How to be generous on a budget, Part 1: Charity

Despite signs that our economy is picking up, times are still tough. Grocery prices keep going up, and the cost of gas is frightening. So, how do you strike a balance between being wise with your money and being generous?

The good news is that it can be pretty easy to give back without having to spend a lot.

1.      Pick up extra. If there’s a good deal on something that you use—say, toothpaste or cans of tuna—(or even something you don’t) such that you can get it for free or with little cost, think about picking up that item to donate.  Food pantries will take non-perishables.  Many soup kitchens will take produce. Women’s shelters are thrilled to receive shampoo, soap, toothpaste, feminine hygiene items, deodorant, shaving cream and the like. And don’t forget out furry friends! A can of dog or cat food can be less than $1 and will allow someone receiving their own meals from Meals on Wheels to feed their pet.

2.      Instead of throwing it out, donate it. Did you know that most animal shelters will gladly take old blankets, towels and pillows? Often they can use old stuffed animals and even empty pill bottles (they use them to send home meds with adopted pets). In Rochester we have a “craft thrift store” which accepts and then resells craft items and unfinished craft projects. Many school teachers are grateful to get craft supplies for their classrooms. Old magazines might be welcome at local medical or dental offices; I take mine to the waiting area at my mechanic’s.

3.      Donate your time.  Charitable organizations need physical help as much as they need monetary and in-kind donations. Habitat for Humanity would not be able to build houses if people did not volunteer their time to lay the foundations and build the walls of those homes. The local poor would not get fed at the soup kitchen if volunteers did not help prepare the food. Yes, it is a sacrifice. But it won’t cost you a cent.

4.      Better yet, donate a skill. If you have a professional skill, a few hours of your time donated to a worthy cause can be invaluable. If you’re a seamstress, you could sew costumes for the local high school’s theater department. Or make pillowcases dresses for little girls in Africa. If you’re an artist, you might make a great docent at the local art museum. Do you know how to repair bicycles? There are organizations that help fix up old bikes for kids whose families can’t afford their own. I knit blankets for the animal shelter using leftover yarn and yarn I wouldn’t use for other projects. Project Linus provides homemade blankets to children who are terminally ill or traumatized. If you can read, then you have a skill that is in demand by Literacy Volunteers.

5.      Does your company match gifts? My employer has policy of matching certain gifts, and also offers a “dollars for doers” program where they will match volunteer hours by employees with a monetary gift to the charity. They also provide two paid volunteer days to full-time employees. Find out if your employer offers any similar programs and be sure to take advantage of them.

If you’re not sure where to begin, try VolunteerMatch.org to find a charity that supports what is important to you. If you aren’t sure what charity might be able to use whatever items you have to give, a few Google searches, or looking at local charity “wish lists” might be helpful.

Next up: How to be generous on a budget, Part 2: Gift giving

A few good grocery deals for next week (4/10) at Tops

So, Tops will have Starkist tuna on sale next week for $1, so be sure to print the 50-cent coupon available on their Facebook page today.
Also, Breyers ice creams will be $3 each. There's a coupon available for 75 cents off one Breyers "Blasts." $1.50 for Breyers isn't a bad price.
I don't see much else in their ad that I'm personally too excited about.
And here's a late addition: Heluva Good dips will be $1.69. There's a 50-cents-off coupon to print here. Note that their French onion dip would be perfect in the best casserole you've probably never tried. YUM.

Tuesday's Tips for 3/15/2011

This week's three tips to help you conserve time, money and/or resources.

• Tip #1: To get the most out of doing laundry, add vinegar to the process. Distilled white vinegar can help remove stains and when you add 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup to the last rinse cycle, it will help brighten colors, fluff up sweaters and make your soap work better. Add 1/2 cup to the wash water to help minimize static and odors.
• Tip #2: Dried Herbs and spices lose their potency quickly so buy only a small amount at a time. You can likely find spices in bulk at your local health food store or co-op.
• Tip #3:   If your romaine or leaf lettuce starts to wilt, cut a small piece of the bottom end off and put the rest of it in water in the fridge (kind of like a bouquet of flowers). It will perk right back up. Same goes for celery. (Go here for more tips on storing produce.)

Check out last week's tips here.
And if you have a tip to share, I'd love to hear it. Email me!

Saving on food shopping (Part 3)

Ealier this week I put together a quick list of tips, then went into detail on how to save.

Here are some more ideas for saving on food.

Oh, and if you happen to be on facebook, please stop by the new page and give us a "like." Thanks!

8. Look online. Sometimes your “staple” items might be cheaper at an online retailer like Amazon. And if you purchase using “subscribe and save” you’ll save 15%. (You can easily cancel before the next shipment.)

9. Discount stores. Stores like Big Lots, Marc’s and Ollie’s can be a good place to find deals. However, this type of store isn’t terribly reliable if you’re looking for a specific item.

10. Discount grocery stores. ALDI and Sav-A-Lot can be a great source for some items. The Sav-A-Lots here in Rochester are downright scary. ALDI had a particular stigma 15 years ago when they opened in my town back home, but I believe that they’ve changed with the times. While they’re produce isn’t the prettiest, many of their items are good quality. They generally carry only their own brand and usually only one size is available. Their cheeses are a good deal compared to your mainline grocery stores. And if you aren’t concerned about your eggs being organic or free range, they have comparatively good prices. They also carry their own soy milk. Definitely worth a look.

11. Warehouse stores. When shopping for one, stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s might mean overkill.  For anything perishable, you’re going to need a freezer or a healthy appetite. For nonperishable food items, you’ll need a place to store the extra.

12. Shop at off days and times. All day Friday and anytime on the weekend should be avoided if at all possible.  Apparently, Tuesday nights are busy too. If you want to make sure you’re getting the sale items in a store’s circular, Monday night would be the time to go. Many stores mark things down on Wednesdays to prepare for the next week’s shipment. So, if you’re looking to possibly score unexpected deals on deli, meat, produce or day-old bakery items, you might want to give Wednesday a try. Plus you’ll easily avoid the sample people.

13. Don’t shop hungry/don’t take samples. We all know not to shop for food when we’re hungry. That’s how Twinkies and CheezIts end up in the basket. But did you know that those who take the food samples being offered in the store buy more?  And not just of the things we sample. Psychologically, that snack sets something in motion that winds up costing more money.

14. Have a list and have a budget. Stick to both. It should be a no-brainer that you need to have a list.  But I’m trying to be as exhaustive as I can.  So, be sure to make that list, and stick to it. Yes, if you forgot to add bananas to the list, but you need bananas, buy them. But if ice cream isn’t on the list and you don’t need it, don’t buy it. When you’re making your list, don’t just restock staples and necessities and get stuff for your meal plan. Think realistically about snacks, desserts, etc. That way you can plan ahead. BUT sometimes, you’ll stumble upon a good deal that you weren’t expecting. As long as you’ll use it and can afford, it, I say go for it.  Better to save now if it’s something you’d have to buy later.

15. Weigh produce that’s pre-packaged by weight. For example, if you usually buy 3-poun bags of apples, grab 3 or 4 and weigh them. Then pick the one that weighs the most. You might get as much as 3.5 pounds or more for the same price.

16. Eat less meat. Of course the vegetarian would say that. But, really, beans and grains cost less than meat. So consider adding some meatless meals to your menu plans.  I’ll share some of my favorite meatless recipes this weekend.

17. Consider making it from scratch. Yes, this can take time.  You’ll have to figure out what things are actually less expensive and worth your time. I make my own vegetable broth. I have a big bag in the freezer and as I peel carrots, or cut the ends off onions, I throw that stuff in there. Broccoli stalks, asparagus ends, stems from herbs, even corn cobs (from which corn was cut, not eaten.) Then, when it’s full, I throw it all in a stock pot with water and cook it on low for an hour two. Then I strain it and freeze it. A lot of people make their one bread.

Another example—a recipe I made the other night called for 2T of mango chutney. I didn’t want to buy a whole jar.  So I googled some recipes and threw something together with mango, honey, vinegar and spices.  It worked just fine.

18. CSAs/farmer’s markets/backyard garden. Locally-grown, fresh produce is always going to taste better and will generally be better for you. You can consider planting a small garden, or doing some container gardening. Also, in Rochester, we are blessed with many farmers markets and the availability of a variety of community supported farms (CSA). (I’ll be talking more about CSAs soon.) These are a great source for fresh, inexpensive produce which is often organic.

Next up: My favorite meatless main meal recipes.

Saving on food shopping (Part 2)

Yesterday, I ventured out to do my grocery shopping.  I went to Wegmans, Tops and Target. I got everything on my list (which can be seen here) except baby spinach and fake beef for stew. I also got a few things that weren’t on my list—a pint of grape tomatoes, 16 oz. of cottage cheese, 2 packages of Boca breakfast links, 4 bags of Temptations cat treats, a pet brush, some black jelly beans and a bag of kettle corn. (I don’t much like regular popcorn, but could eat my weight in kettle corn.) Total spent was just under $63.

Now, on to saving money!

1.  Frequency: You’ll need to decide how often you’re going to shop. Getting your non-perishables once every two weeks or less often and filling in with perishables weekly is going to yield the most savings. But find what works for you.
2.  Buying in bulk: Bulk can mean two things when talking about grocery shopping. It can either mean buying a large amount of something or it can mean buying from the bulk section. Both can be good options.

Buying big: First, since we’re talking about food, this basic rule is particularly apropos—if you don’t use it, it’s not a bargain. So, don’t buy the larger size if you don’t think you’ll use it. Second, don’t assume that the multi-pack is going to get you a lower price per item. It may, but you need to do the math. Third, don’t buy more than you can store.

A similar tip is to stock up on smaller sizes or single items if you get a good price.

Since my focus is on savings tips for those of us who are single, don’t rule out buying in bulk if you live alone. You can always consider splitting the items and cost with a friend to take advantage of the savings.

Buying from the bulk section: Most grocery stores have a bulk section. Also, most health food stores and co-ops also have a bulk section. This is a great place to buy dried fruit and nuts, grains like rice and quinoa, beans, flour, sugar and oatmeal. Abundance co-op also has granola, olive oil, dish soap and peanut butter among other things. They even have tofu! Lori’s Natural Foods also has TVP.

For example, this week, I bought a small amount—just what I needed for my menu plan—of raisins, golden raisins, sliced almonds and cashews from the bulk section. I keep dried cranberries and pecans from the bulk section on hand.

The bulk section is also a great place to get spices. When one of your spice containers is empty, you can refill it for a fraction of what a new one would cost you at the major grocery store chain. Also, if you want to try a recipe using a spice you don’t have on hand, you can buy just the amount you need instead of spending $3 or $4 or more on a spice you may only use once.

3.  Price book: It’s a good idea to make a list of things you regularly buy and what the usual, “shelf” price is at various stores. That way, you’ll know whether something is really a good deal. For example, I needed 3-28 oz cans of tomatoes this week. Normally, the best price is the store brand at Wegmans ($1.19). But this week Hunt’s were on sale at Tops for $1.00.

I doesn’t need to be an actual “book.” It can be whatever works. I use a print out from excel (because then I can save it.) I’m in the process of updating mine, but will be sharing it later on for reference.

4.  Buy the store brand, UNLESS the name brand is a better deal. Or you’ve tried it and you don’t like it.
5. Store loyalty cards: You’re going to get the best price if you sign up and use your store’s loyalty card. In many stores it might earn you points toward free items or discounts.
6.  Shopping multiple stores:  To save the most money on an item, you need to go to the source that has it at the lowest price which, with sales and coupons, could be different from week to week. You also have to consider if it makes sense for you, given the cost of gas and your time.
7.  Coupons: There’s A LOT to talk about here. But let me say that coupons plus store loyalty cards is where you’re going to get the most grocery store savings.

Where to get coupons: There are lots of sources for coupons:

Newspaper: The old standby. Sunday morning coupons.

Mail: Some people get there circulars in the mail.

Magazines: Lots of women’s and homes magazines have grocery coupons. All You in particular has many every month.

Coupon clipping services: There are a number of services from which you can buy whole coupon inserts or multiples of particular coupons. Coupon Clippers and The Coupon Master are just a few.

Ebay: Similar options to coupon clipping services. However, you are paying for the service, time, postage, etc.—but NOT the actual coupons.

Online: Printable coupons from sites like coupons.com, redplum.com and smartsource.com. Target also has printable coupons and offers mobile coupon sign up too. Wegmans has printable coupons available which you can find here. And Printable Coupons and Deals keeps a running list of coupons from all over the web. And Deal Seeking Mom offers a searchabel coupon database.

Manufacturers: Manufacturers often send coupons for new products to folks on their mailing lists. They might also make printable coupons available via their Facebook page. And don’t forget the coupons that might be in the product or packaging. Also, if you like a particular product, send the manufacturer an email or letter letting them know; they’ll often send coupons.

In store: There might be the little “blinkies” near an item. Or the “catalina” machine might spit out a coupon when you’re checking out. Sometimes there are “peelies” or hang-tag coupons directly on a product.

Marketing programs: There are programs like SheSpeaks, VocalPoint and Kraft First Taste which can help you score free item and high-value grocery coupons.

            Know your store’s coupon policy
            Most major grocers will take internet coupons. Some won’t
            Lots of stores now double coupons but the amount may be different. Some will double coupons that are 99 cents or less (so, $1.98 saved). Others may only double coupons up to 49 cents. Some will allow “overage”; others will not and will adjust the price of the item down. (Overage happens when your coupon savings are more than the cost of the item.) Note that even if a coupon says “do not double” if the bar code number on it begins with a 5, it generally will. Some stores will only allow you to use one of a particular coupon. So, if you have two boxes of Cheerios and two of the same $1 off Cheerios coupon, they will only accept one of that coupon. Many stores will not take a printable coupon for a totally free item.
            Some stores, like Target and certain drugstores, will allow you to use a manufacturer’s coupon and a Target coupon on the same item.
            Coupon matching
            This is one of the biggest saving tips. Coupon match-ups are when you use a coupon to get a great deal on an item that’s already on sale. A good example was my Target trip today. I got 2 jars of Bertolli spaghetti sauce, 2 bags of Ghirardelli chocolates, a bottle of Seventh Generation dish soap, a bag of frozen corn and a bag of frozen peas for $5.15. I had a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon for the sauce. The candy was on sale after Valentine’s Day for 75% off, plus I had a coupon. I also had a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon for the dish soap. The veggies were full price.
            There are great resources out there—people who create coupon match-up lists of deals at each of the country’s grocery chains. You can Google “coupon matchups” and your store’s name to find blogs who list deals for your store. Here are some I know of:
Coupons For Your Family: Wegmans and Tops
Frugally Blonde: Wegmans
Happy Clippings: Wegmans
Cuckoo for Coupon Deals: Giant Eagle
Totally Target: Target
Money Saving Mom: Tops and Acme
Tricia’s Frugal Finds: Tops

Next up: More tips for saving at the grocery store!!

Saving on food shopping (Part 1)

So, here are my basic tips for saving on groceries. I'll be expanding on some of these over the next week.

First, a note. A lot of people extol the virtues of planning meals based one what's on sale, and there's some wisdom in that. But I find that doesn't work quite as well when your meals aren't meat-based. It's a little easier to say "Oh, ground beef is on sale this week, so I'll use that to make tacos and meatloaf." There are sometimes sales on meat-substitutes, but it's not the same. Similarly, I think that meal planning from the circular works better when you're cooking in larger batches.

1.  Make a meal plan (See A Single Girl's Menu Plan for more details.)

2. Keep a "price book"

3. Use coupons

4. Shop the sales (I know what I just said. But shopping what's on sale still works well for staples and produce.)

5. Match sales with coupons

6. Shop at multiple stores

7. Consider the store brand, but not if the name brand costs less (unit pricing)

8.     Shop on Mondays (stores are less crowded, yet it's still early in the week allowing you to get best selection.)

9.     Shop for non perishables only every two weeks (ideally once/mo); get perishables once/wk

10.  Stock up if you get a good price (but buy only as much as you’ll use)

11.   Use store loyalty cards

12.   Eat less meat

13.   Cook from scratch/avoid convenience foods

14.   Make a list & have a budget and stick to both

15. Buy from the bulk section

And, of course, don't shop hungry!