We don't do all these frugal methods all the time either. Over the years, we have used them and some of the others I have mentioned, are ones I am contemplating using, or know people who do.

I thought this site was more general, but it is solely food.

We don't stockpile in Australia while we are travelling, we just buy what is one sale. We carry basic ingredients of flour, sugar etc and buy meat/vegs/fruits/ in quantities we can consume in a week.

I'm in Australia atm, and we are 12 hr+ ahead (I was sleeping)

We have our own home in Canada, that we return to 4 months of the year. It has furniture and everything :)
Yes, because our 26" floor model tv is still working great (that we bought in 1990) it doesn't have a flat screen one.
We also have a vehicle we put up over winter too.

In Australia, we housesit or camp in our van.(used to be a tradesman work van)
It is just a 2006 Kia Pragio.Nothing special, but it is comfortable.

I'm glad to hear about your food sharing. That is a great alternative, which I never thought to mention.

For my pavlova I like strawberries and kiwi on top. I wasn't spending $5.99 on a punnet, so instead I will be putting leftover pineapple and kiwi on it...and maybe some peaches.
Our eggs, limes, and hot peppers are free, because we are housesitting.They tell us to help ourself.

Because we living a different sort of lifestyle, we just carry basic spices, and substitute.We bought them in spice bottles at the supermarket.We carry basic meal ingredients and replenish as required.

Our last housesit was as a caretaker at a caravan park in the middle of Outback Australia. We were provided accommodation and all our meals at the roadhouse restaurant for free. (5 months)
During this time the army came thru several times, and they tend to throw away their unused ration packs. My husband is ex-Australian military, and he gave them containers to put unwanted supplies. We now how enough food to last us 4-6 weeks, that would have previously ended up in the dump. This is great for convenience when travelling.(boil in bag meals)
Now we are here at the housesit,we are buying and cooking 'regular' food.

Other times when travelling, we have stopped and purchased a hot cooked chicken with salads for our meal. (from a supermarket) It was cheaper, and more satisfying, than eating in a restaurant. We ate in the park and fed the pigeons the leftovers.

Do you do anything to save money?

When milk is $6 a gallon, and they drink one glassful, that is all the calcium they require. If they are thirsty, there are other choices.
Other foods also have calcium, so I was not not concerned they were going to be deficent.

I've read on some threads, where the husband and kids drink a gallon a day.

You tell them they can have one a day.

Have you seen the size of people..most are obese.
That is because they are overeating.

You can also cook many things, using waste heat.
Bring your eggs to a boil, cover, shut off heat and wait 20 minutes. Perfect hard boiled eggs.

Do the same with macaroni. Just need to wait 7 minutes generally.

I do this a lot with carrots and potatoes. Just cut them small. You may need to bring to a boil once more, if they still aren't soft.

Life is short, and why should people be so willing to stress themselves for decades because of such short sighted consequences.
I'm suggesting, there are always cheaper alternatives.Such as baking your own bread and not buying box cereal.
If you use a lot of baked beans, try making them from dried beans.
Instead of buying expensive pasta sauces, try making them.
Instead of buying bottles of applesauce or pudding cups, find out how easy it is to make.
Buy a large container of yogurt (if you don't want to make your own) and put them into individual containers.
Same with juice bottles.

If you are taking the family on a trip, instead of buying them an ice cream treat, consider buying a package of them at the grocery store, or a larger container of icecream and a package of cones.
Kids don't care..they just want a treat.

Being frugal, or living within your means isn't rocket science, but many people are just not willing to do it.
If they were, there wouldn't be any consumer debt, and people would own their homes.

Baking a cake from scratch doesn't take much more time, than cooking from a cake mix.
Or making pancakes from scratch...but you just cannot convince some people.

Earlier this week, the town we are housesitting in,the bread was on sale for $1.79.(regular $2.49) We bought one loaf.
A couple of days later, we went to the next town, and their bread is $1.00 a loaf.We bought 2 and put them in the freezer.That grocery chain always has $1 bread.
We would be buying more bread, but now we saved money.

Oatmeal is very cheap, and very filling. Add a chopped apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavour. Or stir in a tablespoon of frozen berries.
A bit of canned fruit.
So many ways to change flavours,

And if you had anything left over, you wouldn't need to buy that product, instead you would add a different ingredient.

Well done.
Thank you !

Today I purchased 450g package of cheese for $2.99.

Oatmeal would be 1 kg size.

These prices will not be the same in every place. You will probably have other items that are cheaper.

Eggs and milk are very cheap in USA, but in Canada we have Egg Boards, which control prices.Milk is also controlled in some areas. I buy whole/full cream milk and dilute it for cooking.

You should buy the largest package, which gives you the cheapest unit. In Canada we have bulk barn, where we can buy any amount we want.
In Australia, they have prepackaged small bags in the grocery store.

If lettuce and peppers aren't on sale, or reduced, exchange it for something else you might like to fill out a sandwich/salad.
You should be flexible.
When you have a bit more cash, this is a great time to stock up on sales.

In this instance, the sugar is a 1kg package.Bacon can be found for this price plenty of times. When it goes on sale, buy enough to last you until the next sale.The point is, you should be stocking up with end of week prices.
These are prices for NSW and Qld, Australia.

In Canada, we may need to buy the larger packages, or bulk bins to geta similar price unit.
A couple of weeks ago turkeys were on sale for $1.49 lb, and flour $11.99 -22 lbs, and sugar 2.50 for 5 lbs, in canada. I asked my daughter to pick it for me..as we return to canada in 4 weeks.

Where ever you live, you will find different prices.I can buy bananas cheaper in Canada, where we don't grow them, than in Australia, where they do.You just may need to change your habits.

Sales are everywhere, you really just need to search them out.You can also supplement food buy growing some in pots on your patio, if you don't have a back yard.Spices on a window sill.
A neighbour may have apples trees that go to waste. Ask if you can have them..and maybe give her a bottle of jelly or applesauce to say thank you.

I don't have all the answers. I was hoping others would be sharing their frugal ideas.

What I really find annoying is when people say they can't. Especially when others are telling them, they do.
If you can't, and want to, open up your mind, and maybe you will hear, how to.

Today I am going to make a pavlova dessert. I can buy the meringue base in the supermarket for $10 !!!....or make it myself for a few pennies...and a little bit of time.

I also do not include them in a grocery budget.It just shows you can bargains and frugal ideas in many places.

As mentioned before, how a person views there overall budget, is at pleay here.

There is no sense spending $100 month on groceries, just so you can spend $200 on restaurants.

Now if you took that $200 saving, and used it for debt repayments, or downpayment on a house or investment, it would have value.

It's nice to know I am not alone here,stating that $25pp is doable.

It is just a regular van with a double bed. We have a portable fridge and hotplate and a gas camp stove. We carry our food supplies in tote containers.
Sometimes we stay at free camping places, and others we utilise camp grounds.

Internet is important. For me, I don't use it for food purchases, but more for entertainment...but I love the frugal subject. I save money by searching for recipes, frugal tips.

I rarely print anything off, except for our business.(leases etc)
I used to coupon and rebate. As I got older, I realised these for foods were for stuff I normally wouldn't buy. Coupons are very restrictiive for us, and not like the Extreme Couponers, like we see on tv.

Food battles:
If we bought treats, such as popsicles, they were portioned out.
We didn't allow unlimited access to food. Milk was one glass per day. Juice was one glass per day. If you were still thirsty, drink water.
Plates were usually served by us, otherwise there wouldn't be any left (especially when they became teenagers)
They knew how to make cheap snacks such as pancakes,hotdogs or we had a popcorn popper.

For some, buying once or twice a month is best for them, because they will overspend otherwise.

For others, taking advantage of the specials, and stockpiling these sales, will be an advatage for them.

You just need to find what works best for your family.

Sometimes I wonder if people really know they could easily spend less and not feel deprived.

If you many are struggling to feed large or extended families,or special diets, many they do need suggestions. We don't have any dietary concerns, so I can't offer any suggestions there.

When someone does experience a financial downturn, by continuing with their current lifestyle would be an extravagance.This is when they need to go into survival mode. It would have been better if they did this voluntarily before a jobloss or illness affected their finances.
How many tv channels does a family need? Do you need to use the dryer, when you could wait until tomorrow and it is sunny.

Here is sample month, for one person.This is based on Australia prices and specials, that we have been able to access.Mince is ground beef, and capsicums are peppers.Substitutions can be made.

Breakfast:
10 x oatmeal (cook 3-10 minute type)
4 x omelets
4 x pancakes
4 x french toast
4 x bacon & egg
4 x waffles (if no waffle iron, make pancakes)

Lunch;
4x sandwich wraps
4x sandwiches
14 x leftovers
4x salads
4x pizza


Dinner;
2 x chicken and veg
2x chicken w/ simmer sauce and rice
2 x chicken soup
quesidillas
3 x meatloaf and veg
3 x macaroni and meatsauce
3 x pork patties and veg
3 x roast pork and veg
3 x chili
2 x nachos and salsa
3 x shipwreck
3 x tuna casserole


Desserts:
applesauce
cake
cookies



Ingredient list

1.09 bag oatmeal
8.46 3 doz eggs
2.50 mushrooms
3.99 cheese block
2.00 bread x 2
5.99 dry full cream milk
1.85 flour
1.95 oil
.95 raw sugar
.95 white sugar
2.49 bacon
1.99 tortillas
2.00 tomatoes
1.00 pepper
1.00 lettuce
1.09 mayonnaise
.75 pasta sauce
6.00 chicken
1.79 simmer sauce
2.85 rice
1.49 carrots
2.99 potatoes
3.29 sweet potatoes
3.00 reduce stew vegs
1.49 sour cream
1.19 chili sauce
10.00 4 x mince
1.00 crackers
3.00 mince pork
5.00 roast pork
.99 kidney beans
1.50 2 x can tomatoes
1.19 tomato soup
2.00 2 x tuna
.69 macaroni
1.99 bag apples
3.00 margarine /butter
1.99 oranges
1.99 kiwi
2.98 coffee
2.00 teabags
1.50 spices/flavorings
1.99 nachos
-------------
104.45

Oatmeal Sugar Cookie
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins (if omitted, increase oatmeal)
1 3/4 cups s.r. all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla thoroughly. Mix in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 4 to 5 hours or overnight.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with greased bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 10 minutes

Applesauce;
3 apples chopped
about 1-2 " water in saucepan
cook until soft
add 1/4 c sugar, or to taste
sprinkle cinnamon

White cake
Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf or a small dozen cupcakes)
2 cups of Self Raising Flour
1 Pinch of Salt
1 Cup of Sugar
1/2 a cup of Margarine
2 Eggs
1/2 a Cup of Milk
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Essence
Method
Pre-heat over to 190 degrees celcius. Place all ingredients in deep mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes. Pour that mixture into a greased patty or loaf tin 28cm x 18cm and cook for 30-35 minutes.

Oatmeal:
Add some chopped up apple or apricots while cooking.
A sprinkle of cinnamon, and sugar to taste.
I like mine a bit thinner, so I add a bit of extra water.

Omelets:
chopped onion,mushroom..saute
add beaten egg.
shredded cheese over top

Pancakes :(enough for 2 adults,2 kids)...
1 egg
4 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix this all together then add
1 cup milk
Mix together then add
1 cup self rising flour
Cook on oiled skillet until bubbles around edges, then flip.
Cook for another minute or so.
Serve with your favorite topping and fresh fruit on the side.
Also a nice stewed fruit is good too.


Waffles (if you have a waffle iron)
1 1/2 cp self-rising flour
2 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. melted shortening or for crispier waffles add 2 more
1 egg
1 1/2 c. milk

French Toast
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 bread slices.
Mix beaten egg and milk together. Soak bread until absorbed.
Cook on med-high until golden, then flip until done.

Pizza
tortilla bread
spread salsa or tomato sauce
fav toppings and cheese
in oven until cheese melts

Salsa (fresh)serves 8...adjust to taste
2 spring onions, finely sliced
4 tomatoes (about 650g), seeds removed, finely diced
1 each of red, yellow and green capsicum, seeds removed, finely diced
4 tbs (1/3 cup) roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to sprinkle (optional)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Combine for 1-2 hours before using

Meatloaf
1 lb (.5 kg) ground mince
1 egg,beaten
onion, medium, finely chopped
1/4cup tomato sauce or barbeque sauce
1/3 cup crushed cracker crumbs, or cornflakes
salt and pepper

Mix together and press in small casserole or loaf pan.
Cook at 180c for approx 45 minutes.
Drain any fat off, then spread over top

2 heaping tablespoons raw sugar
1/4 cup chili sauce, or tomato sauce
Return to oven for approx 10-15 minutes.
Makes 4-6 servings

Pork patties
pork mince
1 beaten egg
1/2 chopped onion
form into patties and fry until done

Chicken soup
Take the carcass of the chicken and put in stew pot. Add enough water to just almost cover.
Bring to boil,add about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 pepper.(to taste) Simmer for 1-2 hours.
Let cool.Remove all bones and discard. Picking the chicken off the bones is a pain, but it is well worth it.
Chop up some of your favorite vegetables, such as sweet potato,rutabagas( swedes),parsnips, carrots, celery,onion. Add to chicken and broth. add a little water if necessary. When vegetables are soft, you can thicken soup with cornflour if you prefer.
Sometimes I like to add spices like basil, oregano, tyme...a couple of shakes each.

Quesidillas
saute mushrooms, onion..set aside
put tortilla in skillet on med -high heat
add saute vegs, chopped chicken pieces, 2 tablesppons salsa,a bit of shredded cheese.
Put another tortilla on top.
When cheese melted, flip over, until toasty on both sides
enjoy with sour cream, salsa, or sour cream mixed with a bit of chili sauce

Nachos
sprinkle with cheese..microwave just until cheese melts
leftover Chili on it, is good too
enjoy with sour cream, salsa, or sour cream mixed with chili sauce

Chili con carne
.cook mince fried with chopped onions, mushrooms, capsicum
and then fat drained
add can tomatoes, kidney beans,
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2-4 Tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper
Cook for 30-60 minutes

Shipwreck
ground mince
thinly sliced onion,potato,carrots
put in layer in casserole dish, add 1/2 tomato soup
repeat layer, top with remainder soup + 1/2 can water
salt and pepper to tast
Put in oven 180c until veg cooked..about 45 min to 1 hour

Tuna casserole
1 cup raw macaroni, cooked
cheese sauce : 2 T butter (melted), stir in 2 T flour, add enough milk/ water to make a sauce (1/4-1/2 cup) add 3/4 c shredded cheese.
Mix cheese sauce and cooked macaroni together.
add 2 chopped cooked eggs
1/2 chopped onion and/or celery
1 can drained tuna
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 milk
cream soup (recipe follow, if you don't have a can)
1 cup of cooked leftover vegs (peas,beans,corn,broccoli etc)
Mix all together. Crush enough crackers to sprinkle over top.
bake until bubbles around edges at 180cel for approx 45 min



Cream of Something Soup Mix

2 cups of dry powdered milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dry onion flakes
1 teaspoon each basil and garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons dry celery flakes (optional)
This is a convenient mix for making the equivalent of a can of cream of celery, or mushroom soup, which so many recipes call for. To make the mix, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix them up, distributing everything evenly. Store the mixture in a quart size container, well sealed. It will keep for several months.

To cook: combine 1/3-cup mix and 1-1/4 cups cool tap water in a small saucepan. Stir it well and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Boil and stir for a full minute. Remove from heat. It is now ready to use in any recipe calling for a can of Cream of Mushroom or Celery or Chicken Soup. I tested all of the casseroles in my website with this recipe and it worked perfectly without exception.

You can also make this in the microwave, in which case, reduce the liquid to 1 cup, because none will evaporate during the cooking process. An additional benefit to this recipe, it contains no added fat. If you wanted to, you could add a tablespoon of margarine or bacon grease for more flavor, but it really doesn't need it.

That is what I was hoping people would share.
I'm not the frugal guru, but just one person who doesn't like to waste money.

I've read the easiest way to figure out where you overspend is to keep a diary for a month, of all the expenditures you make.

When I returned to work, I bought 3 coffees a day at the vending machine @ 65c. It wasn't even good coffee. When I worked out I was spending about $465 a year, I dusted off my thermos and started bringing it...that increased to brown bagging my lunch. I worked in a factory, and we weren't permitted to leave the property, so it was vending machine/cafeteria food or byo.
Many co-workers bought their lunch everyday, and I was considered 'cheap'. I usually brought leftovers.

Instead of takeout pizza, consider making it.
Take advantage of restaurant specials, if you need a treat. Many have birthday freebies, kids eat free,discount times,bogos.

When I was a kid, I can count on one hand the amount of times we went to a restaurant. Now, kids don't even think it is special, it is a way of life.

Thank you.
My thread is very vague, and I do apologise for that.
I guess I was hoping people would share their ways of getting their living costs under control.

Just saying they can't believe how much they pay for groceries, utilities, cars,vacations etc is fine, but it doesn't help much.
Instead, I would like a discussion on how to fix the problem.That is what I thought the "other" thread was about...how to reduce your monthly grocery bill.

I tend to show by example of how I did it in my life.

When I purchased the baby clothes, garage sales were just starting to become popular, and thrift shops were not something I had ever used.
Everyone always says that kids cost a lot. That was something I refused to believe.I bought enough clothes, for extremely small amount of money, that I didn't need to buy new clothes.
I used cloth diapers, the type you fold yourself, when we were home, and disposable when shopping or visiting.
We did buy a new crib and car seats, because we planned on more than one child.

How do I spend so little on groceries?
Well, I guess I really think it is little. We buy ingredients to make food from scratch. Flour, sugar, oil, oatmeal,spices.We buy fruit and vegetables that are in season, or reduced.
Stores usally have certain times of the day, when they put out their reduced meats. They go fast, so may need to ask your grocer when they display them.
Meat portions are huge on a plate. The guide is the size of the palm of the person consuming it.Round the plate out with vegetables/rice/pasta.
Susbtitute or omit expensive ingredients in a recipe. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Buy in bulk when feasible.For the people who say they don't have available space, put it under your bed.
Don't be afraid to try a cheaper brand. We start with the cheapest, and if we don't like it, we go to next one.Maybe you can make it from scratch.
We buy whatever shampoo that is one sale. Bottles of kids, superman shampoo was 50c.We bought all they had. Sometimes we come across a shampoo we don't like. It works perfect for bodywash.

Here are a couple of definitions I like.
Frugal is when your choices affect yourself, and cheapness is when it affects others.

In Canada and Australia, we have our healthcare covered mostly in our taxes.

The USA has a lot lower prices for food than Canada and Australia.Even saying that, we are still able to buy good food for $25pp. is it easy? Not at all. It takes time and research to find the best places to obtain the best prices.As soon as you find this info, you can use it all the time.

If you have certain personal guidelines, where it can only be organic or grassfed, the standard answer would be to only buy it when it is on sale, and stock up.
If something isn't in season, pick something else.
Look behind the marketing of the product. Is it really going to make a difference?

As a general response, I did not want to start a new thread.Some people got very annoyed with my posts on the thread which asked how much they spent on groceries per month, and basically told me to start a new thread.

I also didn't realise until today, the concept for Chowhound was a blog for foodies.I came to this site, because I was googling (I forget the exact subject now).
Most of the blogs I read are about sharing information on how to reduce your living costs, to reduce debt, and take control of your financial house.

I do apologise if my tone comes across as arrogant.It truly isn't my intent.

I don't distinguish what some call 'quality' food.I personally do not like steak, and the only way I eat it is chopped up in a stew, or in a stroganoff.I am also not a vegan.

Living in Canada (I'm a citizen) and Australia (husband is a citizen) , we have our health care covered in both countries.

I will go thru the replies, and try to answer your questions as best as I can.

I do appreciate all the replies, even though I think my post is a bit muddy.
I guess I don't believe that overspending in one area in your life, only affects that.Generally if you can control that, you are more open to taking control of other problem areas.

The economy of the world is very fragile. If one country is affected, it affects others.

ok..I started a new thread, even though I don;t think it is warranted.It is called

Spending too much on groceries? ..and how to embrace the frugal lifestyle