Food Prices

[twirldoggy]

I am living in St. Joseph Missouri now and would like to share some current prices with you.  Milk is $3.73 per gallon at the Walmart.  Eggs at the same store are $1.43.  A medium box of Kleenes is $1.17.  Sara Lee bread is $2.99 a loaf.  Aldi has slightly lower prices on dairy products. 

[Jo McDonald]

Our garden is wonderful!!   I picked my third picking of green beans yesterday,( and have some with ham cooking right now and will add new potatoes later )  and we have jalapeno peppers out the wazoo,  have had quite a lot of cherry tomatoes and Fred dug the potatoes yesterday.  So I gave one of the Park Rangers green beans - new potatoes and hot peppers yesterday evening.  He left here with a huge smile on his face.  We love to share, especially when we have more than enough for us.  My yellow crooked neck squash and the beets are ready too.  The green peppers are loaded, but not quite big enough yet.  Fred's green onions and radishes were bountiful -- and the okra is starting to bloom. The cukes aren't blooming yet, but are growing.
Life is good at the top of the knob at the state park.  lol lol

[indygal]

We're beginning to enjoy a few fruits of labor (pardon the pun) from the garden, but haven't had a fresh tomato yet. I'm reading through all the posts thinking "Boy, all those veggies sound good," but Jo, when I got to the part where you mentioned beans cooking with ham and new potatoes, I started salivating! With a side of sweet cornbread, that's one of the finest meals known to man.

Sixdogsmom, I try to do the same "buy two at a time" thing, especially things on sale that we use frequently. If you have a chest freezer with room, you can store all kinds of dry goods in it, everything from pastas to flour to cake mixes, etc., as long as it hasn't been opened. I try to keep about a month's worth of basic foods on hand at all times and it gives me the "luxury" (if you can call it that, and these days I guess it is!) of being able to watch the sales for re-stocking the pantry.

I also can't imagine how young families and folks on fixed incomes are managing to keep food on the table. My daughter has two little ones and another due in December, and I worry how they're going to be able to afford just the diapers. They're doing OK so far, but I know they are among many who struggle to feed their families.

I did see an ad in the newspaper for a place in Elk Falls that sells homegrown produce. Has anyone visited there and if so, what can you tell us?

[Jane]

When I saw that someone was buying coffe for $10.00, I ran and looked at the HyVee and Dillions Wednesday sale bill. I found here in Topeka, coffee is still 5.89 for a 2lb can and orange juce is $2.99 a gallon. I know that prices are going to go up so we will have to buy more then what we need and store it.
Army Mom

[Jo McDonald]

Before I even start to post this, I fully realize I am going to sound like " The old one that lives in the past" -- but here are my thoughts on some of the things that can save the younger generation a few bucks.  First --- I know that disposable diapers are said to be better for babies, but frankly, I don't believe that... but you can by cloth diapers ( or at least I think you still can ) and they can be washed, dried, and reused for as long as your baby is in need of them,.  They can be sterilized - and again when in the dryer - and if changed when ever they are wet or soiled, they are as good for your tiny loved ones the $$$$$ that you have to spend on the ones that are thrown away - and can not be recycled.  They still sell fabric, that can be made into diapers, if they are not available.  But I think if there was a demand for them they would be on the market. The thing that must be remembered is to CHANGE THE DIAPER instead of letting it get wet enought to weigh a pound or so before it is changed.
   Fred and I are on a fixed income -- have been for nearly 15 years.  I cook from scratch - and the children of today can be taught how to do that too -I taught mine and they in turn taught theirs -  There are many many ways to save and make do with a lot less than you think you have to have.  It just takes the mind set to do so.
 

[pam]

Lol, did you know there are like 9,000,000 ways to make hamburger surprise?! Jo you aren't "livin in the past" you are equipped to live in the now we are in!

[Catwoman]

Jo, I agree with Pam...you need to be sharing more of your knowledge!  I regularly prowl the websites that I find after I google "frugal living".  I find some really cool stuff there.  I also cut coupons and save about 25-49% on each shopping trip.  I have started a price book, to compare the prices that I find at Aldi's with Wal-Mart, Dillons, Target and Sam's.  I use all of my 1.00 coupons at Wal-Mart and then use the ones that can be doubled at Dillons to get that savings.  I carpool with my boss to Ald's, when we go, so that we save money that way, too.  I also read an golden moldie, "The Tightwad Gazette", which Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced 'decision') compiled to regularly ferret out new info that I might have missed before.  I use my freezer to store hamburger when the ground round or chuck goes on sale for 1.99/lb. or whatever else could be stored that way.

Anyone else have some good money-saving tips? 

[frawin]

Jo, I agree with you.  I mostly cook from scratch and so do my kids.  My boys both know how to cook and do cook as well as my daughter.  They were taught to clip coupons when they were in college, and they still do.  I taught them to map out the trip they would be taking (not really a trip) when they went into town to do errands and shopping, so they didn't have to back track.  Growing up during the drought of the 50's, we made a lot of our clothes (we girls knew how to sew), and we had to haul water, so we learned to make one trip to town to get everything at once.  We also learned to freeze and can things.  I done a lot of that when our kids were small and especailly during the embargo days.  Picked wild berries, etc. and made jelly.  Mother always liked to pick elderberries, gooseberries, sandplums, currants, etc. and so we done a lot of that growing up and after we were married.
mlw

[Jane]

I am not sure everyone knows what all the processed food that we eat does do our hearts. We have to cook from scratch because of health problems and it is by means a lot cheaper to live.
Our tomatoes are getting bigger but not ready to pick yet. The rain almost washed them out but they made it.
Army Mom.

[Teresa]

My tomatoes are not doing good. I have had a few cherry tomatoes ..and my radishes got too wet.. and when I was gone, I forgot to tell Sandy to water them and I think they are history.. ( and I LOVE radishes    )