I run the risk of everyone seeing all the unhealthy snacks we’ve stocked up on, so please be kind! By stocking up when the sales are good, it’s one of the key ways we’re able to live on $45 a week for groceries. You might think it’s strange to have so many boxes of cereal, but without that stockpile…even just once, having to pay full price for a box of cereal would make a huge dent in our weekly budget. So instead, we plan way ahead to avoid paying full price for anything ever again. The majority of our $45 a week goes towards fresh produce, fruits, milk, yogurt, meat, etc. Also, just a note – this is just our dry pantry – our deep freezer is overflowing with frozen veggies and meat. We also have a closet for toiletries and a separate closet/cabinet for household goods. Maybe I’ll get those on video sometime too!
Check out my 99 Cents Only shopping trips here, here, and here to see how affordable it is to stock up on fresh fruit & veggies! If you haven’t shopped at the 99 Cents Only store yet you’re really missing out. Here are just a few pictures I’ve taken of shopping trips there in the past. Every item in the pictures below were purchased exclusively at the 99 Cents Store.
Also, I often forget to go during the cold weather, but in the spring and summer you’ll find me every week at the local Farmer’s Market. Once I asked one of the vendors what was the best way to get a good deal, he gave me a very helpful tip…he said to shop near the closing time – most vendors will be drastically marking down their produce and often sell them by the bag at a deep discount. Just another tip!
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WOW! THAT’S ALL I CAN SAY. WOW! YOU ARE AMAZING!
Great Vlog Julia! I’m now inspired to organize my pantry tomorrow. I love how you store everything on it’s side so you can read the labels. I don’t know why I have never thought of that. You mention in the video how you never pay more than .50 a box for cereal. I was wondering if you have access to a guide that gives us those kinds of prices so we know what a good price is for stocking up on an item? If I knew what a great price was (aside from free) for paper towels, TP, ground beef, pasta sauce, etc… it would be very helpful. If not, no biggie I guess I’ll figure it out over time .
Michelle, I’m working on that! As soon as I have it completed I will post it on the blog – it’s tough though because a lot of it is just second nature to me, so I’m really having to sit down and think through each item. Otherwise I’m making it more difficult than it should be
Yeah, that will be so helpful. Thank you so much for all you do! Taking your class was one of the best things I’ve ever done for my family.
Michelle, what a sweet thing to say! I am SO incredibly blessed by my readers and so thankful I am able to help in this area.
Julia ~ Thank you for sharing your pantry with us, it is inspiring! Also your tips are so helpful, such as getting holiday themed paper goods on clearance. Your cereal collection looks alot like mine, with all these great deals recently. We just donated two big bags of cereal & crackers to the food bank this weekend. I love having stocked shelves and being able to donate!
Nancy, isn’t it nice to be able to GIVE MORE! I love that about couponing, we were never able to share as much as we can now. Save more, Live more, and Give more!http://thefrugalfind.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-form
that is just AWESOME my DH and I just watched that video and his jaw dropped to the floor! Super impressed with you and what you are doing! I am starting now and am quickly becoming addicted to couponing, and with your help it makes my job that much easier. I had a question for you, Does the 99 cent store take manufactured coupons? We don’t have them up here in Washington, but am asking for a family member that lives in the Sacramento area.
Also here is a link to a GREAT recipe for all that jello you have, it is super yummy, and everyone in the family loves it!
http://www.recipezaar.com/Strawberry-Pretzel-Salad-29400
Dawn, I’m so glad you’ve found The Frugal Find! Unfortunately the 99 cents store does not accept manufacturers coupons, that would be nice though! I’d be getting everything free then!
Thanks for the recipe, I will check it out soon.
Do you store your fresh fruits/veggies in the freezer? I’ve never done that before. Not sure what freezes well or how to do it. Do you have tips for doing so, or a link you could share? Thanks! I sure wish we had a 99 cent store around here
Alaina, that’s a great question. I do in fact freeze lots of the veggies/fruit we buy – that is if I can get it away from the kids first! My favorite tool is the Ziploc Vacuum Sealer, it’s around $4 at any grocery store. You do have to buy bags to go with it, but if you’re just using them for fruits and veggies you can just wash and reuse. Then I chop, dice, etc the produce with a plan in mind of how or when I will use it in the future and mark it really well. Believe me once it’s frozen it’s really hard to tell the difference. I hope that helps, maybe I’ll work on a post with more details!
You can use your jello to make Poke cakes….bake a cake (a boxed cake works fin), then once it comes out of the oven, poke it all over with a fork or skewer, and pour the jello mix onto the top of the cake. You can find exact recipes on allrecipes.com. Strawberry jello over white cake is especially good!
Maritez, I love that idea! Are you able to frost it afterwards still?
My pantry is a mirrored image of urs. But not as organized. Ut was but never stays that way. Good idea about the cardboard on the shelves.
Ok… wow! Our pantry is not THAT full, and I thought it was full! 2nd – you have got that pantry down solid. I think I need that shelving unit and to switch closets for my pantry! I had my husband watch the video and I said “look, now make OUR closet look like THAT one!” lol and 3rd – Now I know why I couldn’t get any plates @ kmart!
Whitney, I couldn’t find any at our Kmarts either, I drove out to Pinole and another one, but I can’t remember where. I also went a couple of times and each time there was some left so I didn’t feel so bad stocking up
That is a GREAT tip about the napkins and paper products with the seasonal designs on them. Thanks for sharing your vlog with us!
I also can’t believe I never thought to lay the boxes on their sides! My hubby complains how things don’t fit right in our pantry. Now, this could work! YAY.
It’s so funny that both recipes I thought of when you mentioned the Jello, readers already told you about! LOL We like to add Cool Whip to the Poke Cake and smashed up Froot Loops. It’s especially good after it has sat in the fridge for a little while.
I LOVE Your pantry! Its so fresh and clean!!
You have sooo many ziplocs lol.
Thats great you donate food
I should do more donating.Theres so many deals I pass up on because “my family” wont be eating/using it. I should start doing it for others
Wow, I am not even sure what to say about your pantry. Wow! Its completely amazing and such an inspiration! I have just started ’stockpiling’ and really getting into couponing, but my goal is to have a pantry like yours.
Thank you for the great vlog and always keeping your readers updated w/ your blog. You’re awesome!
Awesome organization. I’m super impressed by the 99 c store. We don’t have those but I’d be buying zillions of bags of cherries for 99c.
I’ve been contemplating taking pics of my pantry as we are transitioning to a zero-processed foods and mostly organic shopping plan. It will take quite a long time for us to get through all the crackers and cereal we have stocked up though.
I can’t believe your marshmallows are safe on the bottom shelf. We are currently out (woo!) but I have to keep them up high or my kids will run off with them.
We keep the pantry door closed, I’m not sure what the little ones would do if they readily had access, but my 6 and 8 year old know better! I was surprised at how well they worked in recipes, just like normal marshmallows!
Are the pictures of recent trips to the 99 cents store? You have inspired me to do some clean up/reorg of my pantry. Thanks
I am so impressed not because of the great stockpile you have, but because it’s so neat and organized. I wish I had a space like that. I have a huge stockpile, but it’s a mess due to lack of space. I long for the day when my stepson gets his own apartment so I can have more space!!! But then I won’t need as much stuff. It’s a win win!
What 99cents store do you go to? I have (seemingly) gone to all in the Concord/Pleasant Hill area stores and never have found cherries and asparagus:)
Thanks for the heads up on 99 Cents Store. Had no idea they carry beautiful produce! Those cherries look YUMMY…I just paid 1.50 for a half lb…
Wow! I wish we had a .99 Cent Store!!! We have a Dollar Tree, but they never have anything fresh.
A yummy thing to do with Jell-O, other than Jell-O, is to make Jell-O cake. It’s also very simple and oh so yummy!
Just use a white cake mix and bake as directed. While baking make your Jell-O as directed. When cake is done use the end of a wooden spoon or something similar to poke holes in the cake. Pour the Jell-O onto the cake and put in the fridge to cool. When completely cool, add Cool Whip. Yum!
was just giving you a hard time about the plates
I think I stocked up @ CVS around the same time during that big clearance.
Great stockpile! Wish mine was as organized as yours.
Another use for jell-o: flavored cheeseballs
use 3/4 package of jell-o, 1 package of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of confectioners sugar
Let cream cheese set out til it’s soft, mix in jell-o mix and confectioner’s sugar til nicely blended. form into a ball, toss in fridge til hard.
smash up graham crackers to consistency of your choice. Roll cheese ball in graham crumbs til evenly coated. place on tray. Serve with graham sticks or Teddy Grahams (honey or cinnamon)… enjoy!
After watching your video, you totally inspired me to rearrange how my own pantry looks. I hope I can get it as stocked as yours this year! You mentioned having two other closets, one for your drugstore deals and one for your cleaning supplies….would you consider doing videos of those as well?
Thanks!
Inspiration comes in many forms! The 99c only store is now on the errand list for the week; I love produce, and totally appreciate a good deal. Your pantry shelves look so familiar, I have done the same thing with those type of shelves. My hubby was coerced into taking a look at your shelves; I believe deadpan would describe his reaction.
WOW! This is totally inspiring, and a little funny — inspiring because of how organized you have everything, and funny because you have a lot of the same “stuff” accumulated that I have! One look makes it obvious what coupons were available!
PLEASE consider doing videos of your other storage areas, to help inspire those of us who are organizationally challenged! I’ve watched your other videos too (shopping in stores, etc.) and love them!
Melissa
Oh my, I am so impressed! I have a very similar “pantry” area under our stairs but it is not at all organized like yours! I love it! I certainly would love to have it more orgainized as that has been my theme this year, but I do share the space with other “stuff” and junk as well.
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