Do you have an extra freezer?

[DivaJen]

DH and I have talked about getting an extra freezer, so that we can store more frozen food, pre-prepared dinners, surplus veggies and bread, etc. We don't have room for an upright freezer, so we would have to get a low, horizontal one (know what I mean?). Here is my question: will the extra energy requirements of a second freezer outweigh the potential savings in having that extra freezer space?

Any tips or suggestions?

[jacquelynrose]

My parents had a freezer and they realized it did use up alot of energy so then they ended up putting everything in the fridge.

IMO I still think they are a good idea though.

Jacquelyn

[kashi]

I definitely think it would outweigh the costs, if you used it. There are really energy-efficient models out there now, and I think it would be great to have a place to put extra food. Unfortunately I can't stock up when things are really on sale, because I only have a fridge/freezer. Of course, it's also only useful if you can use the food up before it gets freezer burned. My parents have always had a chest freezer, and it's always chock-full...and they are super frugal.

[34saving]

I have a little chest freezer and I love it, but mostly for convenience. "They" say a smallish freezer used fairly economically will use about $50 a year in electricity (figure $85 if you want a bigger one). You then have to add the cost of buying/transporting it, maintaining it, and dealing with food that spoils if you ever lose power for a significant period of time. I see the cost being outweighed if you have a really big family or live a long way from the nearest source of cheap food. Otherwise they're still great for convenience, but probably not economical IMHO.

[SeeAPenny]

I do find my free-standing chest freezer highly economical. I haven't actually sat down to do the math, but I figure I surely come out ahead in the deal. For instance, I regularly purchase bulk items through my food-buying club to save money (flour, grains, dried fruit, nuts, spices, etc), storing it all in my freezer to keep it fresh. I stock up on store loss leader items (frozen juice concentrate for example), and discounted day-old bakery bread, etc -- which I am able to do because of my extra freezer space. Garden produce from myself and others always finds its' place in there as well. Just this morning, I made smoothies for the kids and me using cantalope and strawberries I was given free by the proprietor of a little asian grocery around the corner awhile back, when some of her produce was a bit past its' peak. She just let me have it all -- I brought it home, picked it over and froze much of it (the smoothies were great!). Although I haven't actually gone as far as trying 'Once a Month Cookery', I do make it a habit to double up on lasangas, casseroles, chili, etc., whenever I can -- which I store in the freezer. This is a time saver, which can translate into actual money savings if it keeps me from turning to pricey convenience foods on busy days. Really, I love my freezer and don't know what I would do without it.....

[Momof3grls]

We have a big freezer in the basement its almost always full but we have been living on our stockpile so its getting empty now we are doing this so we can clean it out what a pain that shall be!!! But I think we have saved alot by having it my dh get meat from work super cheap & we bought a whole pig once & had it butchered & we needed the freezer for all that meat. Usually I dont get frozen things on sale very cheap but it has helped us alot with dh getting meat from work like he does.

[PRICEPLUS]

We buy most items on sale. YOu can freeze meat, chicken, fish, butter, milk, and save a substantial amount of money during sales. We freeze bread buy and buy tons of frozen veggies when they are on sale. We come out ahead by several hundred dollars a year by our reckoning.

Buy tape and a marker and label and date all items. Vacuum the coils every so often for maximum eficiency. If there is ice buildup start using up the food and plan for a defrost and cleaning. The wife and I do it at least once a year.

[mom-from-missouri]

I have an upright freezer in my gameroom beside my extra refrigerator. I get my meat 1/2 hog or 1/3 beef at a time and I know I come out ahead. The newer models dont use nearly as much electric as the old ones did. Just make sure you get the door shut good. I find for me, and upright is easier to keep organized.
Top shelf is veggies,
the door pannel shelves hold my daughters drinks and items for lunch (i reuse juice bottles, fill half way and freeze, then top them off i the mornings as I pack their lunches-also bake muffines one a month and freeze them for their lunches)
2nd shelf is breads from the day old bread store-it freezes well esp if you save your bread wrappers to double wrap them before freezing,
bottom 3 shelves are for meat
keep it full, even if with blocks of ice, for more savings on your electric.
if the power goes out for an extended time on day 2 of no power, add a block of dry ice-it will get you through another 24 hours.