Memorial Day has come and almost gone. This day marks the beginning of outdoor barbeque season for many in the country. We’ll begin smelling the charcoal in the air soon in our own neighborhoods. For this barbeque season, many may switch from their propane grill to a charcoal grill simply to dodge another oil increase in prices. The cost of propane has increased alongside the gas prices, and we can’t help but notice the percentage hikes on popular condiments at the local grocery store.

Finding a way to save money on food remains a tough challenge. When we look at outdoor grilling, we can see some do it relatively simple and save money, while others have large outdoor grills with tons of meat marinating. What can we do to save money in an area that demands necessity?

Our grill can hold the most savings for our outdoor cooking pleasure. If we’re just starting out with our outdoor setup, then we can stoke the fire with a charcoal grill, rather than a propane one. However, most of us spend our money on the items we cook on the grill.

Let’s look at it this way, if we buy two ribeyes for $12 at the store, and we do this every week, then we’ll spend around $48 a month just on four grilled meals. Of course, purchasing a steak dinner at a local restaurant would run closer to $50 for two people. So you could see this as a $150 savings. On the other hand, we could choose to purchase a large chunk of meat from a farm or processor. Many cow farms offer whole cow or half cow bulk purchases. The meat can be cut to your liking and frozen in a deep freeze for safe storage throughout the barbeque season. A grocery store butcher usually just prepares prepacked meat, so your best bet to finding bulk meat would be contacting farmers in the local area. If you don’t have one nearby, there are online alternatives where you can have meat shipped right to your door.

In this barbeque season, you can still enjoy the wondrous taste of meats on the grill. If you’re looking to save money while you grill, then buying in bulk may be the best solution. Happy grilling!

Our post entitled How Saving a Little Money Can Impact Your Life focused on saving tiny portions of money over a long period of time. We’ve also written about small purchases adding up over a period of time. Now we’ll look at the large purchases we make and how they shape our financial future.

What’s your financial goal? Do you want to save enough to scrape by in old age, or do you want to be rich? Many misconceive the notion of building a financial stronghold — they only see the stones that make up the fortress without seeing the mortar holding it all together. In the introduction to The Millionaire Next Door the authors open the book with the following:

Twenty years ago we began studying how people become wealthy. Initially, we did it just as you might imagine, by surveying people in so-called upscale neighborhoods across the country. In time, we discovered something odd. Many people who live in expensive homes and drive luxuy cars do not actually have much wealth. Then, we discovered something even odder: Many people who have a great deal of wealth do not even live in upscale neighborhoods. [Source: The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D.]

The book goes on to discuss the research done by these two doctors on the millionaires in the world. The book shaped a far different view of wealth than popular media would have you imagine. Sure the actors, athletes, and musicians live in hills atop California drinking expensive wines and tossing dollar bills into their fireplace, but the majority of wealthy individuals live a far less extravagant life.

The wealthy accumulate their large bank accounts through frugality and reducing unnecessary pleasures. In the chapter entitled You Aren’t What You Drive, the authors describe the millionaires they surveyed as spending very little indeed on the cars they drive. 95% of the millionaires surveyed spent less than $57,500 on their current model car. The average millionaire spent a little over $25,000 on their latest model. How much did you spend on yours? Now calculate how much you spent on a comparable scale. I’m sure it’s well more than the percentage the millionaire spent. What can we do about that? The chapter hinges on the idea that buying an expensive car or home can change our behavior. Instead of living the life we once knew, we now have to alter our driving habits for the new luxury auto. So when we buy social status we receive behavior changes in return. The savings go out the window and the good life comes rushing through.

In this sub-prime mortgage America, many now know the perils of buying a home too far above our pay line. We may know a family struggling to pay a mortgage and be financially secure. The message should be to buy in our comfort level, not to keep up with the Jones. This message applies to our car, home, and even clothes.

We can save money on large purchases if we can get away from the idea of living the good life. The real savings come when we can let go of social stigmas and purchase a car or home well below what we can afford. Afterall, isn’t a large bank account more impressive than a large home?