We are in a similar situation here to you Greg. We make the most of being close to the majors by buying up on the half price items, comparing prices across the board and we buy in bulk too. On top of that we buy bulk meat purchases each month or so from the butcher.

Yes I do some times do a tomato relish which is very yummy and I can get rid of some that way but we don't eat lunch so I have stopped making it. My Dad loves it though so I can do him some. We pulled the plant out and the green tomatoes are on top of the fridge where it is nice and warm so they will go red eventually and it's good because then we can use the red ones up first.

Cherry tomatoes freeze really well. I like to make a tomato gravy with them.

More like the one world govt schemes .!!!.

Totally with you Romac

I also grow what I can in a very small veggie patch. I find it saves me heaps.

Yes, I have a few things growing and we swap things with friends. Sometimes go halves in buy something in bulk too.Things like onions and potatoes.

I grow in all sizes from ice cream containers to buckets as long as they have holes in the bottom for drainage they are fine

So cool. I'm excited to try this. What veggies would you suggest for planting now in hot Arizona. It won't go down to 80 degrees til September. Now we are between 95-110 degrees. Do I leave them in house our outside?

I actually work for Woolworths. Woolworths and Coles are almost tweedledum and tweedledee. Woolworths give a lot of food to Ozharvest who provide meals for those in need. Perfectly good food does end up in the dumpsters but one hopes that this is not common. Any item baked in the store, such as bread rolls is sold at half price after 5:00 pm in preference to throwing it out the next day. I believe that at this point we are not allowed to give it away either. We used to do the $1 nd then $2 bags of fruit and vegetables that were not quite good enough but there were too many people just waiting for the cheap produce to come out. Many who could afford to pay for the quality stock would not so we had to get rid of it. For the bread that is a bit dry becsause of its age put it in the oven on the top shelf over a baking tray with water in it at about 120 celcius for a few minutes. This will add some life back to it. I hope this helps.Edited 23-Aug-22 16:36pm

Thanks for your reply Don and you're right, both Coles and Woolies are Tweedledee and Tweedledum. I admit that over several years of caring for my elderly FIL before his passing 4 years ago, that I knew what I could buy and when to get it cheaper and what charitable organisations were in what area and what I could anticipate buying or getting it donated. I want to give a quick plug for Anglicare here because if I don't do it now I'll forget to later. They, and I honestly don't know if it's every store but I think it's the larger ones at least, do a grocery bag for $12 which you pay and select from their pantry products such as long life milk, cereal, pasta, rice, tinned vegetables and sometimes fruit as well and assorted other pantry items. Some stores will also have fruit like bananas which are donated and as I have a dehydrator I will ask if I can take more if it's after a certain time or I know that by the look of them that they will be too mushy for me to get more than 1/2 the quantity which I can save. I worked out that on average I would end up with between $35 and $40 worth of product. I think that those of us over a certain age will ride these inflationary increases much better than the younger people who have grown up being able to take whatever they want in the store regardless of the price and have enough disposable income to keep purchasing, at least for a little while. I was born in the Western Suburbs of Sydney late in 1864 which makes me one of the last of the "baby boomers" generation when it wasn't fashionable to live there and as more families moved into the area more shops including the top takeaway restaurants such as KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's came into our local area, but we ate KFC as a REAL TREAT not because mum didnt want to cook dinner that evening. I know that my own 5 adult children are products of the "affluent " generation and they think nothing of going out for takeaway and ordering 3 different types of food costing $100 for 2. They ate well as children because I would go to Coles, we didn't have a Woolworths where my kids grew up until 12 years ago, near closing time and follow the person who was manually marking down the meat, often by 50%, and buy what I could freezing it for use over the fortnight.I am afraid that some tough life lessons are about to be learnt by our children and grandchildren about making do and being grateful that we have SOMETHING on our plates even if it's NOT our preferred food. I recall reading stories from the Great Depression when mothers would leave the kitchen when their children were going to eat so they wouldn't be tempted to eat their child's dinner while they had a cup of Bonox.in the hallway. Sorry for taking up so much space but I feel the urge to encourage in any way I can or educate people where they might find assistance with food services. We are about to walk down a very dark road into global famine where now will be seen as "the good old days". Take care Don!

We are one, let's do it. Yawwwwwwwwn.

I do the Woolworths bunch where you get to try free products ..you never know what you are going to be offered and then you write a review on it.

yes I do bunch to and it's great trying stuff I probably won't look at buying usually

Where do you sell your blankets?

I have been doing corner to corner baby blankets, and also some that are strips of squares in different colours (like blocks) have a few friends that are becoming grandmas so they have been buying them. I usually have a couple of blankets and a couple of baby matinee jackets available, last one I also made a little teddy bear to match. Thinking of putting them on facebook marketplace.

If you always buy up big when products you always need and use are on special you will have enough to last till they come on special again and therefore never have to pay full price for them.

Ummm I am a shareholder in Trustpower. I hope they raise our dividends also.

If not maybe you could score a new T.V or other appliance from them, LOL

Well done you! You really do have your act together. If you have no major financial incentive to change your spending habits without being wealthy you are doing very well in the control of your financial circumstances. All the best to you.

Thanks! In addition, I donate my body for scientific study (when I die), decades ago:-))! My estate will not be stuck with funeral cost and wake cost! Furthermore, you asked me compelling and intelligent question (which I appreciated) - "good luck" in your financial situation and financial future. All the best to you!Edited 24-Aug-22 02:44am

Don't you like venison ??

yes, I love venison, however, there is a season, and I follow the law.

Yep spending less on groceries but as you say the cost is more for less. No clothes, going out, I do not drink or smoke. Actually led to a very boring existance.

without the money I get from surveys I would not be eating I fear.