Frugal: The in mode for January

Now comes the backlash from December’s generosity. We’ve passed from the sphere of optimistic Jupiter to conservative, even miserly Saturn ruling Capricorn. We gasp and wonder how many months will we need to spread this credit card statement? Where can we save money this month? Not on gas and electricity for sure. They will cost more as the weather chills, even as we pile on more layers of clothes. Food? We may be looking to lose some weight we gained on Christmas goodies. Sure, but those comfort foods starches and sugars are cheap. We can lose weight if we restrict ourselves to vegetables and lean meats, but those are the foods that brought up last years average 8% increase in food prices.
Here are some ways we can save on food, yet stay slim or get slimmer.
1. Rice is cheaper than potatoes. Think curries on rice. Brown rice gives you more nutrition per calorie than white rice. Wholegrain pastas give you more fiber than white, so you feel fuller sooner.
2. Shop the top and bottom shelves at the grocery store. Usually, you find the higher priced per unit of nutrition on the middle shelves.
3. Buy onions, potatoes, and oranges in bags when offered. But beware. I just bought a 3-pound bag of mandarin oranges and immediately on opening had to throw out two rotten ones. That sort of thing makes me angry. So does buying a bag of russet potatoes and finding out that they have a green layer of toxic solanin beneath the skin. When you buy produce by the individual piece, the produce man has already sorted out the no-good oranges or lemons. You can easily spot any he missed and you can tell if the potatoes are a bit green. It’s a toss-up: by the piece or by the bag? Pink potatoes are always safe, but cost more. You choose.
4. Buy meat in family size packages even if you cook for one or two. Break the big packages into one-meal or two-meal size packets. Date, label and freeze them.
5. Cook once, eat twice. The same heat that cooks one or two chicken thighs will cook two or more.
6. Compare the prices of frozen fish and fresh (usually previously frozen anyway). You can sometimes same up to half the price by getting frozen fish and thawing it as needed.
7.  Stay away pre-cut vegetables. They cost several times as much as whole vegetables. With a food processor that slices or grates vegetables in seconds, you can save a bunch there. Maybe you can find a food processor at Grannies Attic or a yard sale or garage sale. Even if you have to buy it new, it will last for years and years. Amortized over the thousands of food processings, slicing a few carrots costs only a penny or two.
8.  Use coupons only for things you would have bought anyway. Also compare brands. Sometimes a non-coupon brand costs less than the brand that gives you cents off with a coupon.
9. Combine off-island trips with a stop at Costco. Go together with a neighbor or friend and buy one membership to share.
 
Happy New year - Marj