How To Store Tomatoes

Less waste from proper storage of tomatoes saves money!

Want to know how?  Click here for the article.

Best Ways to Store Strawberries

Two Flats of Strawberries.  Photo © Molly Watson

During strawberry season in my part of the world, you can pick up strawberries for surprisingly low prices, especially if you go directly to the you pick em fields and pick your own.  

My method of storing strawberries is washing, cleaning and freezing them.  But there are other ways.  Check out this article from About.com for some great tips on how to store strawberries so they will last longer.  

A bargain is no bargain if you have to throw it away!

Why you should have a well stocked pantry

The question to the why is, of course, to save money and stretch your budget to the limit.

The Captain and I are very blessed to have the privilege of having access to our local air force base commissary.  We always shop the seasonal case lot sales, take advantage of monthly sales and plan for our purchases with their listings of sales on the internet.  

Last year we bought a case of Kraft Mayonnaise that cost us 75 cents per bottle. Big savings and we didn't have to worry about buying mayo for over a year. 

My favorite case lot sale included Pepsi products that equated to a 2 liter bottle of soda for 35 cents each. We stocked up with massive quantity buys since we go through a fortune in Pepsi products.  Yes, we saved a ton of money on that one sale.

Although I have not been a member of Sam's Club type of store, I am sure similar savings can be found if you take the time to find those bargains.  Make sure those big purchases are for items you often use and won't just sit there in the pantry.

Click here for a well written, informative article titled "Why to Have a Well-Stocked Pantry."

An organized freezer

What does an organized freezer have to do with being frugal?

I've written about buying food in bulk, especially those items we use often. Imagine having a place for all those frozen items where you can actually find them when you need them!

Samantha from the blog Simply Organized has some great ideas for getting your freezer under control.  Look at the photo . . . isn't that an outstanding looking freezer?

Click here to go to her blog post for some great ideas and lots of photos.

Bulk food buying

You want to save money buying your groceries in bulk, but where do you start.  Where do you go to find those bargains?  Don't know how to store all that food?  Is couponing worth it?  What about splitting those bulk purchases with friends?  How do I plan it all?

I've done it before, but it was a long time ago.  The greatest lesson I learned . . . you don't save money if you buy too much and end up throwing it away.

It takes time to plan your purchases, organize your pantry and refrigerator and menu plans for efficiently using the food, which can be an exhaustive commitment if you really don't have the time.  You will learn my lesson . . . if you don't have the time to make a plan, you will end up throwing money away and not saving at all.

You can do it on a small scale like we do . . . when there is a good price on an item we use often, like butter, rice and pasta, we stock up on the item since we know the item will not be wasted, how it will be stored and how long it will take us to use it.

If you have the time and patience, the following are some great resources for guidance.

You Bought in Bulk...Now What?

How to Buy Food in Bulk

10 Tips for Buying Food in Bulk

Is Buying Groceries in Bulk at Wholesale Clubs Always Cheaper?

How Does Buying Food in Bulk Save Money?

Bulk Food Storage, Build your Foundation On the Basics