A testimony by Gretchen from Extraordinary Ordinary Life
For two years now, I have been wanting a grain mill. I researched the different types and read reviews and finally decided on a Nutrimill. However, I did not want to pay full price.
How I Saved
I have a small checking account that is separate from our main family checking account. We put money into that account whenever my husband gets paid. This small account is for groceries, clothes, and a few extra items.
I take out the cash that I need for the week (per our budget) from this account and save any extras I can. Since I try to buy my groceries in bulk and make a lot of things from scratch, this allows me to be able to save a little bit from our grocery budget each week.
The Search is On
After several months of setting aside the extra money from our grocery budget, I was able to accumulate $200 extra in that account to use for the grain mill. Once I had enough money in savings, I began checking Craigslist and searching for “grain mill” or “Nutrimill”. (I wanted to buy from Craigslist instead of Ebay to avoid shipping fees.)
A few weeks ago, I finally found someone who was selling their Nutrimill grain mill. The person recently found out she could no longer have gluten so that is the reason she was selling it. She listed it for $150 so I quickly sent her an e-mail that I would love to buy it.
A Grain Mill + 50 Pounds of Grains (and more!) for $196!
When I went to the seller’s house to buy the grain mill, I found out that she also had extra kamut, spelt, and millet she was willing to sell so I bought 50 pounds total from her. Plus, I was also able to purchase bread bags, bread pans, and a grain cook book. She even threw in a waffle maker for free!
I ended up paying $196 for the Nutrimill and all the extras I purchased from the seller. Since I had saved $200 for the grain mill, I was right under budget! I was so excited I found all of this for under $200 since a new Nutrimill runs about $260 just by itself.
Tips for buying a grain mill:
- Do your research! Read reviews and find out what each mill can do and what grains can be ground with it.
- Price grains — it will do you no good to buy a grain mill if you can’t afford to buy the grains.
- Be patient — people usually keep their grain mills forever but occasionally you will come across them.
- Check estate sales, Craigslist, and Ebay.
- Negotiate and be willing to walk away if the deal is not a good one.
- Know your prices. Some people on Ebay are selling grain mills for more than you can buy a one new.
Tips for buying from Craigslist:
- Always bring someone with you, especially if you are going to someone’s house that you don’t know (or meet at a public location). I have bought several things from Craigslist, including blueberry bushes, canning jars, and now a grain mill. It is a great resource, but you need to make sure you take the proper precaution when you are buying from someone you don’t know.
- Bring cash and look over your purchase before you leave so you can make sure it was advertised correctly.
Gretchen is a stay-at-home mom to three kids and a wife to one hard working husband. She blogs about her ordinary days at Extraordinary Ordinary Life.
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And I found some great deals at the health food store:
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