Clark, I've gotta disagree with you on this one. My husband and I both work outside the home full time. We are busy almost every evening and use the freezer two ways to save money three ways. I buy beef from a local farmer half a cow at a time for grass raised beef. Last time we paid $1.98/pound (stockyard price) for every cut. The quality of the frozen meat has been excellent for up to 9 months. Second, I have built a network to abscond free produce from local friends and farmers. You would be shocked how many people have blueberry bushes or apple trees with a surplus in GA. The biggest thing we use our freezer for is to prepare meals using a cook once per month plan. The quality of the food is good, it is better for you than take out or convenience foods, and I've calculated that we are saving about $135 dollars per month by having quick meals instead of eating out on busy nights. Not to mention I have about 45 minutes extra to spend with my kids instead of cooking...all well work the cost of a freezer.

I have to agree with the majority that I have read here. A freezer is a good thing. I grew up on a farm and was taught to waste not, want not. Of course everything doesn't taste gourmet. But it taste good if you know how to freeze and can. And it does save quite a bit of money for people who use it.

I have had a freezer since I married 47 years ago. We live out in the country and raising four children,and now with 14 grandkids visiting plus a small orchard and a very large garden I use my freezer constantly. I always have treats for the kids. I make freezer jams, sauces, pies, cookies and breads then I have enough when we have company. I cannot imagine living without a freezer.

We have had a freezer for almost as long as we have been married (47 years) and are on our third one.

We tend to buy in bulk and then break down the packages, but with the difference that we use FoodSaver vacuum bags to seal and store goods with most of the air removed. No freezer burn,, and quality holds up considerably longer than alternative methods of wrapping. The bags are reuseable, but do grow shorter after several uses. The bags are also suitable for heat and eat and can be dropped in boiling water as well.

Nuts, meats, fruits, vegetables are particularly easy to treat this way. If a fruit, bread or other item is soft and would be crushed under vacuum, this can be avoided by first freezing the food and then vacuum bagging.

Works well and will save money. A full freezer is more efficient than a half empty one. Ours is usually quite full , but we know folks who freeze jugs of water to take up empty space and to hac as a heat sink in the event of a power failure. We do have a standby generator as well, but have never had to use it in this house, but have in other places we have lived. We havvee never lost a substantial amount of food owing to a power failure. Just remember when the power is out, don't open the freezer anymore than you have to.

Also it is good to clean out and defrost your feezer once a year. We do this in a few hours in the winter time and simply put the food in to ordinary cardboard boxes outside for the time it takes to clean ice/frost from the coils and shelves inside and to clean dust and detritus from the outside motor/compressor area.

We use our freezer in the garage to freeze of all things Milk. we go through a bunch with 3 kids so we buy more than a gallon at a time. We live in the country so i can't just go down to the corner store for milk. The little indentions on the side allow for expansion. I've frozen and later used the milk as long as 6weeks after the "use by" date. As long as it doesnt smell sour it's ok, and it's never tasted any different. Thaw it out by placing it on a dinner plate or dish towel and leaving it out overnight.

My freezer costs are about $10 per month, including electricity and depreciation on a small chest type freezer. I save at least $60 per month, not counting 1 or 2 extra auto trips to buy perishables.

Living in FL, I have an emergency generator id power goes out, so I won't lose anything in 5 days or less.

Buying a new freezer because of high food prices is like buying a hybrid car just because of high gasoline prices. Food would have to be extremely expensive in order to justify the initial expense of the freezer, and at today's prices, it just isn't there. At least with a hybrid car you are doing something good for the environment. Buying a freezer doesn't even have that going for it.

Isn't it funny how easily we justify a new purchase, even when it doesn't make sense financially?

As a resident of Ohio caught off guard this last week by a windstorm from Hurricane Ike, we still have over 35,000 without electric a week later.
We all learned a tough lesson about being prepared for an emergency. We weren't. I would encourage everyone to also think about having the emergency supplies on hand recommended to survive if needed. We were lucky and lots of stores and restaurants had power and we could go out to eat. But if that had not been the case, we would of been in trouble, becuase even if we had a freezer of food, we could not cook alot of it without electric. I will be prepared as soon as we recoup from this loss.

Clark, you obviously aren't considering how much money you save when you prepare double & triple meals and store them in the freezer. This doesn't save on the cost of food but it does save a bundle on last-minute meals picked up because you're too tired or busy to cook.

When I was married 42 years ago I got an upright freezer. It lasted 25 years. I am on my second freezer The food stored in there comes out perfect. I wrap the meat really well. Ice cream is fine as is bread. I couldn't live without my freezer. I only shop every few weeks buying milk and fresh vegetables in between. My refrigerator freezer doesn't do as well. More freezer burn if left a long time.