Frugal Living: Watching for good deals, afternoon purchases yields $0.08 servings of chicken breast--truly a steal!!!

Tweet

People often tell me they can't find good deals. A lot of times it's being willing to be at the right place at the right time, and keeping enough money back in order to spend a little bit of money that can help you stretch your food budget. It's also recognizing that we don't have to eat the heavy amounts of meat protein, but we can stretch that along, too. I needed to buy some shampoo today, and had no intention of buying much more. Being that this is the first of the month, I thought I would pick up my fresh produce for this next couple of weeks. Great deal on chicken breast However, I also walked by the meat counter, and I found fresh Tyson chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, in the smaller packages, with reduced tags at half off the normal price. Additionally, there was a $1 off coupon on each package. One thing that I pay attention to, when I find something like that, is to pick up the packages with the least weight, because the dollar off makes the price per pound less money, than with the bigger packages with the dollar off. So, I picked up four packages with half price tags from the original pricing--$1.55, $1.66, $1.77, and $1.74. each package had a dollar off coupon. So, each package cost me $0.55, $0.66, $0.77, and $0.74, respectively. (If I had a small freezer in my garage, I would have gone home with much more, but I knew that I could add these four packages.) According to the Mayo Clinic, "A piece of cooked skinless chicken (2 to 2 1/2 ounces) equals one serving, or about 110 calories." ( In the case of the smallest package that cost me 55 cents for 1.16 lbs, this will supply me with between 7 to 9 servings. Cost per serving: ~$0.06 to $0.08 per serving. Serving size and cost per serving When considering the four packages of chicken that I purchased, I purchased approximately 40 servings at this price. Many people might look at the deal as a way to think they need to eat more meat, just because it's cheaper. However, I look at it as if I limit my serving size to what is medically/nutritionally recommended, I actually cut down my costs, make my food budget go further, eat what is needed and nutritionally sound, which also helps me in my weight loss goals. Just because I bought it for a very inexpensive price, does not mean that I need to overindulge just because it's there. This is just one of the things that I consider, when I am making my purchases to keep my food budget down. Sometimes, it's just about keeping your eyes open for the deals that you can find. I have found deals such as this in grocery stores all around town. They are not always so good, but when certain grocery stores get a whole lot of inventory at one time, you can find things at rock bottom prices. (Last year, I bought fresh corned beef for $1 per pound at Walmart. Two years ago, I bought a 20 lb turkey for $6.00 at a grocery store out in town. Today's find was at the commissary on base.) Prices of fruits and vegetables Often times, I will shop around for sale prices at a variety of stores for produce during the week. But with scoring such a great deal on the chicken breast, I figured I would just finish my shopping at the commissary, where I was at. In addition to the little amount I spent on these 5 lb of fresh chicken breast, I purchased the following fresh fruits and vegetables (Conversion: 2.2 lb=1 kg): --Brussel sprouts 1.34 lb Manager sale @ $0.99/lb --Mushrooms 1.34 lb @ $3.29/lb --Serrano peppers 0.15 lb @ $1.98/lb --Zucchini squash 1.93 lb @ $0.99/lb --Cauliflower 1.61 lb @ $1.49/lb --Broccoli 1.03 lb @ $1.68/lb --Carrots 2 lb bag @ $1.49 --Cilantro/coriander leaves 1 bunch @ $0.99 --Spinach 1 lb bag @ $3.49 --Red mango 2 @ $2.00 ea Total produce cost: $22.05 Total Chicken cost: $2.42 5% commissary Surcharge: $1.23 Total food purchase: $25.60 April will begin a new food inventory project Many of you know of my previous food inventory project, for the nearly one year before I went to Aruba on vacation with @Marguicha. I made it my goal to spend between $40 and $50 per month only on food, using what I had in my freezer, refrigerator, and pantry. It was a way for me to save money for my vacation, and use up the things that I had for a while. It was a successful project for me, and kept me on track in many ways, which I plan on writing about in more detail this upcoming month. I have yet to work out all of the things that I want to accomplish, but I do want to start using again what I have, and watching for the deals that can sustain me. My initial thought is to see if I can accomplish this again allotting $25 cash for grocery shopping for two weeks. I am not any government assistance for food, however, if someone offers on my buy nothing group, as last year, I have received a 50 lb bag of pinto beans. As I work out this plan, I will share my journey again with you. I recognize that each of us is in a different situation, and I can only share my experience, and what I find. Though I live alone, I also share the food I buy and cook with others. I do my best not to waste anything, though I'm not always successful. I also think that I eat well, considering health, nutrition, and what I spend. I don't have all the answers, but I will share what I know and what I do as an effort to help others think about what they have, and what they can do in this world of uncertainty where food prices are going up, and incomes are not. But I will leave all of that for another time, as we begin a new month. Photo is my own.