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SeaStar
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| Posted: Oct 10 2013 at 9:59pm | IP Logged
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So it seems as if it might be a better year for pumpkins this fall...
around here they are going for 2/$10 for largish pumpkins, which is the lowest I've seen them (here) in years. I also saw them for 49 cents a pound.
Then I thought: is that a good price? Hmm... what is the rest of the country paying for pumpkins? I hope this means that canned pumpkin will also be cheaper in the year ahead. We love our pumpkin muffins  year round.
And all that got me thinking about seasonal savings... does anyone have any good tips for saving on specific items during the holidays?
I used coupons this year to buy several pounds of Halloween candy for under $10 total  .
I know that there must be specific seasonal ways to save that others rely on but I have yet to discover...
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 11 2013 at 2:45am | IP Logged
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cook your pumpkins and freeze the puree.. and then your "canned" pumpkin won't cost you anything 
Potatoes usually go on sale in the fall.. and you can "root cellar" potatoes.. just store in a cool place that doesn't freeze and in the dark.. we manage this with a large cardboard moving box in the garage. I can get 150# or more of potatoes that will last all winter and stay good.
The cheapest price for brown and powdered sugar is usually during the Thanksgiving/Christmas sales.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Oct 11 2013 at 7:15am | IP Logged
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I buy wrapping paper and ribbon the day after Christmas or as soon as possible after that, as it's usually half price then.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Bethany
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| Posted: Oct 11 2013 at 10:11am | IP Logged
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Pumpkins at Aldi are $2.99 for a large size. I need to buy some before they're all gone. However, DH is one of those going to work but not getting paid yet during the shutdown, so I'm only spending on necessities.
However, I did shop around this week for homeowners and car insurance. Our current insurer was increasing by almost $600 per year  , but I was able to find another company that would keep us at about what we're currently paying .
Since I'm in uber frugal mode, I also used a Groupon credit I had to order my 7yo a subscription to Zoobooks for her birthday. Also, I found new church shoes for my 9yo at the thrift store for $2 and some Beanie Babies for the 7yo's birthday! I've done pretty well this week!
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Bethany
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roomintheheart
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| Posted: Oct 11 2013 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
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I just got home from a fall field trip to a local farm. They were selling pumpkins for .40/lb. We got three medium-sized pumpkins for $10.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Oct 12 2013 at 10:20am | IP Logged
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How much cooked pumpkin can you get from a largish pumpkin?
As in... how many cans equivalent would that be. It looks like pumpkins are still pricier here than they are other places. I am wondering if buying a couple of big ones and making my own puree would wind up being cheaper than buying the canned 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 12 2013 at 11:06am | IP Logged
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It's better. hmmm I measure out pumpkin in 2 cup increments which is about 1 pound. Figuring in seed waste and skin (not much if you bake it in the skin and then scrape the skin clean).. figure a couple to 3 pounds in waste and the rest as puree. So a 10lb pumpkin would get you about 7 bags with 2 cups per bag. Looks like 2cups would be about the size of a standard can (not the fat cans).
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 12 2013 at 11:10am | IP Logged
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We will generally only cut out jack o lanterns a day or two before halloween and just depending on my schedule.. I cut them up (cutting off a thin layer of the exposed cuts and inside) and cook the rest up.. so we get our jack o lanterns and pumpkin puree too. So I get less puree per pumpkin but it's more like salvaging the jack o lanterns.. so that the jack o lanterns aren't such a big expenditure. And of course we have enough kids that I get plenty of pumpkin to cook out of the deal anyway.
The kids love doing the carving and it's our main decorations.. any other decorations I do are ones that are harvest oriented and I can keep up through thanksgiving.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Oct 12 2013 at 1:00pm | IP Logged
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That does sound like it would be way cheaper- and easy to do... just baking the pumpkin and scraping it out. Ds would have a fit, though, if I salvaged his jack'o lantern the very day after Halloween. But I'm sure dd would not mind.
We also carve ours just the day before, or even the day of Halloween, since it can be quite warm here and they don't last.
I have never waited until Halloween day itself to buy pumpkins, but I am wondering if that would be a good way to get some pumpkin deals.
I like the idea of making my own puree and not having the canned stuff and the BPA that comes with it.
Thanks, Jodie!
Bethany- great thrift find! I do hope the government gets back to normal soon though- what a sressful thing for all the families involved! 
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MaryM
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Yes, I have been happy to see abundant pumpkin (fresh and canned) and at prices that are lower than last couple of years. 
We almost always make our own pumpkin puree from the jack-o-lanterns and extra pumpkins (but I still stock up on fall sales of canned).
Speaking of pumpkins - I have seen this recommendation on Pinterest for keeping your pumpkin fresh longer. Soaking or rinsing in a solution of diluted bleach. They also recommend spraying with a bleach dilution inside when cut. Of course this is for one you want to retain longer for decoration only - you obviously couldn't eat that one afterward. And hey maybe it would be poison to the rascally squirrels who try to make a meal of old pumpkin - recall I am not a squirrel lover...
And has everyone else noticed how many pumpkin "flavored" items that are this fall? Each year it gets more and more - it is crazy how trendy it is. Hey, I was pumpkin crazy, before pumpkin was cool....! 
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MaryM
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| Posted: Oct 21 2013 at 11:38am | IP Logged
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Saw a news clip that confirms this year is a very abundant crop of pumpkins.
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Mary M. in Denver
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Oct 21 2013 at 7:39pm | IP Logged
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Pumpkins going for $1.59/lb here, which is, I am sure, not typical. Everything is expensive here. 
Dh picked up a small pumpkin for dd while in Anchorage last week because they were a bit cheaper there. Brought it back in his luggage.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Oct 22 2013 at 5:44am | IP Logged
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We saw some crazy pumpkins this year at the pumpkin patch... many varieties I had never seen before. My favorite was the apple gourd. I guess many of these were technically gourds, but there were some red pumpkins, two tone pumpkins, etc.
If you can your own pumpkin, is it best to use the smaller pie pumpkins, or can you use the bigger ones?
Theresa- ouch on those pumpkin prices!
Prices are down some here this year, but still seem high to me, especially with the good crop this year. Thanks for the article, Mary!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 22 2013 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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If you are going to *can* pumpkin you must do it in cubes.. the puree is to thick and you can get pockets that don't heat properly and allow bacteria to grow. (freeze the puree, can cubes)
I've tried the pie pumpkins vs the jack o'lantern pumpkins and there really isn't a large difference in taste. Either one tastes better than buying cans from the store. So yeah, I don't buy the pie pumpkins any more.. I didn't find the taste difference enough for the price difference.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Christine
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| Posted: Oct 22 2013 at 11:59am | IP Logged
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Pumpkins are selling for $0.18 a pound at Winco, the grocery store where I typically shop. I think that they sold for a similar price at this store in years past.
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Christine
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Frugal Friday: The Price of Pumpkins...
