Money Saving Tips
 

Foody started a thread about this WOE being so expensive (wondering what to say to people who make that remark). There were some good suggestions in that thread, but I thought it would be great to have a thread directed specifically at ways to save money.

Some of my favorites (many of them holdovers from my pre-Atkins days, when I was still pretty frugal):

Never pay full price for meat. Meat is the most expensive item in my cart, so I buy what's on sale and make that work. Rarely will I pay more than $2 per pound for meat.

Stay away from convenience foods. This especially goes for LC convenience foods as they are still SO expensive.

Buy fresh fruit and veggies that are in season. How do you know what's in season? They're often on sale. Notice that strawberries do not generally go on sale in February. :)

Here are some other tips:
Chicken quarters are very inexpensive, 29 cents a pound on sale. You can't get much cheaper than that.

Pork steaks are another inexpensive cut of meat, about $1 per pound on sale. And because they're fairly high in fat, they're good for us and tasty.

Go generic when possible.

Stock up when the price is extra good (only on stuff you WILL use, though). I don't know how much my chest freezer has saved me, but I know it's a lot. Plus, when you have a freezer full of food, it helps you get through the lean times.

When buying frozen veggies, buy plain. Notice how much they charge for any sauce they add.

Find your local Aldi, Save-A-Lot, etc., and USE IT.

I will add more as I think of them, but I'm sure you all have some great ideas too.

Excellent post!

I do much of this myself actually. Chicken and pork are the staples of my eating plan. I can eat them every single day. That and salad and green beans. :)

Yup, what you said! :lol:

New and various ways to cook eggs... still a fairly inexpensive way to get your protein.

Buy large, cheap cuts of meat, and cook them in the crock-pot. I cook a big beef roast with "basic" seasonings like salt, pepper and onion. This can be divided into small ziplock bags and frozen. Want fajitas, pull out the beef, add seasonings and peppers. Want stir-fry? Add sesame oil, garlic, ginger..whatever you'd use for seasoning and veggies.

Where I live the big grocer's put London Broil on sale for $1.99 a lb (Arizona)

Skinless, boneless chicken in huge plastic bags (I think you usually get about 4 lbs) and they are FROZEN GLAZED so they don't stick together and when on sale, they are about $2 a lb

Eggs: around Easter they get really cheap and I hard boil a dozen or so because they will keep longer then regular, uncooked, refrigerated eggs.

Grow your own! I do limited gardening in a 10' x 10' fenced area and its a good and cheap way to go organic! :)

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Buy from your local farmers market or fruit stand. It is often much cheeper. You can get culls or seconds for cooking down or chopping up. Often, if you get to now the farmer they will save you choice seconds. ( BTW I am eating locally grown strawberries right this moment! They are the culls so they aren't as pretty - but they were very cheap and the first of the season.)

Thank's Frecklfluf! Great idea.

When I buy meat and chicken, I buy the biggest sizes that are cheaper per pound even though there are just 2 of us. I bring it home and repackage it for the freezer. One thing that helps a lot is that I cook up the ground beef and freeze it already cooked. It doesn't take any more time or effort to cook up a big amount than it does a small amount. I brown it in my big soup pot. Then when I make a meal, all I have to do is add the rest of the ingredients and I have a really quick meal.

When I buy LC products I do it online and buy enough so the shipping is free. I generally have a supply that lasts for a long time but it is less expensive than paying shipping or even buying it in a local store (if I can find it).

I make my own candy. It is made with sweet butter, cocoa, sweetener, vanilla, and cream. The I add nuts. It is quick, easy, tastes great, has no sugar alcohols, and is less expensive than the SF candies. The only drawback is that it gets soft (like butter) when taken out of the refrigerator. I leave it in the refrigerator until I am ready for a piece.

I do a lot of cooking and baking. Anything that is a convenience food is more expensive.

I'd say that the initial investment in this plan is probably where you will spend the most...restocking your fridge, freezer, and pantry w/ items that are Atkins approved. And, I'll admit, knowing I had to buy meat instead of a box of pasta and a jar of sauce was scary because I know meat costs more. I have discovered that it really isn't THAT much more money, especially if you buy in bulk and make it ito individual portions. Buy a whole pork loin and have it sliced into chops and/or a few roasts. Buy on sale...and stock up. The best thing is, the expense is of set by the fact that we are not buying a $3.00 bag of chips 2-4 times a week and a couple of half gallons of ice cream! We are not buying breads, pastas, brownies, or even the items needed to bake cookies (sugar, flour, chocolate chips, etc)...so it balances out. Plus, you are worth spending a little more on healthy lifestyle, aren't you???? I know I'd think nothing of spending 7 bucks to get 2 half gallons of ice cream, but I'd hesitate and not get a couple of steaks and some fresh veggies. Not any more!

Unfortunetly here there is a very limited growing season so farmers markets are onlyin summer. Any winter types feature alot of homade breads and jams. I know in ft collins there are a couple fruit and egg stands I want to hit. When you have to drive an hour though it becomes less cost effective.

Canned fish such as mackerel and tuna are often available very cheaply, expecially when you buy in bulk. An excellent way of getting protein as well as vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids.