# Getting Too Expensive



## emric (Oct 24, 2011)

So,

I buy 95% of my meat from Oma's Pride. I get a discount since I work at a Doggy Daycare. I don't know how to calculate how much I spend a month on raw food. It seems like I'm spending a lot of money, way more than I did on kibble. 

For the past few months I post regularly on Craigslist searching for free meat, but I've got nothing so far. Local butchers around here are pretty pricey, as is the grocery store.

I haven't found any co-ops close to me, I'm in Vermont. 

Any suggestions would be helpful!!


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## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

I live in neighboring NH and several people I know including my vet say it is getting difficult to feed raw here also. We only have one butcher near here and he won't give anything, all the others are out of business. Lots of folks seem to have luck with Craigslist, but my friend got stuff loaded with maggots. I have been trying to help my friend and she has tried asking local farmers too, but no luck. It is getting very expensive. Maybe it is here in New England, things can be ridiculously expensive and hard to find. Hopefully someone else here can help you!


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

Just a thought.... anytime you rely on a 'company' to prepare food for you it becomes increasingly expensive.. i looked at Oma's just to see what prices their prices are. Im paying 65-75 CENTS a pound for whole chicken quarters .i couldn't see anything under 1.40 a pound at Oma's. My feeling is, if i can buy it at a grocery store ( there's one in every town), Its going to be cheaper than having someone prepare and package. Nutrition wise ,pound for pound, raw is actually cheaper. I can buy 60 pounds of ground corn for 9-10 dollars and 35 pound bags of saw dust for 4- 5 dollars....but is it a balanced nutritious meal for the dogs??? I think not ! This is such an easy diet, but you have to explore all avenues before giving up. Im sure the dogs would appreciate any extra effort.


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

greyshadows said:


> It is getting very expensive. Maybe it is here in New England, things can be ridiculously expensive and hard to find. Hopefully someone else here can help you!


Whats getting hard to find? Food ? Or a certain brand of dog food you prefer ?


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

bully4life said:


> Just a thought.... anytime you rely on a 'company' to prepare food for you it becomes increasingly expensive.. i looked at Oma's just to see what prices their prices are. Im paying 65-75 CENTS a pound for whole chicken quarters .i couldn't see anything under 1.40 a pound at Oma's. My feeling is, if i can buy it at a grocery store ( there's one in every town), Its going to be cheaper than having someone prepare and package.



I would have a hard time affording the raw diet if the grocery stores were my only option. 90% of the meat they carry is enhanced. Their sale prices are by no means low. I think we you are seeing where you live is a good area for getting quality raw meats at a grocery store. Not all of us are so lucky.


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

bully4life said:


> Whats getting hard to find? Food ? Or a certain brand of dog food you prefer ?


My guess would be good raw meats. Chicken backs, turkey necks? Non enhanced pork? I called nearly every place in Columbus before I was able to find anything.


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## LucyinSweden (Feb 20, 2012)

Hey Bridget-

I live in Sweden, and things are crazy expensive here. $20 for 4 chicken breasts! I have been buying the packaged, frozen chicken wings, and while they are enhanced with saline, I kind of figure it's better than the crapola kibble. So I definitely get where you are coming from with the expensiveness of everything. It can be really difficult. I am planning on making sure that Lucy gets used to eating the 'leftover' meats as much as possible. 

Is there a Sam's or Costco around there? You might be able to get a bulk order of meat that way. Just a thought!

Good luck!


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

bridget246 said:


> My guess would be good raw meats. Chicken backs, turkey necks? Non enhanced pork? I called nearly every place in Columbus before I was able to find anything.


And I agree with Lucy,,,ANYTHING ( human grade) is better than dryed nuggets..Id sacrifice a little saline ( if your dogs aren't allergic to salt ) in order to have a much more wholesome meal.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Some people believe if you soak them, it gets some of the salt out. If it's got more than 100 mg per serving you might try that.


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## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

It seems to strange to me to think there are places without a place to get bulk items at good prices. I am so blessed right here but alas Ima moving and have no clue were to find the food were I am moving to. But what I am doing is googleing the meat distrubuters and the zip code. Also there are some raw yahoo groups that might be able to help. 

Good luck


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## biancaDB (Nov 3, 2011)

I did a Google search and came up with this. It says they serve vermont. Are the prices any cheaper than Oma's Pride?

PawfectlyRaw


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## twotonelover (Jan 10, 2011)

biancaDB said:


> I did a Google search and came up with this. It says they serve vermont. Are the prices any cheaper than Oma's Pride?
> 
> PawfectlyRaw


I was just about to suggest these guys. I have never personally used them, but the prices are very reasonable. Once my freezer empties out a bit I'll be ordering from them 

There is also a group called New England Raw feeders on Yahoo: Newenglandrawfeeders : New England Raw Feeders Again, I haven't used them, I've had very good luck with craigslist and haven't needed to order from any co-ops.


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## BeagleCountry (Jan 20, 2012)

Join a Yahoo Freecycle email group. Ask for freezer burned and out of date meat that has remained frozen. Contact wholesale meat distributors. They sell to restaurants in 30 lb. - 50 lb. boxes. Request a price list as most do not post their prices online. Ask if they have a minimum purchase requirement. Free meat and purchasing wholesale is the most cost effective way to feed raw. Shop at Asian and Hispanic grocery stores for unusual items or organs that may not need to be purchased in bulk. Some Walmarts have Farm Land brand which is either not enhanced or minimally enhanced.


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## MissusMac (Jan 6, 2011)

I second the Freecycle idea. 

Also, are there other ways you can cut back in your life and save money for meat? Before I started feeding raw, I had to reevaluate my budget and that meant less allocated for eating out/entertainment and more for dog food. It took some reevaluating and prioritizing, but we made it happen.


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## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

Yes, some of you are very lucky where you live, and as you all know having access to raw foods is key. I'm not sure about Vermont, but in many spots in northern NH we don't have ethnic grocery stores or very many restaurants, butcher shops forget it! It can be quite rural. Chicken legs go for $1.89 a pound. My friend spends hours looking over the Internet for places to get her raw and many times she worries about finances too. She drives 3 hours one way twice a month to Mass. to get affordable raw meats. With gas prices on the rise, yikes. Most of the New England forums have southern New Englanders on there, leaving a void for us in the North. I have gotten her to join this forum so maybe she can get more ideas. Also, maybe a link or a new thread with everybody's ideas would be good too!:smile: Frankly, a lot of people I know want to try raw but where to find everything and affording it is what scares them off.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

I stock up on chicken legs when they go on sale for $1.99lb!! I found a woman located about 1hr 15minutes from me who gets meats at much more affordable prices. Right now through her I am paying $1.59lb for chunked beef (cutoffs), 1.69lb for pork, $1.69lb for turkey necks, $4lb for whole rabbit and $2lb for ground lamb with bone. I drool when I see what alot of you Americans are paying for meat. I can only wish to get my food for those prices but I worked it out and as long as I am paying les than $2lb on average I am still feeding wholesome raw for cheaper than what I was feeding premium kibble. Plus I have saved a fortune in vet bills and my dogs are doing so much better!!


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## LucyinSweden (Feb 20, 2012)

greyshadows said:


> Yes, some of you are very lucky where you live, and as you all know having access to raw foods is key. I'm not sure about Vermont, but in many spots in northern NH we don't have ethnic grocery stores or very many restaurants, butcher shops forget it! It can be quite rural. Chicken legs go for $1.89 a pound. My friend spends hours looking over the Internet for places to get her raw and many times she worries about finances too. She drives 3 hours one way twice a month to Mass. to get affordable raw meats. With gas prices on the rise, yikes. Most of the New England forums have southern New Englanders on there, leaving a void for us in the North. I have gotten her to join this forum so maybe she can get more ideas. Also, maybe a link or a new thread with everybody's ideas would be good too!:smile: Frankly, a lot of people I know want to try raw but where to find everything and affording it is what scares them off.


Is there any way that you can band together and create a buyers consortium or something?That would give you some more leverage when working with butchers or farmers.


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## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

twoisplenty said:


> I stock up on chicken legs when they go on sale for $1.99lb!! I found a woman located about 1hr 15minutes from me who gets meats at much more affordable prices. Right now through her I am paying $1.59lb for chunked beef (cutoffs), 1.69lb for pork, $1.69lb for turkey necks, $4lb for whole rabbit and $2lb for ground lamb with bone. I drool when I see what alot of you Americans are paying for meat. I can only wish to get my food for those prices but I worked it out and as long as I am paying les than $2lb on average I am still feeding wholesome raw for cheaper than what I was feeding premium kibble. Plus I have saved a fortune in vet bills and my dogs are doing so much better!!



Same here! I stock up on chicken when it's $1.99/lb, beef heart that's around $2/lb, and beef that's under $4/lb. When my dogs are eating a normal amount (I.e. Not right now), the cost is identical to premium kibble (not to mention the $100 I save by not taking Malcolm to the vet for ear infections every 6 weeks).


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## emric (Oct 24, 2011)

I called them, and they don't come to VT, they would like to, but not enough people. 




biancaDB said:


> I did a Google search and came up with this. It says they serve vermont. Are the prices any cheaper than Oma's Pride?
> 
> PawfectlyRaw


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## Bluey (Nov 16, 2011)

I've been posting on Craig's list and have not had any bites in quite a while. Don't forget about fishing! So many people love to go fishing, ask them to not throw all of them back.

OK this part is kind of gross, and I haven't tried it yet but I'm sooooo tempted. 

Dumpster diving!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've read up on this and they talk so much about how much meat/eggs and so much other food that is perfectly fine to eat. I have driven to the back of some of the bigger grocery stores, but their dumpsters are super large and some are even stored inside the store. (LIke Jewel, Dominicks). Any way, haven't gotten enough nerve yet to try the one's I know we can get into, like Aldi's. But hey, it's worth a try. All we can afford is chicken, so I haven't been getting any beef or anything else. I did get venison and elk ONCE from craig's list. Anyway, if it doesn't work out for you financially, don't beat yourself up. It is what it is. Even if you give them some raw meaty bones a couple times a week they will be happy and get to keep their teeth nice and clean. Good Luck.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

We do the best we can for our animals. No one here is going to make you feel bad if it isn't working out. We just got a Bottom Dollar Foods in our area. Right now, chicken quarters are on sale at $0.39 a pound. Enhanced or not, I find that to be a great deal for me and will probably stock up on that this week. Sometimes going to lower income neighborhoods can be fruitful. 

Another score is deer processing places. They let me take whatever I want out of the bins they keep outside with waste parts. Waste my A$$! There are deer heads, whole rib cages, legs, etc. If you live anywhere near a place where people hunt, call or visit the local deer processor. I am shy so I took a few trips (with the deer I shot) before I managed to ask but they were very nice about it. Didn't go this year but its worth it for free venison for the dogs. It usually just sits there so I recommend going only if its freezing outside. Then take as much as you can store and bam, food for months (depending on how much you feed). 

With raw feeding, it is good to be create.


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## emric (Oct 24, 2011)

Thanks for all the reply's. I'm deff not going to give up feeding my dog raw, was just wondering what else I could do to make it more cost effective. I will continue to post on craigslist, and freecycle. 
Thanks!
Some of the prices I currently pay are: 40lbs chicken backs=$17
28lbs of duck carcasses=$27
30lbs tom turkey necks=$29
How are those prices? Those 3 things are my main staples right now, I haven't fed duck yet.


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## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

Those prices seem great to me. On another note...This makes me so mad: my sister in laws mom is a hostess at a restaurant in NY and she began feeding her dog raw. Well she found out that at the end of every other day, they have to throw out all uncooked beef products (steaks, burgers, ribs etc) because they serve fresh not frozen dinners. So she was shocked at how much they threw out, so she asked if she could take the meat for her dogs (heck even some prime rib for her family!) They said no absolutely not. They wanted to take the insurance loss! They would rather throw it out! She said even some homeless shelters wanted the meat to cook but the Health board won't let them, it's a county law. So now they throw an estimated 100-400 lbs (depending on how much they sell) of choice angus meat away! So wasteful! Imagine if most restaurants did this! Shameful. Grrr...


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

greyshadows said:


> Those prices seem great to me. On another note...This makes me so mad: my sister in laws mom is a hostess at a restaurant in NY and she began feeding her dog raw. Well she found out that at the end of every other day, they have to throw out all uncooked beef products (steaks, burgers, ribs etc) because they serve fresh not frozen dinners. So she was shocked at how much they threw out, so she asked if she could take the meat for her dogs (heck even some prime rib for her family!) They said no absolutely not. They wanted to take the insurance loss! They would rather throw it out! She said even some homeless shelters wanted the meat to cook but the Health board won't let them, it's a county law. So now they throw an estimated 100-400 lbs (depending on how much they sell) of choice angus meat away! So wasteful! Imagine if most restaurants did this! Shameful. Grrr...


That is just sinful. How we can justify stuff like this when there are so many hungry people (and dogs) is insane. I can't believe that place makes a profit and I doubly can't believe they get PAID by an idiot insurance company for throwing out 400 pounds of meat every single day.


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## greyshadows (Jan 30, 2012)

They are a fine dining establishment around for more than 40 years. Steak, seafood kind of place. I've read online that all those really fancy restaurants run by celebrities throw away more in a week than most people make in a year! I've also heard that McDonalds throws away all burgers not sold in a 45 minute period and they won't let even their employees have them. Apparently they are afraid of lawsuits!


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