Apr 28, 2022

Frugal Talk For Times Like These


You'd have to be living on another planet not to have noticed the increasing cost of just about everything these days.  Even if you are independently wealthy why would you waste your money needlessly?  

Spending your hard-earned money needs to be more planned now. I for one need another course in thrifty frugal ways.  I'll admit it, " I am a Food Hoarder!" 

Today's topic is frugal saving money without getting into the trap of spending more trying to save more.  Do you know what I mean? 

I've known people that would drive ten miles to save two cents on a gallon of gas. That defeats the purpose

We just need to stop for a minute and think about saving realistically. 

Thanks, Carly!  I love my mug with my name on it! Growing up it was impossible to have something with Dolly on it.  Thanks to Dolly Parton now the name is on more items!

Having morning coffee in my favorite mug and thinking! I've been thrifty for many years.  Do you know that can be a blessing and a curse?  It really can.



Do you see this? Nine bags of flour! Yes, I do have a problem lol!

Recently I sent Chuck for a grocery pickup. It's so easy to shop online by clicking this, that, and everything!  The ease of shopping can cost more money, especially if you're not paying enough attention to your shopping cart!

It wasn't until he returned home that I realized just how many bags of flour I had. Should I have stocked up with so many?   Probably not. It's a good thing I cook every day in time I'll use it.   

Did I think this one through well?  No, I didn't. I purchased four different brands most at sale prices. Two were store brands and were not on sale but dirt cheap.  

What did I do wrong?  I didn't stock up on the best price for the best product and just go with it.  There were many price points.

There my disclosure!  I'm a dunce of a food hoarder.  So why am I advising you as to what to do?  We should share what we learn right?

Today I will be placing them into storage containers to keep them fresher longer.  Ideally, the freezer would be the place I'd store or in other ways but today these will go into lock n lock containers.



The freezer is slap full! No space for the flour in here.

We use ButcherBox for many types of meat but I've even curtailed some of those shipments. We also buy meats from other butchers usually when they're on sale. 

Limited supplies are showing up now so it's a chore to find meats, poultry, etc in stock. We're noticing that chicken seems to be almost nasty looking dripping loose packaging in some stores now. Watch out for that for safety reasons.

When you do buy in bulk you must go through your storage weekly to make sure you're using the items before they expire. If you're not then you're wasting items and money in the long run.

Stock up on what your family will use but be sure to have adequate storage space when you do. That rule also prevents an unruly mess. 

Pretend you are a stocker in the grocery store and always place the newer items behind the older ones when you bring more in to use best by dates. It's a lot of work but well worth the effort in saved product and money

Okay, I admit it there are times when I don't follow that important storage rule. I'll let you in on a little secret: I have paper products stored in an unused bathtub!  The horror I really do! We go through it pretty regularly so it's one exception I am making now. These are cheaper when purchased in bulk and nothing new is purchased if it doesn't fit in the tub. 👧


My OCD is kicking in this is out of order and cans are not all facing in the same direction!  
To top it off I'm actually sharing it! Yikes!

You can see how things can become overstocked. These times are different so when you find something you use it does make you purchase at least one more of them right?

I'm not by any means promoting clearing the shelves of all products in the grocery store. Be sure to save for others as well. I would never want the last of any one item to go into my cart.  


I see a few gaps and for me that is different, but that's okay for now, I'm trying to do better


Buy what you will use and actually use what you buy

I've even kept this to a stock minimum (good for this hoarder)
The spray bottles on top are empty and for use with concentrated cleaners


TIPS



Plant and grow some things even on a balcony if you have to. While you are growing some of your own food be sure to learn how to save the seeds for planting later. I'm going to start doing this myself. Some friends and I've been talking about this.

Buy Heirloom seeds for this purpose for a more true-to-product planting next time.  My grandparents saved and planted their seeds all the time.  If you know how expensive seeds have become then you realize the importance of seed saving.

Gardening is work but is also a lot of fun. I believe it is somewhat of a necessity now to become more self-sufficient.  

Price check and buy products in bulk that you use especially when on sale. 

Preserve, can, freeze, dehydrate, and freeze-dry items for future use. There are many ways and most can be found on YouTube to safely store and preserve foods and use all sources for learning. 

Cook more meals at home from scratch. This saves money and is a much healthier way to feed a family. The savings will amaze you.

Cook what you need don't overcook, something I'm prone to do at times. It leads to many leftovers or even worse waste. 

We have been so blessed and over the years our food portions have become larger. Our ancestors didn't eat such large amounts. 

It is amazing how little it takes when you do cut portion sizes. One added plus is weight loss. I know we here have come to think we need two of everything. For example pork chops when in reality one is more than enough.  In conclusion, cutting portions down saves money and is a healthier option. 


Calm down don't buy one of everything you see
Take the time to think about your purchases. Don't be a Dolly like in the flour purchase.
Be sure that in trying to save money you're actually saving money!

I'M STILL LEARNING


I'm off to spend time with my handsome grandson, garden, and straighten my pantry now!


*Since working on this post during Spring break I've noticed something quite startling. There have been many accidents fires and even planes crashing into or near food and seed processing plants within the last year.  One of the reasons for some price increases and limited items I'm sure. and another reason for us to become more self-sufficient.*



I hope you enjoy this beautiful spring day!
I am gardening 


4 comments:

  1. I recently read a statistic that Americans WASTE 40% of their food. I'm so guilty of that (we just don't like leftovers). Regarding inflation, I follow several European blogs and they are also experiencing higher prices - There are several reasons that are beyond anyone's control including the Pandemic, labor & supply shortages, and the war in Ukraine. Your suggestions are very helpful and we will get through this by using our common sense. At 77 years old, I have been thru several recessions, stockmarket crashes, etc. My first car (VW Bug) I paid 13% interest! Thank you for writing about issues that are concerning to us all now. And good for you growing your "Victory Garden."

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    1. Eileen it is always a joy to see your sweet comments. I really don't like leftovers myself. Chuck could eat them anytime anywhere but not me. That's why I began cutting back on the cooking (or trying to). I love that you had a VW Bug the most fun times I ever had were in one of those! I didn't own one but my best girlfriend did. You have been through several things I am 68 myself and we've seen some times. Thank you!
      Dolly

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  2. Good morning Jolly :) What a wonderful post you shared. So down-to-earth n very appropriate. There's so much I learned from you. Thank you and have a blessed day with your family.

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    1. Good morning Annie! Thank you so much! I hope you've had a wonderful day too! Enjoying this beautiful spring weather.
      Dolly

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