Grocery Savings ~ Packaging

    I am back with another grocery savings post!  This is where I pick apart the local grocery store ads to see if the offers are actually deals, or if I can save more money by finding alternatives.  I am seeing more and more that the offers are for junk food, convenience food, or food that I can simply do without.  Sometimes I look at the sales and think, "Who are they kidding?"  Other times, things look enticing at first glance but not so much when I break down the numbers or consider other options.  (You can see my other grocery savings posts here and here.)

    I am pulling from a past ad for today's critique, but it is a good example of what I am seeing, and the principles can be applied to similar offers.  This was from a sales flyer geared towards back-to-school lunches:

Buy a 24 pack of juice bottles (10 oz each) for $16.98, get a FREE multipack of chips (10- 1 oz bags, value of $4.98)

    I think a $5 savings looks pretty good- and others must have, too, because the apple juice bottles were sold out during that sale- but I also know that things in smaller packages and single serves are usually more expensive.  I wanted to see if this would still be the case with the coupon factored in, so I compared these individually packaged items to their bulk-packaged counterparts.

    Individual, single-serve packages-

    24 pack of apple juice (240 oz total): $16.98
    10 pack of chips (10 oz total): FREE
    Total: $16.98

    Bulk (regular size) packages-

    4 jugs (64 oz for $1.98 ea/256 oz total) of apple juice: $7.92  

    14oz bag of chips (crisps): $3.98
    Total: $11.90

    Savings: $5.08

    Buying the larger packages gets you more groceries for less money, even with a coupon!  Imagine the savings if the convenience packages were regular price, or if the larger packages were on sale.  That would easily allow for a one-time investment in a reusable canteen if you are looking at packing lunches.  If you already have one, that $5.08 could go towards more lunch box items, like a large canister of raisins ($4.28), a 16 oz block of cheese ($4.29), a large box of Ritz crackers ($4.68), or a pack of carrots ($1.68) and dip ($2.17) to go with them and the chips you bought!  

    Now let's consider the coupon in comparison with "real food" alternatives.  I would swap out the apple juice for bottles or jugs water (assuming you don't just use water from your tap at home) and whole, fresh apples.  Most of us know we should be drinking more water, and whole fruits are going to be healthier and more filling than juice because of the fiber.  As for the chips, those are made out of potatoes, so we are simply going to look at a bag of whole potatoes.  If we break down the cost:

    Real food alternatives- 

    2, gallon jugs of water ($1.34 each): $2.68
    3lb bag of apples: $3.46
    5lb bag of potatoes: $3.14
    Total: $9.28

    Not only is that still a savings over the bulk packages, that is a savings of $7.70 over the individually packaged groceries, and you get so much more food!  We are looking at 8 pounds (128oz) vs 10 ounces for LESS money!

    I am going to start adding in another option for my grocery savings posts that is from a preparedness/pantry stable perspective.  It is so important that we keep a supply of food on hand in case of emergencies, and I don't think that should be neglected in our grocery shopping!  So for preparedness purposes in our example, I would still buy the jugs of water, but I would substitute the fresh apples for jars of applesauce.  The bag of fresh potatoes can be swapped for instant, shelf-stable mashed potatoes.  Let's see how much we are able to buy if we are spending close to the original cost of $16.98 with the juice and chip coupon:

    Preparedness Items-

    2 gallon jugs of water ($1.34 ea): $2.68
    2 jars (46 oz each/$3.28) of applesauce: $6.56
    3 boxes (13.75 oz ea/$2.56) of instant mashed potatoes: $7.68
    Total = $16.92

    That is a decent amount of food for simply resisting the chips and juice!  Now I want to create a hypothetical grocery list, just for fun, that combines some of our options.  The totals will be similar, but I want you to look at the amount of food you would get for close to the same price.

    Our original option-

    24 pack of apple juice (240 oz): $16.98
    10 pack of chips (10 oz): FREE
    Total: $16.98

    Our frugal, pantry building option-

    3 gallon jugs of water (384 oz): $4.02
    3lb bag of apples: $3.46
    5lb bag of potatoes: $3.14
    1 jar of applesauce (46 oz): $3.28
    1 box (13.75 oz) of instant mashed potatoes: $2.56
    Total: $16.46

    Clearly we get way more groceries for less money, and the pantry has been added to with the second list!  Not to mention that our cheaper option offers more flexibility.  There are so many ways to prepare potatoes:

~Baked: whole, served with butter and cheese as a side or loaded for a main dish. Add seasoned ground beef with beans and top with cheese, sour cream, and green onions for a Mexican style potato and serve with a side salad.  Potatoes can also be cut into wedges, tossed in olive oil and seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and rosemary are good options), and baked for homemade "oven fries".  Potatoes can be prepared this way cut into thin rounds also, or baked into potatoes au gratin.

~Boiled: drain, mash/whip, and add milk, butter, salt, and pepper.  Garlic powder, chives, bacon bits, and cream cheese or sour cream can be added if you want your mashed potatoes to be fancy.  To use up leftover mashed potatoes, add an egg and shape into patties before coating in flour and frying. Boiled potatoes can also be left in chunks to be served with melted butter or cream sauce poured over them.

~Fried: cut potatoes into wedges and fry in a skillet for homemade French fries.  It requires some extra steps, but you can even make homemade potato chips!  I have used a tutorial identical to this one and they came out delicious.  Potatoes can also be shredded and fried as hash browns.  I like to add thinly sliced chunks of potatoes to the pan while I am frying bacon or ground sausage for breakfast.  After draining most of the grease, I pour scrambled eggs over the top to cook into a breakfast hash.  Sometimes I add shredded cheese.  Eat it alone or put it in a tortilla for a breakfast taco.

~Potatoes can also be added to soups and casseroles to add bulk.  Or they can be made into potato soup or potato salad!  There are so many possibilities.

    There are options for apples, too:

~Eat them fresh, either alone or with peanut or almond butter.  Lately, I have been topping mine with crushed up Heath candies from the freezer as a treat (I have to use them up somehow 😉).  I make them special for the boys by adding sprinkles instead of Heath pieces.

~Apples can be seasoned with cinnamon and baked, or sliced and sautéed for a dessert.  

~Shredded or chopped apples can be cooked and added to oatmeal or pancakes.  They can also be the feature ingredient in cakes, muffins, and pies.

~To make applesauce, core and slice apples and add them to a pot with just enough water to cover.  (Cores can be set aside for making apple cider vinegar or jelly.)  Simmer until soft.  Drain the liquid, but don't throw it away!  Pour it into a jar and drink it like apple juice, diluting with water or sweetening to taste if necessary.  Put the cooked apple slices into a blender to puree, pouring some of the cooking liquid back in to get the desired consistency if needed.  Sweeten and add cinnamon, or enjoy plain.

~

    Can you believe all of that came from a juice and potato chip coupon?  With inflation being sky-high, we have to think outside the box to save money.  We have to be smarter than the system in order to stretch our dollars, but it can still be done.  Be critical.  Don't assume coupons are going to save you money, and don't buy a certain product just because you always have.  I know so many people who are frustrated with the rising prices, but their response is to just not even look anymore because there is nothing they can do about it.  Boy, do I understand the frustration, but this is not the mindset that will get us ahead.  I admit that looking at the flyers and going to the store can be disheartening, but in me, at least, it stirs up just enough productive anger for me to want to fight it that much harder.  (I believe there are sinister forces at play, and that this is part of a bigger plan, but that is another topic.)  To quote Pride and Prejudice, as I often do:

"There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others.  My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me."

-Elizabeth Bennet

    Ladies, take courage.  We can win at this.  Pray for wisdom, consider carefully, save where you can, and prepare, prepare, prepare.  I hope this post can help you do that in some way.  Please share any grocery tips and encouragement you may have in the comments-  we can all learn!

At the Cottage ~ August 11, 2023

    A little cloud of sorrow hung over my week, as my beloved twelve-year-old cat, Button, died.  Colton got him for me a month after we married, so he was with us right from the start.  He is greatly missed.

    I am very glad to have Ginger following me around the way Button used to.  No, she isn't Button, but her antics amuse and delight me.  She is a good little companion, getting in the middle of everything I do.  I trimmed my mint this week and set some of the clippings in jars in hopes of propagating them.  We'll see how that goes- I think I need younger, more tender cuttings.  Here she is getting a refreshing drink of mint water.

    I also got my last remaining rose bush weeded.  Hopefully I can get that flourishing again.  Ginger thought to help, but she was on the other side of the fence in the garden.  I managed to capture the exact moment that she realized she could no longer fit through the fence like she used to.

    Our A/C went out this week.  It had been making some funny sounds, and finally it quit working.  Colton called my dad, who came over and helped troubleshoot.  He brought a bag of beef for us that he picked up on his way!  And he included some little treats for the boys.  Just pure kindness and generosity. 

    He and Colton were able to figure out the issue but needed a part, which the local A/C repair man didn't have, but he kindly let us borrow a part from his scrap pile to get us by until we could get what we needed (different size).  My dad made some phone calls and arranged for us to be able to get the part wholesale, saving us about $100, and who knows how much by doing it all ourselves.  When we return the borrowed part, I will send cookies as a "thank you".

    I've done a little clothes shopping this week.  I had intended to wait for the Tax Free Weekend, but as I was searching online to see what sales would coincide with it, I saw that one of the children's clothing stores (The Children's Place) was running a good sale, with an extra 25% off when you sign up for their emails.  As a bonus, they were having an early tax-free special for Texas shoppers.  I ended up getting the boys several shirts in their next size up for about $4.50 each.  Shipping was free and I didn't have to fight the crowds!  I also earned some coupons for $10 off my next $20 purchase, so I am very pleased with all of that.  We still plan to go to the brick-and-mortar stores tomorrow, as Colton needs some new clothes and will have to try them on.  I'm hoping it won't be a madhouse, but I expect it will.

    I ventured into town to get some grocery specials.  We usually do our grocery shopping in the next town over, which is thirty minutes away, because our town's grocery store is so expensive.  However, they do run some good sales, so I always check the flyer.  This week, I got a ten pound bag of potatoes for $3, bananas for $0.33/lb, and a pound of ground beef for $0.99 with a coupon.  I may or may not have bought two cartons of Blue Bell ice-cream that were half off.  See?  I do buy convenience foods and treats sometimes ;)  

    Fun fact: We visited the Blue Bell (a Texas company) factory in June with some friends!  I don't have too many pictures without us in them, but here are a few:

A display case in the Blue Bell Museum

Looking out the Museum window at an old ice-cream delivery truck replica

Display case in the ice-cream parlor above the factory

    Photos were not allowed in the actual factory part.  Top secret, you know.  But we did get to see them make the ice-cream and package it from the upstairs observation deck.  The flavor that day was Cookies 'n Cream.  A good time (and ice-cream) was had by all.

    Ice-cream is certainly not part of the gut-healing program I am on right now, so my recent purchases are waiting in the freezer.  Once I finish the program, I am allowed to maintain an 80/20 balance of healthy/not-so-healthy, and boy have I been dreaming of that 20%!  I'm almost there.  This is week 8 out of 13, and I have seen so much improvement.  I had a little setback over a food that didn't agree with me and that reminder of what I used to feel like is enough to keep me from falling off the wagon once the program is over.  I've had a taste of health and energy and I'm not giving that up!  Moderation, Kelsey.  Moderation. 

    I've been saving the supplement bottles from the program since the pills came in glass amber jars.  This week I took the labels off and washed them up.  A tip for getting sticky label residue off is to coat the surface in peanut butter or almond butter and let it sit for a bit before wiping it off.  The oil in the butter is what makes it work, so you might be able to get away with just olive or vegetable oil.

    I think I will store dried herbs in the bigger ones and maybe homemade vanilla in the smaller ones.  What would you store in them?  I'm looking for some ideas.

    I want to show you how big my grocery store lettuce grew in a week's time.  I can't believe it!

    Over the last couple weeks, I have been freezing bananas that get overripe before the boys can eat them.  I flash freeze them on a pan and then put them into a bag in the freezer for smoothies.  Really this goes for any fruit that is past its prime but still good.  The boys love smoothies in the summertime and I feel good about the ingredients and no waste, so it's a win/win/win.  To the blender I add:

    -2 frozen bananas 
    -A few handfuls of frozen fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, or peaches
    -A few generous spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt, for probiotics and creaminess
    -Milk, to cover

    I don't add any sweetener because the bananas are sweet enough.  I also add Amazing Grass green powder if I have it, which has two full servings of vegetables per scoop.  Hidden in the smoothie, the boys can't taste it.  

    I made extra one day and froze it into popsicle molds.  The boys thought this was the best treat ever!

    Hmmm...maybe I should do a cost breakdown and comparison for homemade smoothies for a Grocery Savings post...

    Upstairs in the loft, I started a few craft projects, but didn't get any finished enough for pictures.  I did get some tidying done up there, which will make completing those projects much easier and enjoyable.  I also got caught up on my ironing, finally.

    I did more deep cleaning in my bedroom, too.  I got rid of the clutter piles that had built up, dusted the rest of the furniture, washed the walls and baseboards, and laundered the bedspread.  One good thing about this heat is that my bedspread dried on the line in no time!

    Everything looks and smells so nice and fresh.  My bedroom feels like a restful retreat again.

    This cabinet holds our bedroom blankets and linens: 

    The frame on top holds a sign that my friend hand-lettered for me.  It says:

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave." 

- Martin Luther

    The wooden box was made by Colton's great-grandfather, and the vase belonged to his grandmother.  The vase holds dried baby's breath from a friend's wedding.  The hat, clock, and doily were thrifted.  The vast majority of décor in my home- if not all- has been acquired very inexpensively.

    There are still a few more things I'd like to do in my room, but it is mostly done.  I want to implement the Fly Lady system again, as it worked well for me when I did it before.  Colton starts back at his school nurse job on Tuesday, and John will be starting homeschool in September, so getting a good routine down is going to be crucial for keeping everything running smoothly.  

    I will be taking the week off from blogging as we adjust to our new schedules, but I will be back again on Friday!  I am also going to continue Thrifty Thursday and my Grocery Savings series on Mondays, but they will be on alternating weeks.  I have a few extra posts planned, so this will allow me to squeeze those in, as well.  I do love sharing in this space and appreciate you taking the time to read what I have written.

    I hope you have a wonderful week to come.  Happy homemaking, ladies!

Grocery Savings ~ Buying and Storing Produce for Homemade Salads

    We all know that food waste is detrimental to the grocery budget, but sometimes it can be difficult to use up produce before it goes bad.  Learning how to prepare it and store it properly can both extend its life and ensure that we are more likely to use it.

    Today we are looking at some common salad ingredients, starting with lettuce.  I usually opt for romaine, as opposed to something like iceberg, because of its higher nutrient content.  Buying it already cut comes with a hefty price tag, so I buy whole romaine hearts and prep them myself.  I've been using this method for years with great success. 

    First, I cut up the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.

    Then I put it in a wash pan filled with water and a splash of vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes to make sure any dirt, bugs, or any type of pesticide or other residue is washed off.

    I rinse it in a colander and run it through my salad spinner.  

    To get any extra moisture out, I empty the lettuce onto a towel and toss and scrunch it gently.  It is important to get the lettuce as dry as you can.

    Finally, I transfer it to a Mason jar and store it in the fridge (shown below is a half gallon jar).  This keeps the lettuce fresh and easy to use.  

    You can see that I put a paper towel in the bottom of my jar above.  This is to absorb any extra moisture.  I've also packed the lettuce in fairly tight.  The less air and moisture, the better.

    If I have a lot of lettuce, or I know I won't use it quickly, I use the jar attachment on my vacuum sealer to remove all the air before storing.  I've had prepped lettuce last weeks and weeks this way!

    Now for the cost comparison, based on prices at my local grocery store:

    A bag of 3, whole romaine hearts (18oz) = $2.74, or $0.15/ounce

    A bag of pre-cut, chopped romaine hearts (10oz) = $2.98, or $0.30/ounce.  That's twice the cost of the whole hearts!  

    Granted, you do remove some of the weight when you cut off the bases, but not much.  With that kind of price difference, you still come out ahead when you buy the lettuce in its whole form.  You also get the benefit of versatility.  Save some leaves whole for sandwiches, burgers, or wraps.  

    Did you know you can plant the bases and grow more lettuce from them?  I tried it years ago and it worked!  I tried it again when I cut up the lettuce for this post, and it worked again.  I just put the bottoms in a little dish of water and set it on my kitchen windowsill.  This is how much it grew after just 3 days!

    Now for another common salad ingredient: carrots.  I usually buy a big bag of whole carrots and they last a long time in the refrigerator without any special steps, but for convenience I sometimes take a few out and prepare them so that they are ready to eat or cook right away.  I wash and peel them, then trim off the ends and cut them to the desired size.  Then I transfer them to a leak-proof container, cover them with water, and store them in the fridge, changing out the water every few days.  This keeps the carrots good and crisp.  The same method works for celery and cucumbers.  

{Daisy Creek Farms on YouTube has a video that shows even more vegetables that can be stored this way, as well as how to use the water that they are kept in so that nothing goes to waste!  He has a video on storing fruit and another, more extensive one on storing vegetables.}

    For the cost comparison on carrots:

    2lb bag of whole carrots = $1.68, or $0.05/ounce

    2, 1lb bags of mini cut carrots = $1.96 ($0.98 each), or $0.06/ounce

    Savings: $0.28

    I will admit that that's not much of a savings and you do end up sacrificing some of the weight when you peel and trim the whole carrots.  However, that extra $0.28 in savings is enough to upgrade to a 2lb bag of organic, whole carrots at my grocery store.  Some of the other varieties of pre-cut, chopped, and shredded carrots were WAY more expensive, like 3.5 ounces of chopped carrots for $1.98.  That's $0.57/ounce vs. $0.05/ounce for the bag of whole carrots!

    As with the lettuce, buying the whole carrots also has the advantage of versatility.  The mini cut carrots would be much harder to shred or grate, for example.  As for the peels and trimmings, those can go into a bag in the freezer for making broth (another savings which we will explore in a future post).  For that, I definitely prefer the organic.

    Now we look at pre-bagged salads.  The cheapest one I could find with romaine lettuce also contained shredded carrots and red cabbage slivers.  It was a 10oz bag for $3.28, or $0.33/ounce.  Since we already know our lettuce and carrot prices, let's look at the price of cabbage:

    An 8oz bag of pre-shredded cabbage (red and green mixed) = $1.68, or $0.21/ounce.  

    In comparison:

    A whole green cabbage (appx 2.75lbs) = $1.87, or $0.04/ounce.

    A whole red cabbage (appx 2.95lbs) = $2.89, or $0.07/ounce.

    The whole green and red cabbages are about 1/5th and 1/3rd of the cost of the bags of shredded cabbage, respectively.  That is a HUGE difference!  It would take over 5 bags of shredded cabbage ($8.40) to equal one head of green cabbage ($1.87).  That is a savings of $6.53, which is enough to buy a small jar of mayonnaise and a 2lb bag of carrots to put towards a batch of coleslaw.  Or a pound of ground beef and a pound of rice to put towards stuffed cabbage rolls.

    If we made our own salad with the whole ingredients that we prepped ourselves:

    8oz romaine lettuce: $1.20

    1oz carrots: $0.05

    1oz red cabbage: $0.07

    Total: $1.32 

    Compared to the (10oz) pre-mixed bag of romaine, cabbage, and carrots for $3.28, that is a savings of $1.96.  That would buy extra toppings like tomatoes, celery, or an avocado.  It would also buy a dozen eggs, which you could hard-boil and add to the salad for extra protein.  

    Because the prices and sizes of the packages vary so widely, I put together two hypothetical grocery lists- based on the ingredients we've covered- in which the total costs come out about the same.  This is so you can see how much food you get for almost the same amount of money.

    Convenience:

    2, 10oz bags of salad mix: $6.56

    2, 8oz bags of shredded cabbage: $3.36

   

    Total: $9.92 for 2.25lbs of food

    Prep it Yourself:

    3 heads romaine (18oz): $2.74

    2lb bag organic carrots: $1.96

    1 head green cabbage (2.75lbs): $1.87

    1 head red cabbage (2.95lbs): $2.89

    Total: $9.46 for 8.8lbs of food

    That is a lot of food!!! You could make lots of salads, wraps, coleslaw, and cabbage rolls with all of that.   

    Ideas for salad toppings to buy with your savings:

• Tomatoes
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Cheeses
• Onions
• Peppers (fresh or pickled)
• Olives
• Avocados
• Fresh broccoli
• Black or pinto beans
• Corn
• Eggs, to hard-boil
• Bacon
• Chicken, grilled or fried
• Canned tuna or salmon
• Ground beef, seasoned like chili meat
• Fajitas 
• Oil and vinegar
• Dressings (or make your own!)
• Croutons (or make your own!)

    All sorts of combinations can be made from these ingredients: cobb salad, Caesar salad, taco salad, grilled chicken salad, etc.  Or make tuna salad, chicken salad, or egg salad and serve over a bed of lettuce instead of on bread for a low carb, gluten-free option.  

    You can get creative with dressings, too.  I usually just use olive oil and sea salt to top my salads, but below I made my own dressing using Greek yogurt, thinned with a little milk and seasoned with garlic, salt, and lemon juice.  It paired nicely with the canned salmon I put on top of the lettuce.  I've also made my own ranch dressing, which can double as a dip for fresh veggies.

    One of the restaurants we used to go to had a cilantro lime dressing, which I want to try to replicate.  It was served on a salad made of lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, corn, shredded cheddar, chili-seasoned ground beef, and avocado.  A side of sour cream and salsa made it a delicious meal.  I've made honey mustard to go on a salad topped with leftover chicken.  Whatever your favorite is- I bet you can find a copycat recipe and replicate it for less.   

     As a side or turned into a main dish, salads can be a frugal option when you take a few extra steps to prepare them yourself.  What is your favorite salad/dressing/topping?  Have you ever tried a copycat recipe that you liked?

Grocery Savings ~ "Real Food" Alternatives

    Every Wednesday, I look through the grocery store ads to see what the sales are.  Stocking up on things we use when they go on sale is one of the main ways I've built up my pantry and fed my family frugally for many years.  I've noticed, however, that the sales are just not what they used to be, and finding a true deal is a rarity.  Now, as I flip through the "sales" flyers, I pass most things up as either unnecessary or still unreasonably expensive.  Usually it is packaged, prepared, or processed food, and the packages are getting smaller while the costs continue to climb.  I find myself thinking, "I bet I can make that cheaper (and potentially healthier)" or, "We could eat something else instead and save more money."  That is the inspiration for this series.

    Many of these ideas might not be revolutionary, but sometimes we get so used to buying a particular item or eating a certain food, that it never occurs to us to consider a substitution or a different method of preparation.  My goal is to get us thinking outside the box, sometimes quite literally.  We have to get creative if we are going to get the most out of our dollars.

    Of course, every family's needs and preferences are going to be different.  Prices will vary from store to store depending on where you are, just as budgets will vary from family to family.  I am basing these posts off of my own family's needs and likes, so glean what you can and tailor it to fit your own.  By no means am I telling you what to buy or what not to buy, nor will I say that convenience foods and treats don't have their place and purpose!  These posts are merely to trigger ideas and offer suggestions.  I am learning and adapting to the climbing costs like everyone else, so please don't hesitate to offer input in the comments.  Sometimes we may think we've thought of everything, only to learn of a new tip we never considered!

    For our first post in this series, I am looking at "real food" alternatives to some of the convenience, packaged items offered in the recent sales ads.  These are substitutions, not copies, but the savings and benefits of these swaps are substantial and worth considering, in my opinion.

    Most of the offers lately have been geared towards back-to-school lunches, breakfasts, and snacks.  One of them was:

Buy one box (2lb) of Mott's Fruit Snacks for $7.98 and get a FREE box (18oz) of Cheerios ($4.78 value).

    At first, I clipped the digital coupon.  A "savings" of $4.78 is pretty good, I thought.  James loves fruit snacks and John loves cereal, so these would be easy treats that they don't get very often.  But as I thought more about it and made my list, I realized that the true savings would be to not buy sugary food that doesn't satisfy my children's tummies.  Both of these foods just leave them wanting more because they are not filling or nutritious- they are addictive.  I thought about what I could buy instead that would be cheaper and more nourishing.

    I decided that fruit snacks could very simply be replaced with real fruit.  Cheerios, which are oat cereal, could be easily replaced with oats for oatmeal.  If we swapped size for size:

• 2 lbs of bananas ($1.16) + an 18oz box of oats ($2.48) = $3.64.  That is a savings of $4.34 over the fruit snacks and cereal!  That would buy a pound of breakfast sausage with money to spare.  Or an extra box of oats for the pantry plus 2 more pounds of bananas for the freezer.

or

• 2lbs of apples ($1.98) + an 18oz box of oats ($2.48) =  $4.46.  That is a savings of $3.52.  That will buy a gallon of milk where I live.

or

• 2lbs of grapes ($2.76) + an 18oz box of oats ($2.48) = $5.24.  That is still a savings of $2.74.  That would buy a dozen eggs.

    Some additional things to consider about this substitution: 

    ~ An 18oz box of oats is going to stretch much further than an 18oz box of cereal, as oats expand in size when they cook and are way more filling. 

    ~ Unless you eat it dry as a snack, cereal would require the additional purchase of milk, increasing the cost of the meal.  Oats can be cooked in water and flavored frugally.  I have written a post on oatmeal toppings here.  Oats are also versatile and can be used in many recipes.

    ~ You can purchase fruit based on what is in season or the cheapest.  Mix different types together in a bowl for fruit salad.  The above savings might even make organic options possible, if that is important to you.  

    ~ The ingredients lists on fruit snacks and cereal are long, and they contain a lot of added sugar and other questionable components.  While fruit contains natural sugar, none of it is added and there's only one ingredient!  Oats are also only one ingredient, and you get to control the sugar content based on what/how much you add to it.  You'll know exactly what's in it, and it will be much healthier.

    Another offer in the sales ad was:

Buy 2 bags (15oz each) of corn chips for $5.96, get a FREE 9oz can of bean dip ($2.48 value).

    I thought about what might be a real food alternative, and I came up with cornbread and beans.  No, it's not the same thing, but it's cheaper, healthier, and more filling.

    If I cooked the beans myself and baked the cornbread from scratch using my recipe:

• 1lb of dry pinto beans ($1.15) + *cornmeal, flour, baking powder, eggs, and milk for a pan of cornbread ($0.94) = $2.09.  

    That is a savings of $3.87, with tons of beans left over for other meals or snacks!  The money saved would be enough to buy a package of shredded cheese and an onion to top the beans with.

    If I went the convenient route:

• 1, 27oz can of pinto beans ($1.58) + 2 boxes of cornbread mix ($1.20) + *enough eggs and milk for mixes ($0.46) = $3.24.  

    That still saves $2.72.  That would be enough to buy a head of romaine lettuce to put towards a side salad, with change left over.

(*based on cost per cup/egg/teaspoon in the brands that I would normally buy, usually generic)

    Looking over these swaps, here is a sample of the cost comparison:

If we bought the convenience foods on sale-

    Fruit snacks: $7.98

    Cereal: Free 

    Corn Chips: $5.96

    Bean Dip: Free

    Total: $13.94

If we paid full price for the real food options-

    1 lb of bananas: $0.58

    1lb of apples: $0.99

    1 box of oats: $2.48

    1lb pinto beans: $1.15

    Cornbread ingredients: $0.94

    Total: $6.14

    Savings: $7.80!!!

    You can see that the real food versions are much cheaper than the convenience foods.  You get more food for less than half of the price, and that is even with coupons for the packaged foods!  Imagine the cost if they were regular price.  People buy these kinds of foods regularly.  I know they are buying the fruit snacks because the website now says they are out of stock. 

    These are just two examples that added up to almost $8 in savings.  Think of the rest of the grocery trip and how much would be saved if each coupon was scrutinized in this way.  That money could be put into savings, transferred to other parts of the budget, or used to buy more groceries and build up your pantry.  Not to mention, your health would be better off!

    As a side note, if you have children and you purchase a treat because it's on sale, they aren't going to understand why you won't buy it again when it's full price.  Ask me how I know!  That is the whole point of coupons- it's a marketing tactic.  Companies want to lure you in with a "good" price so that you will try their product and be hooked enough to pay full price for it later on.  Definitely something to consider!

    These are just a few ideas and observations I had after looking at coupons last week.  I have more ideas in mind for future posts, but I would appreciate your feedback in the comments.  Is this something you would be interested in reading?  Please let me know if you want me to continue this series!