Tax Refund to build "pantry?"

[wackyaunt]

An ad in today's paper caught my eye...it was an ad of a local butcher shop suggesting that you see them to fill your freezer with beef, pork, poultry utilzing your tax refund. Have any of you ever considered doing something like that?

[NancysSummerSip]

I would not do that from June through November, given where I live (hurricane country), but other than that, if the prices are right, I would consider it. We have a local butcher who offers that kind of deal also, and I know his products are excellent. He does all the work, including packaging and labeling.

One of our local grocery stores also does this, but all the meat is cut and laid out in a tray; you have to do the wrapping and labeling yourself. I think it's a great time saver, and could be a money saver as well.

[Deleted]

nah... I like meat as fresh as possible.

So I personally would rather take a weekly trip to the butcher than have frozen stuff sitting for months....

(plus, I haven't got a tax refund for decades....)

[Clever Username]

Have any of you ever considered doing something like that?

No, I'm pretty much at peace with my relationship with the IRS.

[donnafreedman]

I wouldn't spend it all at once, but rather set aside the refund and hit sales very selectively over the next year.
For tips on building a pantry on a low budget, see my piece at Get Rich Slowly:
www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/02/02/fight-rising-prices-by-building-your-own-food-bank/

[dcmetrocrab]

No to the idea of using a tax refund, yes to buying a side of local grass fed beef only for the taste/quality/novelty factor. I entertained it only for a brief second.

1. I prefer fresh meat.
2. I don't eat much meat to begin with.
3. I don't have room for a freezer.
4. Frozen food goes bad all the time for me due to neglect/forgetfulness.
5. Bottomline, I'm lazy, too pricey, not worth the effort.

Lots of work, upfront, and ongoing costs don't make it worth my while. Costs associated with properly storing meat so that it retains it's freshness (need vacuum sealed or layers of packing), having to buy another fridge/freezer, paying for the extra electricity, having to keep track of how quickly to eat the meat before it spoils, having to plan to defrost the meat, etc etc. The list goes on and on. At the end of the day, not worth it for me.

[lifewasgood]

This idea was very popular back in the late 70's early 80's where you could purchase a freezer and half a beef all at the same time. More and more of this will come to the surface as food prices rise. Do yourselves a favor, stock pantry with dry and can goods, at least 6 months worth and invest in a freezer (chest type) and shop for best deals to fill it.

[Apple]

Feb 18, 2011 5:11:40 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

I know lots of people who get "half a cow" or whatever and put it in their freezer. I really don't get that. I like to buy fresh meat when I need to cook it. And, I don't like frozen meat, it just doesn't taste the same and once something lands in the freezer, I generally forget it is there anyway. And, it probably would be economical but it isn't something I want to do.

The difference for me is that the half cow (in my case it was a 1/4 cow) tastes so much better simply because it's "real". My brother raises cows and even after being frozen it tastes so much better than the store beef, he's really good at "finishing" it so that the meat turns out awesome. Kind of like home-grown bacon, store stuff can't even compare! In the end, it's a lot cheaper too and I get the "expensive" cuts I'd never shell out a ton of money for.

Oh, and as far as the OP goes, no, I've never even thought of using my refund for that--it usually goes into savings and toward the house (this year it all goes to the new house...)

[donnafreedman]

I must share this neologism for people who split the costs of a side (or more) of beef:
COWPOOLING. ;D

[pepperdoo]

Donna, that's just wrong:) LOL

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

[Apple]

My name is apple and I'm a cowpooler

[wackyaunt]

LOL Apple...I am too, but I grew up on a midwestern farm, so beef in the freezer is a normal thing for me. HUGE savings on beef for the year...especially steaks and roasts, same price whether burger or steak, can't beat that! I thought it interesting that a butcher was directly targeting tax refunds.

[Tired Tess]

How long can you freeze beef, pork, chicken? I have pork chops best sold by March 10, 2010, Are they any good?