Group Buying = Discounts!

Here is a great article I read over www.savvyredhead.com about how to start your own food storage group. Check it out. This is a great way to save on items in your food storage - and you only have to buy once a month! What a win win situation!

Here are some other comments I have got about buying in bulk -

“We are currently awaiting a shipment of wheat that we ordered from Circle S Seeds in Montana.  http://www.circlesseeds.com/  We are getting it for $18 for a 50 pound bag including shipping.  The only catch is that we had to order 1000 bags to get this price so there are about 80 people going in on the order. “  - From Ellie in Va.

Emergency Essentials has a “Group Program” for food storage. Here is a link that talks more about it.

I think the best thing about having a “group” together is that you will be held accountable. You cannot simply say, “Oh, I will get that next month….” It will get the wheels going, and get your food storage faster. You will also be able to develop relationships with others, and learn together!

Let me know if you have started a food storage group. What have been some of your challenges and successes?

Buy in Bulk!

Now that you have buckets to store some food storage items in, make sure you check out the prices of bulk items at your local LDS cannery or wholesale store. It is A LOT cheaper to buy items in bulk. If you know that you will be using a lot of the product, and do not want to store it long term - buy in bulk!

Here is a simple cost comparison for a couple items from the cannery:

Hard White Wheat -   Bulk - .30/lb          #10 Can  -  .56/lb

Beans (Black) -             Bulk - .68/lb          #10 Can - .96/lb

Sugar - Bulk -                Bulk - .56/lb          #10 Can -  .81/lb

Always remember to look at the price per lbs or oz. That is how you really know if you are getting a good deal. At the grocery store, they often do the work for you. Look closely at the price tags, and you will see the different prices per lbs/oz.

Don’t forget to check out your local Costco or SAMS club. They offer some great deals - and some not so great deals! Be educated, know if you are getting a good deal. I have found that yeast and cheese are almost always the cheapest at these wholesale stores.

What do you like to get at the cannery and wholesale stores? Let me know!

Happy Shopping!

Gamma Lids

Storing some of your long term food storage in buckets is a great alternatvie to canning. You can purchase the dry items in bulk, saving money! Using a gamma lid is a great way to keep your food safe from bugs,rodents, and moisture.

A gamma  lid is a lid that will fit most 12″ diameter buckets, and will trasform your bucket into a wonderful storage container. The lid is special because it has  two polymer gaskets, giving the bucket an air tight seal. You can also stack buckets easily. Another great feature is that the lids come in a variety of colors and so you can color co-ordinate some of your food storage. A lot of people also use these lids to store their pet’s food. Campers enjoy these lids because you can keep items nice and dry.

Cost of gamma lids:

You can purchase gamma lids online anywhere from $4.58 to $12.95. A lot of internet sites offer discounts on the more you purchase. The $4.58 price is if you purchase 12 or more. Remember to factor in the cost of shipping!  A couple months ago, Macey’s put on an “Emergency Prepardness Sale.” They sold gamma lids for $5.99.  If you are interested in these lids, I suggest buying a couple for a discounted rate - that way you have room to build your food storage. Remember, now you can buy food storage items in bulk rather than in cans, which makes it more cost effective!

Ways to say “Happy Mother’s Day” frugally!

I know that shopping for my Mom is not an easy task! Here are some frugal tips/ideas to keep in mind for Mother’s Day this Sunday.

• If you are the Mother, tell people in your family that you do NOT want flowers! When I first for married, my mother in law told me that around Valentine’s Day & Mother’s Day flowers triple in price!! I told my husband right then and there that he can get away with not getting me flowers–but make sure you get me something else:) You can always agree to get flowers at another time of year:)
• Make breakfast easy for your husband- here is a great recipe for pancakes from Crystal over at everydayfoodstorage.net (it also uses food storage!!) It comes with a video - so any man who says he can’t cook will be guided on how to do it!
• Make a coupon booklet for your Mom. Include coupons like - 5 minute back rub, do dishes, vacuum for a week etc… Be creative!
• Get a #10 can and fill it with memories from your childhood. Write a memory on a piece of paper.  Go through each memory with your mother. You will laugh and cry together as you reminisce on special times. If you have children, let them decorate the can!
• Make a craft! Go to your local dollar store and let your imagination run wild. There are a lot of things you can do - with little money spent!
• Get a plain apron and have everyone in your family write their favorite recipe that Mom makes. Decorate it with all of your handprints. Have fun with it!
• Redeem your KFC coupons Saturday evening before Mother’s Day. Make sure you get your food “to go.” Enjoy your meal at a local park! Go for a walk with your family after you eat.

Do you have a great idea for Mother’s Day? Be sure to leave a comment for the rest of the readers.

Thanks:)

Don’t feel like cooking dinner?

KFC is giving away FREE meals!

• 2 pcs of grilled chicken
• 2 individual sides
• Biscuit

All for FREE - click below - you can print up to 4 coupons!

Make sure you print before 9:59 p.m. CDT on May 6, 2009.

Nothing tastes better than a free meal that you did not have to cook!

A Great Tip for Buckets!

A lot of readers are interested in storing some of their food storage in buckets. Plastic buckets can be used to store food items that are dry (10 % moisture or less) and low in oil content. For information on how to store these items in a bucket, please click here.

You must get a food grade bucket, and a lid that has a gasket (the plastic round lining). You may also choose to use a gamma lid (more on that next week) for convenience.

Here is a great tip from a Caroline in Florida:

“ I’ve been collecting food grade 5 gallon buckets from my local grocery store for the past couple of months.  They use them for frosting in the bakeries and then they just trow them away.  Fortunately they have been kind enough to give them to me instead!!! :)  All of these grains were put in to 17-  5 gallon buckets.  If you buy the buckets brand new they are appx $5, with a lid, if I remember correctly.  I sealed them with Dry Ice according to the instructions on provident living and now they should be good for 20 years!

These buckets also fit large bags of flour, sugar and rice purchased from stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.  I keep buckets filled with those items in my storage room and then fill my kitchen containers from them.  All together collecting buckets from the stores has saved me over $100 (I have gotten 21 buckets total) and I am sooooo grateful for that savings that I can put towards food for my family.”

You may also want to try your local ice cream shop. I was able to get buckets for 50 cents!  I could not use the lids because they do not have a gasket in them, but I am going to buy some gamma lids and that will solve the problem.

Do you have a tip you would like to share? Please let me know!