TEN BUCKS A WEEK!

[bcwife76]

Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards!

I think the new mastercard cash back is applied on all purchases though ? it says 3% at restaurants, 2% at gas, 1% everything else? I guess I'd have to look at the PC one and see if I'd be better off. We tend to use credit for everything (only use debit at costco) and then pay off every month (don't carry a balance)[/QUOTE]

With the new card you get 3x the PC points when you shop at Loblaws stores only. You get the 1% back at all other retailers, restaurants etc. Oh and you also get 3x the points at Shoppers Drug Mart now since Loblaws owns SDM now too.

 

[Angeejoe]

Just recently I had a bug in an (unopened) packet of Chichi's corn cake mix. I have no idea how it got in there, but I was very disappointed. I'm going to be putting packets of stuff (crock pot flavor packets, etc) into ziplocks, but I thought I heard someone mention bugs getting into cardboard boxes, too. I guess I could put them in gallon ziplocks but that seems weird to me!

Maybe I'm being overly paranoid but tearing open that packet and dumping it in the bowl and seeing a bug was frustrating!

But the Chi Chi's corn cakes (love these) are sealed, how the heck did it get in there? Maybe the processing plant?

 

[Angeejoe]

Most of the time I am fairly flexible. However, I will only buy Heinz ketchup, French's mustard and Kraft peanut butter!

We think alike on the condiments! I've never heard of this Kraft peanut butter, it's not something sold in my area. I don't like peanut butter. My DH makes his own in our vitamix with peanuts I get when planters heart smart peanuts has their sale cycle plus they usually have coupons too

 

[Angeejoe]

Eventhough I'm a stay at home mom I don't have a particular set shopping day each week. Plus now that both my kids are in school I find I'm running out of food a little faster (two school lunches to make vs one etc) so I find I'm going to the store at least twice a week (sometimes even 3 times) which is bad I know because I end up spending more overall.

I shop at Extra Foods (because it's 2 blocks from our house), Save On (again, just down the street), Real CDN Superstore, Safeway and Walmart. Depends on my needs (small shop vs big shop) and how the deals are that week in the flyers. I don't usually price match with the flyers, I just go to the store that has the best deals because they are all within a 10 minute drive of our house. We also shop Costco once every 6-8 weeks.



Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards!

We used to have a Costco membership, but I found I spent a lot there & stuff ended up going to waste since it's just the 2 of us, but I miss it. My in laws & mom still have a membership, so I can with them if I really want. My in laws will pick up their paper towels for us & we just pay them.

 

[Angeejoe]

Alright guys...I have a dilemma!

Generally speaking, Kraft PB in the 1 kg containers has a sale price for around $3. (I have paid, $3, $2.99, $2.97 and $2.88 since I started tracking prices) but this week it's on sale at FreshCo for $2.47!! Six of them would be $14.82 so that would take all of this week's budget as well as half of next week's budget. Should I go ahead and buy them? Should I just get six or should I get more? This is the cheapest price I have ever seen and we go through the PB in this house fast!! I don't generally like to spend ahead but I feel like I just can't pass this one up!

What should I do??

If I were you & used a lot of that PB, I'd buy more than six, but I'd check the expiration dates. How long would 6 jars last you?

 

[Angeejoe]

Ok, the really sad part is that is STILL tasted better than most of my "try it on my own" cooking experiments.

You crack me up!

 

[stayhomemom77]

If I were you & used a lot of that PB, I'd buy more than six, but I'd check the expiration dates. How long would 6 jars last you?

Anywhere from 12 to 20 weeks. We generally have to pull out a new one every other week.

 

[Angeejoe]

Anywhere from 12 to 20 weeks. We generally have to pull out a new one every other week.

I'd check expiration a then & if it's far out, I'd get more. Do you have coupons for them too?

 

[DnA2010]

I'd check expiration a then & if it's far out, I'd get more. Do you have coupons for them too?

Agree- I think I'd get more too

 

[dayvewc]

You crack me up!

Well, according to the idea that you are what you eat, I'm fast, cheap, and easy.

I'd check expiration a then & if it's far out, I'd get more. Do you have coupons for them too?

Agree- I think I'd get more too

I agree also.

And this is a kind of foolish question, cause I know that we are talking about the $10 /week food supply budget, but why not buy a BUNCH in the regular budget while it's cheap, and a couple extra earmarked for just this?

 

[halfpintpeggy]

So happy I stumbled across this thread, yay! I've been stockpiling for several years. I began doing this rather accidentally. My hubby lost his job at the same time that I was cut down to part time. (Those days are over for now thank goodness.) Anyways, we literally had no food left in the house. I swallowed my pride, prayed I had enough gas in the car, and headed to the food pantry. I was so grateful that they gave us a weeks worth of groceries, but it was an embarrassing experience. To make matters worse, one of the volunteers at the food pantry was a woman who I graduated from school with - ugh! I vowed then & there to make a change...& I did. I began couponing heavily and whatever items I could get for free or almost free were the items we ate & used. Within 6 months, I had enough food & personal/household items to last us for a year. Finances are much better now, but I will never pay full price again. We always have enough stockpiled that the only items I purchase each week are some fresh produce, eggs(.99 cents from local farmer yay!) and maybe whatever meats or milks are on sale. I normally look for coupons/rebates for these items also. I actually now coupon for 3 other families as well because our stockpile is huge lol & I like to pay it forward. We also grow a huge garden and I can & freeze that produce. Whew! Sorry for being so long winded, but I know first hand the importance of having food security. I'll be following your thread, thanks for making others aware of the importance of this subject. Basically, it comes down to becoming self reliant.

 

[lyshia04]

I coupon heavily and have a large stockpile. I have ever since my husband got laid off when I was pregnant with my first daughter. But I spend far more than $10 to stockpile. I only buy when items are rock bottom prices. Recently I was able to get Campbell's chicken noodle and tomato soup for .20 a can so I bought enough to last a year. I will do the same with canned vegetables in a few weeks. Most weeks my spend on regular groceries is minimal. Bread, milk, eggs, fresh produce. I usually on buy meat on mangers markdowns. But I have a deep freezer and prep everything my self. I also freeze and can veggies from my garden. It is also good to have extras of other things stockpiled especially if it is incase of lean times. Laundry detergent, trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, etc are all high cost items. With the peanut butter I would get a lot. It is something that you know you will use and it is a rock bottom price for your area.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Well, according to the idea that you are what you eat, I'm fast, cheap, and easy.





I agree also.

And this is a kind of foolish question, cause I know that we are talking about the $10 /week food supply budget, but why not buy a BUNCH in the regular budget while it's cheap, and a couple extra earmarked for just this?

Unfortunately, I don't have the room in the regular budget to do this. I got 2 with the regular budget and 8 without. I may go back and get more before the sale ends...still thinking about it.

 

[Debbie]

Although we do have a Costco membership (share it with my mom) we don't shop there enough to make the cash back card worth it. We use the mastercard a LOT (and pay it off in full every month lol) so the points add up quickly. I would rather just redeem them for free products at Superstore/Extra Foods - you can buy anything with your PC points except for gas and cigarettes. So last Christmas I saved my points and bought gift cards!

We just went to the basic Costco card this summer. When our purchases were covering the cost of the Executive membership and cash back, great. This year, it was only $10, and next year would have been nothing. We don't have the Costco credit card. Love my PCMC

Alright guys...I have a dilemma!

Generally speaking, Kraft PB in the 1 kg containers has a sale price for around $3. (I have paid, $3, $2.99, $2.97 and $2.88 since I started tracking prices) but this week it's on sale at FreshCo for $2.47!! Six of them would be $14.82 so that would take all of this week's budget as well as half of next week's budget. Should I go ahead and buy them? Should I just get six or should I get more? This is the cheapest price I have ever seen and we go through the PB in this house fast!! I don't generally like to spend ahead but I feel like I just can't pass this one up!

What should I do??

Since you are stockpiling and know you are going to use it, I would buy the extras.

I have a question. What is the difference between the World and the World Elite PCMCs? I've had the World for ages, and would upgrade to the Elite if there isn't really much difference. ie no forced insurance, no cost, merely you've been a good customer, here's the Elite. (that's how we got the World) Like a PP, we use the card and immediately pay it off. Thanks.

Back on topic. While I kind of stockpile, I tend to use what I have on hand, so we do use what is on the shelves. You've given me something to think about, having 3 months food on the shelves. Thanks. Can't do a lot of the process packages with a lot of sodium, though, so would stick to canned soups, veggies, fruits.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Well...there's a new twist in my food storage saga. I've been forced to switch to eating gluten free. I fought it for months, but denial could only take me so far and I had to give in...quite gracelessly, if I'm being honest and finally make the switch. I do believe my body will thank me, but at the moment I'm still pretty grumpy about it.

In case you didn't know...gluten free products are freaking expensive. They are totally blowing my monthly food budget!! And this is week one. <sigh> Anyway, there's a bit of a learning curve here to figure out what is safe and what is not. Also, I've been looking over my food storage stuff and there's quite a lot of it that I will not be able to eat. All those beautiful boxes of stuffing <whimper> and I don't think the gravy is safe either.

Ah well...it's only me that can't eat it. Next week I'll keep my new dietary restrictions in mind.

 

[stayhomemom77]

So, I went down and looked through my food storage and it's not as bad as I feared. I will have to get gluten free pasta for myself and miss out on the stuffing, gravy and hamburger helper that I bought but most of the rest of it should be fine and I'll go forward with gluten free products in the future.

WEEKS NINE AND TEN

8 jars of Kraft PB $19.92

**Will upload a picture later...having trouble getting it onto my laptop from my phone.

I now have 12 unopened jars of PB in the house. That should last us a minimum of 6 months.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I am also gluten free - have been for about a year. Couponing & stockpiling GF items can be daunting at first but you can do it! Make gravies using corn starch rather than flour. I usually bake my own GF bread, but have found terrific coupon deals on GF rolls, bagels, cereals, etc. I think once you get into the practice of couponing for GF items you'll be fine. They also make GF stuffing if you don't want to make your own. I've gotten amazing deals on GF croutons before & have stuffed the bird with those too lol.

 

[dayvewc]

Well...there's a new twist in my food storage saga. I've been forced to switch to eating gluten free. I fought it for months, but denial could only take me so far and I had to give in...quite gracelessly, if I'm being honest and finally make the switch. I do believe my body will thank me, but at the moment I'm still pretty grumpy about it.

In case you didn't know...gluten free products are freaking expensive. They are totally blowing my monthly food budget!! And this is week one. <sigh> Anyway, there's a bit of a learning curve here to figure out what is safe and what is not. Also, I've been looking over my food storage stuff and there's quite a lot of it that I will not be able to eat. All those beautiful boxes of stuffing <whimper> and I don't think the gravy is safe either.

Ah well...it's only me that can't eat it. Next week I'll keep my new dietary restrictions in mind.

I don't know all of the ins-and-outs to it, but my sister had to switch to a gluten free diet several years ago. She is feeling much better, well rested, energetic, and her hair is growing back. But, she found an IRS form that allows her to claim the difference in regular *product* and the gluten free version as a deduction on her taxes. It wouldn't necessarily help the first year, but going forward, that might be a way to "fund" the gluten free items you have to buy. (though, as I write this, it seems that you are Canadian and wouldn't be filing with the US IRS, buts till info for other people who might need it.)

 

[cgncga]

I don't know all of the ins-and-outs to it, but my sister had to switch to a gluten free diet several years ago. She is feeling much better, well rested, energetic, and her hair is growing back. But, she found an IRS form that allows her to claim the difference in regular *product* and the gluten free version as a deduction on her taxes. It wouldn't necessarily help the first year, but going forward, that might be a way to "fund" the gluten free items you have to buy. (though, as I write this, it seems that you are Canadian and wouldn't be filing with the US IRS, buts till info for other people who might need it.)

Canadians who are gluten free because of celiac disease can also claim the difference between the cost of the gluten free items and comparable items containing gluten as a medical expense. However, those who are gluten free without a diagnosis of celiac disease (like my daughter) are not able to claim the food costs as a medical expense.

Catherine, CGA, CPA

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

Well...there's a new twist in my food storage saga. I've been forced to switch to eating gluten free. I fought it for months, but denial could only take me so far and I had to give in...quite gracelessly, if I'm being honest and finally make the switch. I do believe my body will thank me, but at the moment I'm still pretty grumpy about it.

In case you didn't know...gluten free products are freaking expensive. They are totally blowing my monthly food budget!! And this is week one. <sigh> Anyway, there's a bit of a learning curve here to figure out what is safe and what is not. Also, I've been looking over my food storage stuff and there's quite a lot of it that I will not be able to eat. All those beautiful boxes of stuffing <whimper> and I don't think the gravy is safe either.

Ah well...it's only me that can't eat it. Next week I'll keep my new dietary restrictions in mind.

If you have an Aldi grocery store near you, go there for your gf groceries. The prices are so much cheaper there than at other stores.