Cost Of Living Crisis Series - Where I Buy Our Groceries.

 As most of you know,  my current grocery budget is $150 a month for 2 people.  This includes food for 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.  It also includes basic cleaning ingredients that I need to make laundry liquid,  laundry powder,  stain remover,  surface spray,  shower cleaner and pretty much anything else  to keep my home clean.  The $150 a month also includes basic toiletries,  foil /  paper products ( like baking paper etc ) and cleaning cloths / scourers.

 Since the massive increases in food prices,  I'm now only buying ingredients to make all our own food.  Treat food like chips,  chocolate,  lollies and savoury biscuits are bought on sale from my gift budget and included in our birthday,  Christmas and Mother's / Father's Day presents.  We are at a time in our lives when we don't need  'things ' but enjoy treats. This has worked really well for us over the last few years and we are never short of a treat in our home.

Here are the places I buy our groceries from -

Herbs,  spices,  dried fruit,  nuts,  yeast,  grains and seeds are bought from Hindustan Imports in Dandenong.  They are a wholesaler that specialises in ingredients and they offer a variety of bulk sizes to fit any budget.  I make a trip once or twice a year to stock up.  The money I spend comes out of any leftover monthly grocery money - my slush fund.  I do check prices against Woolworths and Coles and always factor in the 10% discount I get at Woolworths.

Meat is bought from Tasman Meats,  Australian Butchers,  Costco ( while Megan has a membership ) or Coles.  I always look out for specials on legs of lamb, chicken drumsticks,  roast beef and silverside. Clearance items of red meat are bought at Coles.  I only buy according to what money I have left in my grocery slush fund. When I bought a bulk pack of beef mince from Costco back in June,  I'd been saving my leftover grocery money ( slush fund ) for 3 months.

Fruit and veg is only bought if we are not growing it at a particular time.  I check the prices at our local fruit and veg shop before I go to the supermarket.  I do get 10% off at Woolworths because we have insurance with them.  I factor this in when I check prices. I do buy frozen beans and corn kernels from the supermarket if we've run out of what we've grown and frozen.

Teabags are usually bought at Coles or Woolworths.  On the rare occasion discount shops like NQR,  The Reject Shop or Shiploads ( Tasmania ) have teabags quite cheap so I'll stock up.  

For toiletries like shampoo,  conditioner,  deodorant and toothbrushes I wait for good deals at The Reject Shop or NQR and REALLY stock up.  Toothbrushes are regularly $1 each at these stores. I also have a local op shops that carries toiletries for $1 each.  I check them out a few times a year and stock up if it's a good brand.

For hairspray,  spreadable butter,  oils,  frozen fish fillets,  dishwashing liquid,  dishwasher powder and  laundry soaker I shop at Aldi. The reason would be either the quality is better or the price is cheaper than the supermarkets.

Kitchen  cloths / scourers are bought at various places.  Usually I wait until a product is on clearance and buy heaps.  I've bought from Bunnings,  Coles,  Woolworths,  The Reject Shop,  NQR and Shiploads ( In Tasmania when on holidays ).  

All other ingredients on my shopping list are bought at Woolworths.  This includes flour,  sugar,  butter,  milk,  eggs,  cheese, pasta,  toothpaste,  foil,  cling wrap etc, toilet paper,   tinned foods like tomatoes,  tuna,  salmon,  corn,  creamed corn and soups ( for casseroles ).  

If I've missed anything,  please ask and I'll be happy to share when I buy that item from ( if I buy it ).

Some of the groceries I buy often.

Ingredients to make lots of goodies

Always on the hunt for red meat bargains

Do you have certain shops you buy your groceries from ?

It's Time To Look At Your Shopping List Differently. Part 2

If you are struggling to put food on the table with constantly rising grocery prices,  it's time to do things a little differently. When writing out your shopping list,  ask yourself a few questions -

*  Do we need it ?  Can we go without ? Can we make it ourselves ? Is there a cheaper option ?

Last week I shared 6 ways you can save a small fortune on your grocery bill.  This week I have another 6 ways to save and every single one of them I personally use for Darren and I.  Our grocery budget is $120 a month for 2 adults and has been for about 18 months.

*  Make your own.  If you want to stretch your food budget so you can buy more or save money,  then start making things from scratch.  Jam is dirt cheap to make and even cheaper if you grow your own fruit or know someone who does.  Make gravy from scratch instead of buying those little sachets or ready made.  Make your own wedges / chips / fries instead of buying a bag.  Make foaming hand wash,  surface spray,  custard,  desserts,  lasagnes.  Cut you own veggies  bake your own biscuits,  cook your own pasta sauce.

*  Bulk buying.  Buying larger packets / bags is usually the cheaper option but make sure you know your prices.  Also make sure you can use that quantity within a reasonable time frame.  Go halves with friends or family to split the cost.

*  Buy ingredients.  A trolley full of ingredients will cost far less and provide more meals than a trolley full of processed food.  My grocery bill is proof of this.  Don't listen to the so called experts who report that healthy food is dearer than processed.  My pantry,  fridge and freezers are full of ingredients all bought for $120 ( or even less ) a month.  I had a distant family member tell me recently that it's cheaper to buy a box of biscuit mix to make rather than  buying ingredients.  I don't think she understood the concept that buying ingredients might cost more upfront but can make many batches of biscuits.  The box mix she uses only bakes maybe 12 - 18 biscuits in total.

*  Less meat,  more vegetables.  I'm not going to tell anyone to give up meat.  That's a personal choice and should be talked over with your doctor to make sure you get your nutrients elsewhere.  Darren and I quite enjoy meat but you won't find a hunk of meat on our plates.  On the rare occasion I cook a roast,  I get 2 slices of meat and Darren might get 3.  We fill up our plates with veggies and no one goes hungry.  Chop suey,  stews,  soups and casseroles are a great way to have meat and stretch it further.

*  Cut the treats and give as presents.  If you like chocolate, chips and lollies,  consider adding them to gifts within your family.  They make great Christmas stocking stuffers or gift bag fillers for a birthday present and the recipient will be thrilled to get what they love to eat.  This is the only way Darren and I can afford a food treat and not have it impact our grocery budget.

*  Grow your own.  Have a look at your shopping list.  What fresh items do you buy regularly ?  Could you start growing some of these ?  Lettuce is super cheap, easy and quick to grow.  It can be grown all year round in many areas.  You can grow it in a pot or in the ground.  Even if you start with this you could save $2 - $4 a week. 

Are you looking at your shopping list differently ?

How are you cutting your grocery bill ?

Its Time To Look At Your Shopping List Differently. Part 1

 The cost of living crisis is hitting many people hard.  Prices are going up all the time and when it comes to the grocery bill,  you never know how much it's going to cost from week to week.  I've given up expecting certain items to cost a certain amount.  It seems the prices change constantly.

If you want the cost of living crisis to have a minimal impact on your grocery bill,  things need to change and the change has to come from you. 

My grocery budget for Darren and I is $120 per MONTH and it's been at that amount for about 18 months.  Has it been tough ?  A little. Have we made changes to keep it that low ?  YOU BET WE HAVE !!!  And that's the trick.  CHANGES  !!!

Here are 7 ways to lower your food bill and still eat well.

*  People expect to eat the same food and complain about rising prices.  I don't know how many times I've come across people who insist on buying fancy steaks for their meals and then tell me food costs too much.  Nothing's going to change if nothing changes.   Steak is now a luxury.  Save it for a special occasion.

*  Trying different brands.  Why do people feel the need to fill their pantries,  fridges and freezers with branded products ?  Who are you trying to impress ?  If people are judging you on what brands you consume,  you might want to rethink your friends.  Unless it's curry powder,  chocolate,  tea,  coffee or tomato soup,  it doesn't matter what the brand is.  It will still do the job.  Remember,  flour is flour and sugar is sugar.  I use generic flour to bake all our biscuits,  slices,  cakes and breads and it works perfectly.

*  Going without the extras like lavish sauces / gravies,  gourmet oils ( avocado,  coconut etc ),  fancy cheeses,  deli meats,  recipe bases etc.  You know what I'm talking about.  These items are like icing on a cake.  It's nice to have but not needed.    Save them for special occasions.

*  Portion controlling food.  Have a look at how much you are putting on your plate.  Could you eat a little less ?  If the meal is meant to serve 6,  are you only getting 4 or 5 serves ?    Could you stretch the meal to 7 serves ?

*  Eating whole foods.  I'm not necessarily talking about going to a whole food store and spending a fortune on overpriced nuts and flours.  If you are hungry,  eat an apple or banana.  Think back to when you were a child.  What did you eat in your lunchbox ?  It was most likely whole foods. 

*  Cooking simple meals.  No one can sustain a Master Chef menu.  That tv show doesn't know what a food budget is.  Meat and 3 veg,  casseroles,  stews,  pasta or bakes are comfort foods without the high price tag.  If you'd like some budget friendly,  tasty meals then have a look in the recipe section on this blog.  I personally cook every one of those meals on my tight budget and there are no expensive ingredients.

*  Expensive dinners as a treat.  We all like a good roast don't we ?  Or steak,  or salmon for example.   Salmon is one of my favourite meats but we don't have it just because I like it.  Salmon is saved for my Mother's Day meal or my birthday and you can bet I thoroughly enjoy it.  Best of all,  it doesn't blow our budget because we know it's a treat.

Are you looking at your shopping list differently ?

How are you cutting your grocery bill ?

More Bang For Your Buck At The Supermarket.

 A few weeks ago my friend Maureen posted a few 1/2 price sale items at Woolworths over on the Cheapskates Chatter Facebook page.  One of those items was Lipton teabags 100 pack on a half price sale for $2.90.  My first thought was - bargain.  We love drinking tea and teabags haven't been 1/2 price for quite a long time.

I did need to buy apples and carrots too so I combined it all into one shop.  For 6 boxes of tea bags,  2 x 1 kilo bags of apples and 1 x 1 kilo bag of carrots,  I ended up paying $13.40. That's a really good deal isn't it ?  The receipt did originally say I needed to pay $26.00 but I had a few tricks up my sleeve. 

So how did I get these items so cheap ?

Firstly,  I used my monthly 10% off discount on a total shop through Woolworth Rewards saving $2.60

Secondly,   I had $10 in rewards money on my card.  With these 2 discounts the bill came down to $13.40. 

But the savings didn't end there.

The full price for all those groceries would usually cost

$34.80 for the tea  

$7.00 for the apples

$1.60 for the carrots     for a grand total value of $43.40  which is a saving of $30.00

  I didn't pay full price for the teabags  so that was a saving of $17.40 The bags of apples are for Darren's lunches.  I picked the bags that had the smallest apples for a total of 8 apples per bag.  Some bags only had 6 apples ( same weight ).  Darren doesn't like big apples with his lunch so this was perfect for him.  It's also another way of portion controlling and making the food last longer.

I also weighed the 3 bags ( carrots too ) and they were all about 70grams each over weight which is about 200 grams of food for free.  I'm not going to try and calculate how much that saving was,  but a saving is a saving. 

I also wisely used these savings to buy real food. 

Do you have any tricks for saving at the supermarket ?

Grocery Shopping - Buy This... Instead Of That ...

 Food prices have skyrocketed over the last year or two.  Far more than what is being reported in the news bulletins.  Every time I shop it seems there is a price increase in just about everything.

If you are struggling with an ever increasing grocery bill,  try looking at what you are buying.  Can you buy the same item but in a different form ?  Is there something else that will do the job ?

Try using some of these tricks to help lower your bill.  I personally use all these tricks and my grocery budget is still $120 per month for 2 people.

*  Buy a block of cheese instead of grated cheese ( unless it's cheaper ).  Pre grated cheese is thicker than cheese grated at home so you are likely to use more at a time.

*  Make salsa from fresh or tinned tomatoes with herbs,  spices and onion instead of buying jarred salsa.

*  Buy a bread stick to make your own garlic bread instead of buying the premade garlic bread.  Go one step further and just use sliced bread you already have to make herb / garlic bread.  It's much tastier making your own and the texture is not doughy like the store bought.

*  Buy beef mince to make your own hamburger patties instead of buying the pre made.  Add your own seasonings to taste.  Make them in bulk and freeze with cut up cereal packets in between to stop them sticking together.

*  Buy pure laundry soap ( generic is excellent ) ,  grate it and add bi carb and washing soda to make your own laundry powder.  You can even turn it into laundry liquid.  A years worth of powder / liquid can be made for under $10.

*  Buy white vinegar instead of fabric softener.  It's much healthier for your washing machine and clothes and super cheap too.

*  Buy potatoes instead of frozen chips.  Chips are easy to make and better for you than store bought.  If you have an air fryer, use it to make the chips.

*  Buy Chux type cloths ( generic is great ) instead of disinfectant wipes.  Use the cloths with a spray of disinfectant to wipe germs away.  Wash in your washing machine and use over and over again.  I do this for cleaning my toilets and the cloths last at least a couple of years.

*  Buy flour and sugar instead of buying cake,  biscuit or slice mixes.  Just about every home has eggs,  milk,  butter and cocoa powder ( or drinking chocolate ) to add to the flour and sugar to make a wide variety of baking treats.

*  Buy dried herbs and spices instead of buying casserole seasoning packets or fresh herbs.  

*  Buy custard powder instead of buying ready made custard.

*  Buy shower gel instead of buying liquid hand wash.  Shower gel is super cheap especially if it's generic ( $3 for 1 litre ) and will do the job really well.

*  Buy fresh fruit to freeze instead of buying the pre cut frozen fruit.  It's generally far cheaper to freeze it yourself.

*  Buy a tub of natural unsweetened yoghurt instead of buying dips,  sour cream and little tubs of yoghurt.  You can even use the yoghurt as a starter to make your own.

*  Buy pita bread instead of buying pizza bases,  dried crackers and pizza pockets.  Cut the pita bread up and dry in the oven to make pita chips.

*  Buy kitchen detergent instead of buying cleaning products.  I use kitchen detergent to clean everything in my home.  Even the Aldi $1.19 1 litre bottle ( is that the latest price ) works really well.

    

Pita chips

  

Ingredients to make brown sugar.

What cheaper alternatives do you buy ?

20 Groceries We Don't Buy And The Cheap / Free Alternatives - Part 2

 The supermarket is filled with brightly colored packaging,  designed to catch your eye.  Before you know it that grocery item is in your trolley and you wondered how you ever lived without it.   Chances are your parents and grandparents managed just fine without it .

The next time you go shopping,  have a look at what you are buying.  Are you buying mostly whole foods or processed foods ?  Are you working long hours to pay for your expensive grocery bill ?

Here are another 20 grocery items we DON'T buy and how to save money on them -

Microwave rice pouches -  They are so expensive compared to buying a bag of rice.  Some are flavoured but I don't need flavoured rice when the rest of the meal is tasty.  I cook extra rice and freeze.

Creamy pasta packets - I've make my own with pasta,  milk,  butter,  flour and seasonings.

Marinated meat.-  It never tastes as good as it looks. I use ingredients like soy,  honey,  garlic and herbs.

Herbs and spices in little jars - I buy in bulk from a herb and spice wholesaler.  Extremely cheap.

Sweetened condensed milk - I make my own from butter,  sugar,  water and milk powder.  The recipe I use makes 2 tins worth for less than the price of one.

Evaporated milk - I don't have recipes that use it.  If I did I'd make it from milk powder and water.

Fresh herbs in plant form or pastes -  I use dried or grow a few.

Iced tea - If I wanted it I would make it from a teabag,  water,  sugar and a squeeze of fruit.

Porridge sachets - I make porridge from quick oats.  If I need flavour I can add cinnamon,  brown sugar,  maple syrup or dried / tinned fruit.

Avocado / grapeseed / almond / peanut / coconut oil etc etc - I use rice bran oil for cooking and baking.  It's cheap compared to the fancy oils.

Bread flour - I use plain generic flour.

Salad dressings - I only buy balsamic glaze.  A little bit goes a long,  long way.

Tinned veggies - I only buy corn ( for soup ),  tomatoes ( in case my harvest is poor ) and beetroot.  Fresh is cheaper for other veggies

Salad kits -  We grow some of our own salad ingredients and buy the rest as whole foods and make the salad ourselves.    Cheaper and fresher.

Serviettes -  We just don't eat sloppy food to need serviettes ( except for hamburgers with dripping sauce or tacos ).  The rare times we do eat takeaway we are always given too many serviettes.  Those that are not used are brought home for when we do need them.  It seems like a waste to throw them out.

Pancake shakers -  I make pancakes from scratch using milk,  eggs and flour.  How easy and cheap is that?  I think we've only bought them once or twice as a treat when the girls were little and we were on holidays.

Meal kits - They are just too expensive and you still need to add meat and veg.   Just use the herbs and spices you already have and add your own ingredients.

Rice cream in tins - I make creamed rice with rice,  sugar and milk.  My recipe would make four times the amount in a tin for the same price.

Meals in a can -  If we were camping people we might buy them.  I remember doing a tv story years ago where the husband liked spag bol meat sauce in a tin.  I didn't even know you could buy it in a tin.  I showed the family how to make a big pot of meat sauce for the same price.  All you need is mince,  tinned tomatoes,  Italian herbs and tomato paste

Frozen potato chips -  I never understood their appeal.  I think they have an artificial taste about them and I've been served a variety of brands over the years.  I have a Nicer Dicer and a chip machine ( present ) that makes chips in just a minute or two including seasoning.  Since buying an air fryer this is how we cook them.   They are a healthier option too.

 

I buy herbs / spices in bulk and fill my own jars

homemade pancakes

Picking our own lettuce

Do you  make and bake from scratch as much as possible ?

How many of these items do you make cheaper ?

20 Groceries We Don't Buy And The Cheap / Free Alternatives - Part 1

 We are all battling rising grocery prices right now.  In recent years it's never been tougher to feed our families and still keep control of the food budget.

Sometimes we buy certain groceries just because we always have.  Maybe we didn't know we could make them from multipurpose ingredients.

Below are 20 groceries we don't buy either because we don't need them or make them from scratch.  This saves us so much money each month yet we still eat well and don't feel like we are missing out.

Brown sugar - I make my own with white sugar and molasses

Castor sugar - I grind white sugar in the food processor

Bread crumbs - I make my own using bread crusts.  FREE.

Jam - I make my own from fruit we grow.

Recipe bases - I make my own from basic ingredients ( I do buy Massaman beef curry base )

Muffin / cake / biscuit packet mixes - I make my own from flour,  sugar,  milk,  butter,  eggs etc.

Ready made cakes / biscuits / muffins -  Same as above

Grated cheese / slices - I grate and slice my own.  I add corn flour to grated cheese to prevent sticking.

Yoghurt - I make my own in an Easiyo maker.  I do buy natural yoghurt as a starter to portion and freeze.

Custard in box / packet / tub - I make my own from eggs,  milk,  corn flour and sugar or use custard powder.

Cordial - I make my own 50 / 50 cordial in Summer from lemons we grow and oranges bought cheap in Winter and froze.

Soft drink - We just don't need it and drink tea or water

Pasta salad / potato salad - I make my own for a fraction of the price.

Chunky tinned soups -  I make my own.  Here's the recipe   SOUP

Liquid stock - I make my own in the slow cooker with bones.  FREE

Fancy meat rubs / salts - I use the herbs and spices I already have.

Freezer meals - I freeze my own leftovers.

Bottled water - Our tap water is one of the best in the world.  We bottle it ourselves pretty much for free.

Pasta sauce - I use a tin of tomatoes ( the cheapest ) and add my own seasonings and tomato paste.

Chicken sauces like honey mustard etc- I make my own from scratch.  Here's the recipe CHICKEN 

.

Blueberry muffins

Homemade hot cross buns

choc chip biscuits

Freezer meals ( leftovers )

Making yoghurt

How many of these groceries can you do without or make yourself ?

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices - Part 3

 There are so many ways to cut the cost of your grocery bill.  I ABSOLUTELY use all these tips I've been sharing over the last few weeks.  Yes our grocery bill ( including toiletries and basic cleaning ingredients ) is still $100 a month for 2 adults and a cat even with rising prices.  We've had to cut our shopping list to the bare basics but we still eat and the food is tasty and filling

Here are another 10 tips to help you save money -

*  I buy dried herbs,  spices,  nuts,  grains,  seeds,  wholemeal flour,  yeast,  corn flour,  icing sugar,  cocoa powder and dried fruit from an Indian wholesaler. They are FAR,  FAR cheaper than any supermarket.  If you live in metro Melbourne then Hindustan Imports is your place to shop.  You can shop online and get free delivery if you spend over $90 ( which is easy to do with such a great variety available  ).   Hindustan Imports offers a variety of packet sizes to suit your budget and usage.   

*  We don't waste anything.  We scrape out jars,  add a little water to get every last drop out and turn bottles up side down.   When I'm baking I scrap out the mixing bowl with a silicon spatula. 

*  We portion control our meals.  Just because there are leftovers in the pot doesn't mean we have to finish it.  Leftovers are put into containers then into the fridge.  Potato chips,  chocolate,  biscuits and other snacks are portioned onto a small plate and the remaining in the packet is put way.  We don't mindlessly eat straight from a packet.

*  I bake as much as I can from scratch and freeze excess.  This includes pita chips ( instead of buying dry biscuits ),  muffins,  sweet biscuits,  cakes,  slices, and scones.  There are very few biscuits I buy that I can't bake.  We don't like store bought cakes and other bakery items and never buy a packet mix.  Sorry,  but we don't like their artificial taste and they cost too much.  A packet mix takes just as much time to mix and bake as it does from scratch.

*  We buy the largest packet,  bottle,  tube or tin of anything providing it works out cheaper.  This includes toiletries,  disinfectant,  flour,  sugar,  bags of fruit,  sauces and meats.

*  We eat homemade soup for dinner ( sometimes twice a week in cooler weather ).  My soup is chunky,  tasty,  filling and SUPER CHEAP at approximately 20 cents a serve.  Here's the recipe to the one we eat the most  Chunky chicken and veggie soup   

*  I don't buy cleaning products ( or at least rarely bought once every few years ).  I use diluted dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle to clean just about everything around our home.  I do use disinfectant when I've cut up raw meat.  I only use bleach in the shower once every few months and cream cleanser when the dish liquid doesn't work on stains.  I've been a domestic cleaner ( as a paid job ) for 24 years and have used just about every product on the supermarket shelf.  They cost too much,  they smell too much and dishwashing liquid does the same job.   Even a bar of soap will clean your home.  Please don't be fooled by the ads on tv.

*  I use containers instead of cling wrap,  plastic bags and foil for lunches,  leftovers,  snacks and freezing.

*  I use unit pricing to get the best deal on everything.

*  I buy 1 kilo blocks of generic brand tasty cheese instead of slices,  grated or sticks.  I grate the cheese myself and freeze most of it to use later and to prevent spoilage.  By adding a little corn flour to the grated cheese,  it doesn't stick together.

Growing our own

Baking from scratch

Homemade soup for dinner.  20 cents a serve.

How many of these tips do you use to save money on your groceries ?

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices - Part 2

 Are you tired of seeing grocery prices going up every time you visit a supermarket ?  So am I and it makes you wonder whether the prices will go back down again when petrol prices go down and transport / supply chain issues are resolved.  Probably not.  

We need to be prepared that these high prices might be here to stay.  So you have two options.  You can  absorb the extra cost into your household budget,  or change the way you shop.  If you're like me you don't want to absorb the extra costs.  The reality is,  my budget can't fit in higher grocery costs,  higher petrol prices and higher utility costs.  

The grocery budget is the most flexible area of the household budget.  You can pick and choose what to buy,  the brand to buy and to a certain extent,  how much you pay for each item.

Here are another 10 tips and tricks I use all the time to keep our grocery budget down to $100 a month for 2 adults and one cat.

*  Expensive meals are no longer on our menu plan.  Roast beef,  legs of lamb,  lamb chops,  lamb kebabs and casseroles that require more than 400 grams of meat are a thing of the past.  

*  TVP is used to stretch beef mince in lasagne,  spag bol,  chop suey and pasta bakes.   We don't notice a difference in taste or texture in these meals.

*  Dinner leftovers are NOT eaten for lunch the next day unless it's too small to freeze for a single dinner serve.  Cooked lunches ( leftovers ) are more expensive than a sandwich or bowl of homemade soup.  

*  All dinner leftovers are portioned out after we have finished eating.  They go into takeaway containers then placed in the fridge.  As soon as the food cools,  the containers are labelled with the meal name,  date and how many serves. 

*  We are not precious about leftover meals that come from the freezer.  It's food,  it tastes great,  it certainly doesn't taste like the freezer and the consistency is the same or very close to a freshly made meal.  It's all in the defrosting and reheating method.  Defrost the food in the fridge overnight if possible then add a touch of water to the dish when reheating in the microwave.  The water is important for stews,  casseroles and  pasta dishes  and prevents drying out.  We had previous friends tell us they didn't like leftovers or meals from the freezer.  Little did they know that they sat down to a lunch of soup and sausage rolls from the freezer and the chicken in the sandwiches also came from the freezer.  They loved the food and all five of them gobbled it up.

*  I don't wander the supermarket aisles just to have a look while grocery shopping.  I go down the soft drink aisle once a year at Christmas time to buy apple cider.  I never go down fresh refrigerated meal aisle.  Mostly I start shopping in aisle 7 which is the flour and sugar aisle.

* We grow most of the fruit and veg we eat.  We don't have a big veggie garden but we make the most of the space we have.  Some of our fruit trees are dwarf ones so they don't take up too much space.  The veggies we grow are the ones we eat the most like potatoes,  tomatoes,  broccoli,  beans,  corn and silverbeet.

*  I rarely look at junk mail from the supermarkets.  There is too much rubbish food in the catalogues and it costs too much.  Sure,  there are 1/2 prices sales but you'll rarely see it on basic items like generic flour,  sugar,  milk,  butter,  cheese  meat and fruit and veg.  Junk mail is there to lure you in to the shops to buy things you don't need.

*  We eat and buy seasonal.   I don't look for strawberries in Winter and I don't look for citrus fruit in Summer.  We also don't eat salads in Winter.

*  I buy and use dried herbs.  Fresh ones are far too dear and tend to wilt before using it all.  

Eating seasonal

Our version of freezer meals

Darren digging in our veggie garden.

I have another 10 tips and tricks to share with you next week.

Do you use any of these tips to keep your grocery budget down ? 

10 Ways To Offset Rising Grocery Prices

 There's no denying that grocery prices are going up.  Bank balances are being squeezed and it seems like there's nothing we can do   Or is there ?

As you know Darren and I buy all our groceries,  cat food / kitty litter,  basic toiletries and cleaning ingredients for $100 a month.  This has been our budget for the last 14 months ( from memory ).  To most people this seems like a ridiculously small amount to spend and we couldn't possibly be eating healthy.  

Guess what ?  We are eating healthy and we are not starving.  We eat home cooked basic,  yet tasty meals each night and there's plenty of  food on the plate.  Our lunches and breakfasts are nothing fancy but we are satisfied.  Morning and afternoon teas are also included in the $100 per month and there's always something delicious in the biscuit jar.

Here are 10 of the tricks and tips I've been using to keep to our grocery budget to $100 even when it seems impossible.

*  We constantly look out for meat on clearance.  Most of the clearance meat we've bought has been around dinner time which seems to be when the meat manager puts the reduced stickers on.  But in saying that,  we don't buy the meat just because it's on clearance.  The reduced price needs to work out to $10 per kilo or less.  Steak reduced from $40 to $25 a kilo ( for example ) is not a sale price for our budget.

*  Almost no convenience food makes it onto my shopping list or into the trolley.  This includes jars of pasta / chicken bake sauces,  gravy mixes,  noodle cups,  pre cut food,  microwave food,  frozen meals,  frozen snacks,  soft drinks,  chips,  lollies,  juices,  bakery items,  deli items,  dips,  breakfast cereal ( unless needed for a casserole / baking ).

*  Generic brands are always bought  except for curry powder,  toothpaste,  tomato soup,  teabags and chocolate.  Generic is cheaper 90% of the time.  It is rare that a sale item makes it cheaper than generic.

*  I am not brand or supermarket loyal.  I buy Australian made / owned products when I can but they need to be the cheapest on offer.  I'd much rather have money in my purse than fancy brands in my pantry.  I'm not out to impress anyone except my husband and he sure is impressed with the quality of food we eat.

*  I don't chase loyalty points to convert into cash.  If I get points for buying my basic groceries then I see it as a bonus.  Too many people are mesmerised by the bonus offers / points that loyalty programs offer.  You end up spending more than usual to get a couple of dollars back in cash.  Bonus offers are only a bonus if you don't go out of your way to get them.

*  I always have a shopping list when grocery shopping.  It's written in general order of where things are in the supermarket.  I also write how many of each item is needed.

*  I always check my pantry,  fridge and freezers before writing my list and shopping.

*  I only buy what can be used within a reasonable amount of time.  I don't buy 20 jars of Vegemite if we only go through one or two a year.

*  I rotate all items in my pantry,  fridge and freezers.  New items go to the back and older ones go to the front to be used first.

*  Any chips,  lollies,  biscuits or chocolate we like is given at Christmas in our stockings or for birthdays,  Mother's / Father's Days and Easter throughout the year.  It's kept in the pantry with our initial on it so we know whose is whose.

Photo taken about 2017

Clearance beef mince.

Next week I'll have another 10 tips and tricks to share with you.

How To Beat Rising Food Prices - Part 2

 I've often written about ways to save on your food budget.  There's nothing new about the tips below except the urgent need for people to offset rising prices around the world.  Personally my food budget hasn't gone up,  but what I consider a need has now changed slightly.  My grocery list consists of basic ingredients to stretch our dollars further. 

Here are 7 more tips that will save you money on your food bill -

*  Buy seasonal.  Citrus fruit is seasonal in Winter and stone fruit,  melons and berries are seasonal in Summer.  If you buy outside of these times then you'll pay premium prices.  Also the nutritional content of fruit and veg is at it's highest when freshly picked ( not stored for months on end ).

*  Limit the junk food you buy.  If you are struggling with rising costs then junk food ( chips,  lollies,  chocolate,  soft drink etc ) should not form the basis for your daily intake of calories.  Limit your junk food to a treat.

*  Stock up on specials.  If an item is 40 - 50% off then buy as many as your budget can afford.  This will eliminate the need to pay full price.

*  Find a market to buy fruit and vegetables.  Although this can be a great money saving option,  you need to know your prices.  Bigger markets generally have cheaper prices than farmer's markets from my experience.

*  Barter / swap with your friends,  family or neighbours.  If you know someone who has fruit tress,  ask for their excess fruit in exchange for something they can use like a jar of jam,  your own garden produce,  a craft or service ( car wash,  item repair etc ).

*  Avoid the bakery,  deli,  frozen meal section and other non essential food sections.  The temptation is great,  the food looks amazing but it is highly priced and NOT value for money.

*  Grow something yourself - ANYTHING  !!!  Growing just one or two types of vegetables / fruits  will save so much money on your food budget.  No room in your backyard ?  Then grow in a pot.  No money for seeds ?  Then save the seeds from food you eat ? 

Buying clearance meat

                             Growing our own when we can

Do you have any tricks for saving money on food ?

How To Beat Rising Food Prices - Part 1

 There's no denying it,  food prices are going up and hurting people's household budgets.  At times it feels like we can't do much about it.  We all have to eat - right ?

Here are the strategies I've been using to keep my food budget under control.

*  Buy herbs,  spices,  dried fruits,  nuts,  grains and flours in bulk from Indian type shops.  If you live in Melbourne Hindustan Imports in Dandenong is the place to shop.  They offer items in various sizes to suit any budget and are far cheaper than supermarkets.  There is free delivery in metro Melbourne for orders over $90.

*  Substitute ingredients for cheaper ones.  For example,  milk can sometimes be used instead of cream,  tinned tuna used instead of salmon,  rice bran oil instead of olive oil.  In baking I use cheaper nuts like peanuts instead of cashews,  walnuts,  macadamia nuts etc.

*  Buy cheaper meats.  Roasts of any kind are now off our menu.  We generally eat beef mince,  chicken,  sausages,  tinned tuna / salmon and frozen fish fillets ( not crumbed ).  Steak on a plate is not an option when it costs more than $20 a kilo.

*  Buy generic.  I know this is an obvious tip but you'd be surprised at how many people insist on buying branded flour,  sugar,  rice,  eggs,  butter,  cheese etc.  In Australia we don't import flour and sugar so a branded product is no better.  Quite often branded and generic products are packaged in the same factory on the same machinery.  Think back to the days of the peanut butter contamination in 1996 when many brands were recalled.

*  Use any discount cards,  loyalty cards,  Flybuys,  Woolworths Rewards on offer.  Redeem any money you have sitting on these cards.  We have an insurance with Woolworths because it was the cheapest we could find.  A side benefit is getting 10% off my grocery shop once a month.  You can bet your bottom dollar I make it a big shop to get the most dollars back.

*  Buy ingredients not ready made,  prepackaged,  microwavable,  precut etc etc.  My grocery list consists of flour,  sugar,  milk,  butter,  cheese,  tinned toms,  tinned tuna,  frozen corn and beans,  carrots,  pasta ( the cheap brand ) etc etc.  When money is tight,  ingredients go so much further. 

 

Next week I'll have more food saving tips to share.

Our $100 A Month Grocery Budget - Part 1

Due to the uncertain times we live in and irregular work hours over the last 18 months, we have been spending just $100 a month for food,  toiletries and cleaning products.  At times,  that money has stretched to feed up to 5 people depending on who's coming and going in our home at dinnertime.  The $100 includes food and supplies for our cat as well as three meals a day for Darren and I.

I will be the first to admit,  it's been a struggle at times.   We didn't go out and stockpile extra things just to reduce our spending down to $100 a month..  Thankfully we had a reasonable supply of basic pantry items, a good stockpile of meat and an excellent stockpile of toiletries and cleaning supplies.

Back in early 2020,  our budget was cut in all areas with food and gifts taking the biggest hit.  In saying that,  these two areas of our budget are easier to cut than other areas.  We can grow more food and I can make more presents.

To cut the food budget from $150 a month ( on average ) down to $100,  we had to make some hard choices about what is a necessary food item and what is a luxury.  It has been a bit of an adjustment and at times the fridge looks quite bare.  Through all of this,  there is always food on the table,  it's tasty and filling.

I thought I'd share with you how we've eaten on such a small budget and a few tricks I've learnt along the way.

*  Any food that goes into the fridge is carefully used within the right timeframe so it doesn't get thrown out.  With a slightly bare fridge,  it's easy to keep track of what we have.

*  When serving dinner,  our portions have been slightly smaller so we can freeze at least another two portions.  Some meals we've been able to freeze 3 - 4 portions.

*  Soup has featured in our menu plan for dinner at least once or twice a week when the weather has been cold.  Teamed up with leftover bread stick or a dinner roll from the freezer,  it makes a hearty meal that costs about 10 - 20 cents per serve.  Generally the soup is made from a chicken carcass which most people would throw out.  I also cooked up the last leg of lamb from the freezer and used the bone to make a delicious soup.

*  I have deliberately avoided my more expensive recipes especially the ones where you only get four serves and the meal costs $5 or more.  Meat pie,  rissole casserole,  salmon patties and chops have been a rare treat on the menu due to the high meat content and / or cost.

*  My shopping list is revised over and over again to eliminate any unnecessary purchases.  Groceries such as biscuits ( except for Christmas ),  dips,  chips,  chocolate, soft cheeses and roasts have not been purchased since we cut the budget. 

*  I've been adding TVP ( textured vegetable protein ) to beef mince to stretch it further.  I had my doubts about using TVP but in the right ratio we don't notice it at all.

*  Our vegetable garden has given us plenty of greens to add to the dinner plate all year round. Growing silverbeet and kale has been a big money saver.  I've been blanching and freezing excess broccoli and corn.  Even our potato haul earlier this year saved us more than $20.  I didn't buy potatoes for 5 months.

*  Any store bought snacks are only purchased as part of our present for birthdays,  Mother's / Father's Day and Christmas.

A simple Summer dinner

How do you stretch your meals ?

Supporting Aussie Made On A Budget.

In recent times there has been a call across Australia to support Aussie made to encourage more jobs and to stimulate our economy.   Our heavy reliance on other countries to fill our supermarket and department store shelves became very evident when our boarders were closed and production halted in many overseas companies.  This included Australian companies who relied on ingredients, components and / or materials from overseas.

While I would love to buy everything Australian made or owned,  my budget doesn't stretch that far.  So I did a bit of investigating around my home to see what Aussie made products I already have.  I will be the first to admit that I have the united nations living in my pantry and bathroom cupboard but  I was pleasantly surprised to find I had many Australian made products.

My trips to the supermarket have taken on a whole new meaning too.  I've found that Aldi stocks many Aussie made products with the symbol proudly displayed on the outer cardboard packaging on the shelf making it very easy to identify.

If you live in another country then I'm sure you'll be doing your best to support locally made products too. 

Below are some of the Australian made products I found around our home.  Please keep in mind that some were purchased a couple of years ago so the country of origin might have changed since then.  Also,  this blog post is not to be used as a platform to debate whether certain products should be consumed or used or how much they cost.  I'm budget conscience and always buy at the best possible price,

The dish washing liquid on the left is my latest bargain find. It comes from Aldi and costs 99 cents for one litre and works fantastically well.

The skin repair cream on the right is used to remove make up especially around the eye.  I just use a tissue.

All these shampoos were bought at rock bottom prices.  Tresemme often comes on a half price special.

Sukin products come on sale in the supermarket or can occasionally be found at clearance centres at rock bottom prices. Lynx products often half price in supermarkets.  Tilley soaps ( candle pictured ) is Australia's oldest 100% Australian owned soap manufacturer.

A few Aldi groceries.

Flour is flour and sugar is sugar.  No need to buy the fancy brands when even the home brands are made in Australia from Australian wheat.  Campbell's soup come on a half price sale especially during Winter.

A few more Australian made groceries I found in my pantry.  Lemon Crisp biscuits are the only store bought sweet biscuit I'll buy ( and only when on sale ).

What Australian made / owned products to you like to buy ?

Will you be supporting more Aussie brands if your budget allows ?

Grocery Blowouts

Do you ever get " I want, I want " in your house ? Do your kids or spouse put an order in  for you to buy a particular grocery item that is out of the ordinary, too expensive or not overly healthy ?  How do you handle the situation ?  Do you automatically write it on the shopping list and just buy it ? 

When the girls were younger they'd ask for Uncle Toby's Sports Plus cereal. This was ( and still is ) a yummy cereal, but I must admit, it cost a lot more than the usual no name Rice Bubbles or Corn Flakes they ate. My trick was to never say yes or no straight up. . I'd always wait to see if it came on sale over the next few weeks. Then I'd look at my grocery slush fund to see if there was enough money to cover the extra cost.

Another way to prevent your grocery bill from blowing out on these unusual requests is to include these treats in their birthday present or Christmas present when possible. For many years I've been putting together Santa sacks for my girls, Darren and I each Christmas.  In the sack was a box of requested cereal ( when the girls were younger )  as well as other yummy treats. The only problem I had was finding room in my pantry for the extra cereal boxes after Christmas.

So, as the requests start coming in,  write a list of items wanted by the family so you'll remember them all for their Christmas stockings. The bonus is, it gives you plenty of time to find things on special. You could use money you've put away for presents, therefore leaving your grocery money just for buying the usual items.

No more grocery blowouts. 

How do you handle grocery requests from the family ?

Supermarket Freezer Food.

How often have you walked past the supermarket freezer section and been dazzled by it's contents ? I used to be like that as a newly wed about 18 - 19 years ago. My cooking skills were limited so those prepacked, pre prepared foods looked like heaven to me. 

I'll admit that I bought a frozen lasagne or two. I also bought frozen sticky date puddings, a cheese cake or two, a few pizzas, apple pies, a few frozen meals as well as the staples like frozen vegies, icecream and fish.

At the time, these frozen foods tasted very nice. Divine infact. Then I saw the light or should I say recipe books and the internet. These two sources of information opened up a whole new world to me. I found easy to follow recipes that used normal everyday ingredients. Suddenly that frozen sticky date pudding that I thought was " oh so yummy " didn't have the same appeal any more. I could make it better and cheaper.

I now freeze my own lasagne, leftovers ( my version of a freezer meal ), sticky date puddings in muffin sizes, pizza dough to make my own pizzas and stewed apple to make apple desserts. My grocery budget has shrunk as a result of making my own and I enjoy my own food far more than anything made in a factory.

These days, the only things I buy from the freezer section are bags of fish portions ( not crumbed ) , icecream ( plain vanilla ), pastry ( to make my own yummies ) and beans and corn kernels. Everything else we either grow, bake or cook ourselves. 

The next time you walk past the supermarket freezers, have a think about making these foods yourself. Your family will be thanking you for it and you'll notice a change in your grocery budget.