Meat

Finding a good butcher or two (depending on the type of meat) can reduce the cost of meat. Buying in bulk, or buying a whole cow, can be cheaper but always check prices. Even if costs are the same, a butcher provides better service by cutting to the customer's specifications, pre-wrapping sections for the freezer, and providing unusual parts of the animal--like bones--for cooking. A good butcher doesn't necessarily own their own shop, so don't rule out in-house butchers.

Possible sources

• traditional butcher shops
• local farms
• grocery stores
• warehouse stores
• local hunters
• game commissions that organize hunts