PLEASE Help.........financial woes
#156014 - 03/02/05 05:05 PM
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i finally feel great! But now hubby wants to discuss the grocery bill. 
If I stop eating the way I do...I'll get sick again. Hubby and I eat different stuff....so we have two seperate grocery bills to an extent.
Any advice? i CANNOT afford to lose my health!
Thanks in advance for the replies...and send lotsa hugs too? 
With love, Ruchie
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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a few things we do (did- we've had to go back to the older method for a bit due to the house being on the market)....
buy in bulk things that you can, and buy them on sale whenever possible.. especially dried goods.. and we have a big stand alone freezer as well as the one in the fridge... so we buy meats that way too (chicken breast for me, other things for him)...
actually by buying less fresh produce on this diet I'm actually saving part of what used to be my grocery bill because Bill is fine with canned and frozen stuff for himself too for the most part...
I am finding that by taking careful consideration of what I buy and what we need to have in the house we both always have choices and I don't need to spend a ton. Also I only buy at the HFS or whole foods what I can't buy elsewhere and I price compare. I try to mostly go to the store by home, but I go to trader joes and whole foods every 2-3 weeks, and to the other 2 groceries in town about once a month on average... I watch the ad flyers for all of them and choose when to go and where to go based on items I need or will need soon being on sale. I have a constant inventory of things I need and stock and what we have on hand.
Good luck!
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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Yep... price-compare like crazy. There are certain things that I will ONLY buy when they're on sale - chicken breasts are one of them. I buy them in bulk when they're $1.59-$1.79/lb and stick them in the freezer, individually wrapped. If I run out of chicken before the next sale, I'm S.O.L. - I eat pasta or rice and beans until it's on sale again. Just an example.
It's going to sound mean, but I make Adam eat the cheap stuff.  Of course, I'm in charge of the cooking, the grocery shopping, and the budget, so I can dictate what he can and can't afford to eat. Red meat is a very-occasional treat; he eats chicken drumsticks, casseroles, and pasta most of the time, because they're cheap. He eats a lot more than I do, so this is a practical consideration.
I comparison-shop for just about everything. I also rarely buy items that I don't really need - soy cheeses are a good example - and I never buy packaged convenience foods other than my occasional safe ramen noodles (at $1 apiece, they're an affordable treat). Tofu is good; expensive packaged meat subs like the Morningstar Farms and Quorn stuff are all no-go's.
I bake my own breads now, for the most part. My $35 bread machine is my lifesaver. Even taking into consideration that yeast isn't cheap, it's still less expensive for me to buy baking supplies than it is to buy 3 loaves of bread a week. If you're eating GF breads, this might be a good thing for you to look into - I know how much that stuff costs!
I might think of some more suggestions for you. The bottom line is that we eat differently, but we both still eat very well, and we're working on a single income - so I know it's possible. 
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Ruchie!
#156029 - 03/02/05 05:28 PM
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doubletrouble
Reged: 11/14/04
Posts: 1530
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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So get this problem. I posted to Kelly (vicam) a while back about it. You can see my solutions here
Hope this helps. Poor thing. Money shoul be banned I think!
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Amy
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Okay, you asked for it --
I fix one meal, that's it. Hubby eats what I fix. If he doesn't like it, I won't fix it again, but I WILL fix another IBS-safe meal. I'm not a full-time chef here, and I don't intend to spend all my time in the kitchen. This is not a cafeteria.
Try to find IBS-safe meals that hubby WILL like. There are so many, Rache, I can't believe he doesn't like any of them. Is he just being stubborn?
I make a killer chicken stock, which is an excellent base for all kinds of soup. Hubby asks for my lentil soup all the time. It's fabulous, and DAMN CHEAP! (oops, sorry; I said "damn," didn't I?) No kidding; I just made a pot of the stuff, and froze 10 cartons of it! That's gonna feed us a million meals. And I still have enough stock left over to use when making rice.
Men love meat and potatoes. Why not just fix a baked potato and put some soy sour cream on it? We had it for dinner tonight, and hubby was happy as a clam. (Ew, I hate clams....)
Give it a shot, Girlfriend! But remember, you're not a paid chef, and you're not running a cafeteria. Besides, I know your hubby doesn't expect you to eat anything that you can't have. If he doesn't like the grocery bill, then he can eat what you have -- just make it something yummy!
{{{{Hugs}}}}
Bevvy
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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been there, done that. and you are correct you can't afford to go off of your diet especially if it works for you. it might help to explain to him that in the long run it will cost more money if you go off your diet because it will cause more and expensive problems then if you stay healthy and stay with the diet you are on that works.
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I need one!
also- I agree, I dont' cook 2 meals, but I will make him burgers or a steak when I make chicken or fish on occasion and I get him non safe foods to fix himself..
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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I agree...
#156167 - 03/03/05 02:07 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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...we just do one meal. There's no way either of us could cope with two totally separate meals! But I'm like Amie...sometimes I'll have fish or a vege thing and Si will have meat and we'll both have the same sides.
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{{{HUGS}}}
#156168 - 03/03/05 02:08 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Sympathy sweetie! I have a hard time with this too...it's another reason why I couldn't do a naturopath diet or organic.
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We do the same thing... very occasionally, he'll have something red while I eat chicken, but we ALWAYS eat the same side dishes. He never complains about it, which is good, because he can go without if he does. No way am I cooking 2 full meals.
I DO, however, sometimes make him a big batch of something I can't eat - thai chicken, pork chops in the crockpot, whatever - and portion it up in the freezer, so he can take food to work or have something to grab if he really doesn't want what I'm eating. (But that's only happened once! Bev's got the right idea - make him eat like you do, just make sure it's tasty and he won't object!)
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Dear Ruchie,
I agree that your health is very important. I would say make a budget on the max that you can spend on groceries each week and stick to it. Now that I'm on my own, I have decided that I can spend no more than $75 a week or $300 a month on groceries. It doesn't mean that I all of a sudden have to eat junk but that I can't buy as much, that's all.
You will figure something out and you got some good suggestions already!
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I hear ya with the financial stuff! I'm on my own, no live in boyfriend, but financially buying all the stuff I need to stay well is putting a bit of a dint in my bank balance! I agree with everyone on here, he should eat what you eat - he'll thank you for it in the end!!! (((hugsies)))
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You got it. I just posted it in the Recipe Board. ENJOY!
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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No more chicken. Kosher chicken NEVER goes on sale 
The ONLY "meat" we're gonna hav is fish. Period.
I am eating less now...so that should help.
I eat mainly produce these days. And whole grains.
Hubby eats very differently and is a picky eater.
Hm...
Taking all of your suggestions and putting them together this is my plan....if you have more ideas PLEASE I beg of you send em my way *hugs*
I will plan VERY carefully what we will eat and when. This i difficult for me as I am just learning to be organized.
If there is a perishable in the fridge we will eat it RIGHT away!
Shabbos is tough. Friday night to Sat. night there's no cooking and everything has to be prepared ahead of time. Shabbos is where it gets tricky.
Hubby has gefilte fish. I can't eat that (and it' $6 or more per loaf!) He eats Challah bread (I don't eat gluten). So for Shabbos alone we spend about $30 a week! 
Ugh! This is harder than I thought! Amie...Avidan...Dalia...anyone who has ideas for Shabbos?!?
Ok...but at least for during the week I think I'm gonna b ok. No pre-cooked tofu/soy stuff. VegWeb is SUPER and has great vegetarian recpes for tofu and how to make it!
Okie dokie....having a hard time keeping things straight in my head. Better take my vitmains before I lose my mind
Thanks again...and keep he ideas coming! I need all the help I can get *hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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...point out to him that stuff his gefilte fish (what the heck is that? ) is just as much a problem! So maybe he could cut back too.
I don't know how you manage eating for IBS, Fibro AND your religion. I'd break!
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just not all the time... and I guess I am lucky that I can get it reasonably priced at times... I'd buy what you plan on eating and make sure its for both of you. try the pulled chicken recipe I put on the recipe board for shabbos lunch- if the crock is emptied, fill it with water if you don't turn off power, if its not, just let it sit on low or warm until you can turn it off and refrigerate leftovers... that should be soemthing you can both eat- you on gluten free bread and he can put it on leftover challah..
are you ok wth beans? I'll find moms veggie cholent recipe, thats another one you can leave in a crock or in a pot in the oven on low for shabbos.. and again would work for both of you.
Soups also work well because even if you don't make them in a crock if you make them in advance you can leave them simmer in a crock pot. its probably the best 20$ purchase you can make... one of my moms shomer shabbos friends taught me about it... there are a lot of crock pot recipes out there..
also- there are some yummy fish based soups as well... or you could make chicken noodle soup if you have good gluten free noodles.. or even just chicken soup with some root vegetables and no noodles...
I'm at work, but I'll try to come up with more suggestions for you for later..
Amie
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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I would try to buy your whole grains in bulk at Whole Foods, which I'm sure is cheaper. For your produce, are there any local farmer's markets or co-ops type things? Usually produce is cheaper and fresher there. We have a fruit and veggie truck up the street from my apt, I just don't eat fresh fruits and veggies that fast depending on my IBS, but my roomies get huge bags of apples and potatoes for $1/bag!
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Melissa
Friendship is thicker than blood. ~Rent
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Hubby doesn't eat soup and chicken makes me sick.
BUT we do eat cholent on Shabbos day and I make it vegetarian!
Maybe I will just have to become an expert at soy/tofu and make things gourmet?! 
I def. want the veg. cholent recipe! And I'm interested in soup recipes for ME. Who knows...maybe hubby will try it if I tell him how cheap it is
As for chicken for hubby....where do you get cheap Kosher chicken?
Maybe we should start going out for shabbos meals. I can bring my own food and save money on hubby's?
Hope you don't mind my rambles  I have to think out loud before I process things properly
Thanks again amie...you're a super friend *hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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What, ANY soup? I have to say, that's just a bit weird. I mean, there's all kinds of soups...I'd have thought everyone was catered for.
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I've never seen puffed millet in bulk at Whole Foods....but it certainly doesn't hurt to ask! In fact, even their rice is expensive. I'll have to make small portions and make white rice for hubby (bought that in bulk for cheap!)
Farmers Market. Do you hear about that word of mouth? How can I find one? We don't ge the newpaper....is that the place to look? It would be worth it to buy an issue of the paper to get locally grown produce!
Thanks Melissa *hugs* i feel like I have a zillion friends here.
GROUP HUG!   
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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He'll eat store bought soup.
I LOVE my husband VERY much....but he gets very skiddish when it comes to trying new things.
He's not a BIG soup eater. Once a week is IT for him! He is VERY picky on veggies.....so it's tough. Especially since I can't eat tomatoes....
He likes the Imagine Squash and Potato soups and chicjen soup which hurts my tummy. As you can see....we are NOT a food math made in heaven
But I think I will just have to serve him whatever I make and tell him to EAT! And not worry about him and his taste buds too much. I DID get him to eat roasted squash by putting it on his plate. He's always told me he obhors (sp) squash...but made that way and put on his plate (after commentating "is this SQUASH?!") he DId eat and in fact ENJOYED it.
Maybe he just doesn't even know what's good for him....well, I'm gonjna TEACH him!
You guys are DEF. helping me put things in perspective....
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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touche Linz!
I DID mention it last night. He didn't say anythig....
Gefilte fish is a mixture of car and other fish all rolled into one. I can't eat because its prcessed (very hard to make from scratch!) ands I don't eat too much processed foods. PLUS it has gluten AND sugar...no thnk you!
It's NOT easy! Fibro, IBS, migraine triggers, religion, AND we're so different when it comes to what we ike! *sigh* BUT the good news is I have all of you to help me. Without THAT I WOULD break!!!!!!!!
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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you can look online maybe for farmers markets.. I'm sure that there must be a few around you. Maybe on superpages.com, or the yellow pages?
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I looked up farmers markets...I've never heard of the streets but I'll ask hubby when he gets home. Yippee! I'm gonna be saving money in no time! *hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Hehe!
#156382 - 03/03/05 09:21 AM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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Si used to tell me all the time about things he hated to eat...and then loved when I just gave them to him! So he's given up complaining until he's tried stuff. And he loves most of Heather's recipes...ESPECIALLY the butternut squash pasta sauce!
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awesome! no problem..
you can always just go to mapquest.com too and get directions to see just how far away they are. GOODLUCK!
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I don't know how much you pay for your puffed millet, and I don't know your feelings on ordering stuff online, but I found this site: website
It has a bag for $1.20, which I thought was pretty cheap. That might be a way to save money on that, you may be able to find your teas for cheaper too, maybe....
*HUGS*
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Melissa
Friendship is thicker than blood. ~Rent
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It's a $1 at Whole Foods!
I cannot BELIEVE you guys are looking for me like this. Haing wonderful people like you in he world makes it a beautiful, special place and it makes me happy to be alive *big hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Only a $1! That is plenty cheap then, and your hubby shouldn't have a problem with that if it makes you feel better!
Of course we're here for you, honey!
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Melissa
Friendship is thicker than blood. ~Rent
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the cereal isn't the prob. It's the veggie and fruit that are outrageous. Like almost $4 for oz. blueberries....stuff like that. they are SO RICH in antioxidants and they alway help me have wonderful BM's!
I think the farmers market will be great.
You're to sweet melissa *hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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I don't get "Cheap" kosher chicken, but its less if I'm willing to buy it at the last minute before shabbos.. at least at one of the local butchers.. and its close enough to the house to get home... but I used to have Fri's off work, so I could go Fri afternoons, now I don't.. but DH works over there sometimes so hopefully he'll be able to stock up for me...
will he eat stews? those work too... DH likes soup but hates stew.. I make cholent for me, not him!
the closest to a stew he'll do is the pulled chicken recipe... you can actually do that with tofu as well if you want.. or with portobello or other mushrooms if you slice them up in advance (they don't fall apart the way chicken does)... or any combination of the above...
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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try the morrocan sweet potato recipe I posted awhile back- its yummy even without the tomatos and I think thats the only thing you can't have in it as posted.. actually I prefer it without!
it would work well in a crock to stay warm... any stewed vegetable type thing would work- and you could always have a piece of chicken or meat for him if he insists... the sweet potatos feeds an army and is YUMMY.. chili would work well too- use TVP... you can make it without tomatoes and with some vegetable broth instead for liquid to pull it all together.
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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Amie...can you put portobello mushrooms in your cholent? I LOVE mushrooms (hubby hates em!) LOL But I'm sure with portobellos I could just stick it in and he wouldn't have any.
Yes hubby DOES like stew. Any recipes? At this point...I'll eat anything. As long as it's healthy for me!
Thank you thnk you thank you for being so helpful and informative *hugs*
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Tanks again Amie *hugs* Wish we could have you for shabbos...the cooking would be just like home
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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mom has left whole button shrooms in and then we cut them up on plates too... for the non shroom eaters.. portobellos cut small are sometimes nto recognized..
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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Go to an oriental food market and buy a big bag of rice. It'll cost you about 10 bucks and will last you at least 6 months - even if you eat it a lot. Rice is my staple. I lOVE IT!
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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I watch sales for produce especially.. though I get frozen berries at trader joes for smoothies, etc... use that instead of ice...
and I want to get back to hitting the farmers market but with my current shift I can't do that and need to send DH again and he always forgets to go or goes later and they don't have what I wanted.
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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is to keep a selection of things he has made or can make that he likes and I don't on hand.. and he can fix himself dinner if he doesn't want what I am making.. but he eats less expensive foods by taste.. as to the gefilte fish- I have a few recipes to make it.. but to be honest- its not safe for you anyway- I guess you could substitute for the gluten, but what about the sugar? though I know someone who used to make it without sugar in israel years ago.. I never liked it.. though the homemade stuff my friend makes every pesach is MUCH lower sugar then the storebought!
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Dietetics Student (anticipating RD exam in Aug 2010)
IBS - A
Dairy Allergic
Fructose and MSG intollerant
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