Recipe Archive Most recent recipes Appetizers Bread Breakfast Cakes Candy Condiments Cookies Desserts Meat Pies Poultry Salads Sandwiches Sauces Seafood Side Dishes Soups Vegetables Food Video View all videos RSS for video Centerstage Five For Frying Food Happenings The Raving Dish Food Recipes Swap Shop   Food Vegetarian mom saves money on food July 3, 2008 Toby Singer, 39, of Edgebrook, is a stay-at-home mom with two daughters, Emma, 8, and Anna 5. Her husband, Jeff, is a project manager for Chicago's 311 service. She tells how she saves money: •       •       I am a vegetarian, so I do not buy meat. Veggies are a lot cheaper and healthier. » Click to enlarge image Toby Singer (center) talks with her daughters, Anna, 5, (left) and Emma, 8, while serving them lunch at their home. (Sun-Times) RELATED STORIES Tell us what you're doing to save money How Chicagoans are coping in a rough economy Car sharing avoids agony at the pump Food, gas costs force lifestyle changes Chatham woman rings up almost $300 in savings Price check on walk down aisle Fillups now a thing of the past Double dose, half cost Bikes save a wad of cash How Beth cuts her grocery bill in half Couple cut food budget by $100 Shopper finds bargains, coupons on most items Riding a scooter saves more than just on gas Cable's out, walking's in College student learning to scrimp Retiree takes a hike to fight rising price of gas Her plan: free meals, free wheels How to have a fun wedding for under $5K 'Thrill of the hunt' at thrift stores Pets, plants help her cut monthly bills Vanpool cuts gas costs by $100 a week Couple looks for second jobs Cigarettes are out, vegetable garden is in She likes service, savings at low-cost dry cleaner Salon owner trims budget Woman shares how to save $6,500 a year Using plastic wisely saves woman dough SUV for transit a $400-a-month trade Family cuts laundry, food bill Saving $150 a month by running car on used veggie oil Temp worker brings her own lunch How I feed 5 for only $65 a week! Shopping more to spend less Mom saves money by attending free, family activities Restaurant's deliveries go green to save green Mom holds the line on cell phone usage Low-cost lunches can taste great, be healthy Take these saving tips to the bank Mom: If it's too hot without a/c 'go outside and sleep' North sider hopes to save with Mint(.com) One-car family gets by just fine Airtight way to save money Gift cards, 8-lb. bag take bite out of Starbucks tab Used bike shops offer wheels at a steal Coupon maven draws bargain-hunting crowd She saves $35,000 a year Vegetarian mom saves money on food •       •       I don't drink alcohol or coffee, so I do not buy either. •       •       Except for rare occasions, I only buy groceries that are on sale. •       •       I don't go to movie theaters. I prefer to wait till movies come out on cable/DVD/pay-per-view. Watching them at home with my family is a far more pleasant viewing experience to me than watching them at a crowded, noisy, sticky theater. •       •       I buy most of my children's toys, clothes and books at garage sales or consignment shops. When they outgrow them, I sell them back. •       •       I use the public library constantly for my whole family for both books and movies. •       •       I comparison shop online and look for online coupons before I make a major purchase. What are you doing to make ends meet? Write to psmith@suntimes.com.•       •        © Copyright 2009 2007 Sun-Times Media, LLC | Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Affiliates: RogerEbert.com | SearchChicago - Autos | SearchChicago - Degrees | SearchChicago - Homes | Chicago Area Jobs | Public Record Search | Centerstage | North Shore Magazine