February 02, 2010 2 Comments

Wow! I just spoke with my niece in Baltimore, yikes! a Fire station roof has collapsed and they are advising people that more roofs will do the same with the weight of the snow from the biggest storm season in over 100 years. Highways are closed in Pennsylvania and Maryland and people are being told to stay home. In fact, in Baltimore only emergency vehicles are allowed on the streets. The storm is so bad in some places that even the snow plows are shut down. There is no diesel fuel for truck and snow plows in some area and no more expected before tomorrow afternoon. You know all those friends who laugh at your General Store and your 72 hour and car kits. I bet on the east coast they aren’t laughing today!

If you are on the east coast our prayers are with you. Please stay safe and let us know of your experience so we can learn from you.

As we head into phase two of our General Store we need to continue thinking about how we can be saving money so we have the resources to keep preparing. Which reminds me, are you putting aside that five or ten dollars each week into your Christmas or Hanukkah fund? You should have either $30.00 or $60.00 in cash in your fund.

Back to today’s post…just a few tips for saving money when thinking about breakfast.

Cereal can be a great bargain food when purchased on sale but it has limited nutritional value and is much more expensive than hot cereals. I am a realist however, and understand that cold cereal is a must in most home. In our home our daughter and her dad would much rather eat a bowl of cereal as a snack than just about anything else. So how do you save?

It’s often cheaper to buy the smaller boxes of cereal so compare. Last week our national pharmacy store had cereal for $1.29 a box. They were small boxes but still much cheaper than purchasing the larger size.

You will remember I am trying to use coupons now. Truthfully I am still struggling with the hassle of clipping, saving and checking the ads to pair them with coupons but I’m trying. Many grocery stores offer special sales on cereal, sometimes even buy get one free. This is the time to use those coupons.

Bagged cereals are also a great buy. Always check these and compare the prices before purchasing.

Always check the bottom shelf and the top shelf in the grocery aisle, no matter what you are purchasing. The aisle at eye level usually have the most expensive items.

Combine cereals. If you family loves frosted corn flakes or frosted mini wheats, for example, purchase one box and then a box of the cheapest unfrosted variety and combine them. This not only saves money but cuts down on the sugar intake. This works great for raisin bran and bran flakes also. You really don’t need a raisin in every bite.

A few more breakfast ideas:

Cutting bacon strips in half before cooking. Everyone will feel they had a special treat and again you will save money as well as calories and fat. Wrap the other half and freeze for next time.

If you want sausage with your eggs cook half the amount you normally make and cut them into bite sized pieces. Add them to your scrambled eggs and no one will ever know you used less. Again, you’ve saved money and your breakfast has been just as exciting with half the fat and calories.

Don’t waste your money on packages of instant oatmeal. I know kids love these so make your own. See yesterday’s blog post and the January Newsletter for the recipe. You can make several varieties by altering the dried fruits and sweeteners you add. You can substitute sugar and cinnamon for the brown sugar. Add raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots….

Eat more eggs. They are a very inexpensive breakfast food and provide a great source of protein. They are quick and easy to make even for kids, in the microwave. Check out the January newsletter for the directions.

Before the Disaster, Food storage, Money Savers, current threats, frugal living, recipes

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