I believe that shopping the pantry first is the most important. For me–if I already have food I should use some of it up before buying more. Coming off this season of the pandemic and not wanting to run out of needs and the fact that my husband brings leftovers home from catering July has been deemed Pantry Challenge time for me. Our only needs are fresh produce–everything else I need is already here-i hope.
Jessica Fisher
We’re going to do a PC, too. Just haven’t decided what allowance I’ll set for myself to buy deals. Hmmm….
Janet
Stockpile the holiday sales. Green beans, evaporated milk, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and baking supplies are ALWAYS on sale between the middle of November and the first of January. Knowing this, I try to save a little back in August, September and October so I can stock up when items are on sale. More often than not I have a coupon as well. Last year our neighborhood grocery had a flash sale last and I was able to purchase a dozen cans each of green beans, cranberry sauce and evaporated milk for 10 cents a can.
Jessica Fisher
Yes! I think I get MORE excited about shopping AFTER Thanksgiving and Christmas than I do before!
Susan L. @ Full Happy Muffin and Mama
I believe in stockpiling ingredients that can be used in a wide range of ways. I also cruise the aisles if I’m on my own and don’t have to worry about a three-year-old having a temper tantrum for clearance items (of items that I use frequently), marked down meat, and produce (Our local Brookshire’s marks down lettuce bags to 99 cents a container–all usable). I wish we still had the bread thrift store, but when Hostess went belly-up, so went the Hostess bread store. I try to keep two-three weeks of food on hand at any time, just in case. That way, only things like milk and fresh produce have to be replenished. Over Thanksgiving weekend when the flu hit, there was no grocery shopping for that week. We ate from the stockpile.
Jessica Fisher
I love having a stockpile. It makes it so nice to just shop the cupboards.
Sally C
I love this! I wrote the steps down and put them in my kitchen.
May I add one sub-step to the inventory? In addition to making an inventory of available food, make an inventory of available funds as well. Sometimes right before payday, I can see that I have extra grocery funds and will elect to buy more meat or stock up items. If I’m skidding in to payday with just $6.00 remaining, I’ll pick up basic produce and dairy to get me through the next few days. I need to do food inventory about every 10 days.
There is such power in knowing what you have! Yesterday I determined the only available meat I had was ham so it was going to have to be potato soup for dinner. Tonight is ham and cheese gyoza. I was motivated to do a search for ham recipes only after I made up my mind not to give in on my pantry challenge until my end date.
Jessica Fisher
Yes! Tracking your spending is essential. I use the GoodBudget app that lets me track different digital envelopes for our spending. I know with a click how much is left.
CeCee
I think that a price book is the most important part of budget foods. I have a certain dollar amount that I will spend on any given product max and a dollar amount that is rock bottom stock up price. Example; bone in skin on chicken. The most I will spend is 1.99 lb the stickup price is 1.39lb or less. This helps me keep the freezer full for a smaller amount of money.
Jessica Fisher
How do you track your price book? Mine’s in my head….
CeCee
Mine has evolved over time. My mom always had one in her head so that’s how I did mine. Until I moved to Reno from Louisiana. Then I had to learn things all over. Shrimp can get down to 1.99lb in La in Reno 7.99lb is a deal. Produce is soooo much cheaper here than there. So I had an actual “book”. Now I have a 4×6 index card with items that I buy semi-frequently, but might forget the price of. I break things like peanut butter down to the per ounce price
Jessica Fisher
The index card is a great idea!
Stephanie M.
I’m learning to be a better budget meal planner by having participated in the most recent pantry and freezer challenge. Now instead of running out to the store and making an impulse purchase based on what I have decided I feel like eating on any given day, the night before I check my freezer to see what I have and then go to my pantry to see what will go with it and if I have what I need to make that particular meal. If I can get away with making that meal with what I have, I do it; if I don’t I might just prepare the meat from the freezer a different way or just omit something from the recipe if possible. As far as loss leaders, every morning, my local grocery store has a few shopping carts set up with bread and rolls that are a day past their sell date. I frequently go through it at find something I can use. Yesterday, I purchased a 2-pack of Italian bread for 99 cents. I froze it for later next week to make garlic bread with it. The bread always tastes fine; when you buy it fresh and at top price, it sits in your house for a few days anyway. When I buy from that cart, and it is often, I usually freeze it in portions and use what I need when I want it. I also look out for “manager’s specials” on meat. If it’s something I’m not planning on cooking that day, I freeze that until I need it.
Jessica Fisher
I’m so thrilled that the pantry challenge was a good experience for you!
I, too, love the day old bread cart and the manager’s specials. It’s like Christmas. Only not.
Stephanie M.
Jessica, you have no idea how much you’ve motivated me and to see so many other ladies participating was also motivating. This was a GREAT experience for me and I can’t wait to do it again in July. Today I went into my freezer and took an inventory; I’m guessing that I have about enough in there to make another 25 meals or so and that doesn’t necessarily mean 25 days because some of those meals will provide leftovers. But I am extremely committed to following this through till the end. I am truly having a great time with this and saving some cash too!
Jessica Fisher
Wow! I’m so excited for you. 🙂
Molly
I needed this today. My husband and I are planning a move soon that will help his career path immensely, but means I will leave my very well-paying job to become a stay at home wife. I especially like the concept of prioritizing must haves and would likes. Must have fruits, veggies, baking basics, and beans. Would like to have canned beans instead of dried for convenience, granola bars, and yummy things that catch my eye.
Jessica Fisher
I am reading a health book and just read about how much better dried beans are since you avoid the BPA. So, see the cheaper kind is better for you. 😉
Pat Cote
I believe that shopping the pantry first is the most important. For me–if I already have food I should use some of it up before buying more. Coming off this season of the pandemic and not wanting to run out of needs and the fact that my husband brings leftovers home from catering July has been deemed Pantry Challenge time for me. Our only needs are fresh produce–everything else I need is already here-i hope.
Jessica Fisher
We’re going to do a PC, too. Just haven’t decided what allowance I’ll set for myself to buy deals. Hmmm….
Janet
Stockpile the holiday sales. Green beans, evaporated milk, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and baking supplies are ALWAYS on sale between the middle of November and the first of January. Knowing this, I try to save a little back in August, September and October so I can stock up when items are on sale. More often than not I have a coupon as well. Last year our neighborhood grocery had a flash sale last and I was able to purchase a dozen cans each of green beans, cranberry sauce and evaporated milk for 10 cents a can.
Jessica Fisher
Yes! I think I get MORE excited about shopping AFTER Thanksgiving and Christmas than I do before!
Susan L. @ Full Happy Muffin and Mama
I believe in stockpiling ingredients that can be used in a wide range of ways. I also cruise the aisles if I’m on my own and don’t have to worry about a three-year-old having a temper tantrum for clearance items (of items that I use frequently), marked down meat, and produce (Our local Brookshire’s marks down lettuce bags to 99 cents a container–all usable). I wish we still had the bread thrift store, but when Hostess went belly-up, so went the Hostess bread store. I try to keep two-three weeks of food on hand at any time, just in case. That way, only things like milk and fresh produce have to be replenished. Over Thanksgiving weekend when the flu hit, there was no grocery shopping for that week. We ate from the stockpile.
Jessica Fisher
I love having a stockpile. It makes it so nice to just shop the cupboards.
Sally C
I love this! I wrote the steps down and put them in my kitchen.
May I add one sub-step to the inventory? In addition to making an inventory of available food, make an inventory of available funds as well. Sometimes right before payday, I can see that I have extra grocery funds and will elect to buy more meat or stock up items. If I’m skidding in to payday with just $6.00 remaining, I’ll pick up basic produce and dairy to get me through the next few days. I need to do food inventory about every 10 days.
There is such power in knowing what you have! Yesterday I determined the only available meat I had was ham so it was going to have to be potato soup for dinner. Tonight is ham and cheese gyoza. I was motivated to do a search for ham recipes only after I made up my mind not to give in on my pantry challenge until my end date.
Jessica Fisher
Yes! Tracking your spending is essential. I use the GoodBudget app that lets me track different digital envelopes for our spending. I know with a click how much is left.
CeCee
I think that a price book is the most important part of budget foods. I have a certain dollar amount that I will spend on any given product max and a dollar amount that is rock bottom stock up price. Example; bone in skin on chicken. The most I will spend is 1.99 lb the stickup price is 1.39lb or less. This helps me keep the freezer full for a smaller amount of money.
Jessica Fisher
How do you track your price book? Mine’s in my head….
CeCee
Mine has evolved over time. My mom always had one in her head so that’s how I did mine. Until I moved to Reno from Louisiana. Then I had to learn things all over. Shrimp can get down to 1.99lb in La in Reno 7.99lb is a deal. Produce is soooo much cheaper here than there. So I had an actual “book”. Now I have a 4×6 index card with items that I buy semi-frequently, but might forget the price of. I break things like peanut butter down to the per ounce price
Jessica Fisher
The index card is a great idea!
Stephanie M.
I’m learning to be a better budget meal planner by having participated in the most recent pantry and freezer challenge. Now instead of running out to the store and making an impulse purchase based on what I have decided I feel like eating on any given day, the night before I check my freezer to see what I have and then go to my pantry to see what will go with it and if I have what I need to make that particular meal. If I can get away with making that meal with what I have, I do it; if I don’t I might just prepare the meat from the freezer a different way or just omit something from the recipe if possible. As far as loss leaders, every morning, my local grocery store has a few shopping carts set up with bread and rolls that are a day past their sell date. I frequently go through it at find something I can use. Yesterday, I purchased a 2-pack of Italian bread for 99 cents. I froze it for later next week to make garlic bread with it. The bread always tastes fine; when you buy it fresh and at top price, it sits in your house for a few days anyway. When I buy from that cart, and it is often, I usually freeze it in portions and use what I need when I want it. I also look out for “manager’s specials” on meat. If it’s something I’m not planning on cooking that day, I freeze that until I need it.
Jessica Fisher
I’m so thrilled that the pantry challenge was a good experience for you!
I, too, love the day old bread cart and the manager’s specials. It’s like Christmas. Only not.
Stephanie M.
Jessica, you have no idea how much you’ve motivated me and to see so many other ladies participating was also motivating. This was a GREAT experience for me and I can’t wait to do it again in July. Today I went into my freezer and took an inventory; I’m guessing that I have about enough in there to make another 25 meals or so and that doesn’t necessarily mean 25 days because some of those meals will provide leftovers. But I am extremely committed to following this through till the end. I am truly having a great time with this and saving some cash too!
Jessica Fisher
Wow! I’m so excited for you. 🙂
Molly
I needed this today. My husband and I are planning a move soon that will help his career path immensely, but means I will leave my very well-paying job to become a stay at home wife. I especially like the concept of prioritizing must haves and would likes. Must have fruits, veggies, baking basics, and beans. Would like to have canned beans instead of dried for convenience, granola bars, and yummy things that catch my eye.
Jessica Fisher
I am reading a health book and just read about how much better dried beans are since you avoid the BPA. So, see the cheaper kind is better for you. 😉