There are many ways you can use your freezer to save money. The first step is to make sure you are using your freezer efficiently. I contacted our local electric company and these are some of the tips they shared with me.

Keep the temperature inside your freezer at 0-5 degrees F.
Keep extra, freestanding freezers in a basement or garage that stays above 45 degrees. Extreme cold can disrupt the function of refrigerants.
Keep the freezer stocked. A full freezer is an efficient freezer and keeps food frozen longer during a power outage.

Make sure your freezer door closes and seals properly. A proper seal holds a dollar bill snugly.
Avoid putting hot foods directly into the freezer. Let them cool to room temperature first.
Label items in the freezer so that you can identify them quickly. Know what you are going to get before opening the freezer door.

Once your freezer is running efficiently you can use it to have money. Before you start filling your freezer take an inventory so you know what’s in there! Plan meals using up the items that have been in your freezer for while. Once your freezer is cleaned, organized and you’ve taken an inventory, you can start taking advantage of the sales. Buy meats and other frozen items when they are on sale and stock up. Use proper techniques to freeze the foods and they’ll taste just as good as when they were purchased.

You can also double recipes that you make for your family and freeze another meal. You never know when you might need one! Perhaps you know a young mom that has her hands full with a new baby. Maybe a new family just moved into the neighborhood. It’s nice to have something on hand no matter what the occasion.

Find a local farmer who raises beef and get a couple of friends together to purchase a side of beef. We have a group of friends that we buy a cow from every year. It’s nice to know where your food is coming from and how it was raised.
These are just a few ideas you can use to save money with your freezer. How do you use your freezer to save money?
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