I'm making our grocery list, trimming an already trimmed

[catmandu57]

down list. I'm trying to decide do we really need a bottle of ketchup? Or can we hold off until the first of the month. Do I buy the large bag of cheap cereal or do I scimp by on the small one. I tell you I'd hate to be trying to feed a family right now, it's taking more ands more just to run on a shoestring for the two of us.
It really is going to be an economic election this year.

[livetohike]

1. There's just the two of us and I spend over $100/week

now. I don't know how families are making it. I've always been thrifty on groceries even when we were both working. We're retired now.

[RebelOne]

2. There is just one of me and 2 dogs

and I spend about $75 to $100 a week. And I am a vegetarian, so I am not even buying meat. But I do feed it to my dogs.

[livetohike]

8. Me too - vegetarian......also my husband

I have two dogs too and they go through a 20 lb. bag of dry food per week plus I feed them half a can each of wet food.

[catmandu57]

14. Our cats are driving us to the poor farm

They're our kids though, I've had to tell my wife no more cats for now. She works with elderly people and we've taken in several after one of her people has either passed on or went into a care facility, but, we've hit our limit.

[livetohike]

16. You're cats are all cuties, too

:-). I kid with my husband that if it is between feeding us or the dogs, the dogs get fed first :-).

[TalkingDog]

113. I may get burnt to a crisp for this but:

Both dogs and cats can eat people food with a few important exceptions and qualifications:


First: Cats need Taurine or they will go blind or die of heart disease. The highest concentration of taurine is in uncooked meat: clams and octopus, followed by shrimp and fish. Beef, pork and lamb chicken leg and last, chicken breast. Reading suggests mousies have the highest taurine content. Go figure. But cooked meat loses half it’s taurine and definitely needs supplementation. Amounts vary , but 50 to 100mg per cat, per day, added after any food is cooked.


Their protein to carb ratio is different from ours. Dogs need ten amino acids from protein, while humans only require eight from ours. So more protein and fewer carbs and definitely fewer grains. http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/protein.html


Wild game has a high protein to fat ratio. Good for people and critters. And bonus, the more protein, wild or domestic they eat, the less food they require. They are like high-octane cars. Higher-grade fuel makes them more fuel efficient, not less. You can feed them a smaller volume of food with a higher protein content.


Add some fish oil for Essential Fatty Acids. For hyper-specific recipes go here: http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/free.html and http://www.goodpet.com/library/recipes.html and http://www.rawmeatybones.com/diet/exp-diet-guide.pdf


But in general: 50 to 70% should be leanish meat/protein. No bones please, unless they are big raw marrow bones for doggies. The remainder should be cooked veggies (like carrots, peas, green-beans spinach, beans, cabbage, kale, collards, sweet potatoes, etc), some cooked carbs (like potatoes or rice or oatmeal) and some fat.


Miniscule amounts of salt (not table, sea salt or scrapings from a salt lick will provide minerals) and some people think adding ½ a crushed adult vitamin to the dog food is helpful. Opinions vary.


ABSOLUTELY NO PRE-PROCESSED HUMAN FOOD! It’s not even good for people.


As with people, various animals like various things. And have aversions or allergies to others. Too much of anything is asking for problems now or down the road, so moderation and variety are good. Some vets say no garlic or grapes. Some say small amounts are okay. Do avoid onions, chocolate, coffee and any sweeteners. Some dogs are lactose intolerant, but a bit of yogurt with acidophilus is okay. Above all, common sense is a must here! http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html


I cook for my 15-year-old cat, as he has developed allergies. I make it in bulk, refrigerate a weeks worth and freeze the rest in small plastic Tofutti cream containers. And, often, while the very delicious aroma wafts around the house, the Spousal Unit will ask me if I’m sure that’s for the cat. In a pinch it would make a good meatloaf. I always knew we’d end up eating cat food when we got old.


My Favorite Master Artist: Karen Parker GhostWoman Studios

[DCKit]

120. What an excellent and informative post.

A lot of cats and dogs will be thinking of you in the very near future.

[Lorien]

129. "People food" for pets is a 1000 times safer for them when prepared correctly

I agree, and I've written quite a lot about this topic already: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=243&topic_id=4388&mesg_id=4388

Here's a cat food recipe for anyone who needs it:

Raw Cat Food Diet Recipe Made WITH Real Bones

* 2 kg <4.4 pounds> raw muscle meat with bones (chicken thighs and drumsticks or, better, a whole carcass of rabbit or chicken amounting to 2 kg; if you don't use a whole carcass, opt for dark meat like thighs and drumsticks from chicken or turkey)
* 400 grams <14 oz> raw heart, ideally from the same animal (if no heart is available, substitute with 4000 mg Taurine)
* 200 grams <7 oz> raw liver, ideally from the same animal (if you can't find appropriate liver, you can substitute 40,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1600 IU of Vitamin D--but try to use real liver instead of substitutes.)
* NOTE: If you cannot find the heart or liver and decide to substitute with the Taurine/Vitamin A and D, then remember to REPLACE the missing amount of organ meat with the equivalent amount of muscle meat. In other words, if you cannot find heart, you add another 400 grams of the meat/bones. If you canít find the liver, add another 200 grams of meat/bones.
* 16 oz <2 cups> water
* 4 raw egg yolks (use eggs from free-range, antibiotic-free chickens if you can)
* 4 capsules raw glandular supplement (such as, for example, "Raw Multiple Glandular" from Premier Labs)
* 4000 mg salmon oil (see note at bottom of recipe*)
* 200 mg Vitamin B complex
* 800 IU Vitamin E ("dry E" works well)
* OPTIONAL: 1/4 teaspoon of kelp and 1/4 teaspoon of dulse (1/2 teaspoon total)
* OPTIONAL: 4 teaspoons psyllium husk powder (8 teaspoons if using whole psyllium husks; see note at bottom of recipe**)

NOTE: If you will not be using the food immediately and freezing for more than a week or two, toss in 4000 mg of additional Taurine to make up for what may get lost during storage. It is also not a bad idea to sprinkle extra Taurine from a capsule on the food as you're serving it two or three times a week, just to be certain your cat is getting plenty of this critical amino acid.

1. Remove the skin from the muscle meat. Chunk up (i.e., cut) as much of the muscle meat (minus most of the skin if using
chicken or turkey, but leave skin on if using rabbit) as you can stand into bite-sized (nickel-sized, approximately) pieces. Save the
chunked meat for later. Do not grind it.

2. Grind up the raw liver, any skin, raw meaty bones, and raw heart. Once ground, stir this meat/bone mixture well and return to
refrigerator.

3. Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water and whisk everything (non-meat) except the psyllium. If you had to replace liver with Vitamin A/D
or replace heart with Taurine, add the substitutes now. Add psyllium at the end--if you're using it-- and mix well. Finally, put the three mixtures together--the "supplement slurry" that you have just mixed, the ground up meat/bone/organs, and the chunks of meat that you cut up by hand. Portion into containers and freeze.

Don't overfill the containers. The food expands when frozen and you don't want lids popping off. Thaw as you go. The food shouldn't be left thawed in the refrigerator more than 48 hours before serving. To serve, portion into a 'zipper baggie' and warm under hot water in the sink. NEVER microwave the food. Cats like their food at something approximating "mouse body temperature."

*Every two or three days, I suggest sprinkling a few drops of fresh salmon oil from a newly-opened capsule on to the cats' food. The Essential Fatty Acids in salmon oil are extremely fragile, and since we donít know exactly how much gets lost during freezing, I think it's wise to use a bit of fresh salmon oil directly on the food a few times a week. Most cats love the flavor.

**Not all cats require additional fiber (psyllium) in their diet. If your cat has been eating low-quality commercial food for several years, especially dry food, she may have lost bowel elasticity and may benefit from the extra fiber. As a general rule, I recommend using psyllium when an adult cat first gets raw food. I rarely add much psyllium to my adult cats' diet. Bear in mind that some cats seem to get constipated without additional fiber, whereas other cats seem to get constipated if they get too much fiber. Each cat is unique, and you'll have to judge what works best for your cat.

Raw Cat Food Diet Recipe Made WITHOUT Real Bones (not recommended, except in a pinch)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The recipe that follows is inferior to the recipe above. Why? Because it does not contain real bone and relies on an isolated calcium supplement. Cats should eat REAL bone. But if you do not yet have a grinder, this recipe will suffice for short-term use. It also has some gelatin in it to make up for missing cartilage and slightly more kelp and dulse for those trace minerals lost by not using real bone. Please do not use this recipe indefinitely.

* 1400 grams <3 pounds> raw muscle meat (i.e., meat from chicken thighs and drumsticks or turkey or rabbit)
* 400 grams <14 oz> raw heart, ideally from the same animal (if no heart is available, substitute with 4000 mg Taurine)
* 200 grams <7 oz> raw liver, ideally from the same animal (if you can't find appropriate liver, you can substitute 40,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1600 IU of Vitamin D--but try to use real liver instead of substitutes)
* NOTE: If you cannot find the heart or liver and decide to substitute with the Taurine/Vitamin A/D, then remember to REPLACE the missing amount of organ meat with the equivalent amount of muscle meat. In other words, if you can’t find heart, you should add another 400 grams of the meat. If you can’t find the liver, add another 200 grams of meat.
* 16 oz <2 cups> water
* 4 tablespoons bonemeal (the kind meant for human consumption--not the kind used for gardening)
* 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
* 4 raw egg yolks (use eggs from free-range, antibiotic-free chickens if you can)
* 4 capsules raw glandular supplement (such as, for example, "Raw Multiple Glandular" from Premier Labs)
* 4000 mg salmon oil (see note at bottom of recipe*)
* 800 IU Vitamin E ("dry E" works well)
* 200 mg Vitamin B complex
* 1/2 teaspoon of kelp and 1/2 teaspoon of dulse (1 teaspoon total)
* OPTIONAL: 4 teaspoons psyllium husk powder (8 teaspoons if using whole psyllium husks; see note at bottom of recipe**)

NOTE: If you will not be using the food immediately and freezing for more than a week or two, toss in 4000 mg of additional Taurine to make up for what may get lost during storage. It is also not a bad idea to sprinkle extra Taurine from a capsule on the food as you're serving it two or three times a week, just to be certain your cat is getting plenty of this critical amino acid.

1. Remove the skin from the muscle meat. Chunk up (i.e., cut) much of the muscle meat (minus most of the skin if using chicken or turkey, but leave skin on if using rabbit) into bite-sized (nickel-sized, approximately) pieces. Save the chunked meat for later – do not grind it.

2. Grind the raw liver, remaining meat and the raw heart. Once ground, stir this mixture well and return to refrigerator. Once ground, stir this mixture very well and refrigerate.

3. Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water and whisk everything (non-meat) except the psyllium and gelatin. If you had to replace liver with Vitamin A and D or heart with Taurine, add those substitutes now. Add psyllium (if you’re using that) and gelatin at the end and stir well. (If you add the psyllium and gelatin too soon it clumps up.) Finally, put the three mixtures together—the “supplement slurry” that you have just mixed, the ground-up meat, and the chunks of meat you cut by hand. Portion into containers and freeze.

Don’t overfill the containers. Thaw only what you can use within 48 hours. Warm the food in a plastic bag under hot water to take off the chill, and serve.

*Every two or three days, I suggest sprinkling a few drops of fresh salmon oil from a newly-opened capsule on to the cats' food. The Essential Fatty Acids in salmon oil are extremely fragile, and since we donít know exactly how much gets lost during freezing, I think it's wise to use a bit of fresh salmon oil directly on the food a few times a week. Most cats love the flavor.

**Not all cats require additional fiber (psyllium) in their diet. If your cat has been eating low-quality commercial food for several years, especially dry food, she may have lost bowel elasticity and may benefit from the extra fiber. As a general rule, I recommend using psyllium when an adult cat first gets raw food. I rarely add much psyllium to my adult cats' diet. Bear in mind that some cats seem to get constipated without additional fiber, whereas other cats seem to get constipated if they get too much fiber. Each cat is unique, and you'll have to judge what works best for your cat.

[zanne]

5. Tell me about it.

We're getting fat on cheap food. We bought my mother's house about a year ago and trying to pay the mortgage and property taxes is killing us. Unfortunately, we like good food and we haven't had any of that in a while. Once a month, we ponder whether or not we can order in a pizza. And it just keeps getting worse.

[shaniqua6392]

3. We are really feeling the squeeze here in Michigan.

I have a family of four and we just seem to be working more hours and ending up spending it all on food, gas, utilities, etc. We are so tired!!! We have almost been relegated to doing our grocery shopping at the dollar store!! But we are trying to make sure our kids eat well and stay fit and healthy which is not an easy task. I will be voting for whoever I think can do something about the economy and the slow death of the lower and middle classes. Period.

[catmandu57]

7. My heart goes out to you

Michigan is so much colder than here in Mysery, what's killing us is gasoline we're spending double than last year.

[knitter4democracy]

57. Same here. I found good prices at Big Lots and the bakery outlet.

I'm thinking of hitting Sav-A-Lot to see what they have and what their prices are. We're cutting our food budget way back, and I'm still shocked at how much it is.

We're in Battle Creek. Whereabouts are you?

[Emit]

4. With five in our family

Including three growing kids, we are in a world of hurt. I cringe every time one of us goes shopping.

[Midlodemocrat]

69. My grocery bill is staggering.

Three kids, me, my husband and one of the kids is a teenaged boy. Easily $1000 a month and climbing.

[Emit]

94. It would be nice to go to the grocery store and not have to decide

whether I should skip an item because of the costs -- and I'm talking staples here, nut luxury items.

I won't buy my kids the Gogurt stuff because, even with a coupon, I can't afford it. Those things add up. I try not to make it about price -- at their age, they don't need that pressure. But they always say their friends have it and that makes me feel bad that I can't afford such a simple request.

We are all trained to know what cheap brands are good enough to eat - some we just can't stomach; they taste so bad or are of such poor quality, no one eats it so it's not worth the savings. It's a luxury when I buy certain things like strawberries or avocados or certain brand name items that before were just part of my normal shopping trip.

I'll get flamed for this, but I have even been shopping more at Walmart because I can save a few bucks there. We clip coupons, buy in bulk as Costco, pour over the weekly grocery ads -- nothing has really brought our bill down to a reasonable amount we can afford. My SO is thinking about finding a night job. Seriously, groceries and gas are killing our budget.

[catmandu57]

116. Kind of off topic, but shopping with children can be rough

if you're using an ebt card it can be a nightmare having to tell a child no when they demand something that they've seen a zillion commercials for. I don't know how many times I've heard people get run down because of what they buy with fs, but dammit it's hard to tell a child that they can't have one treat, especially if that may be the only way they get one.

A few years ago I had one of my nephews staying for a while and was using food stamps at the time, when we went to the grocery store, he picked up some kind of kids meal and I couldn't turn him down.

[tsuki]

6. In 2000, husband and I started up our garden again. We had pared

it down during the Clinton years. I canned and froze last spring and it has fed us all winter. Have you some land?

[catmandu57]

9. My MIL does

She used to grow a large garden every year, but it's getting too hard, we have a garden patch out back that we'll be enlarging this year.

[tsuki]

12. Another thing I did was look at non food items. I had no idea that

I was spending that much, a bottle of this, a box of that. It added up. I now use clorox, baking powder and vinegar, and my house is as clean. I use 1/2 the reccommended amount of soap powder (how dirty do our clothes get these days), and thin down the dish washing detergent (much too thick.) I also use dryer balls for clothes I dry in the dryer.

[raccoon]

26. "dryer balls?" Enlighten me.

I too use lots of baking powder and vinegar. We don't really need foo those strong-smelling cleaners that are constantly pushed at us.

[tsuki]

41. I tried to explain it and sounded like a complete idiot. So, I found

the web site. http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=7004&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=1107&iSubCat=1108&iProductID=7004

I bought the dryer balls at Sears? I cannot remember, son says Sears.

[knitter4democracy]

59. Those really work!

Then again, my five year old keeps stealing mine. Or maybe it's the dog.

Spikey balls that soften clothes without fabric softener.

[clovis29]

89. The chemicals worry me..

And that chemical smell is a little weird. Maybe my nose is to sensitive..?

[knitter4democracy]

58. We're putting in more beds this year, too.

We canned and froze up a decent amount this last year. We're going to add more this spring to try to cut down on canned tomatoes and frozen veggies.

[MissB]

61. Try Square Foot Gardening

Check out one of Mel Bartholomew's books on the subject, or Google up his website. His method allows you to grow quite a bit in a small space.

[earth mom]

10. Every week my dh asks where the money has gone...

So I show him the stack of grocery store receipts (we shop several stores) and the gas receipts and that shuts him up.

Been trying to cut corners on the grocery bill and have found some coupons online, but stuff is going up every time I go to the store-20 cents here, 50 cents there-that coupons really are useless, if not a joke-on me. :(

[catmandu57]

13. It's getting harder to find good coupons

So many of them are for what I consider a luxury item and then they want you to buy two or three to get fifty cents off. I jump on them when i find them and get several copies especially on catfood.

[earth mom]

18. Here check this site out...

It's my secret source...but what the hell, we are all in this together. :hug:

http://www.thecouponclippers.com/

[catmandu57]

23. Than you I will

I've been meaning to look for an online site like this.

[earth mom]

51. Even though you have to pay for the coupons and sometimes have to order a few at a time,

I've found it's totally worth it-especially for the $1 off coupons! :D

[Vinca]

33. Thanks for the link - I'll check it out. I always use coupons when I can. nt

[earth mom]

52. Glad to help...have fun!

:hi:

[Vinca]

79. I already placed an order. Here's another site with some free coupons -

http://coupons.smartsource.com//index.aspx?Link=5S2ZUA6PWPEPO

[orleans]

82. i remember a couple stores around me wouldn't take coupons i printed

on line

they said there was no way of knowing if they were "real"

assholes!

[rug]

11. Any candidate who does not understand this post should not be elected.

[Allyoop]

15. grocery shopping

When we were raising our family, I was a stay-at-home Mom and my husband worked a full-time job while putting himself through college. The habits we picked up then have stayed with us even though our income has increased significantly since then. (retired now, but still cautious about spending) I always have called him chee - I mean - frugal. It has served us well.

My husband shops the "used meat" bins. (Meat that has been out a certain length of time and has begun to lose the bright red hue.) We bought from our local farmers' market this season. We raise some of our own vegetables and can or otherwise preserve them. We eat almost no boxed cereals or "meals in a box" or frozen meals. We buy frozen vegetables and fruit when they are out of season. We make granola and oatmeal (oats from our local health food store at 89 cents a pound. We do not visit fast food restaurants. We do enjoy really good food at really good restaurants every now and then. Probably about 5 times a year. We make really good meals at home too!

I realize that not everyone has the time to do all these things, but adopting just a few of these habits will stretch your income and improve your health. Those of you who are too poor to even buy "used meat" - see if you can get some help from local food pantries, churches etc.

[Tyler Durden]

17. TESTIFY Sistah.

Add in gas and the bills for the dogs, and we are solidly up against it.

We spend near $400/month in groceries.

[madokie]

19. oh yeah there is a big difference in the price of grocery's here in the big OK

we, our sons family and my wife and I, were just talking about how in the near future it is going to be nice that we live next door because it makes it easy to share meals and such. Yes there's all kinds of benefits to living next door to ones children as we all can have mutual tools etc. No need for a separate lawn mower, tiller, weed eater, chainsaws, exercise machines and on and on.

[catmandu57]

25. Mushrooms before long

You'll get them sooner than us, another seventy days or so.

[madokie]

34. I will make a note to let you know when we start finding them

May there be many bountiful harvests in the days ahead for both you and I
http://thegreatmorel.com/



:toast:

[catmandu57]

36. You're making me hungry

I stumbled onto a patch back in 75, it was easter day, they were the biggest shrooms I'd ever found. They were huge almost a foot tall and several inches in diameter, I wish we had digital cameras back then, nobody that didn't see my sack ever believes it. I went back to the same spot every year for years and never did find another haul like that.

[madokie]

42. I have on very few occassions find morels this year where I found them last year or the year before

I find them in the same general area I have before but almost never in the exact spot. I never just pull them up either I always take my knife and slice them off just above the ground level. I remember burning our back yard off one year and a few days later I woke to about two big grocery sacks of morels and have never seen them back there again. All I know for sure is if I don't look for them I won't find any so look I must and look I do.

[MissB]

65. One of our local mail-order nurseries sells mushroom plugs.

Local/mail-order may be a bit contradictory, but what I mean is that they are located in my state so therefore in my growing zone and they are too far away to drive to so I have to mail order anything but the seed packets.

So you can buy the plugs from them, go home and drill into some old logs and then put them in the woods (in my case, that would be in part of my yard). Months go by, and suddenly they start flushing. Apparently.

I need to order some. I've been collecting a few logs here and there.

[Ghost in the Machine]

20. Yes, it really is getting ridiculous, isn't it??

I'm a single father with 2 teenagers, and I'm spending over $100 per week. I used to pride myself on my shopping abilities, being able to get really good deals being a wise shopper. I always buy store brand instead of name brand, and really compare prices on other things, likes meats and such. Living 12 miles outside of town, it makes it unfeasible to go to several stores, especially since the town I live in only had one grocery store and the way gas prices are. The next towns are 12 and 13 miles away in the opposite direction. I do very little driving though, and try to combine trips or even catch a ride with mom if she's going to town. My parents live 4 doors up from me, and we pull together as much as we can.

It's also funny that I live 15 miles from the Mayfield daity, and Mayfield milk is right at $6.00/gallon here... so I buy store brand, which fluctuates between $3.59 to $4.19/gal

Best of luck to you and yours. I know it's tough out there all around. I had to shut my restaurant down a few weeks ago due to financial reasons, and it's tough all over. Having no income at all right now is VERY scarey and I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel on my savings as we speak, running out of money while waiting to get approved for my disability. I'm trying to make it now by depending on my online sales, but they have been very slack recently too. If something doesn't break soon, I'll be in a world of hurt come next month....

PEACE!

Ghost

[catmandu57]

22. How long have you been waiting

I heard the waiting time is an absolute nightmare right now, backed up for at least three years. I think most people will be dead by the time they get to their hearing.

[Ghost in the Machine]

30. It's only been about 4 months for me....

They turned me down on the first try, which I hear is normal, even though I have signed papers from a judge and worker's comp that I am 90% permanent total disabled. I invested my settlement into a restaurant because no one else will hire me due to my disabilities, and I have pretty much lost everything in less than 2 years. I lost over $80,000 last year alone because I kept pouring money into the place, hoping things would pick up and get better, and also to keep my employees working in an already poor county to begin with. I guess I was more concerned about their well being than that of my own, and it ruined me financially. I'll make it through.. somehow... because I have no choice but to keep trying to go forward. Hopefully my online sales will pick up, or I'll get lucky and sell a domain name or two and it'll see me through for a while. I finally made my first $100 off of Google ads on my websites, but even that didn't stretch very far....

[catmandu57]

32. They deny everyone the first time

so that people will get discouraged and go away. It sounds like you're up against the wall I hope things get better for you, for all of us. The way things are going I have my doubts about that.

[cap]

37. go get a lawyer

or find someone who knows someone in the system or write a letter to a judge who handles these cases. You will not get it by going through the system. It is stacked against you. We had a cousin who had a heart aneurysm. The guy was literally in intensive care for months with an open chest -- yes, you could see the heart! His wife went through all kinds of rig a marole in the system. Finally, asked me and I told her the same advice. She wrote a letter to the judge and sent pictures and medical records and got disability within a week. Wasnt back dated though.

[Ghost in the Machine]

44. I've talked to 3 lawyers already...

all of them said that they can't help me unless I'm turned down for the second time... first appeal goes back through social security again, they don't go to court or a judge until second appeal, which is the 3rd attempt to get disability....

They already have all the paperwork they need from my two major neck surgeries and from nerve conduction tests that show massive nerve damage throughout my body, severely affecting my arms and legs...

I am a little optimistic now though.. it only took them 10 days after visiting *their* doctor to deny me... now it's been 3 months since filing my appeal, so maybe they are seriously checking things out this time...

thanks for the input.. i need all the advice I can get..


PEACE!

Ghost

[cap]

109. start asking friends and family to see if they know someone

it sucks, I know. The system shouldn't work this way. But you never know who's a friend of a friend of a friend. Who do you know that's a judge, an official in Social Security, etc.? That will spring your money faster and cheaper than an attorney.

[Hekate]

83. Mom used to mix whole milk with reconstituted powdered milk, half of each...

It was cheaper, nourishing, and mixing it that way tasted a lot better than plain powdered milk.

Milk, of all things, should never cost that much.

I'm sorry you don't have access to Costco for bulk buying of groceries.

Hang in there. :hug:

Hekate

[Ghost in the Machine]

88. Yes, it's ridiculous to be paying those kinds of prices for milk..

I know there's production costs and everything else, but it just amazes me... especially when I see Scotty Mayfield's lake house over here near me with his big ole houseboat sitting out behind it sometimes... along with the big parties on holiday weekends like 4th of july, Memorial Day, Labor Day... they have one huge house and 2 smaller ones sitting on that piece of property. Nothing like flaunting excess in front of the people who are making you rich, huh?

:hug: :hi:

Ghost

edited: bekuz i kant spele

[BluePatriot]

123. Oh man I remember powdered milk when growing up

Mom would make it straight up. It's fine for baking, but, in cereal...yuck. Half and half may not be that bad. Since we don't do milk often we actually switched to organic b/c the expiration date was so much better that we wound up having less waste.

[catmandu57]

21. We used to eat out at least twice a month

I'd buy on the first Marshmallow on the fifteenth, I think September may be the last time we treated ourselves, and then it's just one of the local restaurants that a twenty dollar bill covers everything from meal to tip.
We're going to splurge for our anniversary next month and treat our selves to a meal out.

[WolverineDG]

24. Check out Angel Food Ministries

www.angelfoodministries.com

$30 month for a menu of food. The January box alone will feed me for more than one month (single person).

dg

[orleans]

86. what an amazing program! i never heard of such a thing. i think it's fantastic.

i might post something on this in the illinois forum. i'll link to your post here as well. thank you.

[WolverineDG]

98. I had heard about it in my town

but I thought they had certain requirements (income below poverty line, etc). However, an article in the newspaper last week made it clear that it is a program for everyone, so I decided to try it out this month. :)

dg

[orleans]

99. their website said for those in need when i went scooting around on it

but i posted it in illinois forum anyway. it sounds great.

[WolverineDG]

100. No one asked me any questions

& I think everyone needs help now. :)

dg

[Duncan Grant]

101. Look under their FAQ link:

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/faq.asp

Who qualifies?

Everyone, there are no applications or qualifications to order Angel Food.

I only post this so that people won't self-select out of this option. If one has a chance to stretch the budget (especially those with limited incomes, children, etc.) then by all means, check out this program. :hi:

[2beToby]

27. The dog's food is pretty cheap around here

about $15 for a 50lb bag, but I there is never food in the house. The price of vegetables keep going up. Meat is almost right out, and we aren't vegetarians. Breads and pastas aren't so cheap anymore either, if your trying to eat whole grains.

I'm going to take the advice of some others on here and cut down on cleaners. (we're renters, so no 'victory' garden here)

This post is making me hungry. =-(

I hope this country starts moving in a better direction soon.

[Sugar Smack]

28. OH-

You speak the truth.

[Snarkturian Clone]

29. Find one near your home and go there.

http://www.save-a-lot.com/

I find myself there more and more often.

[renate]

35. After more than 10 years in the area I finally went to a different grocery store

(Not different from Save-a-Lot, different from the two I'd been going to.) It's a little farther away but I swear I save at least 30% on groceries. Probably more because of the bulk food bins. Because I was already comparing prices between two grocery stores (little difference between them), I'd had no idea that prices could vary that much if I'd tried a third. Honestly, I bet I could have saved several thousand dollars by now if I'd done a little research years ago.

[Le Taz Hot]

48. Be VERY careful about Save-a-lot.

Please read the labels. Much of their stuff is from other than the U.S. where the quality control just doesn't exist.

[Snarkturian Clone]

49. I know... some of their stuff is total garbage but I have to say

that the quality has improved quite a bit in the last 5 years. Used to be that you'd go in there and vomit just from the look of the food. Now they have mostly name brands and even some organics-- the same ones as in the big market, but at 2/3 the price. Their prices for dairy and eggs are unbeatable. I've even started getting meats from there.

[Javaman]

31. Learn to make your own Katsup :)

we have been for a while along with our own mayo and mustard.

Takes a little time, but in the long run, saves some money. tastes better too!

[dysfunctional press]

47. there's plenty of free ketchup to be had in the world...

every time i ask specifically for "one ketchup, please" at the mcdonald's drive-thru, they give me a handful of them. so, i have a big jar of them in the cupboard for emergencies.

[Javaman]

56. I guess, but that stuff is filled with all sorts of crap. I can't eat it. nt

[dysfunctional press]

81. i'll have to give a go at making some...

if nothing else, it's just one more thing to use up the MASSIVE amount of tomatoes that our garden produces.

[momster]

115. Vintage Receipes Helpful

If you look on line, you can find receipes from the last big Depression which will often still serve families a respectable meal for less moola.

If you can't do a garden yourself, maybe a neighbor will trade you some of their surplus for something you can do for them -- babysiting or yardwork.

I'm replying to the Catsup message because most people aren't aware that Catsup can be made in other flavors besides tomato, most commonly mushroom. It's just a type of sauce and is very good at giving a different flavor to same ol' stuff like meatloaf (A-I Steak Sauce, for instance, could be called Dark Brown Catsup for all the difference there is). Find Mushroom Catsup Receipes on Line.

[uppityperson]

38. I recently experienced another large jump in grocery prices.

Going to do more shopping at Costco and eat the same thing over and over and over (they sell cheaply but in bulk)

[Contrary1]

39. I am freezing everything I possibly can...

Leftover peas, corn, green beans all go into the same freezer bag. When there is enough, I toss them into a casserole, soup or stew.

I am doing the same thing with left over spaghetti sauce. If you flatten out the bags before freezing, you can just break off what you need.

Buttermilk was on sale a couple weeks ago, because of the sell-by date. I use it for salad dressing, biscuits, and pancakes. I freeze it in ice cube trays, and double bag the cubes. That half gallon will last me a year.

I buy bread at a bakery outlet store. Used to be I could get 3 loaves for under $2. Now, it is twice that. Thawed out bread isn't quite as good, but still better than paying $2.50 a loaf.

I also freeze half gallons of milk, when I find it on sale. Works great, as long as you pour out about an inch before freezing.

It helps some. There are only two of us here, and we are still spending too much on groceries.

[BluePatriot]

40. Same here

I had to pick up my jaw off the ground going shopping yesterday. For example, I am fond of raw red bell peppers. They have gone up from 0.99 ea to 1.29 ea, to 3.49 ea at a WALMART. And not organic either! (ducks WalMart flames) I know they're out of season, but, damn. There was nothing in there that hadn't gone up at least 20 pct since the last time I went shopping there (a few mos) except for their loss leader house brands.

And -- honestly -- I am starting to notice shortages at the grocery store and rapid quality declines in anything that remains at the same cost. And -- going out of business sales at secondhand/outlet mall stores.

We've virtually quit eating out. Better for my waistline, at least! also the local thrift shop is still thriving, due to us bordering a yuppie / rich area. I've gotten a few lovely things there recently.

[catmandu57]

43. No flames here

You've got to do what you can, if everyone was out there making the good money then there wouldn't be a reason to shop malwart, these days though. I'd be naked if it weren't for thrift shops, I've came to prefer them over new.

[BluePatriot]

122. Agreed.

I essentially did a redesign of the apt a few weeks back with the help of our Goodwill. Since it looks like we're stuck in the sardine-box due to finances for a while I finally decided to settle down in it a bit, building some shelving from scratch, constructing pantry organizers, and the like. Believe it or not, it's a lot more pleasant and livable now. I could just roll over and feel bad about being stuck there but turning it into more of a home was fun and lifted a weight off of me mentally.

And we are lucky to still be saving some $, it's just been cut in to so much that a house looks out of reach and a larger place makes no sense. Plus with hubby's college - yeah. Once he transfers out of community college (finally) the sticker shock will kill him. Sort of prepping for that in advance, as much as I can. At least he works FT at a job with downtime (courier - 4 runs a day)

[Le Taz Hot]

111. Just FYI

Growing bell peppers in a 3-gallon pot is really easy. They won't get as large but you'll get 6-10 of them at one time and they just keep producing. I think I picked my first one in late May and continued harvesting through September. I grew all four colors (yellow, green, orange and red) and man were they sweet! They're also really easy to start from seed.

[BluePatriot]

121. Sounds like a plan

If hubby could make habaneros thrive last year in a large pot, seems conditions are right. Did you buy seed or just use some from one you were eating?

[Le Taz Hot]

124. I bought mostly organic seed

last year from a local nursery but I'm sure using seed from the actual bell peppers would work also. I did that with cantaloupe last year and they came up just fine.

[leftofthedial]

45. too bad none of the leading candidates offers any hope of fixing the problem

[dysfunctional press]

46. i don't make a list- i let the sale items dictate what i buy.

btw- load up on free ketchup packets wherever you can, and keep them in a jar in the cupboard, for those times when the bottle runs dry. soy sauce and mustard, too.

[catmandu57]

50. We've got a drawer full of condiments

Just in case, they were figuring in. I find myself putting stuff back on the shelf that a year ago we bought without thinking. I used to buy dried fruit to snack on, I haven't bought a bag for a while.
I need to go to the goodwill store to see if they have a large kettle I can pop corn in, that's an economical snack.

[RadiationTherapy]

53. Ketchup is easy to make, but I have not ever matched a brand name flavor.

can of tomato paste
splash of vinegar
sweeten (I use maple syrup) and salt to taste.

[Le Taz Hot]

54. I've posted this recipe several times in the past

and I use a breadmaker (my little Sunbeam cost a whole $35.00 on sale). I can make a loaf of French, wheat or white bread for under 10 cents a loaf (assuming you're buying in bulk -- including and especially the yeast).

1 Cup + 2 Tbs warm water
2 tsp butter
1 Tbs sugar (you can substitute with honey or any other sweatener)
1-1/2 tsp salt (sea salt is fine)
3-1/1 cups flour (white or wheat or a combination of both)
2-1/2 tsp quick rising yeast

Combine the first ingredients together. Make a "bowl" in the flour, add yeast. Makes 1-1/2 pound loaf.

The breadmaker makes making bread a lot less intimidating and, once you get the ingredients in there, just set to the applicable settings and let it go until it's finished.

[catmandu57]

55. I do it the old fashioned way

I've got to get myself psyched up to get a loaf of raisin bread started, probably tomorrow. I'm being totally lazy today.

[Le Taz Hot]

60. I'll do it the old fashioned way

when I have more than one loaf to make but I have to admit, I love just putting the ingredients in and forgetting about it until it's done.

[MissB]

62. Have you tried the No-Knead bread?

http://www.oregonlive.com/recipes/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/119914890194480.xml&coll=7

I've been meaning to try it the next time I need a good, crusty bread.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

73. I was going to make it at Xmas but it takes over 18 hrs

and with everything else going on I knew I'd forget about it at some crucial stage and wind up with a big wad of dried-out dough. If I ever get around to making it I'll post how it turns out.

This is the recipe I've been using. Everyone likes it and it averages out to under a dollar a pound (I use half milk, half water and it tastes fine). Freezes great.

ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2007/05/t-his-bread-which-i-call-farmhouse.html

[MissB]

84. Thank you for the link!

I'll try that one. :0

[spinbaby]

91. Look for breadmakers at the thrift store

Lotsa people are dumping the breadmakers that were trendy a few years ago at the thrift shops. Our local Goodwill has a whole lineup of them.

[MissB]

63. Did you know that you can make your own instant oatmeal packets?

I'm not sure if your family eats instant oatmeal, but it is easy enough to do so I thought I'd post the link to the recipes. Way cheaper than those boxes of Quaker Oatmeal and much more interesting than plain old oatmeal.

I usually do the brown sugar/cinnamon one or cinnamon with some chopped fresh apples.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/00/001009e.cfm

[Le Taz Hot]

66. VERY cool recipes!

This is great. Instant oatmeal is expensive considering you only get, what, 6-8 packs in a box?

[Contrary1]

67. My husband likes only the Maple/Brown Sugar flavor...

Any suggestions as to what I can use for the maple part?

Thanks! :hi:

[MissB]

68. Maple syrup. Add a drop or two when making the oatmeal.

The grocery store also carries a maple flavoring, but it is artifically flavored so it tends towards the chemically-taste.

So I'd just add a drop or two of maple syrup after you've added the water. It wouldn't hurt to try it.

[Thothmes]

105. Brown sugar works well with oat meal

[catmandu57]

72. Hey thanks a lot for that

I bookmarked the page. My wife eats instant oatmeal in the winter, they quit making her favorite so I can make it up myself now. We generally buy the off brand, but, even that is getting expensive so I'll definitely be using this.

[mnhtnbb]

64. To the greatest page. I thought of you today while putting ketchup on french fries at lunch

so I came back to hit Recommend.

[catmandu57]

70. Well thank you

I'm surprised that this thread lasted as long as it has, must be a lot of us in the same boat.

[nonconformist]

71. My grocery bill has doubled in just the last few months

Family of four, including two growing boys of almost 10 and 12 1/2. The oldest one especially wants to eat constantly right now. With the rising food prices, it has been difficult. I hate that I have to limit things like milk and fresh fruit... things they should be able to eat whenever they want.

This, coupled with gas prices, is really making things tight.

[Kurovski]

74. Get a handful of ketchup packets at McDon*lds

send the kids.

I've had the food bank on my "shopping list" for over a year now, and only got sick from the food twice. That's pretty good!

[Emit]

96. My kids think I'm nuts and I remind myself of my grandmother

who was a depression era woman because I save all the condiments when people go to any fast food restaurants - co-workers, family, etc.. I have a box for them all and when we get low on ketchup, we go to that box. I can go weeks without ketchup, and if things get really bad, I could probably make tomato soup!

[Kurovski]

108. It seems to be coming full circle.

When I was a waiter I saw that a lot. It was just one of those things. :-)

[Ghost in the Machine]

75. Check out this webpage of mine on soup recipes...

and if you like the book and want it, I'll pm you the download link for it. It's an e-book, but you can print out recipes or just pull it up when you want to use one.

http://www.kingofresale.net/recipes/soup/index.html

I only included the link to this book because I read that you are a vegetarian and all the rest of the recipe books are meats and things. There is another set of books that has a section dedicated to jams, jellies, breads and stuff like that too, if you're interested.. check the link below and let me know, ok?

If anyone else wants a recipe book, look here:

http://www.kingofresale.net/recipes/index.html

If ya see anything ya want, let me know and i'll send you the download link to get it for free... I've donated and given stars to other members in the past, but unfortunately won't be able to do that again for a while, so this is just my little way of giving....

PEACE!

Ghost

[catmandu57]

76. No vegan here

I scarf dead animals all the time:-) I'll mark that page.

[Ghost in the Machine]

87. Ooops... I mistook one of the first couple of replies as one of yours...

I see now that it's not... just let me know which books you like, and I'll send you the download links.. pick a few, if you want... my treat!


PEACE!

Ghost

[RoadRage]

77. Skip the bottle of Ketchup..

Hit McDonalds for 1 hamburger ($.79) and then raid their ketchup packets. 100 packets should get you through the month.. unless you have 2 kids.. then you'd better grab a few more. Ohh.. and pick up some napkins too - that will save you a few more $$$.

I hate grocery shopping.. and it's getting outrageous!

[clovis29]

92. Isn't that kind of theft?

Or at least immoral? Maybe I am missing something?

[RoadRage]

106. It's probably both.. in addition to the comment being a joke. Sheesh.

[malaise]

78. LOL re ketchup

After hurricane Dean last August, everyone planted their own tomatoes and so did most of our farmers. Normally salad tomatoes are about US$1.50 a lb here at Christmas which really pisses us off since they are grossly overpriced. Well there were so many tomatoes around that we paid US40 cents a lb last month. This week the best and most delicious tomatoes are about US15 cents. I made a dozen bottles of ketchup on the weekend.

We love tomatoes so we're eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. :D
I refuse to skimp on food - we've worked too hard all these years not to eat well. We skimp on everything else.

[catmandu57]

80. Really it's not about the ketchup

It's about having to make decisions that one shouldn't have to even think about. Like having to decide where can I pinch a penny so that I can buy gasoline to get to work. It's about having to make that choice eat or work or pay the utilities, that's what it's all about, we shouldn't have to be doing this.

[kineneb]

85. I know about that

and it looks like it is also the future for me.

Hubby is on disability (renal failure + other problems); I have had to visit a food pantry, and it was really depressing. Until May 2002, he had a good job as a tech for WorldCom. We all know what happened with them. After that, no jobs. Sold the house and moved, Hubby's kidneys failed, declared Ch. 7 bankruptcy, and so on.

[AZBlue]

103. LOL...apparently a lot of DU'ers feel very stongly about ketchup!

As for the rest of your post - yes, it's getting pretty absurd. I've gone without or bought things lately that I never would have bought before (the cheap version of cheese that I've never purchased until now, etc). And you can really see now how the rich can eat healthily and the poor eat processed crap. The disparity is so very clear now.

[Kajsa]

90. Food prices have soared in CA,

along with everything else here.

;(

[Rex]

93. I don't buy groceries anymore. Just food for the cats & dogs

and the essentials - TP and soap.

[Telly Savalas]

95. If you live near one, Aldi is a good way to trim the food bill

Plus you get the circa 1975 Soviet bloc grocery shopping experience.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

110. Aldi quality is surprisingly good

I admit I never shopped there because it seemed too grim, then I worked for a company that did marketing for them. At the company picnic they revealed that almost all the food had been purchased at an Aldi. Wasn't gourmet but it was fine. As with store brands, most foods are produced by the same manufacturers who sell premium quality under their own brand names.

[ileus]

97. the G bill goes up 7-15 bucks a week it seems.

[LibraLiz1973]

102. Anyone here ever play "The Grocery Game"

or something like it? Or join a coupon club?

I ask because I am interested in doing so

[MissB]

104. No. Mostly, because

coupons are typically for overprocessed stuff, so even if the items are close to free, it still isn't a good thing.

Iirc, the grocery game requires a monthly fee per store, so if you're shopping more than one more store you kinda have to do a lot of shopping to make the $ work out.

On another board that I frequent, one of the posters posted to tell everyone how overzealous she got on the grocery game. She was getting all these free items and filling her pantry. Her husband pointed out one day that they had way too many bags of cat litter. She told him that they were free. He reminded her that they didn't *have* a cat.

Anyway, I find coupons in general to not be worth that much. I look through the flyers each Sunday and clip out the one or two items that we still eat that are named brand items. But often I find that I can find an item in a store brand that is perfectly acceptable, or the item is far overpriced anyway (like the $4+ boxes of cereal, and you get a $1 off two boxes coupon that you double to $1.50 using the store's double coupon. Even with that, the two boxes of cereal are outrageously priced.)

[lonestarnot]

107. And notice how coupons are shit lately unless they're Costco's?

[Le Taz Hot]

112. If you're a fan of flavored coffees,

a cheap, easy recipe for a vanilla cinnamon coffee is to add a little vanilla in the bottom of the carafe after you've already poured the water in the coffee maker. After you've added in the coffee grounds, sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the grounds and let the coffee brew as usual.

[elizfeelinggreat]

114. How can people keep up with this?

Wholesale prices in 2007 up 6.3 percent

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
AP Economics Writer
Latest Economic News
Retail sales down by 0.4 percent


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Wholesale inflation last year shot up by the largest amount in 26 years while retailers suffered their worst December shopping season in five years as mounting economic woes caused consumers to put away their wallets.

The Labor Department reported that wholesale inflation was up 6.3 percent for all of 2007, reflecting a huge increase for the year in various types of energy costs ranging from gasoline to home heating oil.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/ECONOMY?SITE=TXDAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Spacemom]

117. I know it seems silly

but I thought about this thread as I made my husband's lunch this morning. I was making a ham sandwich, and as usual the dog was waiting for a little piece of ham. Usually he'd get a piece, but we're so squeezed that I knew we'd need every slice of that ham to make it through the week. I felt guilty for not being able to give him some.

We're getting by, but just barely. By the time payday rolls around, our cabinets and refrigerator are literally empty. If prices rise much more, I don't know what we'll do. :(

[catmandu57]

119. I know about empty cabinets

We had company recently, it was before we were due to go grocery shopping and the house besides what I had saved back for dinner was bare. I kept thinking don't look into the cabinets or fridge because it looked much worse than it was and I didn't want them to feel bad about us feeding them.

[TommyO]

118. Even as a single guy with a reasonably good income

groceries are taking up a much larger chunk of my budget, with fresh meats and veggies being the killers. The frozen pizzas haven't gone up much, but all of the stuff that's better for you is.

I've been getting creative with my meals, and honestly it's made me a better cook if nothing else.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

125. I don't know how we're going to make it through this winter.

We live one day at a time.

It's scary.

[kalibex]

126. 'Champagne Cooking on a Beer Budget!': (Good Site Alert)

Check out:

http://www.justpeace.org/better.htm

'Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.'

[VotesForWomen]

127. word. if you have one dime left at the end of the month, prices aren't high enough. i'm convinced

that that is the way of thinking of businesses in this country; if consumers have one penny left to spend, then some business sees that as an opportunity to raise prices or sell us some other unnecessary product. the bad news is that it doesn't matter how much you cut corners, because the prices will automatically adjust upwards, to keep you flat broke at all times.

[qanda]

128. I go to Costco and buy a four pack of ground turkey each week

We make spaghetti, chili, burgers, tacos and anything else that we can make from that. We generally use the leftovers for lunch. We eat a lot of green beans, broccoli, rice, potatoes and noodles. We also eat a lot chicken (which I try to find on sale) and every now and then are able to get some tilapia or catfish from Costco. It's really hard to feed a family of four and keep the lights on.