let it go at least overnight. The water evens out the cooking, helps render the fat, and mostly cooks off. It's not boiled bacon! When you are done use your spider or tongs to lift out the meat to a paper towel. You will have nice crisp bacon hunks. Not pretty slices but great for cooking. Freeze them! You'll get about 4lb back from 6lb total. Then for the added savings...move your grease to a slope sided bowl and add more water. Let it harden. The water will drop to the bottom and will take the crusties with it thus purifying your bacon grease. You can render again but there's no real need to. Once it's ready you'll have about 2lb of beautiful grease that is perfect for cooking and makes a nice grilled cheese. Tupperware it. To the fridge. That's about 8 dollars worth of butter you don't need to buy. Then back to your dirty crockpot. Add your dried beans and add water\stock and seasonings, cook them in that dirty crockpot! It will deglaze the muck turning your mess into flavor for free. And zero effort.

[@gilliansislandofcreativity3994]

I do this. Not sure of the brand but my meat market has 10 pound bacon boxes for $17.95 They are uneven cuts and pieces. They only get them about 4 or 5 times a year. Picked one up on Saturday. I cook mine on jelly roll sheets with parchment paper. Comes out crispy and easy to drain grease in jar for use in cooking. But now my freezer has precooked bacon and I have the best bacon bits for my salad and my son loves them on his potatoes or eggs.

[@Melissa-cy1xy]

Welp, I planned out our meals & school snacks for the next week just this morning and went to Aldi and spent less than $100. Family of 3. We actually have more than 7 meals for the week based on my pantry & freezer stash. I'm dedicated to make this work!

[@FrugalFitMom]

You got this!

[@inspiteofbecauseof4745]

$125 for a family of 5 on average (most weeks less) including paper goods, trash bags, laundry personal items etc. It can be done. 🙂

[@snotty2hotty498]

​@@inspiteofbecauseof4745is this 3 meals a day for 7 days a week?

[@MeridaEllaSDB]

Aldi is the cheat code 😀

[@stacywagner3994]

My husband and I did the Costco membership for a year to see if we’d save any money. We spent more on the membership then what we saved.

[@msaijay1153]

Where I live they have the best price on gas. Also, we use diapers and buy dog food. Just with those things we get a check from Costco that pays for the next year's membership.

[@CarFreeKC]

costco never does this but I think in April or something Sams has some celebration and they sell memberships for really cheap. One year, I got one for $8 and this year, $10. Definitely helps if you know that those are an option.

[@snuassauns]

I work at Costco. It's important to focus on what you need and not what you want. I see a lot of people come in for a few items and leave with a lot of extras. It's only a good deal if you NEED it. But honestly, where else can you buy a pair of jeans for $16? Also, kids boots and snowsuits are a great deal.

[@CarFreeKC]

@@katv1195 So what you're saying is that this content isn't for you... and yet... here you are.

[@CarFreeKC]

@@katv1195 well you're certainly free to create your own content if you don't like it.

[@trackee2024]

I shop at 4 stores now and just look for the loss leaders, which is so much easier to do with online shopping. I just make a list of items I need and then build 4 carts at once. It's wild comparing the SAME EXACT product across different stores and seeing them sometimes $2-3 more expensive.

[@herewego1115]

I do that with Walmart and krogers.

[@debbiefisher8596]

Are the online prices the same as in store

[@bennylawrence6221]

Not always --double check --some things are cheaper online- some are cheaper in store.

[@Robbenl1]

Thank you for the great tip, I just joined my first wholesale club, BJ's, (I got a $10 one-year membership, with extra card for a family member!!), definitely haven't figured out how to build a cart, any tips? I would love to also compare to get the best prices. Thank you!

[@Robbenl1]

Also, does the store match the online prices? Thank you again!!

[@ellendunn559]

Some people choose to go gluten-free. Others (like my husband) eat GF because of a medical condition and have no choice but to eliminate gluten (and other things) from their diets. I have been trying to feed him healthfully for 20 years, and while I don’t buy a lot of GF products (because they’re expensive and often not good), I’m SO GRATEFUL that we actually have CHOICES now, and I keep a few on hand. Husband still goes to meetings and events where food is served and there is literally nothing that he can eat, but overall, it’s MUCH better than when we first figured this out. P.S. King Arthur GF mixes are the best on the market.

[@sondrad1839]

YES regarding the 529. I setup a 529 for my son when he was 4 months old, as soon as I got his social security card. I’m so happy I did because almost 2 years ago the company I worked for, for 34 years shutdown and I lost my job. My son is a senior in college and I had enough between 529 and scholarships to pay his tuition, books, room and board. I did not want my son to start his adult life in debt due to student loans, like I did. This was a good decision for my family.

[@StarWarsFans98]

I am gluten free and was so excited to find gluten free bread on clearance at Walmart yesterday for $1.99. I bought both that were left and put them in the freezer! It will be the first time I've had store bought bread in years. I've learned to live without bread for the most part, but I will make 90 second Keto bread or a chaffle if I'm need something for a sandwich. A lot of the time I just use a large lettuce leaf as a wrap instead. So much cheaper!

[@lucindaschafer]

Yeah that's the way to go. It's hard to find a good GF sandwich bread and although I can make GF bread it's not suitable for sandwiches. I just buy the one bread I like then freeze and use it sparingly.

[@LilyLightOne]

Just so you are aware, from someone who worked in the Walmart bakery, gluten free bread comes into the store frozen. This will definitely dry out your bread, especially if you refreeze it.

[@youtubeacc]

@@LilyLightOnemost regular bread and bagels also come in frozen too. I refreeze with no problems always

[@LilyLightOne]

Bagels come in frozen and they definitely hold up well to being frozen. White bread like Dempsters and the Great Value, as well as their hot dog and hamburger buns are not frozen when they are delivered.

[@lucindaschafer]

​@@LilyLightOnethe one I buy is vacuum packed and it is fine

[@ancientmb23]

Agree 100% I found that we were less hungry with good home-style food than take out and junk food. Found recipes that helped me make good food from scratch which I practiced during the lockdown. What a crazy benefit! We went out when it was lifted and ate at "________" fill in the blank with your local fast-food burger joint. It tasted awful! The soda was too sweet! The fries were pasty, but fairly edible, the burgers tasted bland, and after about an hour after we ate, I was starving! So, mostly fillers in their meant and chicken products, is what I figure is true for most fast food. Real food is good and satisfying.

[@evage99]

Yes, once your body gets used to homecooked meals, eating out isn't nearly as enticing anymore! Everyone needs that experience.

[@AO-nr7kl]

What I try to remember is that it's only saving money if you still have it 30 days later. If I save 10$ at the grocery store but spend it on clothes I didn't save it I just spent it on something else.

[@ROlson-dx2jc]

"It's only saving money if you still have it 30 days later". That is a great motto! Mind blown! I see t-shirts, bumper stickers...

[@CupcakeCottage]

Excellent advice!

[@makeit2649]

Costco is 100% worth it for us. We easily make back the cost of an annual Costco membership simply by purchasing a whole roasted chicken for $4.99 each week or two. Costco openly admits that these are loss leaders, which is no big secret since I can't even buy a whole raw chicken these days for much less than $15. These make wonderful dinners and leftovers, depending on the size of your family. My husband usually eats two legs with thighs, while I eat two wings and part of a breast. The remaining breast meat is chopped up and used in salads for lunch; in curry, pasta or rice dishes for dinner; or to make chicken salad for sandwiches. Where else can you get dinner AND leftovers for $5? That's not even possible at fast-food aka fake-food chains anymore! Buying in bulk and portioning it into the smaller serving sizes also saves us money on gas (not to mention impulse purchases) because we don't have to shop as often. With the Costco credit card, we receive $1,000+ cash back annually because we use it for everything (and pay it off each month). All that to say, membership stores can work for you if you want to put in the extra work that goes with bulk-buying, and if you are disciplined to not buy all the things in the store that you don't really need.

[@2peeps1929]

I buy those chicken 2 or 3 at a time break them down for 12 recipes, and feed my dog her homemade food. love costco for that and i butcher my own meat from them and save $$$$$ i did 2 videos on it, but seems not everyone wants to do it.oh well ,I pay $10 for my filet mignon steak not $25 cause the publix butcher cut it and they charge so much .crazy.

[@Happy2Run4Me]

@@2peeps1929 Yep! 👍🏻 💯

[@adinaderoy-stouffer5724]

Long time gluten-free gal here. It’s not always cheaper to make your own gf bread!! As you saw, the flour is very expensive and you don’t get much. Bob’s mill one to one isn’t good for yeast bread, btw. It’s great for muffins and cookies, stuff like that. A good homemade bread alternative is to make your own wraps or tortillas. Use that instead of bread and you’re in good shape!

[@christinalund5654]

I am a mother of 4 and registered dietitian, and I 100% agree with everything you said, especially about the convenience and junk food items and how to manage medical nutrition needs like celiac disease. I shop at Costco and the weeks I do, I spend WAY more than other weeks. I go there because I like the stuff and we can afford it. Great video, Christine!

[@dianephillips325]

Oh my ..the bacon. We have had this discussion several times in our household. So me a favor and look at the number of slices you get per package of the pre cooked bacon compared to the pounds of bacon. We did the math and we were actually SAVING money buying the precooked bacon compared to raw.. The raw pound of bacon (Hormel black label both raw and cooked) was 5.99 per LB and there were about 12-14 slices per pound. But the precooked at Sam's was 13.99 and we had about 72 per PKG.

[@christinalund5654]

@@dianephillips325 , that is actually a very good point. I buy the pre cooked and crumbled bacon at Costco for about $9 for a 20 ounce bag because after we did our own experiment of buying regular bacon and cooking and crumbling it ourselves, we determined the yield from the Costco bag was amazing, not to mention the convenience. My husband and kids only use bacon as an accent to add flavor, so it’s perfect for us.

[@LynneWright]

Actually we save by buying all our gas there, it pays for our membership. We are careful about what we buy there. TP, paper towels, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and cereal we use in large quantities. I do portion out meats, etc and freeze it.

[@Tootsie806]

Requiring your children eat more at meals in order that they won’t be hungry? Sounds more like grooming to join the obesity epidemic.

[@christinalund5654]

@@Tootsie806 , I think parents need to gauge how that will go with their kids. Some kids eat a few bites at meal times because they know they can snack all afternoon on fun snack foods. If kids know that the kitchen is closed between meals, they will learn to eat enough to make it to the next meal. It is healthier for their microbiome and insulin levels to not constantly be grazing. Some kids are allowed to eat all the time and their bodies forget what actual hunger and fullness cues feel like. That feeds into the obesity epidemic more than encouraging children to eat adequately for them at set meal times. To be honest, this issue is too nuanced to make blanket statements for all. I know families with underweight kids and some with overweight kids, sometimes in the same family. Parents can seek professional advice for their situation as needed.

[@katie19765]

As someone who reacts to gluten with eczema, I find it helps to buy a loaf of gluten free bread for the few times i crave a sandwich. I find that that is cheaper for me than to buy all the specialty ingredients. Because gluten free things take a lot of extra ingredients ( expensive ingredients) to get an edible texture. Edit: typo

[@NuggetFarm2011]

I 100% agree!!

[@lucindaschafer]

I agree. I make a loaf of bread last for 2-3 weeks by storing it in the freezer. It's a treat not a necessity. I have a whole freezer full of GF flours in my pursuit to make a suitable sandwich bread. Haha I just went back to buying it. If my budget couldn't handle it, I wouldn't.

[@KiKiLoVedOnO]

@@lucindaschafer have you tried making "socca?" It's 4 ingredients (chick pea flour, water, salt, and olive oil), though I season mine with garlic and onion powder and add an egg to help bind it together. I cook mine like you would pancakes, and they taste pretty good. They're not as fluffy as bread, but they work really well for burgers and sandwiches ☺

[@lisam5744]

My husband and I did a little comparison between Sam's Club and Walmart groceries once. I buy mostly the same thing, so I have a good idea what things cost. And how we shop, it was hands down Walmart groceries over the bulk store. I was really surprised since the same company owns both stores.

[@margodellicarpini3541]

Aren’t they the same company? I think that either can work for individual needs.

[@lisam5744]

@@margodellicarpini3541 I don't know if they're the same or not.

[@spicycopper2436]

You would think the same items at Sam's club would cheaper than Walmart but not so. I always have to check. Plus, I have multiple Sam's Clubs near me (less than 20 minutes). They will have a different price on the same item. Thus, I go online and compare.

[@cindysnyder5189]

It depends on what you are buying. For example the huge can of Folgers at Sams is about the as a regular can at Walmart. Sams also has the larger Dunkin Donut coffee cans for a lot less than Walmart. Plus their is cheaper. I do shop at Walmart as well.

[@HisLilyPrincess]

Basics like flour, sugar, oats, cream, cheese were cheaper in the long run at Sam's than any other store in my area. Walmart might be a little cheaper, but I tend to have nightmarish experiences there... So I avoid them.

[@User-90762]

I started watching your channel when I changed jobs and had to cut my food budget in half. I have always prioritized good eating no matter what else is going on and I love to cook, but even though now my food budget is higher than ever, I still shop that way. My last grocery trip I saved $60, buying on the last day of the weekly circular, grabbing up a ton of clearance/reduced meat and produce. I have more than 2 weeks of meals for 100 bucks. We invested in a small deep freeze and its probably the smartest thing we've done for our household. I'm portioning and freezing stuff all the time! You are doing a service and it is appreciated.

[@FrugalFamilyFocus]

Costco is saving us so much money! I was spending $250-300 weekly on a family of 4. Now I’m doing 1 Costco shop for $300 and then keeping my weekly top ups under $100 (this week was only $30) so I’ve got the monthly budget to $600-700 for a family of 4 which I know isn’t dirt cheap but it’s much less than the out of control spiral we were in!

[@corinehelton9265]

Just a word about the Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour, it says right on the package that it doesn't work well with yeast and yeast recipes. As a gluten free family, I can attest this is true. It is often cheaper to buy the GF bread on sale than to buy all the flours to make it yourself. Eating less and other items is the more cost effective option.

[@FrugalFitMom]

Thanks for the info!

[@susansalvo3660]

@corinehelton9265 so true! I do find King Arthur measure for measure flour at our local BJ's for $9.99/10lb bag. It's great for gluten-free foccacia or pizza dough. I don't think it would work for a loaf of bread. I use Bob's All Purpose (Red Bag) for bread baking. It still comes out around $4 -$5 to make a loaf at home.

[@spicycopper2436]

I started making bread and I have a french bread recipe that states use Bob's Red Mill flour (Red bag) only. I investigated why and it turns out that the different companies making all-purpose flour don't have the same protein content. Protein content is a big factor how a flour performs during baking.

[@sherrieivanov5481]

I agree absolutely 100%. My husband has been a Type 1 diabetic since 1976 (yep 47 years!) and we don’t buy “plastic wrapper food”. I cook mainly from scratch and we grow over 1/2 of our yearly vegetable budget. We also splurge on raising our own pork and chicken just to have a little better quality. Yes, we have less variety, but we have wonderful quality. PS - we don’t shop bulk stores.

[@lindaw468]

I already figured out the costco thing on my own, but your bacon vs rice savings analogy has prompted me to think about where we are overspending from habit, not out of necessity

[@Sara.Aspenvik]

Christine dropping the truth bombs! I agree with everything you said. I'm from outside of the US and some "universal truths" I've seen in food hauls are shocking to me, like the juice boxes in lunch boxes, the prepackaged junk snacks etc. If my kids are hungry between meals they usually get the choice of a carrot or an apple 😂 a side note on the snacks - it also blows my mind when I see the amount of snacks in pantry tours, but barely any basics like pasta, rice, flour, sugar etc. My "pantry" is 2 pull out drawers that are 90 cm (35 inches) wide 😅 I live in a country that is notorious for being on the expensive side but our food budget is between $350-400 a month for a family of four. We keep it so low cos we cook from scratch most of the time, just like you said. Want pizza? Time to pull out the flour & yeast. Want cake or cookies? Time to get baking! Finally, I'm totally with you on the basmati rice. It is the best!

[@Kathyrawhide]

The juice stays never should you pull a juice from. A kids lunch. Nonsense kids need a portion sized for them daily. Leave thst advice off you no-no list.

[@bethanym4524]

@@KathyrawhideJuice is high in sugar and pretty bad for kids.

[@leimckethan8083]

I'm curious to know what you pack for your kids lunches?

[@Sara.Aspenvik]

@@leimckethan8083 Lunches are provided for free by the school here in Sweden. I'm very grateful for it!

[@hwiley8141]

​@@leimckethan8083its been years but here is what i would pack: sanwich for the oldest, crackers and lunchmeat for the younger ( hand made lunchables ), yoghurt, popcorn, cookies or cupcakes that we made together ( great teaching tool for k8ds, if you dont pay attention and follow direction, you treat is not so nice ), cut up vegetables, sometimes dinner leftover ( in thermos). They bought milk to drink. Juice was for weekend breakfast, not an everyday thing.

[@LilyLightOne]

I definitely save money at Costco but the key is not buying everything there. We buy the large bag of bakers flour from Costco and make our own bread and pizza dough. Cereal on sale at Costco is definitely cheaper than any grocery store, including Walmart. However we have been buying ground beef at Walmart, because the large trays have been $1 cheaper per kilogram. Just a few examples but you really have to do the math and picking up sale items at Costco helps to save money. I live in Alberta where we don't have store like Aldi, so my grocery shopping is almost always a combination of Costco and Walmart.

[@santafe947]

Lots of great feedback! I’m an old mom/shopper/food handler and for the most part, I cook everything. You won’t need less food as you age, so my best advice is to become the best and most savvy procurer of all products, not just those in the grocery store. And after all these years, I celebrate all my grocery hauls and savings. I am always working on the long term food storage. It’s a survival strategy.

[@goodenoughgirl8102]

That’s my philosophy also. Be the most savvy procurer of ALL products lol. For me idk if it’s survival strategy or if it’s more or less a constant game I love playing with “the powers that be.” Lol. I know it USED to be a survival strategy when I had no other choice but to live that way. I feel so good about it I think Bcuz I feel like I’m winning against the materialism machine…that is basically designed to take all or most of my money. I like also how it fosters gratitude over grumbling…which seems to lead to more blessings while grumbling (and not getting deals) leads to a doom and gloom kind of defeated or powerless kind of outlook.

[@SC-gp7kt]

Please create a channel about it.....I'd be interested to hear how you do it!!

[@brg2743]

We grow garlic. It takes no effort at all. Just put in the ground in sept/oct and in June/July it is ready to pick. Enough for a long time from just a few cloves from the grocery store.

[@loranabrabster3078]

really, do say? Put what a head, a clove, what am I putting in the soil, this month?

[@virginiamoreland9059]

My mom almost never bought "snacks" for our house. If we wanted a snack, we were an "ingrediant" house where you rummaged around and made something, even if it was peanut butter spread on some saltine crackers or carrots sticks that you cut up yourself from whole carrots and some cream cheese. We had popcorn, but it was the kind in a big jar that you had to pop in a skillet. In the summer, we had a garden so a sliced tomato was a favorite of mine for a snack. To this day, I'm amazed at what people buy and keep in their pantries as snacks. Seems like such an expensive waste of money!

[@asdf7711]

Fantastic training from your Mom!

[@psymompa]

Great tips! Water for the win!!! Cutting out drinks saves so much money. As for snacks, homemade granola bars is so much cheaper and cleaner.

[@rhokanson8514]

You can, and we do save money shopping at Costco. We shop the sales. And there are things that are just cheaper at Costco

[@summermercier1901]

You mentioned the outlet bakery and that reminded me: I save money on groceries by eating a few vegetarian dishes a week and then buying all my meat from a local, family owned meat cutter shop. They process it themselves and it's usually from local farms in the area, so I save on the cost of shipping and processing that would normally be fixed in the pricing of a big box store. Also, it seems the meat is fresher and lasts way longer in my fridge

[@kathy2940]

Yes live local!

[@imafan26]

Where you live does matter. If you live in the contiguous states, the big companies do have economies of scale. If you live in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, or the Virgin Islands shipping is added to the cost and that raises prices a lot especially now. You are right though, that there are ways to save. For rice, most of us would not buy a 2 lb or even a 5 lb bag of rice unless it was a specialty rice for a particular dish. We would buy 20,25,50,or 100 lb bags because we eat rice everyday and that is more cost effective for us to buy it that way, and families can go through 50 lbs. of rice in a month. Also right about snacks and drinks, they aren't necessary and usually aren't that good for you. Not everyone can make their own bread, but most people do not have celiac disease and there is no reason why they need to have gluten free products. Along with not getting convenience foods like pre cooked bacon, they can also save money by bulk buying some meats like chuck and pork roasts. It is cheaper to buy these and cut them up or grind the meat than to buy stew meat, ground meat (less fat when you grind your own), thin sliced meat for stir fry and pot roast. Organic is a choice, it is not nutritionally better than conventional and they still use pesticides on organic farms and they use them more often. Conventional foods in the market meet residue standards and are very low and are a lot cheaper. It is better for everyone to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables rather than focus on whether they are labeled organic or not. Wash your produce! Actually am having a harder time finding conventional foods because everyone is on the organic train, and I would rather save some money than pay for organic on the label. Also remember that on combination foods, the percentage that has to be organic is less than 100% and they can still label it organic. What I would like to see more of is foods with less sugar and salt. Those rarely go on sale and are not that easy to find. Frozen foods are cheaper than some fresh foods and are picked at their peak and you can get it out of season. Canning adds salt, and because the process requires heat, it may not look as appealing or may have lost some nutrients because of the heat. For the lunches, they can always add fresh fruit instead and some things can be prepped in advance, and frozen. How long does it take to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? There are some things I do buy in bulk, but for perishables like vegetables, I usually go to local stores for that. I also try not to buy prepared vegetables and chop it up myself. The exception is that I do by the basic garden salad at Sam's club, but I have to be willing to eat it everyday, otherwise I can't finish it before it goes bad, but if I bought the components (lettuce, carrots, cabbage) it would cost me more and I still would not be able to finish that much produce before it goes bad. I don't buy fresh milk. It would spoil before I finish it, so while it is more expensive , I buy powdered milk because it is shelf stable and most of the time I only need a little of it. I am very lactose intolerant. I do buy 5 dozen eggs at Costco or Sam's. Because it is usually the cheapest option and eggs are good for a month in the frig.

[@geobus3307]

You have to shop smart at Costco just like anywhere else. If you do, the membership pays for itself in a couple of trips. If you have an average amount of storage you can eat very healthy & spend very little. $5 rotisserie chickens - get 2 - make bone broth with the leftovers. Decent quality dog food- huge bag- under $30. Bulk rice & beans- good quality- cheap. Pork loin- under $2 per pound. Check the sale items. Bulk toilet paper- decent- soft absorbent. Dairy- large sizes cheese, plain yogurt (flavor your own for less sugar)eggs- free range cheap best prices even during bird flu price hikes, Also many specialty diet items - organic , gluten free, A2 milk, all cheaper than everywhere else. Also, important to me- they treat their employees well- Decent pay, health insurance, retirement plans. Staff stay for decades.

[@tondamccarthy6537]

Make your own desserts and treats. And limit how often you make it. I mix up lemonade and put it in a water bottle. Always insist upon fruit not high sugar fruit but apples peachs and pears with meals. Encourage snacks with carrots celery raisins and craisens. Bake your own breads. I make a fire sandwich bread. 67 cents per loaf. We as Americans are doing our kids a grave disservice by encouraging sugar addiction. Do not eat processed foods if possible. Eat whole foods

[@connierodenburg129]

Please share your bread recipe. Thank You!

[@tondamccarthy6537]

@@connierodenburg129ok Preheat oven to 170 f once up to heat turn oven off. In mixing bowl 2c warm water 1 TBs active dry yeast 1/8 c honey stir and let foam for 10 minutes In stand mixer or large mixing bowl2 t salt 4cups flour ( plus 1 cup set aside) Mix dry Add foamy yeast mix to dry then add 2tBs melted butter Mix well until dough pulls away from bowl. Slowly add that saved one cup until well combined if stand mixer let knead for five to six minutes or dough by hand stretching and folding over and over. Dough will be very very sticky. Open oven. Let heat out. Cover wet dough with wet clean tea towel let rise for 65-90 minutes until doubled. Take out. Punch down. Divide into half. Pat out into two rectangles then roll up and place into well greased loaf pans. Again cover with damp towel and let rise for 30-40 minutes until your dough fills about level with top of loaf pan. Bake 350f 30-35 minutes. This recipe came from my gf whose hubby is a full time baker Not works great for whole wheat bread also

[@rachelcrossen8136]

Yes I never buy chips, soda, juice, cookies etc. we occasionally have baked goods but only if we make them.

[@peggycowart8708]

@@connierodenburg129 12:57

[@terrytt2932]

I buy 3+ pounds of bacon at a time when I find it on sale or clearance. I then spend a morning and bake it in batches while doing other things in the kitchen. Freeze it in appropriate -for-me bundles and I therefore have precooked bacon at the ready. I also then have bacon grease to use! WIN-WIN! Another note and this was years ago,. A friend loved fruit juice...sugar laden fruit juice and was developing type 2 diabities. Cut out the fruit juice and symptoms stopped. Even the low sugar beverages are ridiculously high and sugar!!

[@lyndamuller2025]

You had me at the very beginning of the video. COSTCO I realized this week that I had a real problem with Costco. I managed to spend my entire 2 week budget at Costco in one go. I picked up things that I needed but didn't have room for, plus a couple of things I didn't need just because I was used to buying them there. I came home with very few items, only one protein (two weeks of nothing but Hamburger, yuck), and no fruit or veg. I need to stop going to Costco, I just can't afford it.

[@EmilyEmilyEmily01]

I feel like the costcos and sams help if you have a large family, or a family that splits items or you entertain a lot. Otherwise if it's just 1-2 people seems more of a risk to spend more on stuff you don't need - like giant lawn ornaments 😂

[@gmaandi486]

I just made a haul at Fred Meyer following your guidance. All were reduced prices. Bread, bagels and 🎉meat🎉. Pork was marked with reduced sticker and it was buy one get one free. 2 packages $5.40. Meat for at least 11 meals for me. Thank you.

[@youtubeacc]

Saving for your kids college is so important! I worked 2 jobs during the summer in highschool and worked 1 job on the weekends in the school year and saved 50% of my cheques for college. My parents paid the remaining amount for my school and gave me spending money. It was so empowering to leave college not owing a penny and it’s a luxury that sadly many people don’t experience. I vowed that I wouldn’t ever let my children take out a student loan and my husband 100% agrees. We save monthly for our son and future child’s education. It will feel so good to pass that money onto my child and give them that same experience I had.

[@rachelcrossen8136]

Not sure I would necessarily call what you did a luxury. You worked hard and were smart about it so you didn’t have student loans

[@FlowerGemsGirl]

I use Sam’s and Walmart, I’m a single person but I learned which items I use lots of and save more on at Sam’s. They carry my cat’s food and litter at way cheaper prices. I like to buy larger cuts of meat and break them down into multiple cuts. I love to make my own breakfast sandwiches but I use Canadian bacon or turkey bacon. I get those at Sam’s cause I can get a lot for a little. But things like produce, milk, things with shorter life I get at Walmart. The cool thing is Walmart is now doing cash back on items if you do a pickup order. I also use Ibotta and it’s saved me thousands over the years. I like that you pointed out about the organic processed foods! I was under the same impression that they were better for me. And I like your idea of making bread at home instead, you had many great ideas. Thanks for sharing them! 😉☺️😊

[@dianasimplifies]

The organic processed foods are better for you than conventional. Just read your labels. With conventional you are getting glyphosate, with non gmo and organic you are not. Mostly a non gmo and organic household here!

[@beemidan]

You are SO real and so honest. Can’t tell you the amount of “large family” grocery hauls that I see on KZbin where mom buys nothing but chips and snacks and caprisun and juice - it’s AWFUL! Completely setting them up for health issues and dependency. Thank you for this video! YOU ROCK!! 🥰

[@joannejohnson7367]

My husband likes bread and he isn’t gluten intolerant. Our kids no longer live at home so he’s the only one eating it. I make his bread in the breadmaker, save a ton and it’s really easy.

[@justagirl743]

I definitely agree the processed "organic" snacks don't mean they are healthy, but one big thing about organic foods is that they are non-gmo, it's not just about pesticide use. So if you want some convenience foods but want non-gmo then organic is the choice if it's in your budget.

[@dianasimplifies]

I would say most organic snacks are healthier unless all the ingredients are just total crap. Read labels. Just my opinion. ❤ some of us don't really bake and would prefer to buy a good organic non gmo snack on occasion than to stand around in the kitchen for hours. I clean houses for a living and am tired LOL

[@inspiteofbecauseof4745]

Or eat an apple, banana, grapes etc.

[@dianasimplifies]

@@inspiteofbecauseof4745 yes my house is full of produce. However we also like our other snacks. And nothing wrong with that lol we eat bananas, grapes, apples pretty much daily plus a lot of other produce.

[@dizzysdoings]

I stopped shopping in the warehouse stores years ago. I found that we were spending more because we were buying things we wouldn't normally buy because they were cheap. I'm a widow and an empty nester. What works for me is buying large packages of meat when it's on sale and freezing most of it. It's normally the super market that has it on sale. The rest of my shopping is normally done at Lidl. I buy the seconds of bacon. It still tastes good. The slices are irregular, which doesn't bother me. I buy a gallon of milk, then split it between 4 quart containers. 3 of them go in the freezer. When I'm on my last quart, I buy another gallon of milk.

[@wendyfletcher6132]

I do shop Sam’s Club-mainly for paper products and gas. However, I find great prices there on meats and produce as well. I do not have a Kroger or any discount grocery store near me. Often times Sam’s does beat my local grocery’s prices. For example, I buy a 10 pound bag of flour as Sam’s for $7. At my local grocery store a 5 pound bag of the same brand is $5. I feed 7 people, all teens or adults, so that larger bag does not go to waste. I could go to Walmart, but ours is not well kept, poorly stocked, understaffed, and dirty. It’s not worth the stress of shopping there.

[@kirkjohnson6638]

I started shopping at Costco with my roommates back in the late 80s (when it was still Price Club in my area). I absolutely swear by it even though I lived alone for the majority of the last 35 years. I'm pretty sure that there have been years when I never steppped into a regular supermarket. You just learn to buy in bulk and eat what you have stocked. It probably actually helps to be single since you needn't worry about a lot of requests for lots of different items.

[@wallashakalla]

I’m a Sams club shopper, but I shop monthly so it’s often cheaper for me to buy some items in bulk vs singles. Bread, for instance, is $5 a loaf locally vs $4+ change for 2 loaves. I don’t exclusively shop at Sams, but there are definitely good deals to be found there. We don’t have a Costco near us for me to compare. My average monthly budget is about $350 or less. Shopping monthly forces us to eat what we have, but if I run out of something like milk, I bite the bullet and shop locally. ($7 a half gallon)

[@olabisiolatunji8448]

7:36

[@debraweaver7416]

$7 for a half gallon? Yikes!

[@wallashakalla]

@@debraweaver7416I live in the middle of nowhere, they add the price of fuel onto the price for everything. Sometimes there’s not enough to go around, so they hike the price up then too

[@justmefolks1863]

My daughter took me to a Sams club right before c19, I was happy thinking I could save some money. I cook everything from scratch and was so disappointed to not find a single item that figured out cheaper for me than shopping local. I do buy bulk but shop Amish stores mostly. Walmart has bell peppers for 88- 1.48 depending on which one you want and I just got a large batch for 10 cents each. I can't even mess with growing them for that. Flour I get for $16-18 a 50 pound bag, store prices are nuts. Since I don't shop the stuff you was showing I was shocked to see what people are paying for them. I get bulk bacon and sausage for under $2 a pound, yes it is a pain to repackage, but I have more time than money.

[@debbiefisher8596]

You’re so lucky to be near the Amish stores!

[@justmefolks1863]

I moved here for that reason and the fact that I am close to the middle of nowhere....LOL.@@debbiefisher8596

[@mariabuchinger]

Definitely agree on Costco! It really depends on what you are going in for. TP, Paper Towl, laundry detergent, dishwasher pods for us all are bought at Costco. Maybe a couple other items too. We also buy some clothes there because they are nicer and last longer but are cheaper generally. Everything else is usually a splurge type item for us. Or we get something when it’s on sale, just like other stores. It‘s only good in bulk if it’s less expensive and you use it all.

[@kyoung2918]

Bc of your tips, my husband and I have cut our typical grocery bill in almost half and that's including things like detergent, deodorant, etc. So now, we shop at 3 different stores with specific things in mind and we just pick things up when we're near a certain store. For example, the cheapest toilet paper we've been able to find was 6 double rolls at $8.99 at HEB. But now we go to Family Dollar and buy their 12 single rolls for 3 bucks. The funny thing is we like it better and for some odd reason it lasts longer than the HEB stuff even though, theoretically, it's supposed to be the same amount. And we always shop the discount stickers, especially for discount meats and bagged salads. You have been a game changer for us and you have no idea how much we appreciate you for it!

[@geraldmantanona6116]

Asian/Pacific Islander here. I’m a big fan of the Diamond G brand. Also, I find it funny that Hall & Oates “I can’t go for that” is playing in the background for items you were saying, we should not buy. Lol keep up the good videos. 😃🇺🇸👍🏾

[@robinvarnadoe8429]

I buy certain things at Sam's that I either can't get anywhere else or like my toilet paper that cost me $22 for the huge pack versus $18 at another store for half the amount of rolls. Also some bulk spices that I use frequently are cheaper.

[@charlenecastaldo3602]

Thanks Christine! When my youngest was a teen still at home and he wanted cookies I suggested he make some. He still makes cookies at home, but now with his own son. Crazy thing about different Walmart stores, I discovered when doing pick up orders is many things were the same price, but some things were not, especially dairy it seemed and sometimes produce. There are four different Walmart stores in our area and sometimes one doesn't have all the things I'm looking for, but a different one does. I was surprised about the different prices. Now I'm just shocked by how high Walmart's prices have gotten. Kroger in our area has the best meat sales prices. Costco has the best prices for gasoline and that pays for our membership and then some. WinCo has the best non sale prices, but still their prices keep going up. Give me Lidl and Aldi like we had in SC and I wouldn't complain. Thanks again!

[@tracyboquist5153]

I live in Anchorage, Alaska and struggled to stay on a $230 a week budget. I have watched your videos for over a year now and easily have my budget below $130 a week for my family of 5. If your kids won’t switch off juice I have found making apple juice from concentrate and watering it down and powdered Gatorade. I still buy some chips but the giant bags from Costco where they can make themselves a bowl or a baggie or pretzels.

[@americafirst9144]

I usually break even with my Costco membership after about 3 1/2 months. Plus I can get better quality, hard-to-find items, reasonably priced clothes and bulk batteries.

[@keridrowatzky9543]

What's wrong with a kid working their way through college? We have a generation of kids who believe they are "owed" a college education. I wouldn't waste my money on college , go to a trade school. Doesn't hurt but builds character to earn their way.

[@sarahconnor64]

I totally agree with trade school. I've told my kids that they must learn a trade before they go to college so they always have a skill set to fall back on. I wish my mom had said that to me. I have 4 degrees, and I make less than 40k a year.

[@sensate444]

With the price of college today you'd have to work 100 years to pay for it.

[@ArleneAdkinsZell]

I developed some serious food allergies a few years ago and the cost of specialty foods blew my mind, so yeah, there are quite a few things that I just don't eat. I really miss an occasional sandwich, so anytime someone says 'do you need anything?' I ask for gluten free bread 😃

[@tenthz]

I would love to see a video where you try making your easy bread recipe with a replacement flour! I bet it works great. Another way to find local bakery/bread outlets would be to search for a local brand + outlet (we have a sunbeam factory in my area, so the outlets are called "Sunbeam outlets"). There is also a chain of stores called "Grocery Outlet Bargain Market" and they are expanding across the country. Not everything is a deal because they try to still be a one-stop-shop unlike the bakery outlets. BUT, check the circulars and stock up (if you have space) on those cheap items when they are available. One thing that all the snacks you eat have in common is PROTIEN. That will help anyone feel full longer. These types of snacks might be a bit more money per serving, but you don't need to eat as many of them to stay full & they tend to be better for you. That black label Hormel bacon is SO GOOD, but yes, that is a convenience. You are not paying for grease in that case, but I do not think the price difference makes up for it. I like to cook bacon in the oven and get it nice and crispy & pour off the grease to use in other dishes. Next time you make bacon, 2 trays at once and keep the 2nd one in the fridge or freezer for that "convenience factor".

[@maggierose97]

Not in to grocery hauls but found your video very interesting. People rave about how much money they save at Costco but I don't think anyone has done the math. What is your savings MINUS the monthly subscription fee plus subtracting the fee from the months when you don't buy anything. Costco admits that most of their profit comes from the fees.

[@justjannie1455]

Hi Christine! I have been watching you for a couple years now and I love the way you shop. I'm still trying to get myself to where you are in those ways. But I have to share that I just move to AZ and we have a Bashas grocery store. I downloaded their store app and last weekend, I got big packages of drumsticks and pork loin chops for .77 a pound!! I had never seen a price like that for meat anywhere that I have lived! So naturally I got lots!

[@karenadams8439]

Sometimes bashas has a really good meat sale! We do our grocery shopping at frys and keep an eye on the bashas ad for their meat prices.

[@fallenangel1049]

When you find it you by it and stock the freezer

[@jlawrence0181]

Wait until early January when they start to offer discounts on spiral cut hams to get rid of them $0.99/# spiral cut hams are much better deal than $9.99/ lb deli cut ham. Actually, on meat, Safeway has been more aggressive than Fry's in their meat pricing.

[@methodologies_of_care]

I agree so many of these are helpful. But glyphosate causes significant harm and most don't avoid glyphosate simply to retain nutrients, glyphosate doesn't only affect nutrition but causes systemic bodily harm and disease, thats kinda like saying 'buy the arsenic-free produce because it's full of nutrients, but buy the arsenic filled cookies, because they already aren't as healthy'

[@methodologies_of_care]

I appreciate frugal fit mom, and am only commenting so folks who are avoiding glyphosate due to disease don't become misinformed about it only affecting nutrient value

[@dianasimplifies]

@@methodologies_of_careglyphosate is making America very sick. Sadly.

[@noreenp.9858]

Another option for snacks is to bake your own cookies and muffins. First of all, it’s cheaper and you can control the ingredients. Joyfully Thriving bakes cookies and muffins and freezes them for her children’s lunches and snacks.

[@koreyb]

Very good point! A lot of people wrongly assume that fruit juice is good for them, but it is not. It is high in sugar and lacks all the fiber found in whole fruits.

[@rosegroshek1218]

But then there are people like me who have IBS and cannot handle a lot or any fiber somedays but still need fruits and vegetable servings, so juice works for that

[@aliciaspears7847]

Sometimes you just need to help a kid stay hydrated.... and we always buy the unsweetened juice. Idky people act like that isn't an option

[@abigailg9188]

Bulk food is a tricky thing. I ALWAYS check the per unit price and buy accordingly. We only buy food in bulk that I know we can store appropriately and use completely before it spoils. When it comes to buying bulk items like garlic from Sam’s club, you can freeze the minced garlic flat in gallon zippy bags and press lines into the bag with a chopstick or something similar forming about 1 tbsp chunks. When It is frozen, you can easily break them apart at the lines and you’ve got ready portioned garlic that thaws very quickly and will last a long time. With the 3 lb bag of garlic cloves, you can either just stick the entire package in the freezer and pull out however many cloves you need at a time. They thaw very quickly. Or, my favorite, pour the whole bag into an oven safe dish, cover it in olive oil, and bake it at between 200 and 225 degrees for several hours, stirring occasionally. Confit garlic! I store it in the oil in the fridge in mason jars. Bonus, you get the garlic oil as well as the amazing garlic. As long as it’s refrigerated, it lasts a long time. You have to be careful to keep it in the fridge though as storing it at room temp makes it an anaerobic environment and makes it a risk for botulism. If you want food safe buckets for food storage, I highly suggest checking the bakeries at your local Walmart or Kroger. Both with surgery give or sell their used icing buckets for super cheap. Just wash them out and you’re good to go.

[@Ozarkmountainoutback1]

Where we live Sams club actually has cheaper prices than Aldi on many things and the quality is fantastic.

[@kerriestimpson4002]

I haven't tried using Gluten Free flour for baking bread, but it works great for pancakes - Jamie Oliver's recipe (adapted) 1 egg, 1 generous cup of gf Self raising flour and around 1 cup milk. Make it to your preferred consistency.

[@RadCenter]

I remember reading years ago about the "Walmart effect" on eating habits. When households shop in bulk, they tend to consume more, because the bursting pantry and storage closet sends the signal that they are living through a period of abundance. They also tend to waste more, because they buy more food than they can eat before it expires. I plan carefully, shop weekly, and buy just enough for the coming week, plus some extra if there are bargains that are too good to pass up. PS I always compare unit prices when shopping, and I've found that sometimes larger bundles of things like toilet paper and paper towels actually cost MORE per unit than smaller amounts.

[@debiwillis9045]

Walmart isn't a bulk store

[@RadCenter]

*Sigh*

[@onanadventure5855]

Costco is a slippery slope 😂 I only buy their mild cheddar cheese (2 lbs block for ~$5), eggs, paper towels, toilet paper, whole coffee beans, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Those are their best deals, in my opinion. Sometimes I go for the pita bread, it’s a really big pack for like $5, and those freezer section raw tortillas 50 for $8. Love your videos!! I’m a sucker for a bargain.

[@FrugalFitMom]

Those raw tortillas are FANTASTIC

[@anaalves3658]

We are not big on snacks at our house, but I do need to have some on hand daily for my daughter to take to school. Apple and peanut butter are awesome, baby carrots, tomatoes are favourites. Tiny brioche buns with ham or cheese and recently I bought her some bacon flavoured crackers. I do spend a lot of money on berries. She will occasionally ask as a special treat for mini Oreos, but that is probably 2-3 times a year. She drinks water 95%of the time and occasionally will have a soft drink.

[@hXctney]

Love the hot takes, people need to hear this. Being a former smoker I know how quickly convenience or “treat” purchases add up, like juice and snacks. I need to kick my soda habit to start saving that money myself.

[@themodernhippy8946]

Always check your ads on your phone too! Last week krogers has 18 eggs for 99 cents. I bought 5 (the max for the offer). Why? I spent 1 hour scambling the eggs and cooking them like an omlette in a small pan. They freeze for up to 6 months. I got bacon and breakfast sausage for 2.99 a package. Now I can make breakfast in a microwave for 42 cents or just under a dollar if I make toast or add cheese or make a breakfast sandwich.

[@citygal2198]

Did you freeze the “omlette”? I’d be interested as I have a 2 hour drive for work and eat often in the car. Breakfast sandwiches are expensive

[@themodernhippy8946]

@citygal2198 yes. I have a small 6 inch omlette pan that I lightly oil (oil on a paper towel or spray oil on the pan) then scramble the egg (just 1) and put it in the pan and cover. Flip when bottom is done and cook so there is no raw egg. Then, put on a plate to cool, placing wax paper in between. Once cool to the touch, I put them in ziplock bags in stack with enough for a week. The day begore my first shift of the week, I put it in the fridge and, because if the wax paper, they separate easily.

[@littlemissbekah9722]

I will always keep my Sam's membership while I have little kids. The savings on diapers and wipes is worth it to me.

[@src4409]

FINALLY!! You said it!! Stop buying the junk!! I don't even go down the snack, juice, or soda aisles at all. I make brownies, cookies, or cake from scratch.. or at worst a box mix. You don't need that junk.

[@amykoster180]

We dropped our Costco because it just didn’t save us money. We found we actually bought more things we didn’t need. I’ve never looked back.

[@marygrott8095]

Yes, i do enjoy grocery hauls!!

[@NuggetFarm2011]

I have been gluten free for over 10 years. I always see You Tubers saying it is cheaper to make gluten free bread at home. I have to disagree. It takes at least 3 cups of gluten free flour to make bread. You might get two loaves out of one of those Bob's Redmill pre-made bags of flour for $13. I can get Schar brand gluten-free bread on sale for $4.69 at my supermarket with a digital coupon. I can not make it myself for that price, and it is my favorite brand. I also mix my own gluten-free flour, and it's still expensive. For me personally, it is more cost efficient to purchase the bread ready made. Plus, Costco has a much larger bag of King Arthur gluten-free free flour for $9.99. That might be the better way to make gluten-free free bread at home to save. 🤷‍♀️👩‍🍳😊

[@CourtneyMartin-nc5rp]

Love this and I’m only 5 min in. My boys are 2 and 5. I never buy juice. They love seltzer waters, as do I, so I splurge when it’s on sale and we drink that at the lake in summer or for special occasions. It’s “spicy water”

[@jblilbear]

The closest Kroger-like store to me is Ingles Markets. I love their house brand cheese. They had a sale on block cheese and it was cheaper per ounce to buy the 8oz blocks over the 16 and 32oz blocks. The 16oz was on sale too. 😆 I find storing the smaller blocks to be easier anyway so I saved a few bucks by getting a bunch of 8oz blocks. 😎

[@stellaz2595]

I was raised to think that juice and soda/pop are occasional treats. I do like plain carbonated water, so that is my treat. I prefer it to plain water.

[@deannalail1974]

I was a single mother of 4 and had to make every penny count 😊 they are all grown up now but you give some of the same tips I used for my family groceries back then I can afford more now but it is hard for me to spend more money my husband tells me that I am to cheap I like to save money where I can lol 😅

[@chandrahernandez5201]

Rogue and Speedy for president!!! My hubby always says "this is why we work" when it comes to just biting the bullet and getting what you want

[@dreadheadedmomma2289]

I shop at sams club for my bulk items and it’s definitely cheaper then grocery stores. Chicken legs $.99 a pound, bone in chicken thighs $1.29 a pound, about $32 for 45 rolls of toilet paper that are 235 sheets per roll. Another great money saving tip I use is visiting my local Salvation Army. They have free bread and produce daily, and it saves me about $200 a month on items I would be buying at the store

[@rhondavigil795]

Myth buster!!!!!! Thank you for giving the facts.

[@sandrapride1046]

When I watched my first graders with their lunches from home, they were loaded with convenience foods and many of the items, small cans of Pringles, for example, were two or more servings, but were treated like one serving. One could save a lot, by buying regular sizes of those and packaging them at home for lunches OR kids don't need those empty calories at lunch.

[@leytonfortnite4724]

Exactly 💯

[@dianasimplifies]

My mom always packaged up our lunch like that and I've carried it over. I don't see any reason why kids can't have a few chips as long as they are eating good wholesome food most of the time.

[@sandrapride1046]

@@dianasimplifies I can live with that.

[@melodymarcellino9074]

Though on the juice. I get WIC and they provide juice on it (frozen and bottled). For the bottled juice I water it down at least half water. The frozen I make in a gallon jug (vs half gallon that is recommended). Generally I don’t buy juice unless it is powdered and from a discount store(dented and dinged store).

[@kathyhirsh9687]

I agree with what you're saying. I have definitely debated canceling my BJs membership. Back when I bought diapers, it was a benefit. Now I use it sparingly, like hosting a party etc. My friend taught me to look at the unit price so I know not everything there is a good deal. I have a family of 5 and a 3 pack of an item doesn't really help me. On the other hand, some bulk items are just overkill and take up space in your home forever. I do enjoy using their app when I shop. It keeps me below 20 items and I can scan and checkout on the app avoiding lines. My son uses the gas to fill our SUV for less. I think you just need to be savvy about it

[@nancysmith2874]

I use my dollar general app to compare prices in other stores 😊

[@kp5115]

Love your videos. From your tips and simple changes easily saving a couple hundred bucks. Slowly adding to my weekly food prep and buying less convenience items. I am in your area, a year now, since saving money places. I have been splurging going to Reeds dairy and buying some great tasting milk.

[@MidwestLori77]

I have started making most of our sweet treats instead of buying prepackaged snack cakes and stuff. I also make bread every week. It doesn't replace our regular sandwich bread, but the kids love it and I know what's in it.

[@vanessab.6682]

I save all the time. I barely eat. Oh! No wonder I have been so dizzy the past 2 days. And no I am not joking, exaggerating, being sarcastic, or any of that. Sadly, it's actually true!

[@babatwofive5727]

I buy the oven ready bacon, because it lasts longer...no waste for me.

[@stephaniegaddis1716]

um... Pro Tip - Cook a whole pound of bacon in a sheet pan in your oven. Drain the bacon on paper towels. Then put in a gallon ziploc bag. It will stay good in your fridge for at least 2 weeks and in your freezer indefinitely. Then when you want bacon, just pull out what you need. Last, but NOT least, pour the bacon grease into a jar, place in the fridge, and use for cooking.

[@theresaanndiaz3179]

When I lived in Mexico, Costco was where I bought stuff I couldn't get locally. I also didn't have a membership, I went with a friend and we split stuff.

[@carolsmith2969]

I am going to try to use what is in house. Only buy what t have to at store. Love your videos.

[@schnauzersareawesome7209]

When we got our Costco membership, we compared the prices of all our 'staples' and Aldi won almost every time, plus at Aldi you don't have to buy in bulk. When we go to Costco, which is when we fill our cars with gas, our buys might include a pizza lunch, nuts, tortillas, a rotisserie chicken, and possibly some items on markdown. Never bakery, never produce.

[@twovirginiacats3753]

I shop mostly at Aldi's, Walmart and international stores (like H-Mart). Some years ago, when I had a family to feed, I did shop at Costco. I found that I saved about 40% off my grocery bill by buying bulk. That was easily 15 years ago. I still shop some at Costco but don't need the mass quantities that I needed in the past. I think Walmart is the best all-around option.