On 7/29/2018, lenona321 wrote:
> Chances are many (most?) of you are more disciplined than I am and don't really need this trick, I admit.
> Since I can be lazy about finishing leftovers, I have a spoilage problem, especially when I'm just not
>in the mood to eat the same things two or three days in a row. (There's also a freezer burn problem.)
>This is despite the fact that I know how to keep my grocery bill under $100 a month, including dessert
>and occasional takeout.

For me it's not the money, I just hate waste. What works well for me
is to be very judicious when buying perishables... the stores here
will always have meats, dairy, and produce so I don't stock up on
those items, just because there's a sale on steaks I don't buy more
than enough for one meal plus some left over for the next day, we
don't mind cold steak sandwiches/salads. I don't freeze tender beef
as freezing lowers the quality substantially. Plus I've not seen a
week when some cuts of steak were not on sale... there are always
various cuts of meat on sale, one week chicken, the next week pork,
and then various beef cuts. The only beef I freeze are those cuts I
use for stews/pot roasts/burgers, and I always grind my own, it costs
less and I know what/who is in it. I plan our menus each week
according to what's on sale. With produce just because potatoes,
onions and various fruits are on sale I don't buy more than we can
consume that week, same with dairy... purchased fresh as needed
there's no waste. However we do stock up on canned goods and all
non-perishibles... can never have too many rolls of TP.

> I also need to de-clutter my place, so I hit on something. Namely, for the last 7 months,
>I've been selling off stuff and buying groceries with the cash I get.

I'm not a pack rat and I detest clutter, anything I've no use for
immediately goes into the trash. Any items that become worn but
someone may be able to use goes out to the curb, always gone within
hours. My wife's brother being a very disabled Nam Vet resides in a
group home, all clothing, especially shoes goes there, all very much
appreciated as most have no income and no relatives to care for them.
My wife is her brother's legal guardian and so we provide for his
needs, even his medical insurance so he doen't need to go to a VA
facility, the Vets would be far better off if the VA was abandoned...
the VA provides the Vets with nothing but grief, the VA is only a
major drain on everyone's tax dollars.

>I decided that I would not buy ANY food unless I had the cash for it,
>without visiting an ATM (I ALWAYS use cash for groceries).
>This just might lower my grocery bill even further and solve the spoilage problem.

I've always paid for groceries with cash. I buy gasolene with cash
too. In fact I don't have an ATM card. For large purcheses like
medical/dental, furnishings, and on line purchases I use a credit card
and pay the bill that month. I don't have a debit card either...
debit cards only let people pretend they have funds so halfway through
the month they are dead broke.... I often see folks have to leave a
cartful of groceries at the check-out.

Nothing edible goes into our trash, kitchen parings go out to feed the
critters, coffee grounds/teabags go into our composter. as does the
contents from our shredder bin. Last night watermelon rinds along
with potato parings went out into the yard, this morning they were
gone. Many song birds consume citrus rinds, even those lemon wedges
marinated in vodka. Beef bones from steak get tossed at the edge of a
hedgerow, some critter will find them as they are always gone the next
morning. Even dried out canned cat food becomes a meal for the
crows.