Feeding a raw food diet - BARF style or Whole Animal style, requires the finding of meat to feed one's dogs. One likes to do so as inexpensively as possible.
If I am smart and careful and get free meat I can feed our dogs for three months on $60.oo. Pretty good I think, and cheaper than doing mid-range kibble.
A lady (Lis) from one of the rawfeeding yahoo groups came up with this list.
Try some of these cost cutting sources:
1) look up meat and poultry packers and processors in the yellow pages.
2) I get many of my best deals in Asian/Oriental markets. I've also heard that Hispanic and Caribbean markets have great variety and prices too.
3) you may be able to join a barter group
4) google breeders (i.e. rabbit, goat, lamb, etc.) who are in your geographic area
5) look up bulk suppliers and frozen bulk foods in your yellow pages
6) if you have a Chinatown nearby, definitely make a visit
7) let your friends, relatives, and neighbors know you want any freezer burn or old meat when they clean out their freezers, and tell them to pass the word along
8) if you belong to a church or social group, tell those members to mention it to their friends and relatives as well
9) see if there are any co-ops or buying groups around
10) try Craigslist - it's amazing what you can get for free or cheap
11) and I get meat and fish all the time (for free) through Freecycle
12) some Wal-marts and some Costcos and some Sams Clubs have good deals, but you'll probably want to make sure it's not seasoned meat
13) definitely watch the the flyers, and you can usually see the rest of the flyers online (the ones that don't get delivered to your house, but are only a short drive away)
14) *** hands down, the bulk of my best deals have been marked down meat at regular grocery stores. They reduce it the day before it is going to expire, and I go as early as I can to get it before it is gone.
15) tell friends and relatives who hunt and fish that you want first dibs on any body parts they don't want
16) a great tip I learned here a couple of weeks ago - some restaurants throw out things they don't use, like the organs that come inside whole poultry. see if they'll save them for you.
17) farmer's markets are great, but pick and choose carefully for the best bargains
18) some people contact taxidermists, who don't need the meat
19) find people on this list from your vicinity, and ask them where they get their meat deals
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