“Eat less meat — it can act as a condiment and take a smaller role. You can use a little bacon for flavor, make a bibimbap with little shreds of meat and tons of vegetables.” —Scarlett Koller

“I use beans as a filler when making meatloaf, tacos, etc. I’ll use 3/4 ground beef or turkey and 1/4 beans. It saves on meat and is a good source of fiber.” —Vickie Simpson

Learn to love eggs, kielbasa, hot dogs and canned meat.

We often forget that eggs are actually a natural superfood and processed meat can be much cheaper but not a bit less tasty or effective when making good various meals. There are countless ways to cook eggs and hot dogs, and sausage or kielbasa can be used not only for grilling outside – a lot of cuisines like German have numerous recipes with sausage, including main dishes, salads, soups and snacks. Besides, most grocery stores have sales on these products like every other week so you can easily stock up for making quick meals later if needed.

“Eggs. Learn to cook eggs…scrambled, omelets, fried, poached. They go well with veggies or fruit or just with a piece of toast. They taste great in sandwiches. A dozen of regular eggs is still less than $2. They have about 100 calories each and 6 grams of protein. If you’re trying to lose weight and short on cash, eggs + steamy veggies = a great, cheap meal.” —Katherine Grandstrand

“Breakfast for dinner! Eggs are cheap and you can bulk them up by adding anything from fresh veggies to cold cuts or left over roasted potatoes.” —Carol Cutter Gonzales

 

Use your slow cooker.

I still need to learn how to get more out of using my crock pot I must say. 🙂 I hear from everywhere that it’s like the best kitchen invention after the oven, it’s just I like more traditional-style old fashioned cooking, you know pots and pans. Here, since I’ve started this website I might wanna challenge myself to learn how to use my slow cooker to the fullest – sounds good to me.

“Cheaper meat cuts can still taste fan-freaking-tastic if cooked right. A crock pot does WONDERS for cubed steaks (chewy with gristle if not cooked long enough).” —Chassity Baker

“I throw leftover grilled pork tenderloin in the crockpot before work with BBQ sauce and have pulled pork the next night.” —CarrieAnne Clemens

“I learned how to break down whole chickens. Usually you can get whole chickens for less than a dollar a pound. It’s way cheaper than precut chicken breast (for example) and the giblets and neck are great for stock.” —kristenm32

“I buy chicken in family packs and package them individually with marinade to freeze & thaw as needed. Not only is the chicken more flavorful when you freeze it in marinade, I also save $3/LB.” —Maddy Clark

 

 

Portion and freeze any meat you won’t use now.

I think no comments needed here — if you don’t have a freezer you most certainly wanna put it on your ‘urgent’ purchase list even though it’s a big spending. Trust me, the money you’ll save will make this purchase worthy in less than a year. You’ll get back what you’ve spent on the freezer in savings on your groceries as easy as 1-2-3. It’s a 100% proven fact.

“I buy huge pieces of meat and cut them up in portions to use throughout the week, freezing what I won’t be able to use right away. For example, rather than 5 individual packages of beef, I buy the largest pack of ground beef, or the largest London broil. I get the same amount of meat as the individual packs, but for about half the cost.” —Erin Shusta Carter

“Invest in a vacuum sealer. They’re not too expensive but can save hundreds (or more!) in food costs over the year just by allowing you to not throw out everything. Buy meat in bulk and freeze it, buy cheese in bulk and freeze it…you get the idea. Every time I go to Costco to get produce or meat, I break it out and seal up what I won’t use within that week.” —Kaitlin Kelly

Make big portions and pack out the leftovers to freeze for later.

I’ve already told you about my dear friend and his turkey habits. I like freezing ham leftovers and meatballs hamburger mix. I also pre-mix my lean meat with caramelized onions for making a quick spaghetti&sauce dinners. I also store meat stuffing for Russian ‘bliny’… 🙂 All that and thousand more ways are available for more saving by making bigger portions to use later.

“Big batches of “multi-purpose” foods, such as pork shoulder cooked in the crock pot, can be the starting point for so many different meals. Chicken breasts, lentils and cheaper cuts of beef are also good candidates for this. If I make a 2 pound batch of any of these, I can freeze half for later use and eat the other half as my main ingredient for the week. This saves me from cooking a different protein each evening and potentially wasting leftovers. Serve over pasta or rice, make a quick pizza topped with pork, mix into a casserole or simply with tortilla, I never get bored for the week.” —Leslie Streff

“Make a big batch of soup or stew and freeze it in manageable serving sizes. Whenever you feel like it, steam some rice, heat up the soup or stew, and pour it over the rice. If you want to get crazy, add fresh kale to the soup and cook until the kale is soft and/or add a fried egg on top. It’s yummy, healthy, and cheap!” —Robert Trujillo

Opt for frozen fruits, vegetables and juice.

It’s so fast, so convenient and useful that having packs of frozen veggies has become a must for my cooking routine. Not that I don’t like canned veggies but frozen and steamed later taste more natural to me and they also look brighter more fresh and colorful. Buying frozen concentrated 100% natural juice has been a lifesaver for me during my pregnancy, I could still get so much needed vitamins without spending big. Besides, having frozen veggies makes adding a healthy hint to your menu in a blink of an eye too.

“If you’re a big smoothie person, buy the more expensive ingredients (like berries) frozen instead of fresh. Costs way less and they last longer.” — Eleanor Cameron

“I buy giant bags of frozen peas and carrots on sale, break open the bags and store them in Ziploc containers in the freezer to save room, and I rarely run out. Many vegetables that you could buy fresh (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, snap peas, etc) you can buy frozen, and if you thaw them properly, they taste just as fresh and are just as easy to cook with.” —Kaitlin Kelly

Buy lots of seasonal produce and can or freeze for later.

Very good for making baby food, opting for a healthier choice foods or just to feel the taste of delicious locally grown produce later during winter time.

“Visit your local farmers markets and buy veggies that are in season. We buy in bulk and can/freeze them for future use.” —juliet

“Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season — they will cost a lot less and be fresher and better for you!” —Alice Colbran

Buy spices, baking supplies, and other dry goods from the bulk section.

Just make a little time and look at the prices for big packages of say black ground pepper compared to a small ones! Of course at first it seems like a better deal to spend $1.99 instead of buying a big package for like $8, but with time it will save you money. This tip works, especially when you’re using a specific product often!

“Lots of stores are adding bulk buying sections and you can get pasta, grains, nuts, dried fruit, and baking goods. It really cuts down on the costs.” —Katyna Singleton

“BULK BINS. I cannot stress this enough. Spices are a fraction of the price in bulk. Same for nuts and flours.” —Jenna Ballinger

Go to Costco. Or Sam’s Club.

Sam’s Cub is my own personal savings paradise! 🙂 Favorite food items: spices, French’s Onion, coffee, eggs, sour cream, ketchup 3-packs, chocolate, canned chicken, canned veggies, salad dressing, pork loin, chicken breast, whole chicken, donut holes family pack, nuts, vegetable oil double pack batteries, Club crackers, yougurt. You. Can’t. Beat. Those. Deals.

“One word: Costco. They have everything in bulk. Buy non-perishable items (and some perishable items) there. Saves me so much money not having to go back to the store once a week for pasta or something.” —reesekatej

“The roasted chicken at Costco is a really good deal. I serve half of it the first night , use most of the remaining meat for a less meat intensive meal as stir fry or enchiladas the next night , then boil the bones and remaining meat for soup. Three meals for two for only $5, you can’t beat that. The chicken is a loss leader for them so you are basically getting it at wholesale.The chicken is delicious, too.” —whatdreamsmaycome

Don’t impulse-buy groceries!!!

Everybody says that as a #1 advice regardless of the source — impulse buying leads straightly to chaotic and useless wasting money. Even if you’re a shopoholic and it’s a great-looking ’10 for $10′ deal or your beloved BOGO — don’t impulse buy it if you don’t need it and you know that you can’t really afford it without feeling guilty and broke afterwards. Show some will power, take a deep breath, concentrate on your list and go past that wish to grab everything you see with a sale tag on it. 🙂

“The hardest part to saving money is buying in bulk and resisting the grocery store after work, but when you make a weekly visit opposed to more often, you can save a lot!” —Kayla McDonald

“Eat before going to the supermarket. If you are hungry you will buy way more than you should.” —Rebecca Betts

“If you’re the type who always grabs certain staples at the store and then gets home to find that you had enough to last a lifetime, write what you DON’T need as well as what you do need. This is especially handy if you have trouble sticking to a list.” —Marissa Garcia

Shop later in the evening, when stores will be trying to get rid of perishable foods.

I usually shop my local Super One store on Saturdays, the last day of a weekly ad validity, around 7pm and almost every week I get more groceries for a lesser price just because of the fact that the store wants to get rid of their leftovers. 🙂 Please pay attention, some mark down foods may have an expiration date warning and have to be used asap.

“I’ll wait until 9pm at the French baker to get 50% off on all their bread. I do it on Monday so that I’ll have a week’s supply of bread. Make sure to refrigerate to make it last a week.” —Loryne Rubio

Don’t pay extra for name only.

Please stop being obsessed with brands. Right now and at least for the time you have to live on a low income. I know that we all like some brands and there are indeed items that are worth spending more for. But usually in like 80% cases we’re just paying for the brand name and a bright logo on the package. Most modest brands of the groceries are not too different from the more known names and they cost significantly less. I really don’t wanna name any specific brands just to avoid unnecessary disputes, but opting for Hunts ketchup instead of a more famous one won’t kill you, that’s for sure. 🙂

“Buying spices can become expensive. Spices in resealable bags tend to be MUCH cheaper than those in glass/plastic containers. You’re paying for the packaging.” —Aldora Kwong

“Don’t be afraid of store brands! A lot of people think they taste different/worse, but the truth is many store brands are made in the same place with the same ingredients as national brands — all they do is change the packaging.” —Mariah Masell

Make your own jam, sauces, and seasonings.

When I was a kid my mom used to can like everything in the jars for winter. I still remember like row and rows of fruit juices, kompots, veggie salads, pickles, tomatoes, sauces, dozens of jam varieties, sour kraut, marinated mushrooms, etc. Too bad that the art of homemade canning reduced so much in our urban lifestyle — those were some good times with farmer’s  whole milk in the glass bottles and freshly made apple jam from the backyard apple trees… 🙂

“I make my own taco, ranch, and Italian seasonings. I never have to buy the packets — they’re always on hand in large shakers in my spice cabinet.” —CarrieAnne Clemens

“We stew and can our own tomatoes once a year and never need to buy sauce.” —Michał Pietrasiewicz

“Salad dressings can be expensive. All vinaigrettes are 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Combine the vinegar with whatever spices and herbs you like, then drizzle in the oil while whisking. You can make as little or as much as you want.” —Nikki Ourand Lambert

“I scavenge as much produce as I can from a local fruit map app. People mark on a satellite which stuff is ready when to help yourself to. Within 5 minutes from my house are apples, tomatoes, herbs, silverbeet and peaches.” —Sarah Kerby

“Some orchards will let you pick fruit yourself for cheaper than buying what they picked.” —sarahg86

If you can, grow your own vegetables.

I have a little garden in my backyard and I will sure include some pictures in a post when it’s lime to harvest. 🙂 For right now I’ve got 2 types of pumpkins, onions, tomatoes, strawberries, cantaloupe, peas, beans, cabbage, spinach, carrots, reddish, basil, parsley, dill weed and cilantro growing there.

“I started my own garden. I know most don’t have that opportunity but if you do, plant things you’ll actually use, like tomatoes and onions.” —maud8675309

“Garden. For less than the price of one bunch of every vegetable, you get a season’s worth of them. And you can freeze tomatoes so you don’t end up buying gnarly winter tomatoes or settling for the same canned ones every time.” —Jason Brent

 

Re-purpose as many food scraps as you can.

I will soon make several separate posts or even pages totally devoted to the holidays cooking and leftovers since this topic definitely needs more broad discussion. 🙂 We all know yummy Christmas or Thanksgiving meals – so much home cooking, such a homey rich table, those jeans unzipped cause otherwise they will just explode…  🙂 And tons and loads of leftovers at the end of the party dinner! Re-purposing is good not only for those blessed days but for the regular routine weekly meals, and it’s really worth it.

“Bread ends and crusts can be double-bagged and frozen; when you have a sufficient amount, make stuffing or bread crumbs. Those crumbs at the bottom of the tortilla or potato chip bag? Save them in a mason jar. They make tasty breading for fried food.” —Nikki Ourand Lambert

“I make my own vegetable stock with leftover trimmings that I save throughout the month. I keep a gallon-size ziploc bag in my freezer, and whenever I chop carrots, celery, onions, and the like, I throw the ends in the bag. When the bag is full, I empty it into a stockpot with some water and a little salt, and let it simmer for a few hours. Sometimes I’ll throw in some chicken bones, which add great flavor as well. After about 3-4 hours, I’ve got two quart-size containers of fresh, homemade stock that I can use in soup, gravy, and everyday cooking!” —Lara Ngai

Store delicate greens the right way so they’ll last longer.

Greens are healthy and compliment any meal, but unfortunately they do spoil fast. A good option is to try combining buying just enough delicate greens to keep them fresh and using some storage hints for making them stay fresh and taste better for a longer time.

“Wrap lettuce, herbs, greens in paper towel and stick in zip top bag. I got two months out of a batch of parsley without wilting this way.” —Jason Brent

“Put bunches of herbs in glasses of water in the fridge (think flowers in a vase). Use the bag they came in to LOOSELY sit ontop creating an umbrella. Keeps it fresh for 2 weeks instead of one!” —Jill Rickert

Designate meals for using up leftovers and things in your fridge.

And at the end here are some more general advice and opinions about paying some decent respect to the leftovers and saving money using those up. I rarely make a one-time meals, usually it’s enough to at least have a couple of servings and leftover for the next day. Again, it’s my own choice and it works great for me. Not only it saves money, but having leftovers helps me save a lot of time, I can play with my son instead or just relax. And that is very important for feeling happy and optimistic! 🙂

“I like to have one night out of the week where I try and use every left over thing at once.We had a pizza night a few weeks ago where we used whatever veggie, cheese and sauces in the fridge that were on their way out. I braised a small bit of left over meat last night and tossed in a 1/4 full jar of salsa and fresh herbs that were too soft. I also tossed the left over take out beet salad with fresh spinach. I just hate wasting food.” —Lauren Pavin

“I do a leftover meal. Once a week I go through leftovers, things that will go bad soon, or almost-done items and put them together. Sometimes it’s mac ‘n’ cheese with real cheese. Other times it’s an odd stir fry with Indian leftovers and eggplant.” —ellemobb

I hope those little tips were helpful and interesting, please do not hesitate to comment and add whatever you think might be also useful for savvy shopping and making good meals on a low income.