How are You Fighting Inflation?

[ThistleMae]

We bought a 7 cubic foot *garage ready* freezer at HD two weeks ago for $197 with vet discount. It uses 250 kw/year. DH made sure he leveled it well and we have no moisture issues so far. It is at -10. We are starting slow and DH is researching food saver machines. Everything so far is sealed in ziploc freezer bags. For instance, butter is going way up, so I bought LOL brand at 3.49 lb 6 lbs, bagged it and it's in the freezer. I saw it for 5.99 lb at another local store!

It will increase our electric which is going up 50% in a few weeks (yikes), however I can now freeze fresh, local bought veggies, meat and prepare casseroles and freeze portions. We bought a small toaster oven at the same time and I'm using it to bake muffins and cookies so far. Doing laundry every three days should save on electricity (mostly) from the dryer. I'm doing a deep fill load and the dryer does run longer but I think in the end it will save $$. I won't know how these changes will shake for a month, but am hoping at the least, our electric usage stays the same and we'll save big on food! We do have a generator in case of power outage...the thought of cleaning out a freezer yuck!

Keep the ideas coming disboard friends! What a great thread!

Wow, great ideas! We have a freezer but our issue is it is always full of stuff we are not using, and we don't know what's under the first layer. So we really have to start using the stuff before it's been there too long and start freezing things that stack neatly. Freezing the butter is a great idea! I freeze feta cheese, and only buy it on sale, it's in a nice square shape it stacks nice. I think flattening things out and repackaging will help utilize the space more efficiently. The other thing I think is a great idea but never got organized to do it, is to make a list of everything as you put things away, then cross things out as you use them. Keep the list updated. That's all I got for now!

 

[DCLMP]

We bought a 7 cubic foot *garage ready* freezer at HD two weeks ago for $197 with vet discount. It uses 250 kw/year. DH made sure he leveled it well and we have no moisture issues so far. It is at -10. We are starting slow and DH is researching food saver machines. Everything so far is sealed in ziploc freezer bags. For instance, butter is going way up, so I bought LOL brand at 3.49 lb 6 lbs, bagged it and it's in the freezer. I saw it for 5.99 lb at another local store!

It will increase our electric which is going up 50% in a few weeks (yikes), however I can now freeze fresh, local bought veggies, meat and prepare casseroles and freeze portions. We bought a small toaster oven at the same time and I'm using it to bake muffins and cookies so far. Doing laundry every three days should save on electricity (mostly) from the dryer. I'm doing a deep fill load and the dryer does run longer but I think in the end it will save $$. I won't know how these changes will shake for a month, but am hoping at the least, our electric usage stays the same and we'll save big on food! We do have a generator in case of power outage...the thought of cleaning out a freezer yuck!

Keep the ideas coming disboard friends! What a great thread!

Is your freezer inside or in the garage? Moving our freezer to the laundry saved us some money on our electric bill. We lost a whole freezer full of meat one year when the freezer died on us. It is pretty gross to clean out. A generator is smart.

 

[barkley]

Keep the ideas coming disboard friends!

congrats on the freezer!!! on food savers. if you get the food saver brand check out their actual website and sign up for emails. seems like every fall they have a sale on the rolls/bags at less than half off. with many meat products we take them out of the grocery store packaging and into an air seal bag b/c it lasts longer and takes up less space.

if you are very intent on maximizing your purchasing power when it comes to meat i can make a suggestion that has served us really well-look at cuts of meat that you like and then watch the ads for when other cuts that contain or can be transformed into your desired cuts go on sale. when they go on sale stock up and either you/your dh can cut/grind the meat into the desired cut OR you can ask the butcher department at the store (i've yet to ever encounter a major chain store or any of our locals owned that won't do this for you). as an example-when good ground beef is sky high (like right now) i watch for odd/off seasonal sale on roasts. i've saved over 50% and gotten better grade ground beef by grinding our own (if you have a kitchen aid mixer it's worth the investment in a meat grinder attachment), i use the same roasts to cut up into stew and soup meat. pork has gone way up but it's still one of the less expensive so we get those psycho huge tenderloins at costco and break them up into pork chops and small pork roasts (i've heard costco will do this for you at no additional cost). we've also ground it to make a variety of bulk uncased sausage at a fraction of the cost.

The other thing I think is a great idea but never got organized to do it, is to make a list of everything as you put things away, then cross things out as you use them. Keep the list updated

i just have a sheet of paper with a magnet holding it up, a pencil on a string attached to the freezer door. cross out items as i pull them/write them on as i add. i have one category on the list that's 'ready made'-that's leftovers that only have to be pulled to defrost and reheat (i opt for those to pull ahead of busy days out so that we don't fall into the 'i'm too tired to cook when we get home so grab a bite out').

 

[punkin]

Wow, great ideas! We have a freezer but our issue is it is always full of stuff we are not using, and we don't know what's under the first layer. So we really have to start using the stuff before it's been there too long and start freezing things that stack neatly. Freezing the butter is a great idea! I freeze feta cheese, and only buy it on sale, it's in a nice square shape it stacks nice. I think flattening things out and repackaging will help utilize the space more efficiently. The other thing I think is a great idea but never got organized to do it, is to make a list of everything as you put things away, then cross things out as you use them. Keep the list updated. That's all I got for now!

How exactly do you freeze feta? I got a huge costco size container of feta. I have a couple of blocks left they're getting close to expiration date. I'd love to freeze them. Do you freeze them individually or put the whole container with the liquid in?

 

[MICKIMINI]

Is your freezer inside or in the garage? Moving our freezer to the laundry saved us some money on our electric bill. We lost a whole freezer full of meat one year when the freezer died on us. It is pretty gross to clean out. A generator is smart.

We bought a garage ready and that is where it is. I have plenty of space in the kitchen but don't want it there. I can't imagine the ick of cleaning that out - so sorry you lost everything.

I cut our electric 21.4% last month vs last year and have been consistently doing better. If we just break even, it is the convenience that we want. Our side by side won't even hold a frozen pizza LOL!

 

[MICKIMINI]

congrats on the freezer!!! on food savers. if you get the food saver brand check out their actual website and sign up for emails. seems like every fall they have a sale on the rolls/bags at less than half off. with many meat products we take them out of the grocery store packaging and into an air seal bag b/c it lasts longer and takes up less space.

if you are very intent on maximizing your purchasing power when it comes to meat i can make a suggestion that has served us really well-look at cuts of meat that you like and then watch the ads for when other cuts that contain or can be transformed into your desired cuts go on sale. when they go on sale stock up and either you/your dh can cut/grind the meat into the desired cut OR you can ask the butcher department at the store (i've yet to ever encounter a major chain store or any of our locals owned that won't do this for you). as an example-when good ground beef is sky high (like right now) i watch for odd/off seasonal sale on roasts. i've saved over 50% and gotten better grade ground beef by grinding our own (if you have a kitchen aid mixer it's worth the investment in a meat grinder attachment), i use the same roasts to cut up into stew and soup meat. pork has gone way up but it's still one of the less expensive so we get those psycho huge tenderloins at costco and break them up into pork chops and small pork roasts (i've heard costco will do this for you at no additional cost). we've also ground it to make a variety of bulk uncased sausage at a fraction of the cost.







i just have a sheet of paper with a magnet holding it up, a pencil on a string attached to the freezer door. cross out items as i pull them/write them on as i add. i have one category on the list that's 'ready made'-that's leftovers that only have to be pulled to defrost and reheat (i opt for those to pull ahead of busy days out so that we don't fall into the 'i'm too tired to cook when we get home so grab a bite out').

THANKS! I just cut and paste your foodsaver info for DH LOL!!

 

[DCLMP]

We bought a garage ready and that is where it is. I have plenty of space in the kitchen but don't want it there. I can't imagine the ick of cleaning that out - so sorry you lost everything.

I cut our electric 21.4% last month vs last year and have been consistently doing better. If we just break even, it is the convenience that we want. Our side by side won't even hold a frozen pizza LOL!

We live in the desert so our garage gets really hot. Most of our neighbors do have extra fridge in the garage though.

 

[barkley]

How exactly do you freeze feta? I got a huge costco size container of feta. I have a couple of blocks left they're getting close to expiration date. I'd love to freeze them. Do you freeze them individually or put the whole container with the liquid in?

the feta in the liquid brine can be frozen but you have to pour off the liquid. i get the big containers of the feta crumbles at costco. i freeze them to just pull out when i need some. it defrosts pretty quickly after which i return it to the freezer (i do the same with their big containers of shredded Parmesan).

 

[punkin]

the feta in the liquid brine can be frozen but you have to pour off the liquid. i get the big containers of the feta crumbles at costco. i freeze them to just pull out when i need some. it defrosts pretty quickly after which i return it to the freezer (i do the same with their big containers of shredded Parmesan).

Thank you. I will try freezing and see how it goes.

 

[ThistleMae]

congrats on the freezer!!! on food savers. if you get the food saver brand check out their actual website and sign up for emails. seems like every fall they have a sale on the rolls/bags at less than half off. with many meat products we take them out of the grocery store packaging and into an air seal bag b/c it lasts longer and takes up less space.

if you are very intent on maximizing your purchasing power when it comes to meat i can make a suggestion that has served us really well-look at cuts of meat that you like and then watch the ads for when other cuts that contain or can be transformed into your desired cuts go on sale. when they go on sale stock up and either you/your dh can cut/grind the meat into the desired cut OR you can ask the butcher department at the store (i've yet to ever encounter a major chain store or any of our locals owned that won't do this for you). as an example-when good ground beef is sky high (like right now) i watch for odd/off seasonal sale on roasts. i've saved over 50% and gotten better grade ground beef by grinding our own (if you have a kitchen aid mixer it's worth the investment in a meat grinder attachment), i use the same roasts to cut up into stew and soup meat. pork has gone way up but it's still one of the less expensive so we get those psycho huge tenderloins at costco and break them up into pork chops and small pork roasts (i've heard costco will do this for you at no additional cost). we've also ground it to make a variety of bulk uncased sausage at a fraction of the cost.







i just have a sheet of paper with a magnet holding it up, a pencil on a string attached to the freezer door. cross out items as i pull them/write them on as i add. i have one category on the list that's 'ready made'-that's leftovers that only have to be pulled to defrost and reheat (i opt for those to pull ahead of busy days out so that we don't fall into the 'i'm too tired to cook when we get home so grab a bite out').

Great freezer ideas and cuts of meat!

 

[ThistleMae]

How exactly do you freeze feta? I got a huge costco size container of feta. I have a couple of blocks left they're getting close to expiration date. I'd love to freeze them. Do you freeze them individually or put the whole container with the liquid in?

I buy the blocks that are already packaged and just throw them in that way. I think you could just separate yours, wrap them really good, and freeze. I find that way I'm just using what I need for the week and can pull another package when needed. If you don't have a food saver, I'd wrap in plastic wrap real tight, then in tin foil. Not sure about it drying out as the feta blocks do have liquid, but the crumbles don't have liquid so you may be okay just wrapping and freezing. It thaws out nice.

 

[AmyAnne]

It's just me and DH (empty nesters). We are pretty frugal (just finished sending four kids through college a few years ago and are now funneling about half of our income into our retirement accounts). But a few things I am doing:

1. Turn AC off when we are leaving the house. Temps have been horrible this summer (I can't recall a day that the high wasn't 100+ in the past few months) but our house is very energy efficient and even with the AC off all day, it's not unbearable when we get home. If one of us is working from home, or it's the weekend, I still turn the AC off for a few hours during the day.

2. Eggs! A dozen eggs makes enough egg salad for a week of lunches for me. We also eat scrambled or omelets once or twice a week for dinner.

3. I hang almost all of our clothes to dry on garment racks. Even towels--clip them to a few hangers and they dry just fine. (I actually started this a few years ago in the winter, when I was about to buy a humidifier because of the dry air/static electricity but I was worried about mold--I decided to just let our towels air-dry in the living room (yes, it did look weird but it worked--towels dried and the air was less dry). Now I just use the dryer for socks and underwear (one load a week).

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

i've often joked with my husband that if i could do one insanely opulent upgrade to our home it would be a walk in freezer

I like your way of thinking!

 

[barkley]

went grocery shopping yesterday managed to snag a couple of decent buys-

one item used to (pre-pandemic) be sold in 5 pound packages, most recently in 4 (same or higher price). i was saddened to see the new packages are higher priced still but only contain 3 poundsluckily i got down on my hands and knees to scan the lowest shelf at the store and caught sight of 2 of the last 4 pounders pushed to the back. snagged them both!. store brand salad dressing on a lost leader at 99 cents a bottle-grabbed several of the type we don't care about brand name on (thousand island, peppercorn ranch), noticed over a $2 difference in the per pound price on chicken at one store vs. another (higher was actually supposedly 'on sale')-stocked up on the lower priced and will be air seal bagging them today for the freezer.

 

[808blessing]

My costco bill was $370
instead of the usual $300!! I almost always hit that on the nose whatever i buy even when not tracking. It's just like an instinct! I knew I shouldn't have brought my husband! Why does he need two sets of vitamins?!!

 

[castways]

Thought about a new truck but decided to save my money. 12-year old truck with 266,000 miles. I've spent $1,000 on repairs this year (about $145/month) but that sure beats a new $400-500/month car note.

 

[dreamin_disney]

I’ve been off for the summer so I’ve saved $$ on gas I only drive when I have to. I try doing several errands at once so I don’t have to go out much.

I only shop when I need to. Cut down on going out to eat. If we do then we use coupons, app deals or gift cards.

I buy certain items in bulk so less trips to the stores.

When I go back to work i will continue the same savings.

No vacations. Maybe next year.

Right now I’m so addicted to saving $$ in savings acct.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Costco has $100 Landry's gift cards for $80. Set aside for Disney trip as we always eat at Yak and Yeti.

 

[808blessing]

Yak and Yeti is my fave!

 

[DL1WDW2]

Yak&Yeti also applied my Landry’s birthday discount recently !


I just tried using canned chicken low salt in my jambalaya.
Dont think I can buy store cooked whole chickens anymore after cutting one in half recently. Not sure what that was but never again !