[Savannah]

if I were to buy 1/2 cow/beef, would I end up saving money in the long run? What are some tips on saving money?

“Is purchasing half a cow a good investment for long-term savings?

I’m considering buying half a cow for my household to potentially save on meat costs over time.

For those who have done this, was it worth the upfront expense?

How did it compare to buying meat regularly from the grocery store?

Additionally, what tips do you have for maximizing savings when purchasing and storing large quantities of meat?

I’m curious about any hidden costs, storage recommendations, or ways to make the most of this purchase.”

[Judy]

Where I live, you absolutely will save money in the long run, although I know that other areas of the country aren’t as lucky as we are here in the prairie states.

If you can afford it, it’s the cheapest and easiest way to assure you and your family of affordable steaks, roasts, ribs, hamburger, etc.

Find a local rancher who will sell you the 1/2 beef and will transport said beef to the locker.

You will pay them for the 1/2 steer/heifer (I paid 2.95/lb for a 1/2 of a prime heifer back in April…

Do NOT agree to a 1/2 bull or old cow, as the meat is substandard on the cow and the bull will be fairly rank from all the testosterone…

It’s only good for hamburger, if that). Then, you’ll pay a price per hanging weight (1.10/lb on the one I purchased) after the beef has been processed.

You will only pay per lb on the processed meat, not any of the offal, hides, horns, etc.

I ended up paying 4.05/lb total, between paying the rancher and the locker, for my 1/2. That’s 4.05/lb for steaks, roasts, ribs, sweetbreads, oxtail, tongue, hamburger, the works (and it’s all cut to your specifications…

YOU choose how thick your steaks are or how many lbs your roasts individually are).

You can’t even get that price, per lb, when steaks or hamburger are sale now.

Make sure you have a big enough freezer to hold it.

I have three 5 cf chest freezers and one 7 cf chest freezer that I use for my 1/2 beef, along with everything else I purchase over the course of a year

(I continue to use this many freezers to insure that if one goes out, I only lose the meat in that one freezer instead of it all being a total loss).

The larger the amount of beef you buy, the cheaper the meat becomes.

If you only do 1/8th of a steer, it’s going to be higher in price than what a 1/2 or a whole would run.

[Regene]

It is not cheaper- on average $1 per pound than in stores, but your stays in local economy.

[Mary]

For us the cost is about the same as buying from the store as we don’t like steaks or roasts.

We mostly use the stew meat and burger. But it’s nice to know where and how your meat was raised.

I buy half a beef and get it cut mostly into burger and stew meat.

It lasts me about a year and costs about $5 lb.

Check into local farmers and get some recommendations on reputable ones.

Don’t go for the cheapest one as it may not be the most cost efficient and best.

Also check into the butcher. Some places are better than others.

The farmer we use also sells burger for $4.25 lb a few times a year and I buy 50 of the 1 lb packs at a time from him.

See if any of your local farmers sell beef without having to meet a minimum amount.

[Deborah]

I buy direct from a rancher and pay about $4 per pound but that includes NY strips, T Bone steaks, Rib steaks, in addition to all of the ground beef, roasts, and other bits and pieces.

The meat is way better quality than in the grocery store and the price evens out.

I wouldn’t do it any other way.

[Trish]

We save $ and its LOTS better quality. Have you ever purchased from a rancher or local processor?

Please Watch the episode the Bearded Butchers did on grass fed vs grain finished before you do.

I’ve seen people not ask before they buy & it makes a difference.

[Marjorie]

I saved $$ by canning almost all of my 1/4cow. I asked for bones and fat and rendered that as well.

Make sure to ask for those and they’ll give you yours and other’s that don’t want it.

The beef was SO good,hardly any gristle or fat on it so no waste

[Kimmie]

I bought a split-quarter several times. Go in on a half beef with another person, and have the butcher split the different cuts between the two of you.

It will be 150-200 lbs of meat for each of you.

And yes, it’s cheaper than the grocery store.

Just be prepared to USE it.

[Danita]

I think this totally depends on where you are buying and what your qualifications are.

For us, we buy a 1/4 or 1/2 beef at a time from a local farmer.

We pay the farmer market price and then we pay the butcher an additional price to process.

It’s a LOT of money to spend on beef up front and you need a big freezer to store it.

BUT, it’s good quality and all in all, for us, it’s cheaper than we could raise it ourselves or purchase directly from the store.

The downside is you get all cuts of that 1/2 or quarter beef. So, you have to know how to cook/consume it.

It probably contains cuts you would never purchase from the store.

[Michelle]

We grow our own the meat tastes so much better then any of the stuff you buy at the store.

So, it is definitely a win for us

[Kim]

If you like to eat roasts and steaks, it absolutely saves money. If your a burger person, not as much, but the flavor and freshness is a heck of a lot better.

Call around and get prices.

A few mentioned on here are way lower than it is around here.

We raise/sell freezer beef and it averages out between $5 to $6 per pound for what you take home.

I also agree with take as much as you can…bones to make broth, fat to make tallow.

Some like to have the heart ground into the burger, have the liver sliced, oxtails…

get back as much as you can!

[Patricia]

My brother raises steers each year to butcher and he sells the meat. I have bought from him before and just in general.

It’s quite expensive, but of course everything‘s expensive.

He said that when he figures the prize it’s like you’re paying more for the lower cut like ground beef, but you’re getting a deal and paying less for the more expensive cuts like steak so just on average that’s how it goes, but in the end a lot of times it ends up being about a wash in the cost.

It’s in the quality that you see the difference, the homegrown grass fed corn finished beef that’s been aged and hung for a certain amount of days.

It’s just so much better quality than you can get at the store but as far as cash savings, not necessarily.

if you are raising your own beef you’ll be getting a better deal though it’s also expensive to feed them out with corn in the end because that’s also expensive if you don’t have your own feed and have to buy it.

[Stephanie]

I think the cheapest way is to stalk all your local stores and only buy during sales.

[Vickie]

I bought 1/2 beef almost 2 years ago from a rancher. It’s a lot of meat for 2 people but oh so good.

I think I ended up paying $5.50-$6.00 a lb.

I got a few steaks, few roasts, stew meat, ribs, and lots of hamb.

I wish I had asked for the fat and a tongue but I had just had surgery and was not thinking clearly! Next time, for sure!

[Teresa]

Yes! We buy direct from a farmer and have it processed. It averages out to 4.35 cents per pound with processing I cluded

[Terri]

We get a 1/4 cow. There is only two of us. It comes frozen in vacumn packs.

We get the tallow which I render down for cooking with and to make soap.

We get the bones for making broth it all works out to less than $7 lb. Well worth it in my estimation.

[Rosalee]

How much is the electrical bill and how long can you keep the meat in the deep freezer?

[Hannah]

It would probably depend on the area. For me, it is about twice the price.

I buy meat during sales and find clearance meat.

[Rosemarie]

Yes, if you already have a place to store it. We’ve done this several times.

[Amy]

Freezing/storing half a cow would take incredible freezer space? Do you already have a spare freezer for the basement/garage?

A label maker to label each package for the freezer?

[Pei]

For me it saves me money, bought a 1/2, it’s about $4.10/lb. You get hamburger, steaks, roasts, etc.

The hamburger is really lean and yummy, it would’ve costed me $7.29/lb if I get 93% lean from the grocery store.

[Author]

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