What are you doing to deal with the rising cost of groceries?

[Lavender Lady]

Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing the how to. I have a few packages or so of bacon in the freezer.

With all the bacon and B3G1F coupons for ML stuffed chicken or precooked bacon strips that I have been using lately to my advantage for the stuffed chicken rather than the precooked bacon I got creative.

I lined a cookie sheet with tin foil, topped it with a cookie cooling rack, added bacon, cooked at 375 for 20 minutes or so, froze individually in layers and I now have my own precooked bacon just like everyone else and my stuffed chicken...best of both worlds for me.

[macw1960]

Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing the how to. I have a few packages or so of bacon in the freezer.

Your'e welcome, happy to share.

[Frugalbigmama]

Bumping.... Don't forget to stock up on cheap turkey after Christmas. I grabbed 6 butterball turkeys for .99 LB after Thanksgiving (and received 200 PC PTS per $1. spent

[Ciel]

I make a point to check the reduced produce sections and bakery clearance at both Fortino's and Longo's. Sometimes the produce mix varies more at one store than another. Am delighting in finding different items at Longos having only just discovered that their bakery items (on carts in back hallway, not in bakery dept.) go for 50% discount at times.

I have to have at least one way of preparing a vegetable that is not just chopping it up raw or boiling it. The fastest way to bore anyone of eating a vegetable is not finding a new way to serve it or cook it. Too many times I've seen baked squash simply sit and spoil for days after one eating because there was no seasoning or wow factor to encourage eating the remainder at subsequent meals.

It's worthwhile to have a leisurely check of each aisle-never know when you will find something you use that is on special in-store but maybe is not mentioned in the current flyer. Or if there is a points offer (Sobeys for bonus Air Miles) attached to the item's purchase!

[Frugalbigmama]

Shopping sales for fruit this week:

Bananas .57 lb
2.2 Lb bag of apples $1.00
5 LB box of clementines $3.77

Good deal for the week.

[Ciel]

October survey about shopping habits months after the $8 cauliflower pricing:

Charlebois said he thought shoppers in economically challenged regions like the Prairies, Alberta and the Maritimes would have reacted the most to the price volatility, but Ontarians topped the list of regions when it came to some bargain-hunting behaviours.
In Ontario, 55.5 per cent of respondents reported actively searching for cheaper alternatives to what they normally purchase, compared to 23 per cent in last-place British Columbia, and 66 per cent of Ontario respondents reported stocking up on sale items, compared to 39 per cent in Northern communities, which placed last.
Ontarians were also most likely to browse flyers before shopping – 62.6 per cent said they do.

https://www.thestar.com/business/201...-so-picky.html

[Lavender Lady]

Good article @Ciel . So thankful to be a part of SC and know how to save some serious money.

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[Silk]

October survey about shopping habits months after the $8 cauliflower pricing:

https://www.thestar.com/business/201...-so-picky.html

Thanks, Ciel!

Silk

[Silk]

I recently got the Tangerine MC to replace the discontinued RBC Optimum MC. And I'm earning 4% back on groceries for 3 months.

Silk

[Lavender Lady]

I recently got the Tangerine MC to replace the discontinued RBC Optimum MC. And I'm earning 4% back on groceries for 3 months.

Silk

Stock up time!

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[Silk]

Stock up time!

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That’s the plan - my fridge and freezer are pretty full at the moment. My cupboards can use some re-stocking though. And I’ll be sure to stock up before the bonus runs out.

Also, I’ll do what I did when I had 5% on my RBC Cashback MC - buy some gift cards to use later!


Silk

[Angela273]

Tomorrow I am making my first batch of home made baked beans. I haven't had home made beans since I was in high school and still living at home with my dad. I have two cups of beans soaking right now. I still have to decide on the exact recipe that I am going to follow. I put pieces of pork loin and lots of diced onion in it, like my dad used to do. Dad doesn't have the written recipe, but I'm hopeful that it will be delicious. We will have it for supper with leftover roast potatoes. I'll freeze some of the beans for another time, or to use in a future chili.

[Ciel]

Since it's easy to get into a rut buying the same reduced produce favourites over and over, expanding to a couple of new ones helps to minimize boredom for cooking. I'm in a habit of jotting store flyer specials on a sheet of paper and keeping it in my planner or taped on a door so if grocery shopping has to happen, I don't need the flyers in hand to review what I might like to get.

I enjoy reading how other members are maximizing their loyalty reward programs points or benefits to get the most out of each shopping trip or card use.

Since I had obtained the regular laundry detergent this month, I made it known to Mom that sibling could pitch in and get the Woolite if he really wanted it restocked. He did after a week and after missing the sale at another store. Small step but it saves time and money for me. Of course, he got the big jug and I had recycled the small jug a week prior.

[EvilTofu]

Flip app + Price matching

My grocery bill has actually gone down over the years, because of the grocery wars among the store. The average food prices might have gone up, but the discounts are also a lot deeper. (I keep a price log) So the total bill can go down if you only shop sale.

As people are more aware of the rising prices that they are more understanding of frugality that it has become easier to use coupons.

I think shopping is a skill. A skill that can be trained. I have just gotten better at shopping. Thanks to you guys!

[Silk]

Flip app + Price matching

My grocery bill has actually gone down over the years, because of the grocery wars among the store. The average food prices might have gone up, but the discounts are also a lot deeper. (I keep a price log) So the total bill can go down if you only shop sale.

As people are more aware of the rising prices that they are more understanding of frugality that it has become easier to use coupons.

I think shopping is a skill. A skill that can be trained. I have just gotten better at shopping. Thanks to you guys!

I agree about being able to learn to be a better shopper And I love it when I'm using coupons and the cashier or the customer behind me asks me where I got my coupons.

Thanks for the reminder about Flip - been meaning to check it out!

Silk