Well, as I know we are, so many struggle with finances after spending so much for others at Christmas. This year, we really tried to stick with a budget and started a new budget system using envelopes for our receipts and cut our budget in half really. It's worked so far and kept us under control for the most part, but there's always room for improvement right?
Today's tip is about clearanced meat. Now, I know what you're thinking- eww, it's clearance! It can't be good!
Well, silly brain, yes it really can! Right after Thanksgiving we went to the store like normal and because we don't host an actual large gathering thanks to my in-laws, we don't have the extra expense of extra food so our grocery bills stayed about the same. Anyway, we were checking out the meat section at the store after Thanksgiving and realized that practically all of their beef, chicken, pork, that kind of thing had clearance stickers on them- sometimes up to $4 off one item! I wondered why for a second and then it clicked (yes, it takes me awhile sometimes!). Everyone was going for turkey and ham for the holiday gatherings and no one wanted these items...well, I did! I went over our budget that week but saved about $35 on meat. I ended getting $50 worth of meat for about $15. I'll be interested to see this week if that happens again because everyone is going for the shrimp and things like that for New Years. We're headed to the store tomorrow so we'll see what we find. I'm hoping for a bunch of stuff.....I buy it on clearance and freeze it right away then use it as I can to prevent us from having to buy meat every week. I pretty much only buy meat if it's less than $1.50 per pound, maybe $2 or if it's on clearance and I always check for that each week to see what I can find. Most of the time I get things really cheap. If they don't have things on clearance, I go for the things that I've never cooked before that I know we'll eat (no liver here, thanks!).
Case in point- a few weeks ago, they had turkey wings or legs or something on sale, so I got them. It was about $2 for 3 or 4 so a good deal. Do you think I've ever cooked that? NO, but we used it in place of chicken and it worked! It was tougher than I thought it would be so didn't work as well and we didn't necessarily call it our favorite dinner but it was edible and one more dinner that was cheap. I don't normally sacrifice flavor for a cheap eat, but since we had it, I figured why not try it!
Anyway, keep an eye out this week and next for great meat deals after Christmas and New Years- I'm hoping to score some great deals! Good luck- let me know what you find!
January 2013
It seems that I've always got a tip or trick up my sleeve- anything relating to saving money, weight loss, quick dinner ideas, turning comfort into healthy, whatever it may be.
Even though I focus my posts mostly on cakes and all, I want to add this section as well since I know there are many friends out there who are looking for ways to save. Come back to see what I've got here....
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