Mom feeds family of six for $4 a week

[Murphy101]

Not disagreeing with you, Martha, but I still think its an egregious state of industry to keep producing cheap food-like substances while keeping the price of the real foods in a less attractive range. There's something so subverted about that. Food isn't just business. It is people's health. Producing cheap crap is poisoning people. We didn't used to have the huge range of processed crap either. That's a post-WWII phenomenon, and the state of our general health shows it.

 

Oh I completely agree!

 

But as I noted in another post, the ability to buck that system is directly proportional to income. Bottom line is people who need that health the most have the least financial access to it most of the time.

[Miss Sherry]

Not disagreeing with you, Martha, but I still think its an egregious state of industry to keep producing cheap food-like substances while keeping the price of the real foods in a less attractive range. There's something so subverted about that. Food isn't just business. It is people's health. Producing cheap crap is poisoning people. We didn't used to have the huge range of processed crap either. That's a post-WWII phenomenon, and the state of our general health shows it.

So true. Also, no money has been saved when someone (dh:glare:) buys "food" like Cheeze It's or other junky processed food and my dd eats it causing her skin to break it, which then requires expensive dr visits and medicine to treat the breakouts. Just using that as one example of a consequence of eating processed food.

[Gooblink]

Thanks! I just read it. I shop at CVS all the time, but never had a "plan of attack" before. I'll have to try that ...

 

Jenny

 

Yeah! I wish I'd read this before I tried my CVS/Walgreens experiment the last couple of weeks (my quck-and-dirty blog post about it is up, including some of the links from this thread).

 

I messed up and spent too much out of pocket the first trip.

 

Ah, well, I'll keep practicing and maybe someday I'll be able to proclaim that I, too, get all our toiletries for free! :)

[justamouse]

Yeah! I wish I'd read this before I tried my CVS/Walgreens experiment the last couple of weeks (my quck-and-dirty blog post about it is up, including some of the links from this thread).

 

I messed up and spent too much out of pocket the first trip.

 

Ah, well, I'll keep practicing and maybe someday I'll be able to proclaim that I, too, get all our toiletries for free! :)

 

 

I forgot! Also, you can call the local paper and see if they'll give you a reduced rate to purchase the paper AFTER Sunday. ie: pick up 4 papers on Tuesday.

[justamouse]

Oh I completely agree!

 

But as I noted in another post, the ability to buck that system is directly proportional to income. Bottom line is people who need that health the most have the least financial access to it most of the time.

:iagree::iagree:

[anissarobert]

My dh lost his job two years ago and he has been underemployed at about 1/4 of his not so great income since then. It is impossible for me to spend more than $50 for all of our non-bill household things each week. I started to coupon about a year ago and it has changed our lives dramatically.

 

First-Many of you are right that many of the coupon items are for unhealthy food, and I sometimes do buy it when I normally wouldn't. (Like the 12 free cake mixes and 12 free jars of frosting I bought the other day. I'm giving all but a couple to friends.) However, we are vegetarian, except for dh and we eat tons of produce, I just don't usually have coupons for that, so I get it at a food co-op. I am lucky to live near several great coupon stores.

 

The main point I want to make is that couponers typically shop for food in a different way than most other do. I think that is the reason for some of the above comments. (I did read the whole thread :001_smile:) Couponers shop to stock their stockpile, not to buy for this week's meals. So when cake mixes are free, I will get enough to last a year, or if oatmeal is .20 per canister, I will buy 20. When granola bars were .10 per box, I bought enough to last for a while. I think it was 45 boxes. Each week I buy what is a good deal, and stockpile it for when I need it. Then I just have to buy perishables and things that I need and don't have to fill in.

 

I get 7 Sunday papers every week, but I give one to my sister, so I usually have 6 of each coupon. This costs me $3.50 per week, and I usually save $12 with each $1 coupon I use due to double coupons. I typically shop at Albertsons for food. This is the most expensive grocery store around here, but they have the double coupons. I buy things when they are on sale and when I have coupons so they are free or near free.

 

As others have pointed out, I would coupon just for the deals on nonfood items. I have 12 bottles of free dishsoap, 6 boxes of free laundry detergent and 3 boxes of free fabric softner, waiting for when I need them. I also have enough free toothpaste and toothbrushes to last us several years. I quit getting those even though they were free.

 

It does take time, but so far couponing has kept us from taking food stamps and we have qualified since the day he lost his job. If anyone lives in the northwest and wants a couple of good websites, let me know.

[Remudamom]

Oh man, I go through so much grocery money in a week..............we have six in our family and I'm not even sure what I spend.