Report From the Frugality Front

Herewith are some random observations from the Heartland along the old National Road west of Indianapolis.

Several Walmart stores in this area have undergone makeovers. The main change has been to rearrange most everything in the stores. Nothing is where it used to be.

Walmart seems to have done away with its great seasonal clearance racks in men’s clothing. The time was when seasonal displays changed, the leftover clothing would be stacked on these shelf and rack units with prominent CLEARANCE signs attached.

They had huge markdowns right from the start. I checked these areas regularly every time I passed a greeter and bought all my work pants and work shirts there. Now it seems to be more hit-or-miss. Usually there are only a few clothing items marked down, and the reductions aren’t that great. The signs are harder to see. There are other clearance shelves marked in yellow, usually near the front of the store, but the location varies. These are mostly for odds and ends items that have been discontinued. Within departments like lawn and garden there are markdowns certain times of the year

Toothpaste has been growing steadily more expensive for many months now. It seemed like every time I went into almost any store, the price was up another dollar or more, often being priced above $8 for an average-sized tube. Then I began to notice that at Menard’s there would be toothpaste in the bargain rack at the front entrance for old timey prices like $1.29. It seemed odd. By chance one day, in a drugstore, I looked the toothpaste shelves over very carefully. To my surprise, the bottom row was filled with regular tubes of brand name toothpaste in that $0.99-$2.39 range. I began to look at the bottom shelf other places and found similar prices. The top shelf stuff was still $7-12, but there were bargains on the bottom. It pays to look all over.

Deli meats and cheese These have gotten crazy high since covid and with the current round of inflation we’re having. Even in small town grocery stores, sliced meats are often $12.99 per pound and even more. That’s crazy. Some stores have less costly brands, but I have to ask for them. I’m also prepared to say I don’t want it if the price is too high. I see it as an opportunity to find a better way. Here are some ideas.

1. Buy a rotisserie chicken. Take the leg quarters off to make the entrée for a meal. Slice the breast meat to make chicken sandwiches that are better than using deli meat. When you have sliced most of it off the bones, put the bones and pieces still in the bag in the freezer. Get another one soon and do the same thing. Two chicken carcasses are perfect for making soup stock. Simply cover the chickens with water in a large lidded pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and allow it to simmer for two hours or more. Strain out all the bones, pick the meat off them, and dice up for the foundation for chicken soup. Add vegetables like carrots, canned corn, frozen green beans, canned beans, noodles, barley, and other things you like in soup. Cook on low heat until all vegetables are done, and serve with your favorite crackers or bread. Yum.
2.  Buy a pork shoulder roast or loin roast on sale. Use it as the entrée for a couple of meals, then slice cold for sandwiches. Do the same with a small chunk of ham. It’s better than deli cuts, in my humble opinion. Slice ham very thin and add it to your favorite cheese slices for a memorable grilled sandwich.
3. Make up a batch of tuna salad, but keep the bowl small. Drain and empty three small cans or a large can of premium tuna into the bowl, dice plenty of celery on top, add mayo on top, and mix thoroughly. Serve on bread, toast, or on savory crackers.

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Rotisserie chicken These are one of the steady bargains at the stores I frequent. The price seems to have gone up only a dollar or so over the course of the entire covid mess. As above, take advantage of these to extend into other meals and soup. Chicken broth can be used to make nearly any kind of soup, even beef soups. When finished making soup from the remains of rotisserie chickens, set aside all the soft tissues to extend your cat food budget. Kitty will be grateful unless she’s too picky for her own good.

Shredded cheese For some reason, I see great deals on packaged shredded and sliced cheese almost every week. There must be plenty of supply, because it’s not unusual to see shredded cheese in 8 oz bags for less than $2 each. Generally speaking, any cheese under $4 per pound is a deal. I’m talking real cheese like cheddar, Colby, provolone, etc. I use cheese for nearly every breakfast when prices are good. A handful of shreds, some cut-up leftover potato, some peas or green beans, and some leftover diced butternut squash with a couple of fresh eggs makes a memorable breakfast that sticks with me.

Fuel It has been a crazy couple of years for gas and diesel prices. There seems to be no rational way to explain what prices are doing in any given week. After the SPR was pulled down to help with the 2022 elections, prices have gone up and down, but mostly up. I have a standing rule that I will buy my fuel without regard to loyalty programs at any place that is the cheapest in town. I’ll cross the street for a penny on the gallon. I figure it’s the only way to help the station that’s trying to undercut the price. If there’s a nickel difference, I’ll go there even when I don’t need gas.

It also pays to get out and about in the area to check prices outside the normal travel area. Along the National Road, gas is often bargain priced toward and south of Terre Haute. I can’t explain it unless it’s proximity to refineries, but I will pool my travel and go someplace further away if I need to tank up. If gas drops way down, I’ll fill the tank and then top it frequently to take advantage. When the price goes back up, I have a full tank of fuel to conserve in the near future.

Never buy when prices spike upward This is just inviting punishment and a lower standard of living. When I go into a store planning to buy fish, say, or steak, I always look at the prices first. If I discover that a store has just jacked up prices on the item I want, I don’t want it any more. It’s the opposite of buying what’s on sale for the week. Prices are a way of rationing limited quantities. I can take a hint. When prices soar, someone must figure there isn’t much of it left. I move on down the aisle to see what is on sale. I haven’t missed any meals so far.

Store brands v name brands It’s almost always the case that store brands are less pricey than national brands, and I find them very similar. Still, it pays to watch prices. Sometimes, for reasons unknown to me, there will be a price inversion. The national brand will drop and the local brand will rise. Then it’s time to switch.

Coffee Recently this part of the Heartland has seen a drop in coffee prices. That’s good, because it’s been very expensive for a year or more. I always look for sale prices, and I also look for home made alternatives. Someone I know likes half-caff and nothing else. I mix regular ground coffee with decaf 50-50. I can buy the big plastic cans of coffee at a very reasonable price now, and add store brand decaf to it to make the mix. So far she hasn’t noticed any difference.

Tea My favorite hot breakfast drink is black tea, and I keep several brands on hand. I also try others when I see them just in case there’s a winner hiding somewhere. Recently at Aldi I noticed a store brand called Benner tea. It’s actually quite good for a semi-malty breakfast tea. Some sugar and a splash of half and half and I have a proper English cuppa.

Sirloin tips This is often the best-priced beef in the case. I like to buy them when they’re on ‘manager’s special.’ If I can’t use them that day, I put the package in the freezer. Strip steaks and even ribeyes will be marked down sometimes. The best way is to cut the chunks up rather small and simmer them in canned/boxed beef broth for a couple of hours, or prepare them in broth in the crock pot. Add vegetables and noodles and barley as above for superb soup. The soup can be made in the crock pot, too, or used as the foundation for pot roast. I add carrots and potatoes for a pot roast. A little salt makes several fine meals, vegetables included.

Having made myself hungry again, I’m going to cruise the pantry and fridge to see what might spoil if I don’t eat it right away. Bon appétit!

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