The library receipt trick that saved me $60 a week

Last month I was standing in the checkout line at the grocery store and noticed the person ahead of me had a full cart of frozen dinners and snack packs. Must have been close to $150. I used to do the same thing, especially on busy weeks. Then I took my kids to the public library downtown for story time and saw they had a cooking section with hundreds of cookbooks. I grabbed a 30 minute meals book and a slow cooker one. Now I pick two recipes each Sunday, write the ingredients on a notepad, and buy only those items. My grocery bill went from about $210 a week down to $150. I still eat out on Fridays, but the other six days are all home cooked. Has anyone else tried using library cookbooks to cut their food budget, or is that just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair702mo ago

The "30 minute meals" thing is where you lost me. Those books are full of shortcuts and processed ingredients that cost more per serving than just buying the frozen stuff. I checked out a few of those same books and the recipes called for stuff like pre-shredded cheese and bottled sauces, which adds up fast. Your $60 savings probably came from planning and buying less, not from the library. That's the real trick, and you could do that with a free meal plan off the internet.

flores.emma2mo ago

The "30 minute meals" thing you mentioned reminds me of when I borrowed a microwave cookbook thinking I'd save time, but every recipe needed three types of cheese and a special baking dish. I ended up just using the book to prop up a wobbly table. That said, you're right that planning is the real winner here. I started doing the same thing with a plain notebook and a grocery app, no books involved. The library part is just a bonus if you like flipping pages, but honestly, the savings come from writing a list and sticking to it. My bill dropped the same amount just by skipping the snack aisle and buying a whole chicken instead of parts.