"Hey, that's my husband's job--to bring home the bacon!" We've all heard that catchy little phrase, haven't we? Since we've been talking about the Proverbs 31 woman over the last couple posts, I'd like to zero in on the phrase.....found in verse 14, "She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar."
Don't you find that interesting? She also searched out land to grow crops and rose while it was still dark to prepare food for her household. In other words she was very much involved in making sure her family had sustenance. I think the text is clearly indicating this is one of our important tasks as managers of our households.
With the economy woes we are surrounded with, I've been doing some research and thinking on this issue for our own household--where can I improve in spending our resources wisely to make sure our pantries are well stocked and even have an overflow to share with others in need? I thought it would be fun to share some of the strategies I have been able to put in place--some may be obvious, others may not. I would love to hear from you readers as well as to ways you are "bringing home the bacon" so to say:)
One blessing this summer was our garden~the girls and I were able to put away many quarts of vegetables and they were all organic! We also watch the paper for extra produce being given away or sold very cheaply by other families who have an overabundance. Last year, we found concord grapes for 25 cents a pound and put up several quarts of grape juice for the winter.
I have found several sites such as http://www.couponmom.com, http://www.moneysavingmom.com/, and many others that share money saving strategies for saving at various stores.
Cooking from scratch has been a real money saver for us as well as providing food that is nutritious. Did you know most girls graduate from college not knowing how to cook? Not only does that make for costly eating out and buying prepared foods, but it makes it more difficult to eat healthy food.
Another strategy we employ is shopping at no frills bulk stores--we have an Amish community about 2 1/2 hours away that we stop at a couple times a year to stock up on spices and basics.
Speaking of spices, how about growing your own herbs? They are pretty easy to grow and cost much less than buying spices in the store--plus you know they are fresh and organic:) We like to grow mint and make our own tea in the winter months--it is wonderful with cream and sugar in it!
Do you have a hunter in the family? Getting a deer in the fall can provide a freezer full of meat for the winter. Deer meat is healthier for you and has much less fat.
Do you love being out doors and learning about God's creation? Grab yourself a guide on things you can use for food in the woods--you can make some tasty teas from things you thought were only weeds! I was amazed at the various food sources that God has given us that we mow down on a regular basis! We found rare mushrooms on our property this Spring that were delicious!!(Make sure you know what you are eating as there are many poisonous varieties out there).
How about a couple meatless nights during the week? Monday night is soup night at our house. Another night we might just have beans or vegetables such as a spinach salad for our main dish. As much as possible, NEVER throw food away. Reuse leftovers--this is key to cutting your grocery budget. Have leftover fruit or vegetables that need to be used up, but not enough for a meal........put it in a container in your freezer and save to make soup(vegetables) or smoothies(fruit).
These are a few strategies for making the most of your food budget and I'm sure I only touched the surface. I am always learning how to be a better manager of our resources~~how are you doing at "bringing your food from afar?"
5 comments:
Soemtimes, we have found that we need to be creative and think outside of the box in order to stretch the grocery budget.
We buy organic eggs from a family friend. Look around many farmers in your area sell their surplus eggs for far less than the supermarket.
We make a montly trip to the bakery thrift store in our area and purchase enough organic multigrain bread to last for an entire month. This turns out to be a considerable savings to us since we only pay 1/3 the price of what the supermarkets charge.
My in-laws provide us with fresh strawberries, raspberries and pears from their property. Sometimes, my father-in-law is able to pick wild blackberries for us as well. We are able to pick blueberries at a reasonable price per pound at a local farm. This past weekend the boys and I picked 2 bushel of organic apples from a local orchard for a mere $.58 a pound. We also have a joint vegetable garden with my in-laws. We preserve and freeze as much as we can each year. This year we are hoping to have vension for the freezer as well. A man that works with my husband has offered us two deer if he has the extra. Needless, to say this year we have been blessed far beyond our expectations. Our three pantries and all of our freezer space will be to capacity.
This past year we join a natural food co-op. This has allowed us to eat organically at a great discount. If you look around there may be natural food co-ops in your area. If you search online you might find a natural food distributor in your area. We order from one online one week and by the next we are able to make the short drive to the small warehouse to pick up our order.
We also occasionally make the 1-1/2 drive down to the same Amish communtiy where you go. My in-laws are planning to stop there this weekend on their way down to Hobart, IN to pick up a few things for us as well as for themselves. (Our niece for Missouri is planning in a soccer tournament in Hebron, IN this weekend.)
For those who are struggling to make ends meet, check out angelfoodministries.com. This is a Christian organization that provides a box groceries (enough to feed a family of four for a week) for a minimal fee. I believe that the fee is between $30 to $35 per box of groceries. We have ordered from them in the past and the food is good quality.
Unforunately, due to the dishonesty of a few, we can no longer utilize downloaded and printed coupons from our computer. Our local markets no longer accept these because some individuals were photoshopping the coupons which makes them void. Basically, they were stealing from the markets.
I strongly feel as a stay-at-home mom that I need to be a good steward of the "Bacon" that my husband works so hard to provide. We also strongly believe that all we have belongs to the Lord and this makes it imperative that we are good stewards.
A side note for you, we are trying to plan a get together with Jim and Susan Kopka. We have lived about 15 miles apart from each other for the past eight years.
Another way to save is to only buy items that are on sale at your local supermarket and to buy those items in large quantities. At the time of purchase, it may not seem like a savings but over time, you will save because you will not be forced to buy that item at non-sale price. This is an excellent way to save on cleaning products and paper goods.
Hi Sherry,
Thanks for all the great tips--we'd love to see Susan & Jim!! Tell them hello for us!!
Rhonda
I have a wealth of money saving tips not just in the kitchen but in other areas as well. Many years of moving from one Milary Installation to another has taught us to be extremely frugal.
Many of us serve roasted chicken for Sunday dinner. Instead of throwing out that chicken carcass, put it in a freezer bag and freezer. When you are ready to make soup, take it out throw into the soup pot with the needed ingredients and make your broth for your soup.
Replace your incandescent light bulbs with the compact flourescent bulbs. If you do a few at a time, the intial investment is minimal but the savings on the energy bill over time really adds up.
Recylce everything that you can. This can cut down the cost of garbage disposal by more than $100 a year. That may not seem like a lot but it could be $100 better spent than on the remove of garbage. Composting is also a good way to reduce garbage output and great for gardening.
Shop at second hand clothing stores. You can often find clothing that still has the original tags for $5.00 or less per item. Some stores even give extra discounts to military families (both activity duty and retirees with a valid military ID) and the like just ask the cashier before you check out what discounts are available.
Within your church, homeschooling group or family set up a clothing swap during the spring and fall for swapping children's clothing. We often give clothing to other families that our children have out grown. This allows us to be a blessing to someone else as well as helps them out financially.
You do not have to purchase expensive cleaning products. you can often make your own for pennies from items readily available right in your own pantry. Instead of using furniture polish on a weekly basis, you can purchase an inexpensive electro-static dusting cloth that is washable and reusuable at your local discount store. This effectively removes the dust and you do not have to use a toxic chemical in your home. We only polish our furniture with polish once every couple of months and this allows us to only purchase polish once a year.
Great post!!! I love trying to see how far I can stretch a dollar. Steven just laughs when I come in with a load of groceries and before I even put them away I must tell him what I saved. Love all of your friends posts too...thanks for the ideas.
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