Give me ideas of things to cut out

[mrsklamc]

It's hard to do things differently than you are used to but I would try to find something to replace the cheez its, nilla wafers, and goldfish because that's a big expense for very little nutritional value. Or see if you can get them on sale w/ a coupon- I got DH two boxes over the weekend because he likes them and I was able to get them for 1.50 each. Since you have Winne Dixie I assume you're in the south so maybe southernsavers.com would help.

Detergent- we just don't use very much (you don't need the full cup full to get clothes clean) but many people save a lot by making laundry detergent at home. The liquid looks like a mess to me but I might try the powder.

 

[blondietink]

Wow ... that's a lot of milk. I only buy one quart for cooking purposes and to sprinkle lightly on cereal. Otherwise, everybody drinks water with their meals. We eat cheese for the calcium. Sam's Club or BJ's has huge boxes of Cheez-its and Goldfish crackers that are a lot cheaper than you can buy in the local grocery store. Only buy laundry detergent when it is buy one get one free locally. Dollar General also has cheap detergent.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Totally agree with the laundry soap. I only buy soap twice a year! I use about 2 oz to wash with. Rinse with vinager.

It's hard to do things differently than you are used to but I would try to find something to replace the cheez its, nilla wafers, and goldfish because that's a big expense for very little nutritional value. Or see if you can get them on sale w/ a coupon- I got DH two boxes over the weekend because he likes them and I was able to get them for 1.50 each. Since you have Winne Dixie I assume you're in the south so maybe southernsavers.com would help.

Detergent- we just don't use very much (you don't need the full cup full to get clothes clean) but many people save a lot by making laundry detergent at home. The liquid looks like a mess to me but I might try the powder.

 

[pampam]

Instead of the soda, have you considered buying the drink crystals at the bulk store? They have some flavours without sugar as well as the regular ones. I do this with DD. Although she likes pop she is ok with pouring a glass of punch as long as it's premade and waiting for her in the fridge.

 

[Plumeria9]

My DH is a Diet Coke addict, so I feel your pain. Mine likes to drink the 16.9 oz. bottles, which just kills me. Sometimes he is willing to use the 2L bottle and refill an empty 16.9 oz bottle, that helps a bit. I only buy his diet Coke when it's on sale, and then I stock up. $3 and under is good for a 6 pack of that. Almost always before a big holiday weekend there is a sale (4th of July, etc.) don't know which upcoming holiday would justify a good sale on the stuff.
As for myself, I have sort of laid off the diet sodas, they make me feel bloated lately. I bought a Mr. Coffee iced tea maker a few years ago for $10 and it is an awesome money saver! I buy green tea bags from Costco, that is the healthy stuff. Then I brew my own iced tea. If you are using the green tea always add a touch of lemon, the citrus makes the green tea super healthy.
Oh yeah, I'm also a huge Costco shopper. We are a family of 4, not a big number, but it is definitely a money saver to shop there. Good luck!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Could you replace cereal for breakfast? You could make pancakes ahead of time for the week and freeze them. Or breakfast burritos, french toast, muffins, oatmeal, etc.

How much milk is your family drinking? If the kids are also drinking milk at school they may be getting more than they need for the day. We've cut back on milk, we're now going through about a gallon a week for a family of 7. And two of my kids still eat cereal for breakfast. I keep a pitcher of water in the fridge so they drink that after school and orange juice in the mornings.

 

[Sagginit]

you can cut out some of the pre-made snacks. nilla wafers can easily be swapped out for home made cookies. you can also make your own fruit leather, granola bars, and popcorn for more savings, and those can go in their lunch. i made a lasagna this week and since i had the oven on and the ricotta cheese out i made a batch of muffins (chocolate ricotta- slightly healthier than a cupcake). once you get into the groove of making your own things it gets easier. i am GF and my challenge for this week is to find a recipe for a home made pizza crust that i like.

i would try to wean your children off cereal if that is their primary breakfast food. believe it or not scrambled eggs can be gently re-heated or even made in the microwave. if i find a great deal on eggs i stock up since they do last about a month. homemade muffins let you control the ingredients and use up what you happen to have (too many carrots, overripe bananas etc).

when you feel the need for bubbles seltzer is much cheaper and you can buy it flavored or plain and add a splash of juice.

 

[beansmom]

Okay, I just played around with some numbers.

We buy about 3 -12pack sodas a week (DD drinks spirite) $48 month
I also buy a gallon of premade tea a week(this is DD's) $12 month
DS and I just drink milk and water.

If I figured correctly, I could make about 12 gallons of tea for about $6.

(DD is going to complain, oh well)

i guess i'm the mean mom but dd would just have to get over it. If everyone else is making sacrifices, she can, too. And personally, i would NOT replace soda with those 'crystals'...they are just chemicals. I still think fruit slices in the water is a nice way to 'fancy' it up and keep it natural.

I do think you can maybe cut back on milk--we really don't need that much milk in our diets. There are some things you can't cut...you have to pack lunches...but you can pack veggies and fruit instead of gold fish. We really don't NEED a starch at every meal. Meat and cheese and veggie pieces is a complete meal.

Cereal can be replaced by oatmeal which really sticks with you longer than the cereal anyway. We generally do eggs and sausage in tortillas...quick and easy. You can even cook a 'mess' up one day and reheat in the microwave the next day or 2 days later.

Pretty much, the closer to its natural form a food is, the cheaper it is. We pay for all the procesing.

 

[abcboys]

I totally get the soda thing. My DH is addicted to mt. dews. He says he's not but he goes thru a 24pack in a week or less and he is cranky/headache if he doesn't have his fix. Every now and then he will cut back for a few weeks but before I know it he is back to his 4 can a day habit. See if your DH instead of quitting cold turkey could limit himself to say 2 cans a day then maybe down to 1 can a day. I drink 1 can a day or less but I can take it or leave it.

Be sure to watch the sales for the sodas. I will usually find them on sale for 5.00 for a 24 pack every now and then so I stock up because I know he will go out and spend twice that much if it means getting his mt. dews. 1-24 pack of soda will last me a month.

We are a family of 5 and go thru about 1 1/2 gallons a week of milk. Maybe try cutting that back a little as milk is not cheap. We do milk with cereal and breakfast but not much past that. I do make tea and kool-aid occassionally. I onlly use 1/2 cup sugar for the kool-aid. If the boys drink juice I make sure its watered down cause I tell them it will last longer and I'm not buying a lot of juice.

For the snack foods cheezits etc. maybe try store or generic brand or only buy it on sale. I know what you mean those things can be so expensive! Kills me to see $4 on a box of crackers?? I buy almost nothing at the grocery store full price. I shop the sales and stock up when its a good sale and something we use a lot of.

Laundry detergent I usually stock up when it's on a good sale but I don't generally buy tide or anything expensive. I just bought 3 bottles of purex on sale with coupon for $1/each. I use dryer sheets but I tear them in 1/2. We don't go thru a lot of paper towels and I usually buy cheap shampoo/soap etc.

Look thru your pantry and make out a menu for the week and stick to it so you are not tempted to eat out. I need to get back in the habit of working on mine. Good luck!!

 

[Minnesota!]

How do you do this?

I buy the birds when they are on sale (.39/pound) and put them in the crock pot and end up with a bird boiling in a full pot of pure greese and fat.

It is gross.

Dawn

Use tin foil on the bottom.

We get all our fruits and veggies at Costco. Huge bunches of bananas for under $2, big bags of baby carrots, a huge pack of celery stalks, and big tubs of mushrooms.

We also buy our milk, eggs, shredded cheese, tortillas, bread, stew meat, cottage cheese, sour cream, spaghetti noodles, etc. there.

I get the package of croissants from the deli, and then I make a few egg and cheese croissant. Wrap in plastic and tin foil, and then throw in the fridge. In the morning, grab one out and heat up. It's $5 for 16 croissants, $3 for 36 eggs, and $8 for a huge bag of shredded cheese. I can get at least 2 weeks of breakfasts, not to mention the dinners I get from the eggs and cheese.

I make a huge container of trail mix - chocolate pieces (either chips, m-n-m's, or whatever else is cheap), pretzels, peanuts, and raisins. Then I put some in the snack bags each day for the boys lunches.

We have a Cheez-its addict in my house, so we get the huge box from Costco (I think it's about $6 for 2 huge bags).

I do rollover meals - tonight's roast with carrots, potatoes and onions becomes tomorrow's hash or beef pot pie.

Like a pp said, when whole chickens/turkeys are cheap, I buy them, cook up in crockpot (with the tin foil on the bottom), and then shred it for other uses - soups, salads, hot dishes, etc.

We do the majority of our meals meat free, too. My kids and husband love beans, love veggies, etc. I make up a huge batch of spaghetti sauce, freeze in the right size containers, and then use that for spaghetti nights.

We do a lot of stuff with black beans = tacos, nachos, soups, etc. I get the cases of them at Costco for under $5.

DH and my boys could live on soup....so I am very fortunate. Soup can be made out of just about everything....and it's so cheap, versatile, and stretches far.

 

[shirleyb]

Also, don't overlook the dollar store for items, but make sure it's a bargain - sometime sizes are different.

I noticed Dollar General has boxes of Whales (like Goldfish and my DD likes them better) for $1.

A lot of the cleaning chemicals at the dollar store are cheaper than WM or grocery stores.

Soups are usually a cheap meal, and can be very healthy as well. I make a lot of homemade soups, using leftover roast or chicken.

 

[Darcy03231]

I found by cutting out a lot of the frozen/processed food I saved quite a bit of money. I now make my own foods from scratch to freeze. Right now I have meatballs in the oven. I make up a big batch at a time and then freeze them and take them out as we need them.

Another thing I found that helped us save money is to make up/prep a bunch of stuff on Sundays. This week I made 3 casseroles and clam chowder. I also made chicken soup out of last weeks leftover chicken, vegetables, rice, some noodles. Basically everything went into the pot with some chicken stock, onion and celery. Some things I prep the night before so when I get home from work I can just throw dinner together. This also helps us to not eat out as much as we used to. I know what we're having for dinner and the prep work is done. I go through the grocery flyers on Friday night, take stock of what I have on hand and make up my menu for the week. I shop on Saturdays, with a list (and I don't bring DH or the kids to the grocery store with me).

For chips/snacks I buy in bulk. As soon as I get home I repackage into individual snack bags. Its a lot less expensive than buying the individual bags.

For sweets, it's much less expensive to bake than it is to buy. Again, I do a lot of this stuff over the weekends.

As PPs pointed out, stock up when things are on sale.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I didn't really do it to save money, but my grocery bills definitely have gone down since we cut out meat, dairy and eggs. Being vegan means most processed foods are not on our list anyway, so we focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, with a few grains (quinoa, steel-cut oats, barley).

Teresa

 

[TLuvsD]

Try couponmom.com remember to check the grocery store, drugstores and Target lists. Totally Target dot com is another good site. Today at Walgreens I bought 5 full size shampoo and conditioners, a Folger's coffee (decaf) and some glow in the dark headbands for D (no she didn't need them, but she's been working really hard in school). Total for everything $16.xx out the door. Without those headbands, $13.xx.
Since we use a lot of conditioner, a great deal for us.
I cook in double batches, buy clearance meats, make soup/stews (especially in fall/winter). Goldfish are bought with a coupon or not at all, there is always something on sale to put in the lunchbox.

 

[jacksmom]

I have to say that I understand the Diet Coke thing! Dh and I both have to have it! I do take flavor packs for water to use at work, but still do drink some Diet Coke everyday! Dh takes 12 pks to work (much cheaper than vending machine though)! So, I am always on the look out for it on sale. My Bottom Dollar has coke products on sale frequently and I stock up! This week they have 2l on sale for .93 cents. Other than coke, we do eat healthy so I save on processed foods though we eat lots of fruit and fresh veggies which can be expensive. My kids love yogurt and Kashi granola bars! But, I rarely buy cookies or sugary snacks. I eat no red meat or pork and only use red meat for family 1 night a week (DH insists). We do veggie 1-2 nights (I do 2-3 nights), we eat a lot of chicken so I stock up when it is on sale, we also eat turkey and fish so I look for sales on that also! I don't buy pre-made or mixes, try to stick to whole foods! We all eat Bkfst at home, take lunches and eat dinner 6-7 nights a week at home. I shop at Walmart, Bottom Dollar, and Target weekly for sales and BJ's monthly for paper products, cleaning products, etc. I don't have a low grocery bill, but not awful either! I usually average $175 week for 4 with 1 dog!

 

[QVCshopper]

It really pays to start from scratch. I can get a huge container of oatmeal for super cheap; add apple sauce and a little brown sugar and I have breakfast for two months. Also, popcorn from scratch is really cheap and only takes a few minutes to make. I have my kids (and I) drink water unless they are bringing lunch to school.

I, too, have snackers, though. I bought 10 bags of goldfish about 20 days ago and they are already gone. But, at least they got eaten. I wait for sales; those were $1/bag.

Sometimes I just do without; other times I make breakfast for dinner. You really have to just look at what you're doing and see where you want to cut back. I don't stock pile too much, and I do use .75 cent coupons that get doubled. I hit up a few stores if I like their sales, otherwise I just stick with mine. And we've cut back on meat like everyone else. Or, I'll buy 6lbs at once, cook it, freeze it cooked, and use it in various meals like pasta, tacos, etc.

 

[ConnieB]

Convince your husband to give up the diet soda, it's one of the most unhealthy habits out there. Just replace it with tea or something else and don't stock the house with it anymore. Worth a shot, anyway .

Or, if cold turkey is too much for him, lol.....ask that he drink something else for a specific event. I asked my husband to not drink soda at meals...to go with something else (he chose homemade iced tea) and let him keep his evening soda and lunchbox soda. He grumbled some, but stuck with it.....then a few months after that I asked him if I could put tea in his lunchbox. A little more grumbling, but less than the first time, lol. Then a few months later I brought him a glass of tea after dinner....and he didn't even say anything, lol. After that case of soda was gone I didn't buy it again. Now the only time he drinks soda is sometimes when we go out....which is rare in itself, lol.....but he has also complained several times that his soda tastes "weird". I just nod and say "oh that's too bad", but I know it's because his taste buds are changing, lol. Lately I have noticed him ordering a glass of water in restaurants, just like the kids and I have done for years, lol.

Be gentle with him.....but eventually you should be able to convert him.

 

[budafam]

My husband is a Dew addict. He won't give it up. Period. I just stock up when it's on sale. My "stock up" price is $2 for a 12 pack. I refuse to purchase it when it's over $2.50 because I know eventually it will go on sale.

I make my own laundry detergent... have been doing this for 3 years now and it's great. Saves a TON of money. I rip my fabric softener sheets in half. I read somewhere that they can actually be ripped into quarters and still be just as effective.

I buy ground beef when it's on sale for $2 lb. since that's the cheapest I see anymore. It's high in fat but if you're using it for something like sloppy joes or in spaghetti sauce, you can rinse it off after you cook it. It actually gets rid of all the fat. We have also switched over to ground turkey for most of our cooking now.

I freeze meals, cook ahead and meal plan. I think meal planning is the biggest money saver ever.

We have a family of 4 & 3 dogs. I average no more than $70 a week on everything... usually we skip shopping altogether one week out of the month so I would say somewhere around $210 for a month of groceries.

 

[cbg1027]

Don't buy fabric softener. Useless waste of money IMO.

You only need a little bit of laundry detergent. Maybe 1/4 of what the package recommends.

Use vinegar for cleaning! It's so cheap and for most uses, you cut it with water. I use it in place of a rinse agent in the dishwasher. I use it as an all purpose cleaner. I use it as a disinfectant. I use it in the laundry in place of bleach.

Baking soda is AMAZING for cleaning pots and pans. It's a great non-abrasive cleaner but it takes the cooked on grease and stains right off! No need for special sponges. steel wool, or things like SOS.

 

[Jerseyguy's Wife]

For all of you soda drinkers: is it the soda itself or the caffeine you miss if you cut it out? I gave up soda for Lent once. Nine years ago. Now I hate it. I do, however, drink iced tea like it's going out of style. Seems like I traded one evil for another, right? Wrong. My tea has antioxidants, zero sodium (and even the diet stuff has sodium), and it costs me $.30/gallon. It fights back the caffeine headaches, and it's not "just plain water."
I was actually drinking about 5 diet sodas a day. Amazingly, once I gave it up, I lost 20 lbs in 40 days.
I refuse to buy soda these days; we only drink it when we go out. And half the time, my kids order water. If it's not in the house, eventually people won't miss it. Everyone asks me how I get my kids to drink water instead of soda. It's easy; I just don't buy the stuff.