Ask Lemmy

Stealing/grifting from the conservatives who caused it.

eating out is likely the biggest culprit, estimated to be 70-100$/day. and i know some people who eat like this and is doing it OUT of thier means. also look at what you are buying, you are buying more expensive brands,organic foods? try conventional and in-store brands. Also asian markets have alot of variety and cheaper compared to english ones, plus kitchen essentials like chopping board, utensils,,,,etc.

Going into debt.

No joke, I've been on GLP-1 medication for two years, so I don't need to buy many groceries at all 🤷🏼‍♀️ Even paying for the medication out-of-pocket ($100/month) costs less than groceries.

Cooking more with canned ingredients.

I have planted my vegetable garden. But that's mostly for fun instead of for survival.

I have been doing some permaculture, foraging and native foods for fun. I think we should all know how to feed ourselves outside of big corporations. I have done lots of medicinal herbs over the last few years. I have been using them with my family and friends and it's been delicious and fun. I keep finding new things I can use with things around my house.

My goal this year is going to be around drying foods. I had a fascinating learning / conversation with a native farmer from NATIFS about drying foods. Apparently you can basically dry everything with almost no supplies using sun and wind. So I want to practice with any excess fresh foods I have. I want to try to make my own dried soup mixes for the winter

I'm paying higher grocery bills. About 500-600 a month.

the majority of my costs are fresh protein and fresh produce. it's expensive but it's worth it.

This book is useful (and free, but you have to register for a newsletter): https://leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap-2/

As for buying in bulk: as long as you think you'll use it all before it expires, it's good.

Also, go to the store as rarely as possible – at least that worked for me. I spend a lot less if I buy groceries once a week than if I do it several times a week.

Bulk purchase and bulk cooking (+ freezing) should reduce the cost if you don't do that already. That how we do it here in France, my spouse and I ;)

More vegetarian meals. Grains, oats, beans, vegetables. Made a great 15 bean soup that lasts a few days.

Looking for the silver lining, if you've needed to lose some weight, now is a good time. I'm looking at it this way: I'm not short on food, I'm keeping temptation out of the house.

Shopping where the deals are. Don't be loyal to a brand. It's easy, but if you're going to keep going to get Hellmanns mayo at full price, Aldi has one that's their home brand that tastes just as delicious at a fraction of the price.

I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. I do a lot of cooking at home, and I teach myself to make delicious and nutritious foods that may be copycats of what we'd get at restaurants. It's a fun little challenge at a much cheaper price for way more than just one portion.

Sometimes I just want to go vego for a few days or weeks, so I go online and find some budget food recipes (beans, lentils, rice, etc.), and I usually find some really good ones.

Back home in Canada, I was couponing a lot. This was 8+ years, ago, I don't know what it's like now. Coupon culture is not a thing in Australia, but I shop mostly at Aldi. There's a Coles and Woolies just across the street, so I do my research on what's cheapest, and buy that item there.

I buy in bulk if I know I'm going to eat it all. I go hard on the pantry items.

Shop what's in season.

Shop your local Asian grocer! Sometimes they have stuff way cheaper than supermarkets.

scouring the ads for lowest price and not buying unless its that price.

Getting by, just. Which sucks as I have a relatively decent wage and feel like I'd be in the 2 foreign holidays, 2 cars and a big house crowd a few decades back.

Garden, Aldi