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Jen
This message is brought to you by Apple Card.
Jill
Did you know Apple Card has no fees?
Jen
No fees.
Jill
None. No annual, late or foreign transaction fees.
Jen
I guess when they say no fees, they mean it.
Jill
That's right. Apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app and start using it right away with Apple Pay.
Jen
Subject to credit approval. Variable APRs for Apple Card range from 18.24% to 28.49% based on creditworthiness rates as of January 1, 2025. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch and more.
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Jill
Part of, well, everything from first steps to first dates. From all nighters to all time personal bests.
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Frugal Friends Podcast Intro
Welcome to the Frugal Friends Podcast where you'll learn to save money, embrace simplicity and live a richer life. Here are your hosts, Jen and Jill.
Jill
Welcome to the Frugal Friends Podcast. My name is Jen. My name is Jill and we have our annual mega episode on how to save money on groceries. And we found so many new things this year. I am always surprised every year when we do this episode there are more ways to save money on groceries.
Jen
If you clicked on this episode thinking probably not gonna say anything new but I'm curious. Oh boy. We learned. I learned There are new things out there that can help us save even more on groceries, and we're gonna bring it to you.
Jill
Yes. But first, this episode is brought to you by apps and websites. In doing research for this episode, I found some amazing apps and websites I had no idea existed and that I've already started using. You'll hear them here first, but you know where we'll be showing them on our YouTube. These resources are so cool that we will for sure be talking about them more in depth on the Frugal Friends YouTube channel in the future. So if you don't want to miss seeing these Things, head to YouTube.com frugalfriends or just Google or search frugal friends in YouTube and subscribe. There's already some great stuff on there that we've been doing in the month of March, and new things are coming mid April.
Jen
Cannot wait for that. Yes. So smash that subscribe button. Smash.
Jill
Smash that subscribe button. All right, so we have. We do a lot of episodes on food. And so this is episode 499. In episode 500, we will be talking about this next phase of Frugal Friends, this quote unquote, new era. And that starts today, actually. So we are going to be doing some new things in this episode. We're going to be doing some new things, some new, old things I think, coming up this year. Which means a lot more how to save money on X and a lot of food things like, so how to save money on meat, how to save money on restaurants and takeout organic food. All these things that you've been asking for. In the mega survey that we sent out in February, we're just going to dive very deep niche into different food categories. And this is going to be our overarching groceries episode. But we do have some other episodes. You can go back into the archives if you can't wait for all the new stuff coming. Episode 433, Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget. Episode 296, Grocery Shopping Strategies that will cut your bill in half with Gina Zachariah, the savings whiz. Love her. So lots of food coming up and a new format.
Jen
Yeah, we are not doing headlines anymore, friends. We used to go through at 1.2 articles on the Internet based on whatever topic we were talking about. Whatever you would Google, whatever would come up on the first page of Google. What do they say about it? What do we have to say about it? And you know what? Google's changed and so are we. So Google's shifting. We're shifting you're just not getting quality information anymore when you are googling things. And so we say we have seven years of this podcast under our belt and we're just going to take the reins now, move over Google, and here's how we're going to talk about things. Now, when we do a Save on XYZ episode, we want to talk to you about how to get that item for free, how to get it low cost, how to get a deal on it and how to get it guilt free. So maybe even paying full price for it brand new. But what's the best way to spend our money? So with this new framework, it's something that we hope you can take with you on any of your purchases to go through this filter of can I get it for free, can I get it for low cost, can I get it for a deal? And if not, how do I spend on it guilt free? And we're gonna kind of show you how to do that with each of these episodes. On the topic that we're talking about.
Jill
Yeah, and we're shifting away from Google, but we're not relying just on our own experience. We're also going to be using AI. So a lot of ChatGPT. And honestly, that's why I believe it's harder to get quality answers from Google is because Google is shifting its workforce into AI. So we're going to shift with it. And so we're going to tell you how we are finding ways to save money using AI. So you can use similar prompts and you can start, start to shift some of the ways you search because it really does save time. As long as you know the proper prompts to put in, you can get more customized, more local, hyperlocal and, and faster answers to your specific questions. So we're starting that with groceries. And so we're going to start. How do we get groceries for free? So we look at local, we're looking at local places, but also apps that can help us in each of these. So as far as local places, food pantries and soup kitchens, that sort of thing. And I want to start out, and I know this episode, these types of episodes, these filters that we run through, I love them because they will benefit those who are of low income and they will also benefit those are who are of mid or high income. But I think everybody of every income can benefit from every single level, especially this free one. So food pantries for sure have a stigma around them. I was doing an interview the other day about how now you can use Klarna or pay in installments on doordash so you can like break up your burrito into four interest free payments. And she was like, what about using it for stuff like groceries? And it really does come down to it's, there are resources out there. Even if you're maybe not low income but you're in a place where maybe you're a federal employee and you lost your job and you were unprepared. Right. And you're in a season where you need to use some kind of program. There can be a stigma around these places because a, maybe we don't want to admit that we need it, we don't want to put ourselves at that perceived social level or we just feel guilty because this is not, you know, I shouldn't be here, I should have saved. I don't deserve to take advantage of this resource because I had every like opportunity to save and I didn't. So I don't want to take it from people who don't have the opportunity. And I want to break down that stigma and say these resources are available, they are not 100% utilized. There is always room for people to be using them if they need them. And so there's something to be said for whether you need them versus whether you're just trying to retire in five years and make your spending as low as possible and you make $200,000 a year. That's, that's totally different. That's probably not you. You think that's, you think that's, it's probably not you, you're probably not going to be taking advantage of this resource. But like my neighbor works, my neighbor across the street works at a food pantry and every couple weeks he's bringing boxes of food over that were not taken from the food pantry. And so this is fresh produce, frozen meats from grocery stores. These are not like from canned food drives, you know, from somebody's discarded dented can. Right. This is good food that needs to be cooked immediately. But it's, these programs are not being 100% utilized. So if you need to lower your grocery spending because of life circumstances, they are available and it's, it's worth checking them out.
Jen
Yeah. And I mean, I love what you're saying here. If, if you're not totally in a position where absolutely need to be getting these things for free and you don't want to take from somebody else who maybe you perceive has a greater need than you then calling the food pantries and asking them, you know, what's their turnover date? When do they get new supplies in. When are they getting rid of supplies just so that you can make sure that less is being wasted and you could pick up the things that are maybe about to be expired kind of at the tail end of what they might be donating to somebody. And I know there's plenty of communities too who will even have almost like swaps with their local food pantry. So, you know, take something but then when you have a surplus, go and give back. There can also be some reciprocity with it too where you know, you don't have to feel like you're only receiving, but there's also opportunity for you to give as you have ability to do that. But ultimately we want to say these are available. It's not going to be the right solution for everybody. But if you are really in a pinch and affording groceries has been one of your biggest struggles, we know it's one of the things we spend the most money on. There are ways to get it for free.
Jill
It's worth doing this before you put your groceries on four interest free installments on Klarna. I will say that.
Jen
Yeah. And you can also look for community fridges. Some cities have public refrigerators where people can donate food that is maybe not even as shelf stable as your rice and beans and canned goods. So you can search even in ChatGPT community fridge near me or type in your exact city community fridge in XYZ wherever you live and they should be able to spit out some options to you.
Jill
And then there are a couple apps everyone should download. This is going to be a very app heavy episode. The first is too good to go. So not all the food on there is free, but it's either low cost or free leftover food from restaurants. And then olio o l I o people will give away extra food for free. So not necessarily restaurants, but it's a essential, essentially a food sharing app.
Jen
All right, moving on to low cost. How can we get groceries at a lower cost than maybe what they typically would retail for? First of all, we're going to want to shop in season produce. This is one of the best ways for us to be able to reduce our grocery bill is when we are purchasing the items that are currently being produced by the land, hopefully even more locally to you. So, you know, is it fall? Then we're talking more apples and squashes. Is it summer? Great berries and lettuce. You decide, you know, kind of look up. That's another thing that you could use ChatGPT on what produce is in season in the area that I live in.
Jill
Right. That's an important one in the area.
Jen
I live in because that then you're gonna be getting fresh produce from your local area. It's going to be pretty plentiful. So the costs on that are going to be low. This is also gonna be come in handy when we're meal planning. So making sure that we are creating meal plans around what's in season so we're not just randomly picking recipes and then needing to buy ingredients that may or may not be in season. And of course if you watch our Sunday resets on YouTube, frugal friends on YouTube we talk about our meal plans weekly. And so we're always gonna be eating in season stuff of course for Florida. So keep that in mind. But if you need some ideas, you know, certainly follow, follow us there.
Jill
Yes. Okay. And so for the locations where we are shopping plays a big role in the cost we will incur. So doing discount grocery stores, we love Aldi Lidl Grocery Outlet is another one. Ethnic grocery stores will often have lower costs on things. They have lower overhead day old bread and bakery outlets. So stores like Wonder Bread or Pepperidge Farm will sell their baked goods discounted. And then if you can't just always going generic or store brand if these places aren't, you know, available to you. Also Farmer's market at closing time vendors will often lower their prices to sell off remaining produce. Another app in addition to Food Hero and an odd bunch. I tried this one. It's called Flash Food and this was so exciting. Yeah, so, so Flash Food and Food Hero are similar but I think they're going to be in different locations. So search both. And I know Flash Food is also in Canada, but it's an app that gives you deals on like fresh affordable groceries. They partner with grocery stores to take food that's nearing its best by date listed on the app for 50% off. And I had to try it because there is one a mile and a half from my house and it was a Dash Mart and I was like what is a Dash Mart? It sounds like a skeevy like, like 711 almost.
Jen
Yeah.
Jill
But they were having strawberries and milk and raspberries and like specialty foods. And I was like, okay, so like I got a promo code for $5 off my first order of $10 or more. And we will put that promo code in the description or in the show notes wherever you're listening to this. And I, I So I order $10 worth of things. They charge me $5 for them. I show up. And Dashmart is literally a grocery store. But the only people who shop there are the employees because they're getting food together for doordash deliveries. So it's this legit grocery store, not skeevy at all. I just went up there, I said I'm picking up a flash food order for Jen. And they then took five minutes to get my order together and I walked out with like completely fresh food.
Jen
That's insane.
Jill
It wasn't even starting to mold or anything. It was better quality than the strawberries there were better quality than the ones I got from Costco that I paid full price for.
Jen
No, better than Costco. I know you're saying crazy things.
Jill
I am. I was so pleased with it. So definitely they mostly partner with doordash because that was most. Dash Marts were. Most of what I saw, I saw like in Orlando there were a few smaller grocery stores. It's mostly doordash though. And they had a big flash food sign right when you walk in. So all the doordash people will know about it and take advantage of it.
Jen
Right.
Jill
But it is for everyone. And it was. I get my groceries at Walmart so I pay pretty low prices for groceries and it was still less expensive.
Jen
I wonder how many places have access to flash food.
Jill
It's in the major, major cities where there's a lot of Door Dash stuff. So if you're in a city like.
Jen
Where Door Dash is available, then probably flash food is.
Jill
Uhhuh. Yes. So but check even if you don't check all these apps to see if they're available because eventually they could be. When Too Good to Go first came out, it wasn't available here. And now it is.
Jen
Now it is.
Jill
And so you'll be the first to know if you sign up.
Jen
Just side pause to again reflect on. We don't know all of the resources out there available to us. Like I would have thought. I know the groceries in this area. I know where to get the food. And turns out I don't. There is something hidden right underneath my nose of discounted groceries.
Jill
I was shocked.
Jen
I was shook.
Jill
Yeah. And I am so pleased. I put in another. I've. I've done flash food several times now.
Jen
Why wouldn't you?
Jill
It is fresh food that I was going to buy anyway at half the cost.
Jen
Okay. Clearly we are loving to talk about this. We gotta, we gotta make it through the. The low cost. So a few more things to say on this. Of course you've got community supported agriculture, your CSAs or CSA share. These are Local farms or maybe even homesteads that have extra land that you would be able to go and farm a bit of it or just be able to take advantage of the produce that is harvested from the land. Many CSAs will require maybe a Saturday of work a month, like a couple hours on Saturday a month. Some of them maybe they'll charge you a little bit extra to just come and pick up a box weekly of whatever produce is in season. That fresh produce is usually going to be more nutritious, less pesticides and even less expensive. So definitely search for a local CSA in your area. There's also you pick farms. So of course this is going to depend on the area that you live in and seasonality. But U pick farms are everywhere. You can go onto their property, get a bag or a bin from them, they'll let you know where you can pick the fruits and vegetables from. You pick them yourself and because you're doing that, they give them to you for less money. Your father in law has a you pick farm.
Jill
My father in law owns a you pick farm and I can confirm that the prices on their produce, their eggs, all of it is less than what you'd pay for in a grocery store. And they what they don't grow, they'll go to the wholesale market and bring in so that they still have, they can be, you know, as much as possible a one stop shop for people.
Jen
Not to mention that's just a fun afternoon activity. Take the kids with you. You're getting out of the house, you're doing something for kind of free and then getting low cost vegetables and fruits and then probably getting more interest from the kids to maybe even help you in the kitchen, build up those skills. So eventually they're the ones meal planning and meal prepping for you. You little tip from me, the child free one over here.
Jill
And just like we don't know the things in art, we don't know everything because things are always updating. You may assume that you don't have a CSA or you don't have a U pick farm near you, but a formerly commercial farm could have switched to a U pick farm which is what my father in law did. Things are always changing. So head to ChatGPT or your nearest AI website website and and search for that. Like are there, you can say are there any you pick farms near me? And if so, what are their hours? Are there any community supported ag agriculture shares? What, what are their prices, when are their pickup dates and you can compare all in one place very quickly.
Jen
This message is brought to you by Apple Card.
Jill
Did you know Apple Card has no fees?
Jen
No fees?
Jill
None. No annual, late or foreign transaction fees.
Jen
I guess when they say no fees, they mean it.
Jill
That's right. Apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app and start using it right away with Apple Pay.
Jen
Subject to credit approval. Variable APRs for Apple Card range from 18.24% to 28.49% based on creditworthiness rates as of January 1, 2025. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City branch terms and more@applecard.com looking to save even more money on your phone bill? How does free sound? Helium Mobile is offering the first free phone plan. That's right. Free phone service. Seriously. No bill, no contract, just free.
Jill
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Jen
When we first heard about Helium Mobile, we couldn't wait to share it with all our frugal listeners who are looking to budget smarter when it comes to everyday necessities without sacrificing quality.
Jill
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Jen
Moving on to how to Get a Deal. Make me a deal I can't refuse.
Jill
Okay, before we start with the deal with how to get the Deals. Here's how not to get the deals.
Jen
Yeah, tell them, Jen.
Jill
Do not buy from the Dollar Store. I think we can all agree that by now the Dollar Store has a cheaper overall price, but it is a higher price per unit. So Dollar Store is not going to be where we go. Also, don't assume it's cheaper to buy in bulk. A warehouse store can be just as expensive and you will spend more if you don't use it all. So this is a big one. I have spent several years researching warehouse stores compared to grocery stores and can confirm that especially in places where there's a lot of competition, that the grocery stores can be same price or less than a Sam's Club or a Costco and you will save money by buying a lesser quality if you're not going to use the entirety of the bulk.
Jen
Okay, so as far as apps go for getting deals, we're going to recommend Fetch and ibotta a lot of times. So with these apps you generally upload your receipt. They then are able to, based on what you've purchased, give you cash back or rebates for different things that you bought during that grocery trip. So with either of these apps that you download or both of them, you kind of just follow the prompts and eventually be able to get money back for what you've purchased.
Jill
It's always worth it to have them working in the background. So I don't necessarily use them regularly, but have them running in the background for online purchases is nice. Next is Flip Flipp. Flip aggregates weekly ads from various local retailers and allows you to browse and compare deals to find the best prices on groceries and other items. So if you're not loyal to a grocery store, then you can compare deals and then you're not running around to a bunch of different grocery stores. You can kind of pick the one that has the deals that you want.
Jen
On the things you're buying. Yeah. And then of course you can do these loyalty programs with the grocers that you go to most regularly. Of course you're not gonna get loyalty programs at an Aldi or Lydle, but if you don't have those near you and your local grocery store does have loyalty programs, then it's worth having that grocer's card on you, be able to take advantage of whatever sales or deals are happening. It's then worth it to looking up what they have on sale. They're circulars, not saying to get them in the mail, but you can look these things up on the grocery store's app what's on sale that week. And again, plan your meals around that. Look for the double coupon days as well. And again, this is something that apps can help you with. Gone are the days of clipping coupons. You do not have to do that anymore because it all can exist on your phone. So you don't have to take hours. Just flip through coupon books. You can find the coupons for the things that you are shopping. And a lot of times, especially manufacturers might offer, you know, an ability to kind of double up on sales.
Jill
Yeah. And this is where I would go to ChatGPT and be like, are there any grocery stores with double coupon days near me? And what are those days? So then you know what they are because they will make it hard to find. They don't want you to know. And then you can even go further and be like, okay, what, where do I get the coupons for these? And you can find where those are. If you are really committed to getting organic groceries, then Costco is it for you. It does specialize in organic groceries. And I think that's one of the reasons why some of the things I don't care about get most things I don't care about getting organic. So Costco actually costs me more for things like meat and frozen fruits and stuff like that. Because all the Kirkland brand is organic, which works for Kirk, which works for Costco because they can charge more and only carry, you know, one version. So Costco is for sure your place if organic is what you're passionate about. And then also if there's a sale on something you buy frequently, buy it in bulk and freeze it. You know, we love the freezer.
Jen
We love the freezer.
Jill
Just getting it in the freezer.
Jen
Make it frozen.
Jill
Yes. And eat from there.
Jen
Yeah. Buying in bulk in general just isn't always the best idea. But for things you do eat regularly, you go through fast. Yeah. Have a bunch of it on hand. I got a ton of rice, a ton of black beans, because I eat it a lot. That's what I eat. Rice and beets.
Jill
Don't you worry.
Jen
I also put all my cheese in the freezer.
Jill
A lot of cheese in the freezer. All right, so this last section is. Is guilt free spending. And so this is essentially when we do spe, like pay for something full price, how can we feel guilt free about it? Because that's a big thing in our frugal community. Like how. How do I spend in alignment with my values, even when it's not the lowest Cost. And I think going through these first three steps is a real good framework so that when there is something that we want that we've been through, the, you know, free, low cost deal, still can't get it, but it's aligned with our values, we can spend on it without guilt because we know we have done all we can. But we're not going to deprive ourselves by not spending within our values. So a couple ways we can get groceries like guilt free, maybe aligned with our values is starting a garden. Starting a garden is not a way to save money for sure. It is a high upfront cost is a high time investment. It's truly a values driven investment though, and a way to get groceries as a result. That's how we view gardening. If you look back, we did an episode last year with Nicole from Gardenary. She really changed my perspective on gardening to look at it as a values based activity. And we're investing money in this to get so many more things. And the food is kind of just a result of all these other things we're getting at. And I love that.
Jen
It's not only the food, it's. It's all these other things. Now I will say you could start a garden for also not a ton of money. It doesn't have to be thousands of dollars, it could be a hundred dollars. And then from there, if you're able to compost yourself and you are making your own soil from your scrap, so eventually it does become pretty sustainable. Not to say that there aren't any upfront costs, but it doesn't have to be to the nines either. But I love the idea of just starting small, doing some of those herbs like you mentioned, or some of the easy vegetables, because these are the things that are even going to be flavor enhancers, herbs. You can't just eat and be full, but they can help you to want to cook in the kitchen, want to pull from your garden, enjoy what you're eating, so make you want to cook at home even more. So for that reason, it's one of those things that, yeah, spend on it because you've saved money in every other area. Of course. We also want to talk about ways that we can support local, small independent businesses like our grocery stores and our local farmers, even our local homesteaders who maybe have a chicken coop and they're putting out free range chicken eggs and yeah, maybe they're even a dollar more than they are at the store.
Jill
So they are gold, which makes them like $50 a chess.
Jen
Oh, exactly. But if that's of high value to you, not only to get high quality nutritious eggs, but to support local people, then do it and do it guilt free. And again, some of these independent grocery stores, if you have those around you, and they're not chains and of course they're going to be a little bit more expensive on their various items, but if they're employing people in your neighborhood and giving back to the community, then they might be where you want to shop.
Jill
Occasionally you'll be spending more up front, but you'll get more back in other ways when you shop local. So don't feel guilty about that. If you can't save money on something particular you want, then buying it locally instead of just heading to Amazon is a great way to invest in your community and invest those dollars wisely.
Jen
Do you know how we've invested wisely into this podcast and how others have invested their time wisely into this podcast?
Jill
The most guilt free thing that we do every day, the Bill of the week.
Frugal Friends Podcast Intro
That's right. It's time for the best minute of your entire week. Maybe a baby was born and his name is William. Maybe you paid off your mortgage, maybe your car died and you're happy to not have to pay that bill anymore. Duck Bills. Buffalo Bills. Bill Clinton. This is the Bill of the week.
Bill of the Week Caller
Hey guys, this is Megan in Oklahoma and I have been waiting to call this Bill of the Week in for almost a year now. It's actually not my Bill of the Week, it is my dad's. He is retiring this month after working 40 years for the same company here in Oklahoma. So we are super excited for him. And guess what else? His name is William. And guess what else? He goes by Bill.
Jill
Bill. He goes by Bill.
Jen
Of course he does.
Jill
Happy retirement to Bill. Happy retirement to Bill.
Jen
You worked for 40 years and now you're tired.
Jill
Happy retirement to Bill. I hope you play that part him, Megan.
Jen
We absolutely do go on stage nightly to sing, obviously.
Jill
Obviously.
Jen
This is so exciting. You know, we love people named Bill and he sounds like a gem. Your dad working for the same company for 40 years. That committed takes commitment, probably bravery and courage, long suffering, patience. And now he's done. And that's amazing. We hope you all threw a big old party and you're celebrating and just enjoying life now without the work. That's so fun. If you all are listening and you have a bill that you want to share, if it's about your father just putting in the time, if his name's William, we want to hear about him. If your name is William or you go by Bill, or maybe your name's.
Jill
Not William and you still go by Bill, please let us know. We'd love to hear that story.
Jen
Frugalfriendspodcast.com Bill we can't wait to hear it. Looking to save even more money on your phone bill? How does free sound? Helium Mobile is offering the first free phone plan. That's right. Free phone service. Seriously. No bill, no contract, just free.
Jill
It's not just some limited time deal. You get nationwide 5G coverage with 3 gigabytes of data, 300 texts and 100 minutes of calls. If you need more data, you can upgrade to their other plans. Plus you're supporting a community built network that's growing every day to keep you seamlessly connected wherever you go.
Jen
When we first heard about Helium Mobile, we couldn't wait to share it with all our frugal listeners who are looking to budget smarter when it comes to everyday necessities without sacrificing quality.
Jill
So if you're in the market to cut that monthly phone bill, like really cut it, Helium Mobile is where it's at. Download the Helium Mobile app today and use the code Froogle to get your free plan today.
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Jill
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Jen
Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3.
Jill
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Jen
For the lightning round.
Jill
All right, your most beloved grocery store purchase and how you like to save on it. I'm gonna add that little caveat.
Jen
Ooh, love this. Okay, I took this to mean when I look in my grocery cart, what do I feel best about being in there? And I love a grocery store run that just has a ton of fresh produce and fruit. I just like how that feels to have a cart full of nutritious fruits and veggies. And so that's my answer. But how do I like to save? I like to save by shopping at Aldi, I have found some really great prices and actually great produce. There was a time that the Aldi near us took a dip in the quality of their produce, so I stopped shopping there. But then they did a refres on the store, and the quality has been better ever since.
Jill
It's like when you do a refresh on your look and you perform better. Yeah, same concept.
Jen
Same, same. So shopping at Aldi, there was a time that I also got boxes of fresh produce from a local farm that they would bring me fresh produce every other week. And it would be a. A variety. Like, I wouldn't quite know what was in it. It was just always a combination of whatever was in season, veggies and fruit. That was so fun. I did that for, I want to say, close to a year. It just, for me, got to the point where it was so much produce that I couldn't keep up with it in the seasons when I had a lot of guests in town. So I really enjoyed it when I had the time to be in the kitchen, but then it kind of got to be a little bit produce than I would typically buy. They did offer boxes that had less in it, but I wanted the combination of the fruit and veggies. So anyways, that was a way that I did save. So I'm mentioning it just in case it's something that somebody else would want to pursue, because again, it's only Eric and I in our household. So if you've got more people, that's definitely something to consider is whether local. So this farm would actually mostly supply to restaurants, but they would have leftover fruits and veggies that then they would sell to just households. So that was the deal with this one. So that could even be something to look up like local restaurant suppliers and see if any of them offer Something similar. Yeah.
Jill
Maybe a prompt would be, are there any wholesale farms that sell leftovers to consumers? Something like that? Mine is coffee, and I don't go to the grocery store for it. Actually, I buy directly from a coffee company over here in Cape Coral. Cape Coral. That's what it's called. Florida. So nearby. And it's called Bones Coffee Company. They're artificially flavored coffee.
Jen
Oh, no.
Jill
But in, like, very great flavors.
Jen
Oh, no.
Jill
So cannoli is my favorite.
Jen
Oh, no.
Jill
There's Moore's one. There's. Oh, my gosh. Okay. It's not Diet Coke. All right? Get over it. And I went on a limb telling you that it's artificial. Okay. And I feel okay about it.
Jen
You do love to, like, put yourself into the fire, right?
Jill
There's clearly no protection here, so I'm being exploited. I love cannoli S'mores. Right now I'm on this, like, Jamaican one, which is, like, kind of like rum, vanilla, caramel. Yeah, I love that you're supporting local.
Jen
But you're not buying coffee.
Jill
I'm buying coffee beans.
Jen
You're buying some version of caffeine.
Jill
Listen, you don't have any. You don't even drink coffee anymore, okay? So don't snob me into saying I'm not drinking coffee because my beans have a little bit of artificial flavor.
Jen
You're right. I am not leaning into empathy and no judgment. You're right.
Jill
You're incorrect.
Jen
Honestly.
Jill
I mean, devoid from empathy, but also correctness. Okay? So for everyone else, just.
Jen
I mean, ask a coffee maker if this is real coffee maker.
Jill
I don't talk to coffee makers. I just drink coffee. Okay.
Jen
Okay.
Jill
Thank you. And that's the mistake you made, is you probably talk to people that make coffee and roast it and head to Guatemala and source beans.
Jen
You're exactly right.
Jill
And that's your problem, not mine. It's not my problem because I don't talk to those people.
Jen
So you just get your coffee beans soaked in cannoli and then just really.
Jill
Wish they were literally soaking, and then.
Jen
You just squeeze it out into your cup.
Jill
Oh, I love it. I love it. It's so good. So if you're not a coffee snob, I highly recommend it. And I love it. And so the way I save is that I. So it is end of March when we're recording this. I bought a big bulk order when they were doing a Black Friday sale. And I'm still. Look at her. You can't see her. It's not fresh coffee doesn't stay Fresh that long?
Jen
It doesn't, but it's protected in its icing around the beans. The icing protects it so the beans can last longer.
Jill
She doesn't drink. I just want to reiterate the fact she doesn't drink coffee anymore. So she doesn't have a right to be like this. Okay.
Jen
She also am. I still am this.
Jill
She also used an espresso like. So how long are those pods in your drawer in your cabinets?
Jen
Right.
Jill
Yeah, I just. Right. Okay, okay, okay. I love it. I buy in bulk when they're doing, like, big seasonal sales, and I just ride that wave for a long time. And you know what? It's end of March and my coffee still tastes good. And it still tastes like coffee from the taste that I am familiar with.
Jen
I'm glad. I'm glad for you that this is your beloved shame. Free grocery purchase. Well done.
Jill
I have to have really thick skin. Co hosting this podcast with Jill. I just want everyone to know that we both do.
Jen
Don't even kid yourself. This is where I get on my high horse.
Jill
But okay, stay on your high horse. Stay there for a little while. Bring us out.
Jen
Okay.
Jill
Bring us out.
Jen
Okay. Thanks so much, everyone, for listening. Thanks for still being here. I promise we're still friends. If you have also read the book, we're. We truly are.
Jill
We wrote a book together, if you can believe it.
Jen
And. And we are not judgmental in that book. I honestly feel like I'm really the most judgmental about coffee, like, more so than I am about money, which you're right. I. It's like. It's really unfair and unreasonable because I don't drink coffee anymore. But you know what? So many of you have loved reading the book and we're so appreciative for reviews like this one that came from Pam. Five stars. This book was like a warm hug as a personal finance guide where not only was it a breeze to read, but also relatable and practical. I love the focus on finding what you value and prioritizing what you value instead of what others or social media tells you. Jen and Jill makes saving and spending fun where it's possible. Possible to see it as a hobby instead of a chore. Thank you so much for the advanced reader copy of this book and I look forward to hearing more from the Frugal Friends podcast. Yes, we look forward to you hearing more because again, we're still friends.
Jill
Thank you, Pam. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a rating and review on Spotify and let us know if you think that the relationship is salvageable. And if you've read the book, please leave a rating review on Amazon even if you didn't buy it it there, because that's where most people go to check reviews, even if they're getting it from the library or bookshop.org because bookshop.org doesn't have a rating system yet. So please rate and review book show. It really does help us.
Jen
See you next time.
Jill
Frugal Friends is produced by Eric Sirianni. Jill, are you sitting down on that high horse?
Jen
I'm. I'm sitting, but I'm. I'm high. I'm really. My head is really high.
Jill
Okay, so today, one of the things that we talk about a lot on the show.
Jen
No, it's.
Jill
No. Is how smart people.
Jen
No.
Jill
Can get scammed.
Jen
I am able to stop this recording right now.
Jill
One of the big misconceptions about being scammed is that that smart people don't get scammed. And we've always said it is the smart people that have the most to lose and are actually most vulnerable. It's really a wrong place, wrong time sort of thing. And we've always been very clear about that. And we have a firsthand experience of a very smart person getting scammed.
Jen
Here's the thing. I am. I'm a little bit of a dumb. Dumb, though.
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No.
Jill
Okay. As much as I do, I do want to play into that with you right now because of how you made me feel about the coffee. I think this could be a really. A real learning experience. Just to reiterate the points that we've already.
Jen
Wow. Not. Not enough time has passed for this to be a scar instead of a scab, but here we go. Well, you.
Jill
You brought yourself in. You. You set yourself up for this. You really didn't have to go as hard as you did with the coffee thing. You chose that.
Jen
And then the people didn't see my face, though. Only you saw my faces that I was making.
Jill
Not. That's not their problem.
Jen
Okay.
Jill
That's your problem.
Jen
Here's what happened. My safe, safe friends. Because I know you're safe if you're literally still here listening. I am now responsible for our Frugal friend's Instagram account. First mistake. Okay. Scammed y'all into that one. Which means that I respond to all of the direct messages that are sent. So there was an end. And if you know how direct messages work, if there's many that are requests that come in. Right. So just like randos, and a lot of them are just like, I can help you grow your business. Delete, delete, delete.
Jill
Yeah, we get that.
Jen
This was a message from somebody who I had messaged with in the past. They had reached out with some. Some sort of something about us. At one point, we had responded. So, like, legit conversation back and forth. Well, then they messaged me one day, and they're like, hey, this I know might seem strange, but one of my friend's sons is in the hospital with cancer, and they're raising money, and I'm just sending this out to, like, literally anybody that I follow on Instagram. If you could give just, like, $10 or reshare this, we'd be so, so grateful. And I have a personal motto. This is real, real in depth for me to give to anyone who asks. I, like, tried out this challenge about a year ago. It was kind of like a New Year's resolution, because I was noticing that I just felt uncomfortable. Anytime that I would, like, pass a homeless person. I know most people will just walk by them, but I'm like, why am I not giving them what it is that they're asking for? And I think I had this fear of, I'm gonna run out. There's not gonna be enough to give to everybody who asks for something. But this one year, I decided I'm gonna try it out. I'm gon how much? I actually end up giving away just, like, anyone who asks to. To my ability. Right? Like, I've told some friends this. They're like, all right, Jill, can you give me $200,000? It's like, no. Like, I don't have that. But if I have it to give, I don't need to be worried about what you are going to do with it. You're asking for it. If I have it, I'm gonna give it to you. Turns out it was nominal amounts of money that I've been giving, so I've just, like, like, kept up with it. Somebody asked me, I'm gonna give it to them. So this definitely hit on that value for me of this person is reaching out. They're asking for something. I did go to that website. I read the whole thing about, like, this kid, and the thought did occur to me, like, this might not be legit. Like, this. This might not be a real kid who's sick. But kids do get sick, so it could be. And in my mind, I was thinking, what's the worst that could happen? If the kid's not sick, then I'm out 50 bucks. If the kid is Sick. Great. I'm really glad that I gave. What I didn't consider was like giving away credit card information that then like, could be utilized further from there. But anyways, so I gave the $50, wrote back to the woman and I was like, hey, I just gave. I'm so sorry for like what your friends are going through. And then the next day she responded and was like, oh, my gosh, I'm so sor. Was hacked. It wasn't me. I hope you can get your money back. So that was a really unfortunate circumstance. Now, to our knowledge, just the $50 was taken. We thank goodness for credit cards. We were able to like report it as fraud and get that money back. They didn't take more than the $50. So it really wasn't like a full blown scam where somebody's like, it's just.
Jill
A person who's not actually caught it immediately. So we got the card canceled. So the card information they have is now unusable and we can report the $50 charge as a fraud. So the receipt though, had a Shopify. The page looked like it was a GoFundMe, but it was made through Shopify. So that would have been like. If I would have read that, I would have been like, oh, yeah, that's definitely something. I would just spam it to all my friends to make sure that it, you know, I wasn't like asking for money, but just to get the word out there and raise, you know, raise the funds.
Jen
Yeah, I definitely didn't feel comfortable sharing it, but that, that was where like, I messed up was in thinking. Like, I. I thought that, like the worst that could happen is we're just out 50 bucks. Like, I didn't take it that step farther to think. But then they, if it is not legit, they could charge more to the card. Again, it's a credit card. If you're paying attention, you can, you know, report that and get your money back. But I think good lesson for me, I mean, not everybody's got like business accounts with tons of people direct messaging you all the time, but just everyone.
Jill
Has friends there could get hacked.
Jen
Yeah, and that's the tough thing because we've had plenty of friends who have done GoFundMe. So just making sure that, you know, whoever's sending it to you, that they know that it's legit. Being sure that when we do give online, we're giving with credit cards so that we can then report it if it's not legit, and checking our credit card statements regularly and My, I mean.
Jill
My filter would be I have to know of the child. I don't have to know the child or the family personally, but know of them in order to be able to verify that there is a child and that the child is sick. So that we don't, you know, get get hacked and like, the person doesn't, you know, we have no way to verify the kid. And I agree with you in giving. It's not my responsibility what the person does with my money. Like, Like, I want to have a giving spirit, a generous spirit, and so that I do it for me. And I think you can be a selfish giver. Honestly.
Jen
Oh, yeah. It's not entirely altruistic. Like, we get something out of giving.
Jill
But so, like, I agree with you there. But I think I don't, you know, don't want to compromise. If you don't want to compromise your security or, you know, have $50, go to a scammer or just avoid that in general than giving the rule of, like, making sure that you peripherally know the person.
Jen
So sorry, everyone, you now cannot direct message me asking for money because I now won't give it. Yeah, I now have to have boundaries around my value system. Okay, that wasn't so, so bad, but wow.
Jill
Yeah, you go easier on me on the coffee. Go ahead.
Jen
Drink your icing beans.
Jill
Get in the zone.
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Jen
I need new rotors.
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Jill
Free with the rotors.
Jen
That's great. What if I need extra stopping power?
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Jen
So Duralast pads are free?
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Jen
And an Upgrade is just $10?
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Jill
Get in the zone.
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Jill
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Frugal Friends Podcast: The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Grocery Shopping
Episode Release Date: April 4, 2025
Hosts: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts
Introduction
In Episode 499 of the Frugal Friends Podcast, hosts Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni embark on their annual mega episode focused on mastering frugal grocery shopping. With a wealth of new strategies and tools discovered over the year, Jen and Jill aim to empower listeners to gain better control over their grocery spending through practical tips, innovative apps, and a touch of humor.
Maximizing Free Grocery Resources
Jen and Jill emphasize that one of the most effective ways to reduce grocery expenses is by accessing free resources. Jill shares, “Food pantries have a stigma around them, but these resources are available and not 100% utilized” (10:00). She highlights that even for those not in dire need, utilizing food pantries during tough times can be a lifesaver without feeling guilty about helping avoid food waste.
Additionally, they discuss the importance of community fridges—public refrigerators where surplus food is donated and accessible to anyone. Jill notes, “Community fridges can provide non-shelf-stable items that might not make it to traditional pantries” (12:36).
Innovative Apps for Free and Low-Cost Groceries
The hosts introduce several apps designed to help shoppers obtain free or discounted groceries:
Too Good To Go: Offers surplus food from restaurants at significantly reduced prices. Jen remarks, “Not all the food on Too Good To Go is free, but it’s low cost or leftover from restaurants” (13:06).
Olio: A food-sharing app where individuals can give away extra food for free, fostering a community-driven approach to reducing waste.
Flash Food and Food Hero: These apps partner with grocery stores to sell food nearing its best-by date at up to 50% off. Jill shares her positive experience, stating, “I walked out with completely fresh food that was better quality than what I bought at Costco” (16:47).
Fetch and Ibotta: Cashback apps where users upload receipts to earn rebates on purchased items.
Jen adds, “Flip Flipp aggregates weekly ads from various local retailers, allowing you to compare deals and find the best prices” (27:41).
Strategies for Low-Cost Grocery Shopping
Jen and Jill delve into strategies for purchasing groceries at lower costs:
Seasonal and Local Produce: Shopping for produce that’s in season and locally sourced ensures freshness and lower prices. Jen advises, “Shifting meal plans to align with seasonal produce can significantly reduce your grocery bill” (14:21).
Discount Grocery Stores: Stores like Aldi, Lidl, and Grocery Outlet offer lower prices without compromising quality. Jill mentions, “Ethnic grocery stores often have lower costs on various items, providing great savings” (15:07).
Bulk Buying with Caution: While buying in bulk can save money, it's essential to purchase items you use regularly to avoid waste. Jen remarks, “Buying rice and beans in bulk is a great way to save if you consume them frequently” (30:32).
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and U-Pick Farms: CSAs allow consumers to invest in local farms and receive fresh produce. U-Pick farms enable shoppers to harvest their own fruits and vegetables at a reduced cost. Jill shares her personal connection, “My father-in-law owns a U-Pick farm, and the prices on their produce are less than what you’d pay in a grocery store” (21:20).
Securing the Best Deals
To help listeners snag the best deals:
Loyalty Programs and Double Coupon Days: Utilizing grocery store loyalty cards can unlock exclusive discounts. Jill suggests using ChatGPT to find double coupon days: “Ask ChatGPT, ‘Are there any grocery stores with double coupon days near me?’” (27:02).
Meal Planning Around Sales: Planning meals based on store sales prevents unnecessary purchases and maximizes savings. Jen emphasizes, “Creating meal plans around what’s on sale allows you to buy only what you need” (14:21).
Digital Coupons and Apps: Instead of traditional clipping, digital coupons available through apps save time and effort. Jen notes, “Gone are the days of clipping coupons; they’re now on your phone” (27:02).
Guilt-Free Spending: Aligning Purchases with Values
Understanding that not all savings come without costs, Jen and Jill discuss the concept of guilt-free spending:
Investing in a Garden: Starting a garden may have upfront costs but aligns with values of sustainability and self-sufficiency. Jill explains, “Gardening is a values-driven investment, resulting in nutritious produce and personal fulfillment” (32:15).
Supporting Local Businesses: Shopping at local, independent grocery stores supports the community and often provides higher-quality products. Jill states, “Supporting local businesses means investing in your community, which is a wise use of your dollars” (34:21).
Jen adds, “If you value high-quality nutritious eggs, buying from a local farm, even if it’s slightly more expensive, is guilt-free” (33:44).
Lightning Round: Favorite Saving Strategies
In a fun lightning round, Jen shares her favorite grocery saving tactic: “Shopping at Aldi for fresh produce was a game-changer for me” (40:10). She recounts her experience with bulk produce from a local farm, highlighting both the benefits and challenges, such as managing the surplus.
Jill’s favorite saving method involves her coffee purchases: “Buying coffee in bulk during sales ensures I always have fresh beans without overspending” (42:42). Despite humorously debating the quality, she emphasizes the importance of sourcing locally when possible.
Personal Anecdote: Navigating Scams
Towards the end of the episode, Jen opens up about a personal scam experience, sharing valuable lessons on online giving and security:
Jen recounts, “I gave $50 through a message that turned out to be a scam, but thankfully reported it and was refunded” (50:14). Jill reinforces the importance of verifying requests, suggesting, “Ensure you know the person or verify the legitimacy before giving money online” (56:23). They stress the need for cautious generosity, highlighting the balance between being giving and protecting personal information.
Conclusion
Jen and Jill wrap up the episode by reiterating the myriad ways to save on groceries, from leveraging free resources and innovative apps to strategic shopping and guilt-free spending. They encourage listeners to utilize these methods to align their spending with personal values while maintaining a frugal lifestyle.
Jen concludes with a heartfelt thank you to listeners: “Thank you, Pam, for your wonderful review. We truly are grateful for your support” (47:10). They also promote their upcoming content and book, inviting the frugal community to continue their journey towards financial independence and smarter spending.
Key Takeaways:
Utilize Free Resources: Explore food pantries, community fridges, and apps like Too Good To Go and Olio for free or discounted groceries.
Embrace Seasonal and Local Produce: Shopping for in-season, locally sourced produce reduces costs and ensures freshness.
Take Advantage of Discount Stores and Bulk Buying: Stores like Aldi and buying in bulk for frequently used items can lead to significant savings.
Leverage Deals and Loyalty Programs: Use apps like Fetch, Ibotta, and Flip Flipp, and participate in store loyalty programs and double coupon days.
Align Spending with Values: Engage in guilt-free spending by investing in sustainable practices like gardening or supporting local businesses.
Stay Vigilant Against Scams: Verify the legitimacy of online requests before giving money and protect personal financial information.
By implementing these strategies, listeners can transform their grocery shopping habits, reduce expenses, and align their spending with their broader financial and personal values.
For more detailed information on the apps and strategies discussed, visit the Frugal Friends Podcast YouTube channel or their website at frugalfriends.com.