Adjusting Expectations: We prefer to eat at home over going out, but we also realize we can't eat like we're millionaires even when we're making it ourselves. We've both been looking for ways to save money on our grocery bill and stretch food farther. I will make anything myself if it's cheaper than store-bought, like safe-for-me low carb bread, like the almond flour variety I make for my breakfast toast. My guy watches for sales wherever we go, and if I ask will take me to a market on the other side of town where we've never shopped to check out their sales (their chicken is the cheapest and best quality in town.)
Couponing: The other night we got two footlong subs from Subway for $12.99 using a coupon from a phone app, as we haven't been getting the print variety in the mail. Now we're starting to look for more electronic coupons, too.
Halfing and Reducing: Our appetites are definitely smaller now that we're older, so I've been cutting most of my recipes in half or reducing them even more. I make 6" one-layer cakes for desserts, which my guy can eat in two or three days. I've also cut in half expensive ingredients that I use when I can. For homemade pasta sauce (I hate the jar variety) I only use half the ground beef that I used to. My guy says there's no taste difference.
Homebaking Everything: I now make and bake our pizzas, bagels, cakes and other baked goods to avoid paying high prices for the store-bought. For example, I can make eight bagels for a third of the price of six storebought, and mine are tastier.
Indulge Occasionally: You don't resent being frugal with food if you treat yourself now and then. Once or twice a month my guy and I will go out for a meal, usually lunch, at one of our favorite restaurants. We do take advantage of the daily specials we like so we can still be frugal. Bill reduction tip: Order water for your beverage, which is free at most restaurants, and you can save up to $8.00 on a tab for two.
Making a List: To eliminate our impulse buying I make a shopping list and stick to it when we go to the market. Once the list is done, we're done shopping. Also, we're no longer tempted by convenience foods or snacks because they're too darn expensive.
No Lunch/Early Dinner: Sometimes we're out wandering and don't want to stop for fast food (which has gotten outrageously pricey), so we skip lunch altogether and just have an early dinner. Saves money and we don't miss the lunch.
Plan a Week of Meals: Every Monday my guy and I sit down and decide what we want to have for dinner that week. This helps me know what to shop for on Tuesday when we go to the market. Because we often can't eat everything in one sitting we plan four new meals, leftovers for two more meals, and then leave one day open. This also prevents food wasting because if I haven't planned it, I don't buy the ingredients.
Sale Watching: There are things I refuse to buy unless I can get them on sale, usually for a BOGO or greatly reduced price (i.e. canned veggies 10 for $10.00; buy one get one Campbell's soup.) These are generally shelf-stable or freezable foods that I can stock up on for future meals.
Skipping Beef: My guy used to eat so much beef it took up 2/3rds of our shopping budget (I stopped eating red meat for the most part about seven years ago.) No more, alas, because the prices for it are beyond outrageous. The last time I looked at a rump roast it was over $40.00. That's almost half my weekly shopping budget for one piece of meat. Anyway, my guy understands, and eats more chicken and pork now. I do keep an eye out for a reasonably-priced flank steak or top sirloin to make as a treat for him, but otherwise, we're skipping the beef.
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