When I would ask my husband what he wanted for dinner and he would always say, “I don’t care”. So I made a big batch of green split pea soup that we ate for 3 days. Guess who comes up with some ideas when I ask him what he wants…
My newest hack is a "mealtime" hack, not really a grocery hack. (although I think it has prompted me to eat less)I live alone and recently had found that I was getting in the habit of having my evening meal in my comfy chair in front of the tv..... eating mindlessly. I now keep my table set, with a really pretty placesetting to remind me to eat at the table! It is working so far.
I practice most of the 20 things you mentioned! I will add, LEAVING MY HUSBAND AT HOME, saves me $$! He adds so much stuff in the cart! lol! Costco is the worst! 😂
I feel this! My husband says he wants us to eat healthy, but every time he goes to the grocery store he buys MULTIPLE boxes of sugary cereals. And usually ice cream.
I clean my fridge at least twice a week. Take everything off the shelf, wipe it down with a cleaning and put it back. This way I know ow exactly what I have. If I have grapes left over or something the kids have not eaten. I will wash them pull them off the vine and put them in a glass bowl at the front of the fridge. All the sudden they are eaten by my kids. In my house I have to make things look good to have the kids eat everything before I go back to the store.
21) FAST a few times a month (a day, a meal); 22) once a week, one week a month, reverse meal plan. Eat from the freezer, fridge, pantry only; 23) Eat more meatless meals (once a week); 24) eat REAL food (no junk); 25) learn to make your favorites takeaway meals (and make extra to freeze); 26) make your own treats. Oats are cheap. Bars, biscotti, cookies, granola, muffins, pancakes, waffles (double the recipe to freeze); 27) reuse glass jars for fresh fruit, veggies, soup and leftovers. This REALLY eliminates food waste! You see everything every time you are in the fridge and freezer (use ball or kerr jars only in freezer); 28) a written inventory is essential imo. For the fridge, freezer and pantr; 29) my kitchen closes at 7pm! Great vid Kate.
Great tips, Kate! Boomer here who still uses paper for grocery lists. I keep a notepad with a magnet on the back on my fridge door, and I've trained my family to write what they want/need me to buy on the pad (thus putting the responsibility on them!). I save used envelopes and once a week, I look at the fridge list, store flyers, etc., and make my list. The envelope is also handy for sticking paper coupons inside and, at the end of my shopping, the receipt for reviewing and snapping on "Fetch". Yes, I sometimes forget and leave the envelope at home, but overall, it works.
I’ve been working from home for a few years now and my household is a family of three. Being home for all three meals feels like it has made food go so fast and Mama is having a hard time keeping up. How do you make your groceries last longer being as though you are home for all meals?
Hack this! another hack is to look at ethnic grocery stores for proteins- the large Mexican grocery store in our town has a butcher in house and there regular prices on ground beef, chicken, etc. are always around 15-20 percent cheaper. For a box of cereal, not so much, but for proteins, their prices are amazing!
I am single and my biggest issue is buying more produce than I can eat before it goes bad. I hate wasting money and it happens too often. I have started buying frozen veggies and berries instead of fresh and I love salads so I buy salad kits mostly because I know I will eat them before they go bad. I also will save my bananas in the fridge once they ripen and I only buy a few at a time (3 or 4) rather than a large bunch.
There are great RUclips videos on keeping produce fresh. As a fellow single, this has saved me so much money and food too. I purchased mason jars but not a lot of other items to help keep food fresh.
One tip I learned from frugal youtubers... is when your fresh veggies you had good intentions for haven't made it to your plate, chop them up in chunks and place in a freezer bag to make your own broth in the slow cooker. I throw som meat scraps in there too.
My tip may be obvious but leftovers are in our meal rotation ! We expect a leftover night 1-2 nights in a 7 day week. It uses up what we have already cooked and also saves on food waste and also more time to prep another meal. Of course we change up the leftovers - like turning meatloaf into sandwiches or mixing in leftover broccoli with some pasta and Alfredo sauce as a new meal! It all works😊
I do not use many products you get coupons for. Most are for premade food. I cook whole foods mostly plant based. Also found that most coupons use is not cheaper than store brand or other brand. I bulk buy rice, flour, sugar, and the like. Keep five-gallon buckets in closets and refill glass large containers. Not but a few extra dishes, to make from scratch, taste better and you get rid of all the gremlins they put in the product like mixes.
I live alone and my plan with cooking is make a family size meals and freeze whatever I feel is more than I can enjoy as a couple of leftovers during that same week. I can tell you how many times I enjoy the frozen meals a couple weeks later without having to cook that night. Also is handy when too sick to cook but need a comfort cozy home cooked meal. Soups,seasoned browned taco meat, casseroles all freeze great.
many stores in my area offer $$ offer produce or milk about once a month. but you must be on the "coupon shopper" list to get them. so get a couple of things using the store coupons and then see how much they will send your way.
Meal planning! With low spend Jan/Feb we are credit card debt free this week👏 that extra savings from shopping our pantry and freezer first and not wasting food set us over the top to get it payed off. Biggest tip is meal plan. Look what you already have then look through the sales of the week and write out your meals. Also having a backup emergency dinner on hand for when life gets crazy is a must. It can be a frozen meal for the nights you are to tired, sick, or just don’t want to cook! Saves a ton not eating out.
If I have a half a can, I haven’t used of a sauce or something, I’ll freeze it up an ice cube trays, label it and put it in the freezer. That way I can just take out one cube is like an eighth of a cup.
My mom did that. She also would buy a big bunch of parsley or cilantro, zap it in the blender with a lot of cold water, strain it and put into ice cube trays and cover in water. Great in cooked foods.
As a single person, I don't meal plan beforehand because I base my meals on what's on sale and the freshest produce available. I notice that some of our stores here in Canada will have in-store specials or Manager's specials that are not advertised. I always take a quick inventory of what I have before a grocery run to help me plan my meals as I shop.
I use a clipboard with a sheet of scrap paper for my grocery list. I use 3 columns - left is for produce, canned, and packaged food. Middle is for non food items & pet food. Right is for refrigerated and frozen foods. For those items having Ibotta rebates, i circle the rebate amount in red next to the item. When stocking my pantry, i use a sharpie to write the expiration date and stock accordingly.
I keep a 'sale' envelope in my purse, I add five dollars a week to it capped at $50. When I am shopping if I come across an item that is on sale or has a reduced sticker that is something I definitely use but is not in my current list, I will use the money in the envelope to buy it and pop it in the freezer cupboard when I get home. I am not exceeding my budget for the week and I have produce that will get used in another food plan week win win🥰
Regarding produce, I try to freeze the extra. I bought a bag of 6 bell peppers at Costco this week. I used 3 for sausage and pepper sandwiches. I washed and cut up the other 3 peppers and froze them. Next time we have those sandwiches I’ll just pull out those frozen, pre-cut peppers and I’ve saved food and time.
One of my elder clients usually does pick up & what a blessing!! No 02 tanks to drag in/out/around the store! That energy we can use for her enjoyable activities in the community. 😊
For fruit and some veggies ,if off season, frozen is sometimes cheaper. I always compare by unit price. I also have a clear, plastic bin, in the fridge, labeled "Use First". This really helps
My tip is that I always keep tortillas on hand to make quesadillas or wraps out of leftover protein and veggies. Also, I always buy the 4 count cans of crescent rolls. Those leftover tidbits that are too small for a meal can fill a crescent roll for lunch or an appetizer.
I think the biggest tip for me would be... don't be afraid to try the generic store brand. Personally, for most things, i sunny see a difference at all between the specialty brand and the generic. You may end up saving cents per item, and they add up when you buy groceries bulk for the week
Great hacks Kate. One I had to put into effect a long time ago was NOT over buying produce as a single. I was not eating things fast enough and the spoilage was a waste. Now I have cut back and use more frozen vegies. Thanks for all your inspiration! ❤😊❤
Great grocery tips. I am single too and I try to follow most of these. I am trying to use up all my leftovers within the next two days so I don't waste any food. I also try to go shopping only once a week. I shop at multiple stores. I make a list and only buy what I need for the week... Another fun frugal hack: separating bananas and wrapping the ends in plastic helps them last for a long time!
This week I splurged on delivery because I am unable to get to stores on weekdays (disabled). Since a local store (BC. Canada) had a throwback day (1.49 or $1.11 USD deals) on Tuesday, I placed an order for pantry stock up. for less than $47 Cad ($34.88 USD) including delivery, I managed to save over $91 ($67.53 USD) worth of products. This sales event is the only time I pay for delivery ($4.95 or $3.67 USD), which would have cost me 55 cents more if I had to pay for bus fare.
I try to buy a large package of meat on sale & make multiple meals from it. 4 lbs of hamburger can make a lot of meatloaf, chop suey, tacos, shepherd's pie, lasagna, etc - all of which my kids enjoy!
Thank you, Kate. You're looking great. Noticeable weight loss. Good job on sticking to the 12 week in a year program. You help us all time with tips and motivation. I just wanted to give you a shout-out for your success on your goals and say Way to go and keep up the awesome job. 😊
Hack this! I have a homeschool family of five with kids who play sports. These kids eat like it’s their job! I already do lots of these things bc we are on one income but I need to check the flyer fronts and backs and put a list on the fridge where they can add things they want/need. Thanks for all of your tips!
Right before a holiday, grocery stores will have great sales. For example at Christmas, prime rib was $4.49lb!. I buy a few and my husband cuts them into steaks and we freeze them. For Easter ham is on sale. Thanks for all the tips Kate!
My tip is to check what the plans are with your family for the upcoming week, classic example of this, I didn’t check my husbands schedule this week, (he’s normally home Fridays) so I bought some delicious looking olive focaccia bread rolls to have as a Friday lunchtime treat with him, only to find out he’s not working from home today 🙄 . We can’t eat them over the weekend as we’re away 😅 and I’m not sure I can freeze them x
You sure can freeze bread products short term! (Actually for quite a while depending upon your freezer) Do put those rolls in the freezer and add them to next week's meal plan. To help keep bread products from getting soggy as they thaw, open the bag, add a dry paper towel under them while still in the bag, and reseal the bag. If not in a bag, stuff them down an old plastic bread bag, in a baggie, or wrap in plastic wrap before freezing. Frost free freezers can dry things out.
Hack this!! I love making sure that I'm living my life as a frugal nista...or nistor...Let me know where or what yr doing to save more money this month....But I'm doing a no spend year for the rest of this year!! Whoohoo!! 😊😊😊
Also, grocery pickup for the win. I save so much time and money. I hate grocery shopping, so this has been such a blessing. It's even worth it despite the occasional mistakes
I do my shopping on line, check specials, only purchase what's necessary and check the total and adjust to suit my budget. I'm single with my 2 pets and easy food choices for myself. Have a budget page for every 14 days and jot down every dollar I spend. It helps me to budget and save.
The only good thing to come out of COVID, is grocery pickup. I didn't even start using it right away. Thought I could do my own grocery shopping no problem. But I started having health issues and after having back surgery and a heart attack grocery pickup became a game changer for me. Now I do Walmart pickup I've not done it at any other store so far. But I do Walmart pickup even now that my back is healed it still saves me a ton of money by not going inside and impulse buying. When I would normally go into a store to purchase a $100 worth of stuff and come out with $300 worth of stuff was pretty typical. Now I just make my order online and go and pick it up. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. It also is great for anyone who has difficulty walking such as I do. So yes all the way 100% yes to store pickup. And yes I watch the whole video hack this. Love your videos Kate.
Each of us is different🤗 eating the carnivore way of eating has totally simplified my shopping! My husband is still eating the SAD, so I am using up lots of my stocked food. No waste! Saving money. I have LISTS IN MY PHONE for individual STORES. A WALMART LIST, BJs, ALDI. I add to the list as things occur. You always hit the nail on the head. ❤️ have a great week!
Happy frugal Friday Kate & KSquad 👍 I like the this or that tip 👍 Random one from me... Organise like books on a bookshelf that way you can easily see what you have rather than items being hidden behind other items!
I had a great coupon for earn $25 when you spend $250 and then i also did the digital coupons and i had paper coupons and saved $65 using all of the coupons, earned $25 and earned $0.50 off per gallong of gas!
Happy, frugal Friday, Kate! I like your frugal tip on. Keep your meals about the same every week! It would make life easier for me! Enjoy your frugal weekend, Kate! BOOM!
Our home is myself and my husband, him more disabled then myself we both use powerchair but he is considered bedbound where as I am still ambulatory. I work part time away from home, my full-time job is being my husband's caregiver (unpaid caregiver) and we are considered low income but not poverty income (we just became low income, moving up in income level was a big step up for us and we're very proud of this accomplishment)
I like fruit weekly for my yogurt, but no way to spending too much on a little carton. But what I do do is I wash all the berries and pick out ones that are iffy and freeze them for smoothies.
Hack this! I have been using grocery delivery for over 3 yrs now and I love it. It saves me so much time and I don't end up overspending. For my family of 2 it works for us.😆
Frozen berries are cheaper to use in shakes or yoghurt. And I live in the country and their are some farms who sell them . I grow strawberries in my garden ( berries on the program next year ) And trying to compose a capsule pantry . Repeating the menu also helps to save time.
I do the exact same thing by adding stuff to my online cart. I do this anytime I realize I need something and then when I go to a store I have it listed and then delete it when I buy it.
I love watching your videos because I *know* most of the tips you give, but I can always use a little reminder because sometimes I get lazy. Thanks for such consistent, helpful content! I also love your content because you're REAL and relatable (I am a full-time school teacher who also teaches dance class/choreographs) ❤️❤️
Look at price per unit,too. For example, and under the median discusses this, Say pasta is on sale for $.79 per package. You see two packages of,say, vermicelli,one is 6ounces, the other one is 24 ounces. Get the 24 ounce one.why? More bang for the buck
Great advice, Kate! Writing a date on the top of items when they go in the fridge is so important. I just threw out a half a can of pineapple, because we had forgotten to date it. I just knew it had been in the fridge, "Quite a while." Not worth taking a chance on getting sick from it.
My frugal hacks Inventory what you already have Know spending triggers Say no Track spending Have a budget and stick to it Only carry a certain amount of cash on you . For example,say you budget $100 a week for groceries. That is all you have with you. It makes you be choosy. Look at cost per unit. A sale is just that,a sale. There are always sales. It's not a deal if You don't need it Won't use it Have nowhere to put it Had no intention of buying it
My family is grown and it's been hard for me to scale down to cooking for only one. Each weekend, I plan to make one recipe that I really love with multiple servings and portion them out and freeze some, save some in fridge. This works well for casseroles or soups. And I can easily take one portion to work for lunch. i have also been using the pickup feature. I love to cook and get inspired when in the store and may buy more than I can use.
Hack this! I decided to do a pickup order and I noticed that it’ forced me to look at what I have and what I need to fill in the gaps instead of creating a whole new meal plan from scratch. It helped me save $30 this week and stay in my weekly budget.
Some really great ideas. FYI I used Walmart pickup until it got so popular that I would sit in the parking lot for 30-45 minutes in 90 degree Florida weather. I now use Kroger delivery in addition to shopping at my local grocery store. They have great prices! I also use Sam's Club delivery. Going to a Sam's store (30-45 minutes drive time, going through the store, then through checkout not to mention getting in and out of the parking lot got to be very stressful). Costs a few extra $$ a month but worth it in stress reduction.
I like grocery pickup (free) and Walmart delivery (free over $35). I buy groceries wherever they have the best deals on meat or fruit specifically. There are several stores very close to me. If we need something or my husband wants something and I don't want to go to the store, I use Walmart delivery because it's very easy to buy $35 at Walmart. I can always order TP or something else to hit the $35 for free delivery.
While meandering the produce department last week, we got seasonal asparagus at an ok price although more expensive per pound than cabbage and carrots. As we strolled past broccoli i asked the other half "how about some broccoli" to which he responded "we have broccoli in the freezer". My come back as he was wandering off was we arent eating broccoli from the freezer 'cause at $.98/ lb fresh broccoli was cheaper than the freezer broccoli. At least 2 ladies snickered or smiled. We did put some fresh broccoli in the shopping cart. - In the past year or so, ive learned to take my time in the produce department to look at all the items and all the tags for golden nuggests. We are not particularly seeing mark down, red mesh bags, nor red banded bananas any more in any of our stores. But we are seeing lower prices on individual shipments, in season, on the ripe side, and the "last few" produce. For items sold by the each, i often weigh them and calculate the price per pound while considering number of meals and expected life time in the fridge.
Hack this! I went to Aldi to buy a few things before I started cooking for the week. I purchased all but 2 items and had to go next door to Publix. You might remember how expensive Publix is from when you lived down here! I looked at the flyer when I walked in and found two staple items BOGO! When I checked out, I put my phone number for Publix club savings. I wasn't sure if anything was available but I spent $12 and received $2 off on a $10 purchase! I usually watch your videos twice. Once on Friday morning and again over the weekend to digest all the information. 😃
I have a problem with my pasta sauce. I can never use Athey whole jar and it ends up in the back of the fridge. Your tip to freeze leftover sauce is a great solution!
When I would ask my husband what he wanted for dinner and he would always say, “I don’t care”. So I made a big batch of green split pea soup that we ate for 3 days. Guess who comes up with some ideas when I ask him what he wants…
😂
Thanks for being an influencer without peddling goods.
🙏❤️Thank you Dora☺️
My newest hack is a "mealtime" hack, not really a grocery hack. (although I think it has prompted me to eat less)I live alone and recently had found that I was getting in the habit of having my evening meal in my comfy chair in front of the tv..... eating mindlessly. I now keep my table set, with a really pretty placesetting to remind me to eat at the table! It is working so far.
Love it! Thanks Cathy!
I practice most of the 20 things you mentioned! I will add, LEAVING MY HUSBAND AT HOME, saves me $$! He adds so much stuff in the cart! lol! Costco is the worst! 😂
😂😂
I feel this! My husband says he wants us to eat healthy, but every time he goes to the grocery store he buys MULTIPLE boxes of sugary cereals. And usually ice cream.
I try not to send my hubby to the store for odds and ends because he can’t stick to the list.😂
Totally agree leave grocery list sabatagers at in car or at home.😂
I clean my fridge at least twice a week. Take everything off the shelf, wipe it down with a cleaning and put it back. This way I know ow exactly what I have. If I have grapes left over or something the kids have not eaten. I will wash them pull them off the vine and put them in a glass bowl at the front of the fridge. All the sudden they are eaten by my kids. In my house I have to make things look good to have the kids eat everything before I go back to the store.
21) FAST a few times a month (a day, a meal);
22) once a week, one week a month, reverse meal plan. Eat from the freezer, fridge, pantry only;
23) Eat more meatless meals (once a week);
24) eat REAL food (no junk);
25) learn to make your favorites takeaway meals (and make extra to freeze);
26) make your own treats. Oats are cheap. Bars, biscotti, cookies, granola, muffins, pancakes, waffles (double the recipe to freeze);
27) reuse glass jars for fresh fruit, veggies, soup and leftovers. This REALLY eliminates food waste! You see everything every time you are in the fridge and freezer (use ball or kerr jars only in freezer);
28) a written inventory is essential imo. For the fridge, freezer and pantr; 29) my kitchen closes at 7pm!
Great vid Kate.
A shout out to all who have been sticking to their frugal lifestyles. Kate you look great! Thanks for sharing these tips.
Right back atcha Heather 🙌
You are so welcome! and thank you!!!!
Isn’t she look 👀 gorgeous 💕👍
Great tips, Kate! Boomer here who still uses paper for grocery lists. I keep a notepad with a magnet on the back on my fridge door, and I've trained my family to write what they want/need me to buy on the pad (thus putting the responsibility on them!). I save used envelopes and once a week, I look at the fridge list, store flyers, etc., and make my list. The envelope is also handy for sticking paper coupons inside and, at the end of my shopping, the receipt for reviewing and snapping on "Fetch". Yes, I sometimes forget and leave the envelope at home, but overall, it works.
Thank you for the reminder to NOT be hungry WHEN you are making the meal plan.
I work at home all week. The grocery store is my major outing. Lol! ALDI is my weekly friend.
YASS! Lol! In the situation I can understand why the Aldi run feels AWESOME:) Thanks so much for sharing with us Robin!
I’ve been working from home for a few years now and my household is a family of three. Being home for all three meals feels like it has made food go so fast and Mama is having a hard time keeping up. How do you make your groceries last longer being as though you are home for all meals?
Hack this! another hack is to look at ethnic grocery stores for proteins- the large Mexican grocery store in our town has a butcher in house and there regular prices on ground beef, chicken, etc. are always around 15-20 percent cheaper. For a box of cereal, not so much, but for proteins, their prices are amazing!
I am single and my biggest issue is buying more produce than I can eat before it goes bad. I hate wasting money and it happens too often. I have started buying frozen veggies and berries instead of fresh and I love salads so I buy salad kits mostly because I know I will eat them before they go bad. I also will save my bananas in the fridge once they ripen and I only buy a few at a time (3 or 4) rather than a large bunch.
Hi Madison! I hear you🙏❤️ Thank you so much for sharing with us!
It's a really good point to buy the stuff you know you'll eat. We shouldn't be aspirational when we shop 😅
I stick to frozen veggies, too
There are great RUclips videos on keeping produce fresh. As a fellow single, this has saved me so much money and food too. I purchased mason jars but not a lot of other items to help keep food fresh.
Banana suggestion: its ok to break the bunches. Buy a range from dark green to full yellow beginning to spot. That way they don't all ripen at once
Yes i not a grocery pick up team, i need to choose my food , look at it just to get the bad avocado will ruin my day😅😅😅😅
I put on my calendar what i cooked that evening for a reference for meal planning.
I love this. Starting to do it today.
One tip I learned from frugal youtubers... is when your fresh veggies you had good intentions for haven't made it to your plate, chop them up in chunks and place in a freezer bag to make your own broth in the slow cooker. I throw som meat scraps in there too.
Thank you!!!!!
A woman after my own heart Kate - Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries !! I eat them every morning on my yogurt.
We have rotating 3 week menus as a guideline
My tip may be obvious but leftovers are in our meal rotation ! We expect a leftover night 1-2 nights in a 7 day week. It uses up what we have already cooked and also saves on food waste and also more time to prep another meal. Of course we change up the leftovers - like turning meatloaf into sandwiches or mixing in leftover broccoli with some pasta and Alfredo sauce as a new meal! It all works😊
Love it!!!
I do not use many products you get coupons for. Most are for premade food. I cook whole foods mostly plant based. Also found that most coupons use is not cheaper than store brand or other brand. I bulk buy rice, flour, sugar, and the like. Keep five-gallon buckets in closets and refill glass large containers. Not but a few extra dishes, to make from scratch, taste better and you get rid of all the gremlins they put in the product like mixes.
Thanks for sharing with us Lee!
I live alone and my plan with cooking is make a family size meals and freeze whatever I feel is more than I can enjoy as a couple of leftovers during that same week. I can tell you how many times I enjoy the frozen meals a couple weeks later without having to cook that night. Also is handy when too sick to cook but need a comfort cozy home cooked meal. Soups,seasoned browned taco meat, casseroles all freeze great.
many stores in my area offer $$ offer produce or milk about once a month. but you must be on the "coupon shopper" list to get them. so get a couple of things using the store coupons and then see how much they will send your way.
Meal planning! With low spend Jan/Feb we are credit card debt free this week👏 that extra savings from shopping our pantry and freezer first and not wasting food set us over the top to get it payed off. Biggest tip is meal plan. Look what you already have then look through the sales of the week and write out your meals. Also having a backup emergency dinner on hand for when life gets crazy is a must. It can be a frozen meal for the nights you are to tired, sick, or just don’t want to cook! Saves a ton not eating out.
If I have a half a can, I haven’t used of a sauce or something, I’ll freeze it up an ice cube trays, label it and put it in the freezer. That way I can just take out one cube is like an eighth of a cup.
My mom did that. She also would buy a big bunch of parsley or cilantro, zap it in the blender with a lot of cold water, strain it and put into ice cube trays and cover in water. Great in cooked foods.
As a single person, I don't meal plan beforehand because I base my meals on what's on sale and the freshest produce available. I notice that some of our stores here in Canada will have in-store specials or Manager's specials that are not advertised. I always take a quick inventory of what I have before a grocery run to help me plan my meals as I shop.
Love it!
I get apples, bananas and grapes as fruits they last longer than strawberries. And cheaper .
Yum!
I use a clipboard with a sheet of scrap paper for my grocery list. I use 3 columns - left is for produce, canned, and packaged food. Middle is for non food items & pet food. Right is for refrigerated and frozen foods. For those items having Ibotta rebates, i circle the rebate amount in red next to the item.
When stocking my pantry, i use a sharpie to write the expiration date and stock accordingly.
Great idea, im going to try that one thanks
I keep a 'sale' envelope in my purse, I add five dollars a week to it capped at $50. When I am shopping if I come across an item that is on sale or has a reduced sticker that is something I definitely use but is not in my current list, I will use the money in the envelope to buy it and pop it in the freezer cupboard when I get home. I am not exceeding my budget for the week and I have produce that will get used in another food plan week win win🥰
I do the same! So handy for half price coffee etc or whatever is important in your household 🎉
Great idea!
Regarding produce, I try to freeze the extra. I bought a bag of 6 bell peppers at Costco this week. I used 3 for sausage and pepper sandwiches. I washed and cut up the other 3 peppers and froze them. Next time we have those sandwiches I’ll just pull out those frozen, pre-cut peppers and I’ve saved food and time.
One of my elder clients usually does pick up & what a blessing!! No 02 tanks to drag in/out/around the store! That energy we can use for her enjoyable activities in the community. 😊
Love it!!
For fruit and some veggies ,if off season, frozen is sometimes cheaper. I always compare by unit price. I also have a clear, plastic bin, in the fridge, labeled "Use First". This really helps
My tip is that I always keep tortillas on hand to make quesadillas or wraps out of leftover protein and veggies. Also, I always buy the 4 count cans of crescent rolls. Those leftover tidbits that are too small for a meal can fill a crescent roll for lunch or an appetizer.
YASS! Thanks Mary!
I think the biggest tip for me would be... don't be afraid to try the generic store brand. Personally, for most things, i sunny see a difference at all between the specialty brand and the generic. You may end up saving cents per item, and they add up when you buy groceries bulk for the week
YAS🙌❤️🙏
Sometimes the store brands are even better than the name brands. Not always, but often.
Great hacks Kate. One I had to put into effect a long time ago was NOT over buying produce as a single. I was not eating things fast enough and the spoilage was a waste. Now I have cut back and use more frozen vegies. Thanks for all your inspiration! ❤😊❤
👋👋 Happy Frugal Friday! I make soups & more soups!
YUM! Love some soup!
Great grocery tips. I am single too and I try to follow most of these. I am trying to use up all my leftovers within the next two days so I don't waste any food. I also try to go shopping only once a week. I shop at multiple stores. I make a list and only buy what I need for the week... Another fun frugal hack: separating bananas and wrapping the ends in plastic helps them last for a long time!
This week I splurged on delivery because I am unable to get to stores on weekdays (disabled). Since a local store (BC. Canada) had a throwback day (1.49 or $1.11 USD deals) on Tuesday, I placed an order for pantry stock up. for less than $47 Cad ($34.88 USD) including delivery, I managed to save over $91 ($67.53 USD) worth of products. This sales event is the only time I pay for delivery ($4.95 or $3.67 USD), which would have cost me 55 cents more if I had to pay for bus fare.
I always buy blueberries because they’re a super food!!! Great for cereal, smoothies adding to yogurt with granola
Store yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese upside down in the fridge. They last forever, it seems, that way.
That’s a great tip! Will try it out 😊
Ooooh thank you Toni!
I use a sharpie for my cans in the pantry too. And we use tape and sharpie on left overs too.
I try to buy a large package of meat on sale & make multiple meals from it. 4 lbs of hamburger can make a lot of meatloaf, chop suey, tacos, shepherd's pie, lasagna, etc - all of which my kids enjoy!
Thank you, Kate. You're looking great. Noticeable weight loss. Good job on sticking to the 12 week in a year program. You help us all time with tips and motivation. I just wanted to give you a shout-out for your success on your goals and say Way to go and keep up the awesome job. 😊
Thank you so so much!!!! The 12 Week Year has really helped me stay focused! I Appreciate your kindness 🙏❤️
I think auditing my week would make a big difference for me. What a great idea, reflecting always makes things clearer.
YASSS!
Just subscribed after listening to word of the year. Great video. Cutting grocery budget. No procrastination.
Hack this! I have a homeschool family of five with kids who play sports. These kids eat like it’s their job! I already do lots of these things bc we are on one income but I need to check the flyer fronts and backs and put a list on the fridge where they can add things they want/need. Thanks for all of your tips!
Right before a holiday, grocery stores will have great sales. For example at Christmas, prime rib was $4.49lb!. I buy a few and my husband cuts them into steaks and we freeze them. For Easter ham is on sale. Thanks for all the tips Kate!
You're right. My daughter wanted me to buy ham and I told her it would be on sale at Easter and I bought 2 for her.
I use a 3 week rotating menu plan
Love it!
My tip is to check what the plans are with your family for the upcoming week, classic example of this, I didn’t check my husbands schedule this week, (he’s normally home Fridays) so I bought some delicious looking olive focaccia bread rolls to have as a Friday lunchtime treat with him, only to find out he’s not working from home today 🙄 . We can’t eat them over the weekend as we’re away 😅 and I’m not sure I can freeze them x
Absolutely!!!! Thanks Leanne! Happy Frugal Friday!!!❤️❤️❤️
You sure can freeze bread products short term! (Actually for quite a while depending upon your freezer) Do put those rolls in the freezer and add them to next week's meal plan. To help keep bread products from getting soggy as they thaw, open the bag, add a dry paper towel under them while still in the bag, and reseal the bag. If not in a bag, stuff them down an old plastic bread bag, in a baggie, or wrap in plastic wrap before freezing. Frost free freezers can dry things out.
@@terryhenderson424 fantastic, thank you
They will freeze just fine.
I like to look in my pantry before I make my list. It helps to know if I only need one or two ingredients for a full meal.
Hack this!! I love making sure that I'm living my life as a frugal nista...or nistor...Let me know where or what yr doing to save more money this month....But I'm doing a no spend year for the rest of this year!! Whoohoo!! 😊😊😊
Mealplanning every week while being inspired by flyers and food i have, always go with a grocerieslist.
YASSS!
Also, grocery pickup for the win. I save so much time and money. I hate grocery shopping, so this has been such a blessing. It's even worth it despite the occasional mistakes
I love using my food saver Kate....It really helps me to save my food from getting freezer burned...😊😊
Hack this! Always so many good ideas. Thank you!
Thank you Sharon!
Hack this.. Monthly meal plan based on season. I use my pantry, freezer & root cellar to keep everything in rotation. 😊
Love this!
I do my shopping on line, check specials, only purchase what's necessary and check the total and adjust to suit my budget. I'm single with my 2 pets and easy food choices for myself. Have a budget page for every 14 days and jot down every dollar I spend. It helps me to budget and save.
I have a food capsule! So simply delicious! I am happy to eat the same nutritious food over and over again!!!
Kate - you can put that leftover jar of pasta sauce straight in the freezer. No worries about expiring !
Hey Kate 👋. Last year, I spent £1040 or $1318 on food. My goal for this year is only to spend around £500 or $633. 😊
YASSSS!
Good luck, hope you do it.
@@sjchan3199 thanks 😊 🙏
The only good thing to come out of COVID, is grocery pickup.
I didn't even start using it right away. Thought I could do my own grocery shopping no problem. But I started having health issues and after having back surgery and a heart attack grocery pickup became a game changer for me. Now I do Walmart pickup I've not done it at any other store so far. But I do Walmart pickup even now that my back is healed it still saves me a ton of money by not going inside and impulse buying. When I would normally go into a store to purchase a $100 worth of stuff and come out with $300 worth of stuff was pretty typical. Now I just make my order online and go and pick it up. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. It also is great for anyone who has difficulty walking such as I do. So yes all the way 100% yes to store pickup. And yes I watch the whole video hack this. Love your videos Kate.
Each of us is different🤗 eating the carnivore way of eating has totally simplified my shopping! My husband is still eating the SAD, so I am using up lots of my stocked food. No waste! Saving money. I have LISTS IN MY PHONE for individual STORES. A WALMART LIST, BJs, ALDI. I add to the list as things occur. You always hit the nail on the head. ❤️ have a great week!
Thank you so much for sharing with us!!! Always so happy to see you! Happy Frugal Friday!
How do you do this? I just got this phone.
Happy frugal Friday Kate & KSquad 👍 I like the this or that tip 👍 Random one from me... Organise like books on a bookshelf that way you can easily see what you have rather than items being hidden behind other items!
LOVE IT SANDRA!
I had a great coupon for earn $25 when you spend $250 and then i also did the digital coupons and i had paper coupons and saved $65 using all of the coupons, earned $25 and earned $0.50 off per gallong of gas!
Happy, frugal Friday, Kate! I like your frugal tip on. Keep your meals about the same every week! It would make life easier for me! Enjoy your frugal weekend, Kate! BOOM!
BOOM! I thought of you when I said it! LOL!
@@KateKaden L O L! :-) I’m not a guy who gets beat red, But with your comment, I did! Lol! You’re so awesome, Kate! BOOM!
Kate and Kaden ❤❤❤😮😮😮😊😊😊 Awesome thanks for posting
Thanks Wanda!
Our home is myself and my husband, him more disabled then myself we both use powerchair but he is considered bedbound where as I am still ambulatory. I work part time away from home, my full-time job is being my husband's caregiver (unpaid caregiver) and we are considered low income but not poverty income (we just became low income, moving up in income level was a big step up for us and we're very proud of this accomplishment)
My fav person to listen in all of RUclips
This means so much! Thank you🙏❤️🙌❤️🙏🙏
Same here!
I like fruit weekly for my yogurt, but no way to spending too much on a little carton. But what I do do is I wash all the berries and pick out ones that are iffy and freeze them for smoothies.
Totally. I had lots of go-to meals for chicken thighs, ground beef, stews, soups...
Kate, I’m so happy for you about discovering grocery pick-up! As a single mom too, I KNOW how wonderful it feels to have help!
VICKI! It's a LIFE CHANGER!!!!!!! #singlemomstrategies!!!!
Good morning. Have a great day!
Good morning! You too Sandra!
Hack this! I have been using grocery delivery for over 3 yrs now and I love it. It saves me so much time and I don't end up overspending. For my family of 2 it works for us.😆
Frozen berries are cheaper to use in shakes or yoghurt. And I live in the country and their are some farms who sell them . I grow strawberries in my garden ( berries on the program next year ) And trying to compose a capsule pantry . Repeating the menu also helps to save time.
I do the exact same thing by adding stuff to my online cart. I do this anytime I realize I need something and then when I go to a store I have it listed and then delete it when I buy it.
I love watching your videos because I *know* most of the tips you give, but I can always use a little reminder because sometimes I get lazy. Thanks for such consistent, helpful content! I also love your content because you're REAL and relatable (I am a full-time school teacher who also teaches dance class/choreographs) ❤️❤️
Look at price per unit,too.
For example, and under the median discusses this,
Say pasta is on sale for $.79 per package.
You see two packages of,say, vermicelli,one is 6ounces, the other one is 24 ounces.
Get the 24 ounce one.why? More bang for the buck
Happy Friday! Thank you for your amazing attitude and encouragement ❤️
You are very welcome! Happy Frugal Friday!
Great advice, Kate! Writing a date on the top of items when they go in the fridge is so important. I just threw out a half a can of pineapple, because we had forgotten to date it. I just knew it had been in the fridge, "Quite a while." Not worth taking a chance on getting sick from it.
Right? You think..it MIGHT be okay..butttt.....LOL!!!!!!
My frugal hacks
Inventory what you already have
Know spending triggers
Say no
Track spending
Have a budget and stick to it
Only carry a certain amount of cash on you .
For example,say you budget $100 a week for groceries.
That is all you have with you.
It makes you be choosy.
Look at cost per unit.
A sale is just that,a sale.
There are always sales.
It's not a deal if
You don't need it
Won't use it
Have nowhere to put it
Had no intention of buying it
Great share, Kate. I also have my grocery list digital but I use Google sheets synced to our phones. Like you, we never forget our phones. 🤣
RIGHT? LOL!!!! :):)
My family is grown and it's been hard for me to scale down to cooking for only one. Each weekend, I plan to make one recipe that I really love with multiple servings and portion them out and freeze some, save some in fridge. This works well for casseroles or soups. And I can easily take one portion to work for lunch. i have also been using the pickup feature. I love to cook and get inspired when in the store and may buy more than I can use.
When I make stew , I have too much sauce. I freeze for soups or another stew. My sauce is usually made with homemade bone broth.
Good Friday Morning
Good morning Marsha❤️
Omg I love groceries videos Even more hacks to get various and cheap meals
I buy non-perishable/shelf stable food and non-good items at a Wholesale Liquidator at super low prices.
Hack this! I decided to do a pickup order and I noticed that it’ forced me to look at what I have and what I need to fill in the gaps instead of creating a whole new meal plan from scratch. It helped me save $30 this week and stay in my weekly budget.
We have a leftover area in the refrigerator
Some really great ideas. FYI I used Walmart pickup until it got so popular that I would sit in the parking lot for 30-45 minutes in 90 degree Florida weather. I now use Kroger delivery in addition to shopping at my local grocery store. They have great prices! I also use Sam's Club delivery. Going to a
Sam's store (30-45 minutes drive time, going through the store, then through checkout not to mention getting in and out of the parking lot got to be very stressful). Costs a few extra $$ a month but worth it in stress reduction.
I buy frozen. A single here and it saves a lot of waste. Very convenient and just as or more nutrious.😊😊😊😊
Love it!
I shop sales and meal plan from what I have.
Good morning and Happy Friday😊
Good morning KK!
I like grocery pickup (free) and Walmart delivery (free over $35). I buy groceries wherever they have the best deals on meat or fruit specifically. There are several stores very close to me. If we need something or my husband wants something and I don't want to go to the store, I use Walmart delivery because it's very easy to buy $35 at Walmart. I can always order TP or something else to hit the $35 for free delivery.
Hack this!
Never heard don't make a grocery list while hungry... 🤯 thanks for that.
On another note... your son is Kaden Kaden.... Very chic! 🤩
LOL:) Our last name is different:) When I started the channel, I put our names together. Totally looks like it's my last name:)
Loved your idea about having a left-over section in the fridge!!!!
YAS! So glad you liked it!
While meandering the produce department last week, we got seasonal asparagus at an ok price although more expensive per pound than cabbage and carrots. As we strolled past broccoli i asked the other half "how about some broccoli" to which he responded "we have broccoli in the freezer". My come back as he was wandering off was we arent eating broccoli from the freezer 'cause at $.98/ lb fresh broccoli was cheaper than the freezer broccoli. At least 2 ladies snickered or smiled. We did put some fresh broccoli in the shopping cart. - In the past year or so, ive learned to take my time in the produce department to look at all the items and all the tags for golden nuggests. We are not particularly seeing mark down, red mesh bags, nor red banded bananas any more in any of our stores. But we are seeing lower prices on individual shipments, in season, on the ripe side, and the "last few" produce. For items sold by the each, i often weigh them and calculate the price per pound while considering number of meals and expected life time in the fridge.
Thank you Terry🙏❤️
Hack this! 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤❤ loved this vid for sure 👏👏👏
Hack this! I went to Aldi to buy a few things before I started cooking for the week. I purchased all but 2 items and had to go next door to Publix. You might remember how expensive Publix is from when you lived down here! I looked at the flyer when I walked in and found two staple items BOGO! When I checked out, I put my phone number for Publix club savings. I wasn't sure if anything was available but I spent $12 and received $2 off on a $10 purchase! I usually watch your videos twice. Once on Friday morning and again over the weekend to digest all the information. 😃
Always so happy to see you! Thanks for sharing with us!
I went shopping later in the day and got a £26 lamb joint for £10.40. It will do 4 of us for a whole week!
Hi Kate I like the tip of using the online shopping cart for grocery shopping. It will be a lot easier than keep track with a calculator
Another great video Kate! Have a great weekend. Say hi to Kaden and kitties❤❤
Kitties and Kaden say hi back!!:) Thanks Toni!
I have a problem with my pasta sauce. I can never use Athey whole jar and it ends up in the back of the fridge. Your tip to freeze leftover sauce is a great solution!
1:40 so wise!! Kate, you are a very smart lady.
Thank you!:):):) Happy Frugal Friday!!!! Always so happy to see you!
I do mark freezer bags to mark when i bought meat with a maeker. Ifvyou have a freezer you can really take advantage of sales