How much food is in your freezer? Via Shutterstock

Ever turn a chore into a chance to save money? That’s exactly what writer Nancy Munro did. Nancy is auditioning for a staff writer position on BargainBabe.com! Missed the audition announcement? Here it is. Each day this week we will publish one audition post.

Did this post help you save money? While I will make the final decision on who to hire, your input is extremely valuable. Here is Nancy’s audition post:

I have a job to do tonight that really doesn’t bother me. I need to organize and inventory my freezer. There’s been too much good stuff on sale recently and I’ve been buying all of it.

Chicken, ground beef, filled fresh pastas, fresh berries, even freshly baked baguettes have been so cheap, I’ve been buying, portioning, wrapping and tossing the packages into the freezer. And therein lies the problem. I’ve been doing what I call the blind-man’s throw, just stuffing and stacking wherever there’s room. At the moment, I have no idea how many hamburgers or chicken breasts currently reside in my side-by-side.

A full freezer is a blessing, of course. And there’s good reason to keep it that way:

• The freezer (and the refrigerator, for that matter) work more efficiently when full, according to the California Energy Commission, and that saves money.
• It takes a bit of shopping savvy to fill a freezer well. Concentrate on keeping the basics stashed in the freezer, and you’ll always have something for dinner. Look at the grocery circular for items on sale or check what’s in season now and freeze for later use. Would you be surprised to know that items like cheese and milk freeze well? (HINT: before freezing milk in any container, make sure you leave space for expansion. Shredding or cubing the cheese before freezing makes using it very handy when you’re in a rush). Odorous vegetables, such as onion, garlic and scallions can be chopped or sliced and frozen for later use; just be sure to wrap them well. And summer’s best fruits are also at their least expensive. Freeze berries spread out on trays first, then store in freezer bags.
• Everyone’s busy and free time is limited. If cutting and sorting paper coupons isn’t your thing, use your smart phone to download coupons and check deals. More and more grocery stores are adding the electronic coupon option to their check-outs. You’ll fill the freezer fast with less hassle.
• Check with your grocery’s meat department or a local butcher to see if a “freezer filler” deal is right for you. This is a large meat or poultry order, everything cut up, labeled and packaged for you. Typically, the total price-per-pound works out cheaper than buying the components separately. But this is only a money-saving idea if you can eat everything in the deal and you have room for all of it. Or consider asking a relative, friend or neighbor to go in on a deal and share.
• Living in any area of the county affected by hurricanes or other strong storms brings with it the possibility of losing electricity. A full freezer keeps food colder longer and out of the trash can, groceries spoiled and money wasted.
• Meal planning is easier with a full freezer. When you have it on hand, there’s no stopping at the store for “emergency” supplies, which invariably means you’ll buy more than what you need.

Don’t be afraid to use the summer season to stock up and save. Just remember to:

• Buy what you will eat; don’t buy what you hate just because it’s on sale
• Wrap everything well
• Label the packages, including the date of purchase
• Rotate your stock
• Keep an inventory (use a small whiteboard on the side of the fridge; it’s easy to change the list with a simple wipe and rewrite)

About the writer