[gjet68]

The recent Ice Storm really hit us hard and we lost all our food so I have been busy this week trying to trade some HBA Q`s for Grocery Q`s as we are in bad need of Grocery Items worse than Shampoo and stuff right now. I dont have a supply built up and I dont have a Freezer, all we have right now is a Refrigerator and we have a family of 6 and 1 baby with one on the way. So I need all the help I can get as far as ideas on how to stockpile food. I mean, I see a lot of ppl go into the grocery store and get maybe $200 worth of food and end up paying like $20 something bucks? How do you do that? Both my Grocery Stores double up to .50 cents per day so I have been gathering as many .50/1 Cheap Items as I can, such as the Betty Crocker Frostings and Cookie Mixes from todays inserts. Does anyone out there have any tips for me as to how to begin to build a food stockpile, like I said Im about out of coupons until all my new envies arrive and Im desperate.

[tootsie roll]

I don't have much of a food stockpile either. I know that lots of members will stock up when the price is right (a sale and with a manu coupon). Unfortunately, you might not be able to stock up on what you actually need when you need it. My best advice would be to get coupons for the grocery items that are often on sale from time to time at your store. For instance, this week Multi-Grain Cheerios were 1.67 a box, so I ended up with 6 boxes for less than 4.00 total after coupons. Do we need 6 boxes of cereal right now? No, but we won't need to buy any more for a few weeks, and we wouldn't normally get such a good price.

Check out the forums for the stores you shop to see what items are often on sale so that you can match qs with those items.

Good luck

[Kmchamplin]

You have to realize also that there are several stores that triple to .99 or double $1 or even better. Since you lost your cold stuff, you will have to wait again for the sales to "stock up". For now...get the things that are on sale or the things that you absolutely need.

[Kamily828]

Ive had a hard time stocking up on food items too. Its always been easier to do HBA items. I got a lot of food items this week at Krogers. It wasnt stuff to make a meal out of but I wont have to buy that stuff for a long time so that leaves more money for other things.

If it wasnt for coupons then I couldnt have done it.

[bootyforless]

I would start looking at the drugstores too for good deals on food. Only buy what is cheap to free of those items, leaving your grocery budget open to buying the food items that you need to make meals with.

So if cheerios are dirt cheap at Kroger... buy those with Qs- (don't forget your loadable coupons) and leave your budget open to buying milk and bananas and have the family all eat that for breakfast. If crackers are free this week (like at CVS) then commit to soup and crackers or sandwiches and crackers (instead of chips) to survive lunches this week... and so on. Then of course save 10% of your grocery budget to spend on building your stockpile.... which will eventually decrease your "needs" shopping altogether- it does take time, but you're doing the right thing by trading for lots of food coupons to make the most of your stockpiling budget!!!

This may be a dumb question, but how did the food get lost... could it not have been stored (preserved) outside... since I'm assuming it would have been as cold as a fridge/freezer outside?

[Kamily828]

Originally Posted by bootyforless

This may be a dumb question, but how did the food get lost... could it not have been stored (preserved) outside... since I'm assuming it would have been as cold as a fridge/freezer outside?

I know this question was intended for gjet68 but I had to respond.
A few years ago we had a bad ice/snow storm and lost power for a week. I had just been grocery shopping earlier that morning. All of the food in the fridge and freezer spoiled. We tried putting the food outside in the snow to keep it cold but the neighborhood stray dogs got into it!!!! There was no way to keep them from trying to eat it.

Her situation might not be the same but I had to throw my 2 cents in.

[gjet68]

Originally Posted by Kamily828

I know this question was intended for gjet68 but I had to respond.
A few years ago we had a bad ice/snow storm and lost power for a week. I had just been grocery shopping earlier that morning. All of the food in the fridge and freezer spoiled. We tried putting the food outside in the snow to keep it cold but the neighborhood stray dogs got into it!!!! There was no way to keep them from trying to eat it.

Her situation might not be the same but I had to throw my 2 cents in.

Well to answer the both of you. That is exactly what happened! Lets see, we live way, way out in the country on the top of a hill. There are Deer, Racoons, Possums, Skunks, Cows, Pigs and Everybodys Stray Dog from here to the city limits as well as some Cats that have made their homes in the forest grove beside our house, let alone the occasional Wild Turkey or Coyote that will sometimes appear late at night,along with out friendly visitor the Barred Owl. Need I say more???? We actually thought about putting it outside, but due to the animals there was no way. We have no Generator and had to heat our home with Kerosene,we could not get out of the driveway to even get to town because the trees had fallen across our driveway and there was so much ice and downed power lines that they declared a curfew and a state of Emergency and opened up several shelters in town, but we are about 5 miles out of town, over the river and through the woods so to speak and there was no getting in or out of here, we were stuck in one room with a Kerosene Heater to stay warm with. Luckily we had some canned food and a manual can opener and we heated coffee water on the BBQ Grill on our deck, allthough we froze in the process... But we made do. And, like the last poster stated, I too had just been to the Grocery Store and stocked up on Meat and other essentials the night before. I spent around $300 at that time too. So...there was nothing left to do but toss it all out.

[shoppingfever]

Just read this post- check your pm box!

[gjet68]

Originally Posted by shoppingfever

Just read this post- check your pm box!

Just wanted to publicly say "Thank you" for your RAOK!!

Gwen

[living4fridays]

gjet -
Slight chance we may be neighbors (close to Paducah, KY here).. Same thing happened at our place... no power for 10 days and nothing left in the fridge/freezer. (Including all those Steamers I stocked up on from Kroger! ARGH!) If you have Kroger up that way, I highly recommend them... As far as stocking up.... I can see the fridge/freezer stocking is going to be along process...... but I have enough cake mix, chef boyardee and manwich for a freaking boy scout jamboree at my house! By way of some nice people around here, I've gotten some fridge/freezer type product coupons recently that I won't use, I'm sure ... pm me your name/addy and I'll be happy to share w/ you.

Best,
Ronda

[sweetpea101506]

Originally Posted by bootyforless

This may be a dumb question, but how did the food get lost... could it not have been stored (preserved) outside... since I'm assuming it would have been as cold as a fridge/freezer outside?

I know this has already been answered by the OP, but I had another answer to share about this. We've been having flood issues here in WNY lately due to 50 degree weather! I know!!! Buffalo having 50 degree weather in February!!! It's insane.

OP, I have a huge pile of Q's, please let me know specifics of what you're looking for I'd be more than happy to RAOK them to you.

[gjet68]

Living4fridays and Sweetpea101506- Just PM`d you both and wanted to thank both of you also for your RAOK! Everyone here has been so helpful to me. I just LOVE AFC and you can bet Ill be Paying the RAOK forward soon!

Gwen