Comments on: Back to Basics: Food, clothing, shelter

By: Frugle

Frugle — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 01:38:32 +0000

Making meals at home instead of eating out can help too. It’s crazy when I come across friends that eat out nearly every night because “they don’t like to cook.” Maybe they don’t add up their receipts, but eating out often costs a pretty penny (it also can be a poor health choice).

By: angela biggs

angela biggs — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:14:48 +0000

my mother taught me well, how to make others think you have lots of money, really its all about knowing what is need and what is want, today i have 5 kids 3 and under. i got up hung clothes on a rack to dry by the fire, made a loaf of bread, cooked a deer roast that a friend gave us, boiled eggs for breakfast, i am crocheting dishclothes today, i crochet and make things for use and for gifts, i dont buy alot of clothes, the boys will wear jeans and white te shirts this summer, winter cothes are bought at goodwill during the summer and at yard sales, i found winter shirts last year at a yard sale for 10 cents each, to big for the boys but you better believe i bought them…they are know wearing them…..i try daily to be as frugal as possible….i am composting now so i dont have to buy soil….we only live on one acre but i plant all over in raised beds…..plus neighbors give me some from there gardens….using tomatoes from the neigbors today…..frozen in frezzer….i use what ever it takes to save a dollar….i use purple hull pea shells to make grape jelly…..sumac to make jelly its free, also crab apples all over yard, make jelly, whats better than biscuts and jelly with hot coffee…..

By: George

George — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:00:46 +0000

Jeepers, and I was beginning to think I was the only voice of reason in this crazy economy! I’ve been living frugally for years now. Thankfully there is a good produce store closeby for fresh stuff (wow, a huge bag of veggies for 8 bucks feeds me for at least a week), supplemented with meat and dairy from a particularly good 99 Cent Only next door (blocks of Velveeta for a buck, a gallon of Best Foods mayo, half gallons of Odwalla soy milk…whahoo!). Shirts come from the thrift around the corner, a Burberry sweater and several GAPs, plus a $500 Miele vacuum for $64. My folks were Depression-era kids (the first depression) and their habits passed on to me, so I am glad to share with others. My tip is to haunt the supers and discount stores for marked down items near their ‘Use By’ date (that’s not the date they turn moldy, now!) and buy up what you can and fill the freezer. I have Emeril sausages in the icebox from two years ago, still good today. My food budget is around $15 a week for all meals. And I do bake bread and make my own soups and pasta dishes. Seldom eat out. Things will get tighter in the next year, so always be shopping and buy in bulk.
The Frugal American
P.S. Christmas gifts will be bottles of really good chardonnay and merlot and riesling…courtesy of the 99 Cent Only (and a case for moi!) God Bless my fellow Americans!!

By: Charlie-paylessforfood.com

Charlie-paylessforfood.com — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:17:19 +0000

Great article. One thing to consider is eating less. You can eat less without even knowing it! Consider, for example, that 63% of Americans are overweight and childhood obesity has tripled.

In his book, Mindless Eating, Dr. Brian Wansink suggests that unlike people of other countries who rely on internal cues, Americans rely on external cues to know when to stop eating. We tend to eat all of the food on our plate, even after our hunger has been satiated.

Combine this with the fact that our plates are getting bigger and bigger. The 12.5 inch plate is common, where 10-20 years ago 10.5 inch plates were the norm.

Try switching from 12.5 inch plates to 10.5 plates. In the process you’ll serve 30% less food, and you’ll family will likely still be full when they’re finished eating.

By: rich timblin

rich timblin — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:59:46 +0000

coolsavings.com is horrible. it makes you go through page after page of “free offers” deselecting each one several times. that’s a rip-off.

sorry, but it is what it is….

By: Paulette Fellwock

Paulette Fellwock — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:59:50 +0000

Great tips! I would add one more – create a written budget and stick to it. In my family, I’m known as the “thrifty queen,” but sometimes that darn budget is still hard to obey. Somebody gave me a SpendTracker device last Christmas and it helps me track my budget on the go, like in the grocery store when my kiddo is begging for that gum he “needs.” Lol

By: savings stocks

savings stocks — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:39:03 +0000

Great list. I need to make better use of leftovers. It seems they go into the fridge only to be ‘discovered’ a month or two later

By: brettmcat

brettmcat — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:23:21 +0000

Your tips are very strong and sensible but when it comes to groceries… well, comparing big ticket purchase prices (like, say, car prices) is easy but comparing prices on dozens and dozens of food and household items is not so easy. That’s where something like http://www.mygrocerydeals.com comes in. You can make your grocery shopping list and match it up with the flyer savings and coupons from your favorite stores automatically. It’s pretty easy and it’s really worth it to save around 30 or 40 even 50 percent off of groceries. That adds up pretty fast.

By: PennySeeds.com

PennySeeds.com — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:16:11 +0000

Great tips. I’m big into DIY projects, not only do they often times save you money – Most of them are super easy, and actually fun!

It makes you feel very accomplished to learn something new on your own. Even if it’s something as simple as fixing the handle on your toilet or an electrical cord.

I keep clothes until they fall apart, because I tend to buy things that are original. I won’t find that same thing again, and I’m sure to hold on to it.

I love learning to cook or bake new things, and you can almost always make so much food for a small amount of money.

By: Jodi

Jodi — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:25:58 +0000

Excellent list. My husband lost his job a few months ago and luckily we have been living most of these principles for quite some time and have accumulated a decent savings. We were able to cut back to the BASICS, use savings, and survive without too much stress.