Food Philosophy

While I like all things domestic, I LOVE food. I'll post more about my love of food later but for now I need some help from my wonderful readers.

What's your food philosophy?
What do you like most about food?
If you live around Raleigh, what's your favorite thing about food in the Triangle?
What keeps you eating amazing food?

Thanks a bunch!

PS: Please comment here on the blog and not on Facebook. =)

couponing and bulk shopping

So obviously people have been trying to save money more than usual lately. While VIC cards, coupons and ECB (from CVS) have been around a while, I feel like people are paying extra attention to the great deals they can get.

These days, almost every store has some sort of loyalty card or program. My wallet is overflowing with them.  All the deals at the different stores can be more than a little overwhelming. 

There are plenty of sites that can keep you up to speed on coupons or which drug store has the best deal on toothpaste that week. Here are a couple I've heard good things about: couponmom.com and southernsavers.com 

I've also joined Costco. Buying in bulk is supposed to save money, right?


However, I've realized a few things in my money saving experiences:

I don't always use the things that have coupons. I don't eat Apple Jacks or use single use face wash cloths. So many coupons have no value to me. I make so much of my own food or try to eat healthier than some stuff that comes in boxes.


It involves stocking up and maybe spending a little more money one month. For instance, I have at least a six month supply of toilet paper. It has helped cut down on trips to Target and thus, random purchases. Stocking up on dog and cat food is also good since they eat the same thing every day. But as a single person, it's difficult to stock up too much on refrigerated items. 


I already look for the best deal. I try to use generic when possible or whatever is on special that day. My mom long ago taught me to figure out which item was the best deal per ounce. (Ok, she doesn't like math so I think she taught me so that she didn't have to do it.)


I buy so little of some things throughout the year that it almost doesn't matter if I save 50 cents on it. For instance, I only buy shampoo or toothpaste a few times a year. I'm the only one using it so it lasts a good while. 


I see the value in saving money. And certainly a little adds up throughout the year. But as a single person, it seems to be a little more difficult. I think that a couple would have more success with coupons and bulk buying. And a family would certainly be able to make a big impact on their savings.


A few things I do to save money that doesn't neccessarily involve coupons or deals:


Make my own frozen meals. I freeze leftovers in smaller freezer bags. This makes them meal size and easy to grab out of the freezer when I'm in a hurry or too lazy to cook.


Make my own cleaners. Vinegar and baking soda are quite cheap. I also use old rags for cleaning so I don't often buy paper towels (and also cuts down on these impulse purchases at Target.)



What do you do to save money? Have you been able to successfully navigate the couponing sites?

confession

I HATE unloading the dishwasher. I have no idea why. It only takes about 10 minutes to put everything away. As kids, my brother and I would trade unloading the dishwasher for doing the other's entire week of chores. That's how much we didn't like doing it. 


So there you go. While I'm an aspiring domestic diva, I do have my flaws. ;)