All I can say is wow! Grocery prices are crazy, and with them skyrocketing and products shrinking, I figured it’s time to get back to frugal basics. Now, I am back to making homemade yogurt and baking our gluten-free baked goods from scratch. It was easy to get away from baking from scratch when I was working full-time and going to school part-time. This past spring, I was not just working full-time but also teaching part-time. There just hasn’t been enough time in the day, so I have been working on getting systems going so I can stick to our frugal basics. That being said, I am figuring out ways to stay on top of the basics.
Higher Grocery Prices I have Spied Lately
(These are all items that were on sale!)
- A small watermelon at two major food chains on sale for $8.99
- Large Grade A eggs for $5.29
- Ground beef for $6.99 a lb.
- Tilefish 24.99 a lb.
I could go on and on about prices, but we are all experiencing it. In addition to that, we have also experienced shortages with inventories and stock in our local stores. Of course I can still pick up cabbage, corn, onions and a few other items still for fairly reasonably. Overall though, we truly are in unusual times, and when I get stressed about the budget and finances, the best thing for me to do is to get back to basics. The truth is, some basics I have never gotten away from, such as making our laundry soap, hanging our clothes to dry out on the line, and gardening year-round.
Frugal Living Pro Tips
If you are new to frugal living or it is not something that you have been consistent with, take a look at the frugal basics you can incorporate immediately that will give you instant gratification and the joy of knowing that you are on your way back to frugal basics:
- Hanging your clothes out to dry
- Making homemade yogurt
- Cooking baked goods from scratch
- Making your own homemade laundry detergent
- Signing up for streaming channels during deep discount times such as Black Friday
- Growing herbs on your window sill (We keep green onions, basil, and even lettuces)
- Dehydrating fruits and vegetables
- Using your library and free resources for books
- Fishing (it’s fun and you can catch your dinner)
- Foraging for plants/mushrooms (but you must be experienced or have a guide for safety purposes)
- Mending your clothes
- Eating leftovers and meal planning with leftovers
- Planning game nights and potlucks or even walk and talks with friends and family
Frugal Living Ideas that May Take Time to Reap Your Dividends, but are still worth it:
- Raising a small flock of chickens for eggs or other livestock
- Year-round gardening or all the seasons that your zone will allow you to
- Planting edible fruit trees and shrubs that will feed you and your family for years to come
- Making your own beverages at home such as kombucha, jun, or kefir
- Adding solar lighting to your property, lessening your reliance on electricity or the power grid
- Using a solar oven such as our Sun Oven
- Heating your home with a wood stove
Frugal Living/Money Saving Blogs for Your Reference
- Canadian Budget Binder Grocery Shopping Tips
- Backwoods Home Magazine – Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
- TheEverygirl.com – Grocery Store Hacks to Save Money
- NPR – Save Money on Groceries
Soon I will be sharing many more money saving ideas in the weeks to come and I have more posts coming on our yard being an edible arrangement as we have added more fruit frees and perennial food sources to our lil’ suburban homestead and I can’t wait to share! I actually didn’t think it was possible, but when there’s a will there’s a way.
I wish you all a beautiful week! Until next time…
Fondly,
Great info. Thank you.