Feeding a family of six for $4 a week.

punktfarkert

Thu, Dec 03 2009, 6:07 pm

BrachaVHatzlocha

Thu, Dec 03 2009, 11:31 pm

wonder what those kids end up being forced to eat!!

Sparkle

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:02 am

Obviously she doesn't keep kosher Wink

HindaRochel

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:08 am

I tried this stuff, but I rarely found coupons for what I could buy. I always wondered where these women found all these coupons!

Peanuts

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:24 am

There are mostly no coupons on kosher food

catonmylap

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:32 am

I used to do that sort of thing when I lived at home before I got married for the fun of it. I'd cut all the (kosher food and non-food) coupons out of the Sunday paper. There weren't really coupons on the web then to add in. Then I'd match the coupons and circulars.... Then you file away the coupons that don't work for that week. Also, check the ones from the previous weeks that you filed away. My mother had an easier time as the expiration dates used to be more generous or non-existent...when I was doing it, lots of coupons just got thrown out.

You do buy some things that you don't need that way.

Mama Bear

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:33 am

WOW. a lot of the food was processed junk, and DID YOU SEE THAT PANTRY???

yeah, there arent really coupons for the foods we use. you can stock up on store specials, but not everyone has room for extras in their house...

Tamiri

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 1:00 am

DH just asked: okay, so what do they EAT? There were no fruits and veggies, just things that manufacturers WANT her to buy. I also assume that she went back to the store afterwards to get the "real" food.
Kol Hakavod, but it's not sustainable for a Kosher home (I tried).

joy613

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 3:06 am

Seems she's pretty skimpy with $ for clothing too. those few inches of material couldn't have cost too much.

mommalah

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 9:54 am

Tamiri wrote:

This is exactly how I feel. Although I could do it as well, I don't need or want 20 boxes of jello, 40 packages of hamburger helper, prepared frozen oatmeal, or boxed dinners. Coupons (for food) are pretty useless unless you eat processed cr*p on a regular basis.

amother

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 11:02 am

Hashem loves me wrote:

Seems she's pretty skimpy with $ for clothing too. those few inches of material couldn't have cost too much.

Those few inches may have cost a lot more than a cheap slinky black skirt and a cheap top.

saw50st8

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 12:57 pm

mommalah wrote:

Tamiri wrote:

I follow coupon deals all the time. Lots of stores have great deals on meat/chicken. Purdue always puts out coupons for example and if you use it when on sale its CHEAP. Plus you can get overage on things that pay for your produce. I would imagine she picked a special week to showcase for the video.

The other day I got paid $2 to take solo plates out of shoprite. That $2 covered things that werent on sale. I also had fresh fruit coupons for $0.75 off fresh fruit and $0.75 off kosher frozen products. Keeping kosher you cant do what she does, but you can do much better than you realize. Like stocking up when flour is on sale for $1.49 lb and using a 50 cent off coupon that doubles to $1. That's 49 cents for a 5 lbs bag of flour. There are ways to cut your foodbill drastically without giving up too much.

Mama Bear

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 1:52 pm

Purdue has kosher meat???

bubby

Fri, Dec 04 2009, 3:38 pm

They probably go dumpster diving at night, too!

toastedbagel

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 7:45 am

aw stop knocking her just cuz you can't do the same! I wish I could save that type of money! and she was buying fresh fish, that is healthy. maybe they grow their own fruit and veg, how would any of us know?

Raisin

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 1:14 pm

I think it is great but I really doubt she saves so much every week. Also, must be pretty time consuming.

msctwg

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 1:33 pm

wow! that is really cool. but... I didn't see any fruit or vegtables. and as fruit and vegtables are a major part of our diet I don't think it would work for us. Also we try not to buy from arabs. got to rami levi on tues for fruits and veggies and they also have a great deal on wed for chicken but like I said we don't buy from arabs. also certain hechshers..however we do look for specials and it doesn't always work.
I also lack the time, patienece and energy and dedication, but good for her!!! that is really sticking it to them

Ruchel

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 1:37 pm

Many people, especially those struggling money wise, don't eat so many fruits and veggies. Their priority is plenty of daily carbs plus saving for meat.

Some busy people live on ready made meals you put in the oven or microwave.

mandksima

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 2:57 pm

IN my pre-aliyah days, I was quite a maven at coupon shopping. I would carry around my coupon organizer and find the sales that matched my coupons. Some basic food items but mostly great for toiletries, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, tissues, paper goods. I really would save $50-$150 a shopping trip depending on what I bought. That plus the sales that were going on. Supermarkets lure you in with a few great deals that they know they will lose money on but are worth the extra profits they make when you buy the rest of your shopping there. If you don't buy extra and just go in for what you can save on, you won't be trapped into buying non-sale items.

I used to find Empire chicken and Rubashkin coupons all over and Shoprite often had kosher meat/cheese/fish specials. I remember being the only one of my friends who cut coupons and everyone else thought it wasn't worth their time. Well, ask your mothers, Grandmas, whomever you want that you think will do it for you, then. My MIL and mom mailed me a bunch of coupons often since they were out of State. They sent me diaper and wipes coupons, toiletries, whatever. It was like receiving a check when they never supported me.

I went online all of the time to sites I liked to receive coupons from and printed them out. I remember printing for yogurts from Stonyfield Farms (not CY though). I usually didn't get things for free but sometimes for 1/2-3/4 off the regular price. Most supermarkets give you an item for free if it comes up wrong on the register. I always found mistakes and they were free and if I had a coupon, I made money. So, look at the prices and remember them at the register or write it down on your list.

I can't imagine being financially strapped and not doing this. It's wasting money and even if you work full time, you can find an hour a week maybe to prepare a little. If not, cut a few coupons and just carry them with you. Generic is often more expensive than a name brand item on sale with a coupon.

I agree the lady in the video isn't like the Jewish kosher consumer but don't think others couldn't save a ton by using it for mostly everything minus the special kosher items.

This was one of the hardest things for me to get used to here in Israel but even being one of the die-hard coupon users, I got used to things over here and now I shop the Israeli way, still saving money whenever I can.

Ruchel

Sat, Dec 05 2009, 3:01 pm

Some people do all the contests etc online and in mags (those about answering stuff right and those about sheer luck) and while it takes them hours and hours, they say it's really worth it. It makes them free Xmases, free vacations sometimes (or very cheap), just you don't choose what you will have and when. One of the tips is that when there's an answering choice of paper and internet you should choose paper because if there are ten winners they choose five from each options, and much fewer people take the time to answer by paper so the chances are much higher. Or somethin.