This thread is for people to post there ideas on best ways to scrimp and save a penny. As well as post stores which you believe have the best prices for some items
also please not that works for someone may not work for all
I buy generic. Most of the time, food products are just as good and are much cheaper. You can even get generic medication when you get a prescription filled which is just as good. My recent one I had filled would have been $70 if I got the name brand, but I got generic and it was $35.
-if you can help it, use basic cell service (no dataplans, etc.)
-I canceled my Cable and Telephone service. I miss cable, but i deal with it XD
-As Zenia said, buy generic or bulk foods. Sometimes they wont taste the same, but with enough ketchup (or other sauce of your choice) You can make it good. XD
-Prepare your own food, try not to eat out. Buy cheap sandwich meats, pB n J/Honey, KD. Just be sure to buy dinner meats as eating KD and sanwiches only gives you so much.
-Buy some frozen veggies. They last forever and you can pretty much put them in ANYTHING. Even Mr Noodles! Every little bit of healthy helps XD
If i think of anything else i'll post it XD
even scope out the various dollar stores around, they tend to have products that are cheaper(same brand) as walmart/safeway/saveonefoods/etc. You really cant go wrong on the various items they have to offer. I usually buy my spices & herbs there.
Expanding further on what Temrin's suggested regarding food:
- Prepare meals in bulk and freeze or fridge any leftovers. Economy of scale very much so applies to food. Yes, a larger portion of the ingredients will cost more at the store, but the unit price will be lower. Always evaluate what the unit price of a food item is; a 400 gram jar of peanutbutter for $4 is in the long stretch more expensive per unit than the $6 800 gram jar.
- Scale back consumption of whole red meat, and opt for ground meats instead. The unit price of steak cuts is anywhere from 80 to 110 cents per 100 grams. If you're savvy, ground beef can be had for half that. You will likely also need the increased Omega 3 and B12 content the meat offers if you are not vegetarian, to maintain mental health in a stressful time.
- Even if you are not vegetarian, learn how to prepare tofu. Zero fat content, extremely high in protein, and the unit price of tofu is lower than any meat on the shelves. However, if you begin to heavily substitute tofu into your diet, you will need to make a conscious effort to get omega 3-6-9 somewhere. Increase your intake of peanut butter, fish and other omega 3 sources.
- Learn how to combine vegetable sources for maximum effect. Soy is the only vegetable source that provides all 8 essential amino acids the human body needs. Other sources are incomplete and must be eaten in combination. Rice and beans, for example, will provide all 8.
- Pick up recipes for root vegetables and fibrous vegetables. They keep for a very long time, they are surprisingly filling, and they will provide essential vitamins. It's particularly crucial that you also increase fiber intake if you're taking my earlier advice regarding ground beef; Your heart will thank you later in life for the cholesterol maintenance. Cabbage, carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips and more? They're your friend when poor. Avoid large quantities of potatoes, however, as their nutritional value is fairly low, as is their vitamin content.
- Avoid pre-packaged sauces. In many cases, you can make your own significantly cheaper, if you have spices on hand and a little culinary know-how. Failing that, buy your sauce mixtures in bulk; The unit price is typically significantly lower.
: Sairys June 24, 2011, 01:31:51 -06:00
even scope out the various dollar stores around
*nods* I get my salt/garlic powder there. The one I go to (Dollarama) even has things like Uncle Bens rice for cheap. Their 'Dippy' peanut butter and 'Nutella' are awesome too.
For the fridge:
Farm markets are usually cheaper then grocery stores. But if you do go to a big grocery store, stay on the perimeter for most of the shopping. Fruits and Veggies, Meat, Milk, Breads, all the good stuff is along the edges. There are things in the middle you can venture for like pasta, rice, tomato sauce, eggs.
It may feel weird at first, if you don't already do it, snack on veggies, not packaged products. They'll fill you up faster then eating a bag of chips, or frozen dinner. Way easier on your wallet aswell.
The easier to process the meat the cheaper it will be. boned chicken is cheap and healthy. Ground beef is good for quick dinners. Buying a roast though is usually the best deal. Cook it whole, cut it up for dinners, or sandwiches, it'll last about 2-4 days on a single person.
Try learning how to make bread. It requires some effort, yes, but not only is it fun and rewarding it'll cut bread cost in half.
Learn some recipes for pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans), they're stored dry, taste great if made right and are about $2 for a one-pound bag. Beans especially are an excellent meat substitute and they cost about 1/10 less per serving than red meats.
Buy in bulk or in quantity if you can. For example: I've found that at some Real Canadian Superstores you can get 3 packs of whole chickens for $20. They're decent quality and you can get at least 6 meals for 2 people out of that if you know how to butcher. Also, save the bones to make broth and get another 3 days worth of soup. All for 20 bucks ;)
Shop local and shop small. It may take some digging, but try looking for privately owned stores with really good deals. This works best, of course, in an area like Vancouver Proper, specifically Chinatown, Little India, or certain spots in Little Italy. Also, those little produce places in malls usually have really good prices.
Remember that fats are actually tougher for the stomach to break down into a digestible form. This means that eating a *certain degree* more of *healthy fats* such as non-saturated vegetable oils (Olive, Canola, Sesame and Peanut are the best, I believe) and fish oils (canned tuna, sardines and anchovies are good sources) per meal will help you feel full faster and keep you that way longer; essentially, you'll be eating less less often and not noticing it as much. Dairy fats are often good for this trick too.
At certain times I go to Super Store when they have pretty good sales, as well as the dollar store. Not just any particular one, any that I can get too or that I know I'm near by at the time I want to buy something cheap.. As well as I love making stuff home-made..
: zenia June 24, 2011, 02:13:56 -06:00
*nods* I get my salt/garlic powder there. The one I go to (Dollarama) even has things like Uncle Bens rice for cheap. Their 'Dippy' peanut butter and 'Nutella' are awesome too.
I love love LOVE going to the Dollarama at Station Square, the one by Future Shop, because they have this awesome Nugatti stuff which is totally knock-off of Nutella, but I have to say, for a dollar, it's totally worth it, sooooo yummy~ I just haven't seen it at any other dollar stores except for that one, not even in the one inside Metrotown by the busloop has it..
: H u nn Y June 24, 2011, 06:30:47 -06:00I love love LOVE going to the Dollarama at Station Square, the one by Future Shop, because they have this awesome Nugatti stuff which is totally knock-off of Nutella, but I have to say, for a dollar, it's totally worth it, sooooo yummy~ I just haven't seen it at any other dollar stores except for that one, not even in the one inside Metrotown by the busloop has it..
*nods* The one here (at Terminal Park Mall) has Nugatti almost all the time. Sometimes it is pure hazelnut/chocolate, and sometimes it is swirled with caramel or cream. :) It is so tasty!
Well, my tips are that KD is cheap to buy, but kinda expensive when you add in the milk and butter/margarine. Another is that the generic pop at SuperStore is cheaper than anywhere else.
Third, sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches! Cheap, portable and easy to mass produce.
Four, Bulk buy beef broth and instamashed potatoes. Throw these in a slow cooker with meat and veg and you got good soup.
Five. Get to know several poor people and/or offer a light/smoke and ask how they save a buck. they will often have ways you never thought of.
Six. Homemade Snapple. Props to Todd Wilbur.
3 cups sugar in a bowl, with 1 cup lemon and 3 cups boiling water poured over it. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then add 4 tea bags of cheap Orange Pekoe ($2.00 Superstore knockoff works well) stir and cover with a plate. Wait 5-10 minutes
to steep and stir, rendering the fluid a orangey color. This is the concentrate. Just put in a container, and add water! Tastes like the real thing!
I'll add more later...
I like this rule:
Eat breakfast like a king
Eat lunch like a prince
Eat dinner like a pauper.
Many nutritionists swear by this, and you can save money by following it too. Eggs, toast with pb&j, fruit.. fill up!
Lunch is a simple sandwich and/or salad, soup, etc
Dinner is a quick fix.
Snack on seasonal fruits n veggies w/water.
Take multivitamins to make sure you get all you need and watch yourself get in shape while you fatten your wallet! Yay!