A new way to shop...

A great way to save $$ in the long run, if you have it available to you, is to buy the meat at it's absolute freshest. You know, free range, not fed antibiotics and steroids and local.
And...the best way to do this is to buy a cow/pig and have it butchered for you. Now, I know this grosses some people out...but for the bargain hunter...it is actually WAY cheaper to do this. You can google your area for more information on this. We have friends who introduced us to this new way (to us) to buy meat.
So...for $1.00 a lb we will have enough pork (ribs, pork chops, bacon, boston butt, sausage) for hopefully a year (we split a hog with my parents). Can you get baby back ribs in the store for 1.00 a lb? No way! Sausage? No way!
We are also getting a side of beef, splitting with our friends. For $2.00 a lb we will have enough beef for AT LEAST a year. You can't even get ground beef for $2.00 a lb anymore around here! We will have steaks, roasts, ribs, etc for $2.00 a lb.

So...I only have to buy chicken and any seafood we eat. If you divide it out and take the amt from my monthly food budget...it is still ample when you consider I will not have to buy hardly any meat...... Now if only my garden will take off and I will save $$ there too!