Save Money on Groceries with the $1 per pound rule.

[tobee43]

we don't have market baskets here unfortunately. but really the bottom line is the way you shop and what you buy for your $.

[Logan]

I think the best way to save money on food is to shop at a grocery store with reasonable prices. There are 3 stores in my are, Stop and Shop, Shaws and Market Basket. Market Basket is by far the least expensive store and in many cases cheaper than Costco and Trader Joes. When you go into Shaws and Stop and Shop it is never as busy as Market Basket ad they basically have the same stuff.

Logan

[tobee43]

Tobee, love ya and I get what you are trying to say but...
a pound is a pound is a pound. Pound it thin, grind it, roll it up in a ball--- but a pound of chicken at 1.99 is still a 1.99 a pound of chicken.
Of course once cooked it's even less...

I think you are now getting at a per meal cost, which is a different story altogether.

yes, your right...i'm just breaking down the actual meal, as though it was paid for at 99 cents a pound...by pounding the meat!!! LOL!!!

i guess, what i'm attempting here is, it's a way to reach the same sum or results... just using a different method to get there??


i think i should start to do some rolling though, that's a great idea!

[keepsmiling]

Tobee, love ya and I get what you are trying to say but...
a pound is a pound is a pound. Pound it thin, grind it, roll it up in a ball--- but a pound of chicken at 1.99 is still a 1.99 a pound of chicken. Of course once cooked it's even less...

I think you are now getting at a per meal cost, which is a different story altogether.

[tobee43]

Here's the thing...the purpose behind the idea is to at least get you thinking about how you buy groceries and establish some benchmarks. Is the $1 per pound feasible, yes...but with recent food inflation, at this point, I concede, it is probably too limiting. But the point is to get you thinking about what you buy. I am talking about mind set. Now it sounds like IamOld and Keepsmiling have a pretty good idea of what things costs and perhaps know how to control spending, but most don't, most people buy on habit and get what they "think" they need. So the idea behind this post is to establish a benchmark. But I will concede, because of inflation, the amount probably needs to be raised to $1.50 per pound so as not to be too limiting.

But on the flip side, if you REALLY HAD TO DO IT, could you?

i am going to have to say a big YES you can!!!

first i have to comment on safeway in washington dc...i haven't ever seen a safeway on the east coast. maybe there is one, but i don't know where it is. could be one there??? i know they are online in the bay area in calif.

ok...this week at shop and save chicken thighs for 39 cents a pound.....bananas were 49 cents a pound...caggage was almost free.

it can be done but it's hard and you have to run here and there to get it done. however, there is another way to get that amount down. if you purchase boneless chicken breast on sale for $1.99 a pound and cut them in half and then half again and pound them out you have now tripled the amount of food you have. with that i made chicken three different dishes and we ate for 6 days on the those two little chicken breast. that results in actually than LeSS t $1 a pound. then we go to the out door town markets for produce and fruit and just buy what's on "special" that week.

another example is if apples are on sale...i make apple sauce, apple crisp, apple dumplings ....LOL!! baked apples and so on and so forth. i freeze some. we no longer have a large freezer because of the cost of the electric, but have a side by side frig and just fill it and use everything by date, then replenish as needed.

rule of thumb whether we are in california..(where is cost $4.79 for a loaf on rye bread on special!!) or florida....or in new jersey where food was cheaper than either of the other areas i mentioned, one can do it, by stretching your protein and buying veggies and fruits that are in season and cheaper.

we have a great time making a "game" out of it. we also find prepared foods are more expensive and unhealthly unless your in wholefoods were they are way out of our price points. although a few weeks ago i got dinner for 6 for $ 15.99!!!! a whole cooked chicken, roasted potato, two types of veggies....it lasted us for 4 dinners and 3 lunches....wow!!

[keepsmiling]

Glad I made you laugh, Annie.
Yep, no way making my own tofu. Gotta draw the line someplace.
I do want to brag about the turkey sausage I found recently for .59 a pound.... and fortunately I do have a big freezer. If you have the time to scour all the cases, racks and shelves for clearances and deals and the luck to hit them at the right time, and the time to research and clip coupons, you might pull this off somewhat healthfully and somewhat successfully ( but forget about fish, unless you score some dented cans of tuna) Keep in mind that time is money too.

[chicagoannie]

This is just soo unrealistic unless you live on nothing but beans and white rice. Even if you lived by the ocean, unless you caught your own fish (and then you'd need to shell out $$$ for a license) you could NOT buy ANY fish for under $1-- at least, nothing edible. You can't buy any kind of cheese either. Not even peanut butter for crying out loud. You'd have to make your own tofu to stay in this budget as well. I can't imagine you'd want to live like this for any length of time.

hee hee heee heee!!!! I guess I am having a moment here, but I am cracking up and little tears are leaking out...just picturing keepsmiling making home made tofu BWAHAHAHAHAAAA...don't ask me why I find this post so funny, I just do! hee hee hee, I better go to bed - older kids think I've lost my mind!

[debee]

You can get bananas and apples at Safeway in Washington, DC for less than $1 per pound. The prices/location are on their home delivery website.

[HHM]

Here's the thing...the purpose behind the idea is to at least get you thinking about how you buy groceries and establish some benchmarks. Is the $1 per pound feasible, yes...but with recent food inflation, at this point, I concede, it is probably too limiting. But the point is to get you thinking about what you buy. I am talking about mind set. Now it sounds like IamOld and Keepsmiling have a pretty good idea of what things costs and perhaps know how to control spending, but most don't, most people buy on habit and get what they "think" they need. So the idea behind this post is to establish a benchmark. But I will concede, because of inflation, the amount probably needs to be raised to $1.50 per pound so as not to be too limiting.

But on the flip side, if you REALLY HAD TO DO IT, could you?

[IamOld]

This is just soo unrealistic unless you live on nothing but beans and white rice. Even if you lived by the ocean, unless you caught your own fish (and then you'd need to shell out $$$ for a license) you could NOT buy ANY fish for under $1-- at least, nothing edible. You can't buy any kind of cheese either. Not even peanut butter for crying out loud. You'd have to make your own tofu to stay in this budget as well. I can't imagine you'd want to live like this for any length of time.

Look, I have to agree with keepsmining - this is unrealistic. It's very easy for someone to write a book (presumably single, young, middle or upper middle class) - what is one supposed to feed one's kids? Come on - I just came back from the supermarket - the only fruit under $1 are bananas (which I love). PERIOD my friends. Lunchmeat? Under $1/pound (or cold cuts - depending on where you are in the country) WON'T HAPPEN.

Fish? A luxury - cheapest "cut" of fish is almost $10/pound - overfishing, transportation costs, etc. There are folks "up yonder" in the mountains in the state where I live that hunt - they usually get deer, etc., not for fun but for food. Now, more and more folks are doing that...wish I could. It's almost free, and you get a ton of meat!

[keepsmiling]

I'll try it for a week and see how it goes. I don't eat that much meat, anyway, so I have no problem on that end. However, I love seafood, and being in a land locked state makes it so that anything fishy is well over a $1.

I am a veggie lover, how I love my vegetables. <3 But even that, I have to strain to think of what I can purchase for a $1/lb... zucchini maybe? Parsley for sure, I can make tabouli... but my beloved golden yukon potatoes and avocados are definitely nixed... anyway, I will try it for a week starting tomorrow and report back.

This is just soo unrealistic unless you live on nothing but beans and white rice. Even if you lived by the ocean, unless you caught your own fish (and then you'd need to shell out $$$ for a license) you could NOT buy ANY fish for under $1-- at least, nothing edible. You can't buy any kind of cheese either. Not even peanut butter for crying out loud. You'd have to make your own tofu to stay in this budget as well. I can't imagine you'd want to live like this for any length of time.

[iswmle]

I'll try it for a week and see how it goes. I don't eat that much meat, anyway, so I have no problem on that end. However, I love seafood, and being in a land locked state makes it so that anything fishy is well over a $1.

I am a veggie lover, how I love my vegetables. <3 But even that, I have to strain to think of what I can purchase for a $1/lb... zucchini maybe? Parsley for sure, I can make tabouli... but my beloved golden yukon potatoes and avocados are definitely nixed... anyway, I will try it for a week starting tomorrow and report back.

[Logan]

Food prices are rising so soon you'll get nothing for $1 a pound.

[keepsmiling]

Not to beat a dead horse, but a distinction needs to be made between boneless and bone-in meat. Boneless chix breasts at 1.69 lb are a better deal than wings or drumsticks at .99.

[IamOld]

Meat is pretty much impossible to find for $1 or less per pound, but it's a great rule for other foods! I limit my meat to $2/lb max and fresh fruits/veggies to $1/lb max. That said, I live in a largely agricultural area (CA), so fresh produce that is in season is pretty cheap since it doesn't have to be shipped in from out of state. Also, I live in a fairly large city, so there are lots of stores that I can shop at (at least 10 different chains within 2 miles of my home). I literally go to each store and buy their super sale items and then leave without buying any regular priced items. For people in rural areas where there are only 1 or 2 stores to choose from it would be next to impossible to strategize this way to achieve maximum savings.

Making foods from scratch is also a great way to maximize savings. I can make the equivalent of 24 jars of spaghetti sauce from scratch for less than $10 and it's MUCH more delicious and healthier than any premade sauce from the store! Most of our meals (to feed 5 people with at least 1 meat dish and 1 veggie dish) cost less than $5 total including spices/condiments, etc. And, let me tell you how delicious homemade french fries are! Super cheap and a huge hit around here! Yes, it takes more work than buying a bag of frozen fries from the store, but the cost savings and health benefits of little changes like that make a huge difference!

I'm sorry I don't mean to be persnickety here, but veggies under $1/pound that I can find and do buy, no problem. Fruit? No way. Not here - doesn't happen. Unfortunately I do frequent the cheapest supermarket and split between two when I can...but I also have to budget gas (almost 4/gallon for the "cheap" gas) and time...I usually leave around 6AM get home around 7pm (if I go to my PT job then 11pm) - spouse usually 7AM to 6pm. Commutes here are nightmarish. You get in the car and just zone out until you arrive at your destination (no public transportation). I would LOVE to buy that half a cow!!! :-)

Re french fries - I can't eat the frozen kind - it tastes like plastic - homemade is the way to go, but that's easy to make I think and heck potatoes are still "cheap" - I'm a huge potato fan.