Ah, the beauty of the internet: getting to read the exact same article three times a year, in perpetuity. "Make a list, and stick to it," "Don't shop hungry," pfft.

I've noticed that too. One website will have an article and before you know it you'll see the same article with a different title and a section or two added/removed on several other sites. It really is a small world...

"Eat more beans" is one I haven't heard before. Remind me not to hang out with you in enclosed spaces.

Thanks for the article, but this really isn't anything I haven't heard a hundred times before.

Beans are fine if you actually can take the time to chew them. I've been resorting to more vegetarian-oriented foods and extending meat with beans (italian sausage with beans, chicken burritos with beans, etc) lately as a way to save on my food bill. Goya definitely make the best canned beans and they are cheaper than the other brands too. But if you're going to start replacing meat protein with vegetable protein, do a little reading online first to find out about food combinations that provide 'complete' proteins.

One thing to be wary of is old hummus. If it's been in your fridge for over a week, toss it unless you want bad gas. I guess this should apply to any bean containing food... eat it up while it's fresh, the longer it sits the tougher it'll be on your digestion!

The tip about buying non-grocerys elsewhere is a good one. Also don't include those items in your grocery budget! You should have seperate houshold products and personal care products budgets. Go to the closeout store or Target for those kind of things.

The biggest thing I doubt in that article is the advice for freezing milk. I've heard that freezing milk or cream causes it to separate and changes the taste, and it should only be done in an emergency.

@HungryGrrl: I've never tried it, but my mom has, and says as long as you wait for it to completely defrost, the separation goes away and it's just fine. I've been considering it, it's cheaper to buy gallons than 1/2 gallons, but living alone I never finish it.

I can hardly get through a quart in a week! I guess I could get some plastic bottles and portion out a gallon and not have to buy milk for months... but that "don't freeze liquids in plastic or else you'll get breast cancer" email forward my mom sent me has got me paranoid...

We started freezing milk. So far it has worked out and tasted fine.

Another source for ways to make foods from scratch is the Top Secret Recipes books. Some are a bit far fetched, like making your own twinkies. Many are easy and probably better for you than the processed food version, and cheaper.

What the hell does "Curbly" mean, anyway? Does it have to do with curbs?

One thing I always freeze is butter. I buy it only on sale, and try to stick to good brands (LOL, Cabots etc.).

One-pound boxes of butter sticks fit easily in the side racks of your freezer, and you just defrost a stick when you need it. Since I mainly use butter for baking, this way I always have what I need on hand.

Quality is not affected at all, and in fact your butter will taste fresh, unlike butter stored for long periods in the fridge.

5. Make a coupon file. If you have the space, put all your loyalty cards inside it and keep it in the center console or glove compartment in your car. This way you'll always have your coupons with you when you get to the store instead of leaving them under a magnet on your fridge.

@ElizabethD: I've frozen butter for months at a time with no ill effects.

Pre-sliced and/or shredded cheese however, do not fare so well.

There was a suggestion in the comments that you buy whole chickens. I did the calculations and you are almost better off buying chicken breasts.

For a 3 lb. chicken you only get about 1 lb of meat - the rest is bones and fat. You have to do a lot of work to get the meat off the bone, too.

At my grocery store, whole chickens go for $1/lb, while chicken breasts go for about $3/lb.

@MercuryPDX:

The problem with coupons is that they are mostly for name brand stuff which is overpriced compared to local brands or Trader Joe's stuff.