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9/27/2012

20 Comments

 
Ok - Here we go!  Hopefully this will be interesting, non cringe worthy, and maybe even helpful.  I am actually excited to be doing this!  All the discussion on the "stretch your dollar" Hibiscus Coast page, and I know also in the Hibiscus Coast Discussion Forum page - has made this a hot topic!  It is our hope that in exposing ourselves, and committing to doing this - we will be MAKING ourselves learn and implement cost saving measures, but it may also challenge YOU or alternatively make you aware of how well you are doing!  Either way we hope there is something in this for you too!  Thanks for joining us on this journey.  We will post some videos as we build our garden. Tell me what YOU would like to learn, that may help me focus my blog!  Thanks all!
20 Comments
Lee Tempest
9/27/2012 01:51:36 pm

I am very impressed with your pantry!

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Leanne link
9/27/2012 02:02:12 pm

ha ha Lee - if you could see the state of the rest of the house with renos etc... my pantry is the only place of calm organization I have!

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Stacey
9/27/2012 03:48:53 pm

What a fantastic idea Leanne - yes love your pantry too! I will watch with great interest and hopefully add to your discussion. We have used some great books in the past - Living off and oily rag - and used the destitue gourmet cook books by Sophie Grey religiously. GOOD LUCK! :)

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Leanne Martell link
9/27/2012 03:55:28 pm

ha! Thanks Stacey! I would love you to add those books to the reference page on the "stretch your dollar" facebook page! Thanks for taking the time to comment - I really appreciate it - Hopefully - we will be able to make a difference, that's all we can do really! Take Care, Leanne

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sophie link
9/27/2012 07:54:07 pm

Hi! LOVE THIS! I am SO interested in Kiwis using their dollars in the grocery stores better!

I just wanted to point out something with your receipt comparisons though - Your 'differences' in prices are a bit redundant because if you were actually shopping in store you would be choosing cheaper options, not just chosing the brand that you bought at pac n save (which was probably on sale). For example, I would never ever pay nearly $6 for butter at countdown, but because you bought it at pac n save you chose the same brand at countdown, where as countdown probably had a different brand on sale.

Food for thought.

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Sophie link
9/27/2012 07:57:37 pm

Okay sorry, I totally take that butter comment back, i realised you bought 2 for $6.

It just grind me how people compare it product for product, when specials are always revolving and on different products. Personally when I shop, I mostly always go for the cheapest rather than a certain brand

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Leanne Martell link
9/27/2012 08:13:54 pm

Hi Sophie - you raise a good pint - I did, however, attempt to compare as I would shop - buying the things that are on sale - sometimes I had no option as the brands were't carried. I did choose the products that were on special, as that is how we shop, and the wine is different brands that were on special, so I chose the cheapest option - and perhaps even the IN STORE specials would be different again, but doing it online was more cost effective for my time. And there were some products that didn't have the same weight in the package, so I chose the closest option. It isn't fool proof for sure, but the best I could do to provide a comparison under the circumstances. Like you, we choose the cheapest options for each product at any given time. Thanks for your comments, and your support for our project - we really appreciate it! Love to hear the feedback, and welcome any thoughts and suggestions!

Leanne Martell link
9/27/2012 08:15:04 pm

oops.... not only do you raise a good "pint" - but a good POINT too!

Pam
9/27/2012 08:32:56 pm

Great idea Leanne, it will be interesting to compare your results with our family, with teenagers in the house, I'm hoping to pick up some tips and new habits! :)

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Leanne Martell link
9/28/2012 10:27:46 am

Thank you Pam!

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Tina
9/29/2012 07:52:52 am

Great idea Leanne. We live in the area and shall be following with interest. One thing we have tried with some success is the $25 grocery shop week, which I read about in the Healthy Food Guide.

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Leanne Martell link
9/29/2012 08:37:47 am

Hi Tina! Thanks for your comment - I will look up the $25.00 grocery shop information - it may be very valuable to share with our Stretch Your Dollar - Hibiscus coast FB page too. Thank you!

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Jude Howker
9/30/2012 03:51:43 pm

Hi

Cut out the cost of meat and go vegan LOL Or cut down your meat bill I spend about $25 on meat for a family of 5 each week. Mince pack at $8 a whole chicken $8 (marked down) gravy casserole steak about $5 I get about 5 meals from this bulked out with veg and beans. :) I get other protein from nuts and eggs which are an excellent source (eggs are free range) Jude

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Leanne Martell link
9/30/2012 06:47:48 pm

Thanks Jude - our boys are quite a bit bigger (18, 15, and 11)! but I get your point - the exercise is to have a good hard look at what we currently do, and get to a place where we can constructively make changes - thanks for your suggestions - they are great! Thanks for joining us on our journey!

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Jude
10/1/2012 09:59:51 am

Leanne a nutritionist informed me that we all need a small handful of protein each day whether we are small large child or adult what fits in our hand so could be one egg for my 5 year old girl and two eggs for my husband etc any more is just excess. Now this did surprise me I checked it out and its so true so I now go on this. Plus I give the kids a cooked breakfast with protein it may only be baked beans on toast with some gated cheese but I find my 12 boy is no where near as hungry on the days he eat this..............hope this all helps. Jude

Sharon
10/5/2012 07:07:42 pm

Gosh $25 a week on meat would be wonderful but my meat eating Hubby might not like that. Yes I agree that we all eat way too much meat and we def do not need that much but my husband loves loves loves his meat which I am going to have to cut him down on. But my meat bill for the week is no way $25. I wish it was. The trouble is If I cut him down to one serve per meal he heads for the weetbix and peaches as he is still hungry and after working so hard thru the day I feel bad for him so always make sure he has enough for 2 pork chops or two steaks etc etc. I am going to cut down for his benefit as well. I have heard we only need meat portion as big as the palm of your hand.

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Leanne Martell link
10/6/2012 06:49:44 am

Hey Sharon - it is always a struggle breaking habits - and I am not suggesting anyone make any drastic changes to their lifestyle, this is just our journey - and if if helps you see your own in a new light, great! But I think if you CAN afford it, and it's not harmful - go for it! I think unless he is suffering from high cholesterol, or is overweight, let him be happy! Time enough for diet change when he isn't so active! And there's nothing wrong with weetbix and peaches.

Thanks for joining us on our journey! Your comments and support is appreciated.

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sandy
10/6/2012 06:27:30 am

hats off to you for sharing your struggles with coping with higher and ever higher costs and still trying to balance nutritional needs and good , tasty food. My husband and I are both seniors yet still work ( almost ) full time , most of it outdoors in all sorts of weather. We still have healthy appetites and but are always conciouse of food costs. It does seem as though it costs as much to maintain a household - cleaning products , health and beauty aids , as it does to eat. Don't forget to factor in the price of gas or cost per kilometer for your grocery trips.Altogether - well done , keep it up!

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Leanne Martell link
10/6/2012 06:54:39 am

Hi Sandy (mum!) Great to hear from you - I know for a fact how hard you work and how you have managed so often mostly off the land you have! You are an inspiration to me. So farm we are finding the cost of cleaning/personal hygiene quite low, but I am sure that will go up in % as we have to replace things. The "Other" category in the food items is made up of feedstuff, like canned goods, dried unperishables, sauces, etc that don't fit in the other categories... and we were surprised to see how low of a % the Fruit and Vege comes in at...makes us wonder about the time and effort we are putting into our veggie garden, and if it's worth it. I have amazing memories of walking down the loooong (or what seemed a long) trail through the woods to get to the camp garden in Bute Inlet, complete with a shotgun in case there were grizzlies - with the bean plants towering over me - now THAT was a garden!

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Jude
10/13/2012 02:29:38 pm

Hey Sharon,

This week I just spent $19.60 on meat and $6.28 on fish. Meals are Butter Chicken, Beef Stir Fry, Salmon Fish cakes, Mexican Crispy Chicken with soft Taco's, Jamie Olivers Fish Pie, Egg Noodles and stir Fry veg with pan fried eggs.

Yummy yum.

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