Is it possible to feed one person on $27 a week? That’s what reader Christiane asked me after I wrote about trimming my grocery bill on this blog and for my Friday column in the N.J. Star-Ledger. Christiane was flabbergasted.
I read your column at Star-Ledger every week with the greatest of interest. It is fantastic to see that there are people in this country conscious about their spending. But, I am amazed: $27 per week for groceries???!!!?? What do you eat and how many people do you feed for $27 per week?
And my next question would be – do you honestly like the food you buy for such little money? And does the $27 include warm dishes every day? I really cannot believe it.
I would consider myself very conscious about spending, but when it comes to groceries, unfortunately I only like the expensive stuff and I am not willing to substitute anything I like with something I don’t like. I also would never substitute fresh and healthy food with canned or otherwise prepared stuff and may face the bill later in health care costs because of unhealthy nutrition. And when you drive around to get the weekly offer in each grocery store in your area, did you consider your time and the fuel you spend on this?
I am really, really interested in what your secret is! Thank you so much for revealing it (I bet a lot of people are asking the same question)!
Best regards,
Christiane
I’m happy to share more details about my grocery habits if it helps other save!
1. I aim to feed one person (myself) on $27 a week. Some weeks I go over.
2. I eat mostly fresh food and a lot of home-cooked meals. I almost never get take out but I do occasionally graze for dinner if I don’t feel like cooking.
3. I love the food I eat! In fact, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what I am going to have for my next meal. I really like food.
4. Yes, my meal plan includes warm dishes everyday, though sometimes that means re-heating leftovers.
5. I eat canned food, but usually only for tomatoes, beans, and occasionally corn. I also save and clip coupons for groceries.
6. In terms of cheap v. expensive food, I seek out value. In other words, I don’t equate expensive food with quality food. There are a lot of great values at off-the-beaten path grocers, Trader Joe’s, and mainstream chains.
Tip 1: The main thing I do to keep my grocery tab down is to shop by price and quality, not by a pre-set list. For instance, instead of putting down “brocolli and asparagus,” I’ll put “vegetables-2″ on my list. Buying in season produce is usually the best bet. When I get to the store I’ll see what looks like the best values. I do the same thing for fruit and meat. Then I put together meals and snacks based on what I purchase.
Tip 2: I shop at different stores. I stock up on nuts, wine, and butter at Trader Joe’s one week, then buy fresh produce at my favorite local grocer. I try to only buy groceries one day a week, but if I run out of produce I’ll make a food run with a pre-determined spending limit of $5 or $10.
Tip 3: I try to only buy 1 or 2 bread products each week so that I eat everything before it goes bad. Instead of buying pre-made snacks I buy healthy food that makes great snacks, like nuts, fruit, or veggies and hummus.
Tip 4: I don’t buy junk food because if it’s in the house, I’ll eat it. That means no soda or pre-packaged cookies. When I break down it is to buy candy or ice cream.
Tip 5: I follow my mother’s rule on sweets: if you want cookies, make them.
Tip 6: I eat from the garden. Instead of buying orange juice I eat fresh oranges off my tree. Same with lemons, limes, herbs, and lettuces.
Tip 7: I have pantry where I can stash bargain-priced canned goods, onions, potatoes, and yams.
Tip 8: I eat starches that cost almost nothing, including potatoes, yams, and rice.
Tip 9: I get a lot of my protein from non-meat sources like beans (hummus), eggs (boiled ones make a great snack), and nuts.
That’s all I can think of for now. I hope this helps you trim your grocery list. If you have another way you cut your food bill, please leave a comment.
UPDATE: Pam shared her secret for low-cost breakfasts:
I have a cheap, healthy breakfast every day at work. I purchased big containers of oatmeal, frozen blueberries, and raisins from Costco, and a 2 lb. bag of brown sugar and wheat germ from a grocery story. Then I make my own oatmeal (it is healthier, tastier, and has less sugar) in the microwave at work. One day it is a raisin oatmeal, one day blueberries, and sometimes I’ll put in mixed oats from Trader Joe’s or a bit of cinnamon for a twist. I’ve been doing this for years, and it saves a lot of money and calories!
Consumer Reports recently updated their sales calender showing when is the best time to buy some 55 items like cars, clothes, and furniture throughout the year. Here is what’s on the list for March:
- Digital cameras and small consumer electronics like MP3 players, DVD and Blu-ray players (electronics sales surge leading up to Christmas then trail off)
- Humidifiers (winter is almost over so demand is dropping)
- TVs (now that Christmas and the Superbowl are over demand has fallen)
- Winter coats (retailers need to make room for summer swimsuits!)
- Winter sports gear (so there is room to stock summer sports gear)
And here’s a sneak peak for April:
- Computers
- Digital cameras
- Lawn mowers
- Spring clothing
CVS.com is putting a bunch of CVS-brand products on sale by 20-30% off, including products for weight loss, dieting, hair loss, and smoking cessation. Plus, toothbrushes are as low as $.69 and vitamins are on sale.
A reader named Tami let me know about a fabulous sale + rebate offer that makes money and gets you free Olay Body Wash at Target. This week only!
Here’s another hot drugstore sale. All Rite Aid brand products are buy one get one 50% off Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 25-27, 2010.
Get a free sample of Tide Febreeze laundry detergent (not as pictured) when you sign up for the P&G email list. Already on it? You are still eligible.
See all the deals and coupons on my WalletPop blog.
My grandmother could copy a pattern from a dress she tried on in the store and she sewed many of her children’s clothes. The sewing gene skipped my mother (by forceable choice) and landed in me. At least, it tried to.
Two months ago I decided to make my own curtains as part of a project to re-decorate my bedroom. When a coupon for 50 percent off at Jo-Anns fabric store landed in my inbox, I was raring to go. I even had a few dollars on a gift card to apply.
I arrived at the store and was delighted to see nearly everything was on sale by 40 – 50 percent off. I could save my coupon for a regular-priced bolt of material and get other items at a steep discount, too.
I carefully searched the aisles of fabric for the perfect material and discovered wonderful terry cloth for towels that you can buy at a fraction of what the finished product costs at Macy’s or Target. Bath sheets for $5.99 a yard? Sign me up! I also spotted fuzzy flannel for $4.99 a yard. New sheets in no time!
Then I came upon the most steeply marked down fabrics in the store: the discount rack. Some of the material was down right fugly, other pieces were damaged. One bolt was irresistible. For $12.50 (orig. $24.99), I could buy one yard of heaven – a cream-colored piece of suede-lined, fuzzy sherpa goodness. My plan was to turn the material into two pillow coverings. (Pillow insides were 50 percent off, sealing the deal).
I purchased the sherpa material along with 11 yards of brown suede (40 percent off) to make curtains. I ran out of brown thread shortly after starting the curtains so I turned my attention to the pillows. I made as few cuts as possible (reducing my chances of error) and got to work sewing a cozy three-sided enclosure for my pillow, top. On the fourth side I sewed on three buttons, above right (simpler than a zipper, I reasoned).
The material was difficult to work with because it is very thick and the fuzz got caught in the string many times. I didn’t run out of thread, but I did run out of time so the project stretched from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. Overall I spent $25.50 (and forgot to use my gift card 
) to buy two pillows and the pillow cover material. I devoted five hours over three days to completing one pillow.
A waste of time? Me thinks not. The process was very entertaining and I renewed my appreciation for sewers, quilters, and knitters. As for making towels and sheets? I may just wait for a great sale at Target.
Sewing lessons:
- Measure thrice, cut once
- If you don’t have pins to hold material in place, needles will do
- You can undo a lot of stitches, but it’s a total pain in the a**
- Sewing straight lines is actually very difficult
- Lumps mean it was made with love
A friend of mine is very into DIY (do-it-yourself) culture. She recently showed me how to plant a spring vegetable garden without spending a dime (aside from buying seeds, which you will need to buy unless you saved some from last year).
You will likely have all the supplies you need on hand:
- Newspaper
- Tape (duct tape works well) or string
- Compost or soil
- Trays (you can use baking dishes, plastic bowls, anything with a flat surface that is rimmed)
- Plastic wrap
- Spritz bottle
Rip the newspaper into 3-4 inch strips and roll them into tubes so the opening is about 2-3 inches across. Tape each tube around the middle or fasten with string so they stay rolled up, as above. Fill each one with compost and set in a tray.
Plant seeds according to the directions on the packet. Most of the seeds will want to be nestled at the top of the dirt. Separate trays by seed type (one tray for tomatoes, another for eggplant, etc) and mark them with tape so you remember what you are sprouting. Plant more seeds that you think you need because many will not make it.
Once you plant, spritz each seed cup with water 2-5 times, so they are moist but not wet. Cover each tray loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. My friend puts her trays above her fridge. The seeds need a bit of light, but not too much or they will dry out. Spritz the seeds once a day, then re-cover with the plastic wrap.
When the seeds have sprouted and grown a bit, a few daily spritzes will not be enough to keep them moist. Stop spritzing and add water so it rises about a half-inch from the bottom of the tray. The newspaper and seed roots will soak up the water. Re-add a half-inch of water every other day or so when the seeds need it. You want them to be moist, but not soaked.
When the seedlings are bursting through the cups, pull the newspaper away and plant outside. You are well on your way to spring harvest!
Thanks, Mariel!
Reader Iggy has a great tip for creating mini-greenhouses to nurture new seeds:
You can also re-use the styrofoam trays from produce as pot liners. Also, you can create mini-greenhouses out of plastic salad containers or washed out containers from fast food restaurants (tray plus lid). You won’t have to spritz any water for at least a week. It helps to open the container every couple of days for a few minutes to prevent the air from stagnating and checking the moisture level.
soapylovedeb/Flickr
I have an intense itch to make my own soap, partly because my past attempts to clean with vinegar and baking soda were so successful. If I can make my own cleaning products for less that work, why not?
My sister used to own a soap business so I know making bar soap is a huge ordeal that involved vats of olive oil and lye, a dangerous chemical.
But there is another option. Laundry detergent, which I am also low on. My friend Matt Jabs of FiveCentNickel made his own laundry detergent and reports “I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW INCREDIBLY FAST & EASY IT WAS.” (His caps, not mine.)
Matt’s recipe calls for 55 ounce box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, a 76 ounce box of 20 Mule Team Borax, and 10 pack of 4.5 ounce bars of Ivory Bar Soap (or another cheap bar soap.)
I plan to add a few drops of essential lavender oils to give my clothes a nice scent. I hope to pick up these ingredients later this week and will let you know how my first soap-making adventure goes!
Loading ...UPDATE: Reader Pauline recommends an alternative to Ivory:
The best soap to use is Fels Naphta, a bit more expensive but worth it. Where does Matt purchase the Washing Soda? Thanks
Rabbi Wendy has a great tip for home made cleaners.
The most amazing and effective book of recipes for household products is “Clean House, Clean Planet” by Karen Logan. It is still in print, with plenty of copies on Amazon. The recipe for spray cleaner on page 85 is the best spray cleaner I’ve ever used, hands down. Logan is so thorough in her explanations. She even sells bottles for the finished products. It’s a fun read, even if you don’t make any of the cleaning products. Check it out!
I went ahead and checked Amazon, which has Clean House, Clean Planet for $10.76 (orig. $15). I might buy it if my library does not have it.
SECOND UPDATE: Susan warns:
I made this detergent a few months ago, a word of caution, my dark purple towels faded a little using it. I now use it for whites and light colors but not black or really dark colors. Also the arm and hammer super washing soda is sold at Albertson’s. It is the only place around the valley I could find it.
EmergencyCafe.com
Months ago I decided to compile my own emergency supply medical kit because I thought it would be cheaper than buying a pre-made kit. Guess what? I still don’t have one. Now I wish I had just bought one because I’m still not prepared.
Emergencycafe.com is one place to buy an emergency kit. Owner Cari emailed me and offered a special 10 percent off discount just for BargainBabe.com readers that is good through March 31, 2010. Use code BB10. First aid kits start at $5 and a one-person emergency kits is $65. Cari also sells bigger kits for families and huge kits for the workplace. There’s also random stuff like a fire ladder, hand crank radio, and glow sticks.
Cari’s site has a checklist of what to put in your disaster kit and she shared 13 tips in case of an emergency.
1. Remain calm.
2. Have an emergency kit that includes food, water, first aid, search and rescue equipment, lighting, comfort and sanitation products to sustain each person for at least 3 days.
3. Keep all your important documents such as insurance (including medical, home and car), birth certificates, doctor’s name, medical records and passport in one place for easy access.
4. Keep cash on hand in small bills.
5. Make an evacuation plan with your family. Discuss it and practice it once every 6 months to a year.
6. Never hang anything over a baby’s crib.
7. Have an emergency kit in your car.
8. If you feel an earthquake starting and you are in your house, get over in the corner of the room away from windows, large mirrors and shelves.
9. The recommended amount of water you should keep on hand is one gallon, per person, per day.
10. It is important to know where your home’s shut off valves are for your gas and water. Know how to turn the gas and water off at your home. Keep a gas shut off tool next to your gas line.
11. Know the evacuation plan at your child’s school.
12. Teach children how and when to call 9-1-1, police or fire department and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.
13. To sterilize water, bring to a rapid boil for 5 – 10 minutes. Let cool.
You can buy some of these supplies at the 99 Cents Only Store, which featured flashlights, batteries, hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol in a recent ad.
Here are the latest and greatest coupons from my WalletPop blog.
Get a coupon for $5 of free make up samples from E.L.F.
Get a free lotion sample from Perricone MD, which claims to take years off, when you sign up for their newsletter.
If you have a Kindle, iPod, or iPhone, you can download a free ebook copy of “Talk of the Town” by Lisa Wingate.
Get 20 percent off Kate Spade’s purses, shoes, and accessories online now through Feb. 28, 2010.
Get 100 blooms for $20 (plus $10 delivery on Valentine’s Day) from ProFlowers with a coupon code here. Ends today, Feb. 5, 2010!
Get discounted ski lift tickets at ski resorts across the country on Superbowl Sunday. If you don’t care much about the game, like me, this is worth looking into.
Here’s a Walgreens photo discount for 40 percent off through Feb. 6, 2010. Not bad!
Donate a gently used blanket and get a Sears coupon for 10-20 percent off!
A new month means online coupon sites are re-stocking their supplies.
Freebies!
Get free business cards, mugs, or address labels through Vista Print. You pay for shipping, however.
Snag a free sample of emergency food when you sign up for Prepare then Share’s e-newsletter.
Get a free Pampers Cruisers diapers when you sign up an e-newsletter from P&G, which makes Pampers products.
Denny’s is giving away free grandslam breakfasts (like they did last year) on Feb. 9 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you watch the Superbowl, you’ll see their commercial announcing the giveaway.
Check out all the coupons and freebies on my WalletPop blog.
Get a coupon for free Hersey’s Pieces bag candy.
Restaurant.com certificates are 80 percent off until Jan. 31, 2010 with this coupon code.
Home Depot sends special coupons to those on its email list.
Buying your Valentine’s lingerie? Check out Charlotte Russe’s intimates sale with $2 panties and $5 bras.
Now until the end of the month new gym memberships at 24 Hour Fitness are as low as $30 a month with no initiation fee.
Here is a Borders coupon for 33 percent off, good through Feb. 1, 2010.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
Get 33 percent off the list price of many items at Borders with a coupon here.
Buy a sandwich and a soda at Subway and get another sandwich free when you build a sandwich.
Check it! Get 20 percent off your entire purchase at Ulta Beauty online with a coupon code here.
You can get a free lightbulb from Target when you print these coupons.
Did you know Target has a trade-in program for iPods, iPhones, and lots of other gadgets? When I compared the value of my ancient iPod to other sites, Target came out ahead.
Now through Jan. 31 get 15 percent off your order of Ghirardelli Chocolate. How sweet!
For more deals check out my WalletPop blog. Thanks!
The Payless buy-one-get-one half off shoe sale is on until Feb. 15 and it includes accessories!
Get 30 percent off regular priced items at Borders through Jan. 25, 2010. Some caveats.
CVS is doubling the ExtraBucks you can receive by purchasing CVS brand products and prescriptions.
Get a free bottle of antibacterial soap from bath and Body Works when you spend $10, good through Feb. 21, 2010.
Organizing much? The Container Store has an online coupon for 20 percent off good through Feb. 7, 2010.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
I’ve been redecorating my bedroom this past week and in the process I have been hunting for rugs, bookshelves, paint, and much more. Here are 10 places to look for frugal or free items.
1. Your garage. Chances are you have a few half-full cans of paint or a funky old lamp that would add personality to your room. Perhaps you can transform a boring old piece into something new and exciting with a coat of paint.
2. Join your local Freecycle Network to get rid of your trash and collect other people’s treasure. Plus, you’ll feel good keeping items out of landfills.
3. Craigslist free pages. It’s amazing what people will give away. Their for-sale prices can be great, too!
4. Home Depot. I spent $9 building a bookshelf out of cinderblocks, above. Now to secure it to my wall. UPDATE: A friend helped me drill two brackets into each shelf, making the bookshelf much more sturdy.
5. IKEA. Some of the best deals at IKEA are on the ground floor and not heavily advertised. They sell sturdy planks of wood for $15 each and the wall mounts are a few bucks each (about $3). This allows you to customize storage space for very cheap!
6. Borrow or rent tools. Surely you know another home owner who’s itching to loan their tile saw in hopes they’ll never see it again!
7. Garage sales. Head to sales in upscale neighborhoods and the hipster parts of town for the best and most unique selection.
8. Thrift shops like Goodwill, Out of the Closet, and Salvation Army do not lack for furniture and furnishings. Just make sure to thoroughly check out the items as they are not usually returnable.
9. eBay. Review seller ratings and return policies carefully.
10. Recycling centers/reuse groups. These can be harder to find, but major metro areas usually have a handful of organizations that re-sell used windows, doors, and other building materials.
Save on cosmetics, skin care, make up, vitamins, baby products, and more at CVS for two days only. The discount does not apply to in-store purchases or prescriptions. Use code 2DAY20.
If an item is already on sale, you will get the bigger discount of the two but CVS won’t let you combine them. (So you can’t get 20 percent off on top of, say, a 30 percent off sale.)
The sale starts today and ends tomorrow, Nov. 10, 2009.
Caveats: Not valid on the following brands: AeroGarden, Alli, As Seen on TV products, Beauty 360 products, Burts Bees, Conair Infinity, DS Laboratories, Epilady, GHT, Jitterbug, Kelemata, Kidco, LaRoche-Posay, Lierac, Lifetone Fire Alarm & Clock, LipFusion, Maxoderm, Medela, Medical Nutrition Products, Olay Pro X, Omnilux, OXO, Philips Heartstart Home Defibrillator, Rapidlash, Resperate, Rock Hard Weekend, Sinupulse, Skin Doctors, Vichy/Dermablend, Violight, Zanfel, Zeno.
Thanks a bunch, Tina!
A friend of mine is obsessed with saving water. She has made significant changes to her home and lifestyle over the past few years that have reduced her water usage – and bill – by noticeable amounts. I asked to see a recent water bill and an old one but her water-saving habits pre-date her water bill collection. (She tossed the old bills out.)
This past summer, my friend took her water-saving methods to the next level because she had plans to install a vegetable garden, which would use more water. Her goal was to maintain her current water usage. So far, she’s been successful!
Here are some of the big and small things she does to save H2O.
- Collects water runoff from her garage gutters and angles them into a trash bin. That water feeds her vegetable garden, which feeds her.
- Installed a tankless water heater, which heats water as you use it. (More of an electricity savings.)
- Replaced her clothes washer with a super low-flow, front-loading washer.
- Stopped watering her back lawn for six months until the grass died, then covered it with gravel and pavers, except for a boxed in vegetable garden. Now it has a zen rock-garden feel to it.
- Her main shade trees produce fruit, including oranges and limes.
- She planted herbs like mint, basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary instead of decorative plants. This shaves a few bucks off her grocery bill.
- While the shower heats up she collects the cold water in a bucket and uses it to feed her vegetable garden.
- In the front yard she has rocks, paver stones, and drought resistant plants instead of grass.
Resources for saving water and living sustainably:
PathToFreedom.com – a site written by a family in Pasadena, CA that has turned their property into a working micro-farm. The site is loaded with helpful info and inspirational stories.
Gardeners.com provides a long list of drought-resistant perennials from their readers, including oriental yew, evergreen boxwood, tachys byzantina (lamb’s ear), ornamental grasses, Mexican sage, eucalyptus, lavender, blue catmint, and jacaranda.
Lighterfootstep.com, a site devoted to reducing one’s carbon footprint. I’m digging this story on 30 things you should never compost or recycle.
Related:
A greener way to flush the toilet
Water-wise: bucket, sink or dishwasher?
UPDATE: Reader Janet says she has experimented with drastically reducing her water bill, too!
For kicks my DH and I decided to see how little H2O we could use month to month. The two most extreme things we do is capturing 4-5 gallons of water from each shower per day. This is used to irrigate the backyard plants.
The other thing is to hand wash dishes (yes, I am aware most people save H2O by using a dishwasher). For an entire sink of dishes I start with a cereal bowl full of soapy water and scrub each item. Once all are scrubbed, I fill a large pot with warm water and 1/2 cup of vinegar, I use this as a pre-rinse to dissolve the soap before rinsing under the faucet. All the water is captured and we use less than 2 gallons for the entire load and the dishes are squeeky clean. This water is also used in the backyard.
We have averaged 2- 3 units of water a month this summer!
