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~Cooking frugally is like changing
your diet. You need to learn gradually how to save money and
cook frugally. Don’t expect that you will get your food
bill down to $150 for four people in the first month if you are
spending $600 a month right now.
~Try cutting just $25.00 or
$50.00 a month. Even if you cut back only $50.00 a month, you
will save $600.00 a year. If you save just $1.00 a day that is
$365.00 a year. You can then apply that $365.00 a year to paying
off your credit cards. At 21% interest, you will save over $70
a year. This will eventually cause a snowball effect since the
more you pay off, the less you pay to interest. When you pay
less to interest, you have more each month to apply to paying
off your overall debt. This means that as you pay off the debt,
the rate that you can pay it off increases.
~Before you shop, take a tour
through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don't
buy what's already hiding in your kitchen.
~If you're a fan of coupons,
remember this: It's not what you save, it's what you spend. If
you save 30 cents on something you wouldn't ordinarily buy anyway,
you haven't really saved anything.
~A typical fruit item is significantly
larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating
a small apple as eating a large one -- so buy smaller fruits!
You will save money by the pound.
~This month, try two meatless
meals a week (or one, if you're a diehard meat fan).
~Make simple meals. One-dish
meals can contain your meat, your vegetable and your bread.
To order Not Just Beans, 50
Years of Frugal Family Favorites visit or send check or money
order for $14.95 to: Not Just Beans, P.O. Box 4252, Wichita,
KS 67204.
For many people, cutting back
on their grocery budgets can be an overwhelming experience.
Most people don't think they
can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my
family of four on $125 month. Over five years, when my husband
earned an average of $22,000 per year, we paid off $20,000 debt.
When cutting your grocery bill and paying off debt, it's the
little things that add up. If you are a frugal beginner, try
these simple suggestions from my cookbook, Not Just Beans, (www.notjustbeans.com)
for saving on your food bill:
~Drink water for your meals.
*If your family is used to drinking
milk, juice or pop for every meal then start by cutting juice
from one meal or snack a day and drinking only water. After you
get used to this, cut from another meal until you drink only
water for meals and a glass of juice or milk at snack time.
*You can also try allowing one
glass of juice at meal times and then water after it is gone.
* You save over $500.00 a year
by cutting just one glass of juice per person per day for a family
of four.
~Don't assume homemade is cheaper.
If you get a VERY GOOD deal on chocolate chips and ingredients
for candies, it is cheaper to make them than buying them pre-made.
Make sure you do the calculations, though! If you don’t
purchase them on sale, homemade candies can be more expensive
than candies purchased at the store.
~ Stop wasting food. Give young
children small portions. They can always have more if they are
still hungry. Give them a half glass of juice and a half sandwich
so you don’t waste uneaten food. Put food in the refrigerator
right after the meal so it doesn’t spoil. Use leftovers
for lunches, in other dishes or frozen in one portion sizes for
a quick meal.
~Don’t buy everything at
one store.
Prices vary greatly from one
store to the next. Go to different stores to buy only their sale
items. You will save more than the cost of your gas. It usually
only takes half an hour to 45 minutes per store to get the items
that are on sale including driving time. If you save a minimum
of $20-$30 per trip, it is like "earning" $40-$60 an
hour. If I save $60 spending one hour going to two different
stores, it is five extra hours my husband does not have to work
for us to pay for that same food purchased at the regular price.
I would rather have him home with us.
~ Remember cooking frugally
is a mind set. You have to change your cooking and eating habits.
Don't get discouraged if one idea fails. Try another one.
~Stop buying things like toaster
pastries and breakfast bars for breakfast. Eat oatmeal, pancakes,
granola and fruit instead.
~Don't assume that bulk is cheaper.
Compare cost by the ounce or pound.
Granola Bars
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup margarine, softened
2 Tbsp. honey or corn syrup
½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ cups oatmeal
1 ¼ cups crispy rice cereal, or crushed bran flakes, corn
flakes or crushed graham crackers
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips*
In a large bowl, cream sugars and margarine until fluffy. Add
honey, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Blend in flour, cinnamon, baking
soda and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into
the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350< for 20-25 minutes.
To microwave: Press ingredients into a microwave-safe dish. Microwave
on medium power for 7-9 minutes. Rotate dish every three minutes.
Bars will firm as they stand. Cool and cut into bars. Save the
crumbs for yogurt or ice cream topping. Makes 24 bars.
*The following may be used in
addition to or to replace chocolate chips:
1 cup coconut
½ cup creamy or chunky
peanut butter
½ cup nuts
½-1 cup raisins, dried
apples, apricots
½ cup fruit preserves |
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