A few months ago, when my husband and I decided I would quit my job to be a stay-at-home-mom, he told me, “Your new job is to figure out how we can afford for you to stay home.†As one who’s always been a) a worrier about money and b) a lover of a bargain, I was eager to rise to this challenge! It also helps that I’m c) a bit of a control freak and this quest has helped me feel some control over our financial well-being also. So, today I thought I’d share with you some changes in my grocery-getting that have really helped our family save money and stay on-budget.
The first thing I’ve done is take advantage of a low-cost grocery program called Angel Food Ministries. Before I explain it, let me tell you that is seems too good to be true, but it is actually true and I will testify to that! Here’s the dealy-o: Angel Food Ministries has a monthly menu of foods that will feed a family of four for one week. The food is very good quality and is only $25 for one unit (you can order as many units as you would like). You place your order and pick it up once a month at a participating local church. Here’s what I ordered and will be picking up on Saturday, October 27th:
(4) 5 oz. Ribeye Steaks
(1) 3 lbs. Breaded Frying Chicken
(1) 2 lbs. Salisbury Steak Entrée w/ Gravy
(1) 24.5 oz. Supreme Pizza
(1) 2 lb. Chicken Chunks
(1) 24 oz. Pork Roast
(1) 16 oz. Chicken Breast Fajitas
(1) 12 ct. Corn Tortilla
(1) 15 oz. Pork & Beans
(1) 16 oz. Fresh Carrots
(1) 24 oz. Homestyle Hashbrowns
(1) 16 oz. Corn
(1) 16 oz. Bean Soup Mix
(1) 5.5 oz. Pancake Mix
(1) 7.5 oz. Mac & Cheese
(1) 7 oz. Lasagna Dinner
(1) Dessert Item
Yes, my friends, I am getting all that food for $25! The menu is different every month and they also offer a number of specials that you can purchase in addition to your regular order. The specials are such a great deal that we actually bought a freezer for our basement just so we can order additional specials if we like more than one! Here are this month’s specials:
OCTOBER SPECIAL #1
Meat Combo Box $18.00
4 8-oz T- Bones
2 lb. Ribeye Roast
OCTOBER SPECIAL #2
Strip Steak Special $18.00
4 8-oz. K.C. Strip Steaks
4 8-oz. New York Strip Steaks
OCTOBER SPECIAL #3
Family Convenience Meal
Special from Golden Cuisine $18.00
Five Delicious Individual Dinner Entrees with 2 sides per meal:
o Cheese Manicotti
o Macaroni & Beef
o Beef Pattie & Gravy
o Chicken & Noodle
o Chicken Breast & Mushroom Sauce
Includes five breads, five milks, ten margarine cups, and five desserts
Angel Food Ministries has been a real blessing to my family. Go to their website to see if it is available in your area! I strongly suggest you try it, you literally have almost nothing to lose!
The other way I save my family money on groceries is shopping at everyone’s favorite close-out store, Big Lots. I shop there for all our non-perishable grocery items like canned vegetables, soups, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, mac & cheese, olive oil, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, etc. I also often find baby food there which is great. In addition to food items, I also save a lot of money buying household items at Big Lots like dishwashing detergent, dish soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and household cleaners. I usually make a couple of trips a month to Big Lots and if I see a really great deal, I buy it (often more than one of it) whether I need it at that moment or not, as long as I have the money and its something we’ll need eventually. I still shop at the big local grocery store for fresh produce but that’s about it!
All right, so now you all know what a cheapskate I am, but what can I say? I’ve been gainfully unemployed for over five months now and we’re not broke, so it works for me!
For more great Works for Me Wednesday tips, head over to Rocks in My Dryer.
