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How To Save Money On Groceries

by: Amruta | last updated: August 21, 2009
Category: Saving on Everything | Tags: How To Save Money On Groceries, save money, save money, save money on grocery, Grocery, groceries, ways to save money on grocery

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How To Save Money On Groceries Food is one of the biggest expenses, along with housing and cars, in most people's budget. If you're looking for ways to cut back on your budget, your food category should be one thing you look at closely - there's almost always ways to reduce your spending here. First, eat out less and cook your own food more - this will save tons of money right off the bat. But frugal grocery shopping can be an art - and with a little planning, can also be a lot of fun. Although a grocery store may appear to be simply a place to purchase food and other household necessities, in reality it's a cutting edge example of "how to sell more than consumers really need." Here are several tips to save money on Groceries.

1) Always go with a list

If you go without a list, you may as well just throw your money away. Prepare a list of everything you need, making sure you have everything needed for your weekly menu (next tip) and checking to make sure you don't have it in your pantry, fridge or freezer. Make sure you're not forgetting anything. Now stick to that list - don't buy anything not on the list.

2) Plan out a weekly menu

This is the best way to ensure that your list is complete, and that you have enough to serve your family dinner for the week. You can plan a weekly menu and then duplicate it for the next week - this way you can shop for two weeks at once. Be sure to plan a leftovers night.

3) Have a budget

When you go to the store, know exactly how much you can spend. Then try your best to stick within that limit. If you don't know how much you can spend, you'll certainly spend too much. Keep a running tally as you shop to ensure that you're within your budget.

4) Keep your receipts, then enter into a spreadsheet

This will be your price list. Use it so you know when bulk or sale items are a good deal. It's also a great way to comparison shop between stores - buy your baking goods in Store A but your fresh fruits in Store B. The spreadsheet can also serve as a checklist to use when you're compiling your shopping list.

5) Shop online

Lots and lots of items - more than 22,000 - are now available for quick and easy purchase online at Amazon.com's new grocery section. The majority of the prices really can't be beat. Plus, all products can ship for free, via Super Saver Shipping, Amazon Prime, or free standard shipping.

6) Buy frozen veggies

While fresh veggies are a little better, frozen veggies are almost as good, and much better than nothing. And since you can keep them in the freezer, they rarely go bad.

7) Freeze Food

When you grocery shop, look for bargain items that can be frozen. Most people do not even think about shredding block cheese and freezing it. You can even freeze eggs. If you find apples on sale, make your own apple pies and freeze them or make applesauce. Whenever you see a great bargain, think about freezing. You can even create your own frozen dinners.

8) Cut back on meat

Meat is expensive. Plan vegetarian meals several times a week (think pasta or chili) and for other meals, you could just use a little meat as a kind of seasoning instead of the main ingredient - think Asian, Indian and other such cultural food.

9) Cook a lot, then freeze

Plan to cook a big amount of food - a whole mess of spaghetti, for example - and freeze it for multiple dinners. A great idea is to use one Sunday and cook a week's (or even a month's) worth of dinners. Plan 5-6 freezable dinners and cook them all at once.

10) Look for specials

Every store has specials. Be sure to look for them in the newspaper, or when you get to the store (they often have unadvertised specials - look on the higher and lower shelves for deals). Don't buy them unless they're things you always use.

11) Try the store brands

Brand names are often no better than generic, and you're paying for all the advertising they do to have a brand name. Give the store brand a try, and often you won't notice a difference. Especially if it's an ingredient in a dish where you can't taste the quality of that individual ingredient

12) Cut back on your "one-item" trips

They waste gas, and almost inevitably, you buy more than that one item. If you plan ahead, make a weekly menu, and shop with a list, this should drastically reduce the number of trips you make for a small number of items. But if you still find yourself running out for a few items, analyze the reason - are you not making a good list, are you forgetting some items from your list. Avoid trips to the corner store. Or the gas station! These are some of the most expensive stores. (Ranking right up there with airport stores.)

13) Don't go when you're hungry

This is a common tip, but it's true - when you're hungry, you want to buy all kinds of junk. You'll end up spending a lot more. Eat a good meal first, and you'll be more likely to stick to your list.

14) Stock up

As you shop, if you notice a product that you use on a consistent basis is on sale for a great price, stock up. Sale items can be a great deal. If it's an item you normally use, buy a bunch of them. As an example, if you use a particular type of shampoo costing $2.00 per bottle and you find it on sale for $0.99, go ahead and buy 2 bottles. You should only do this on items you know ill be used.

15) Plan one big trip a month for bulk staples

You can get fresh items at another store on other weeks, but doing a big bulk trip will cut back on the expense and amount you have to carry for the other three weeks. Avoid buying on impulse at the bulk store too - just because they sell a lot of it doesn't mean you're saving, if you weren't planning on buying it in the first place. Buy in bulk only when it makes sense. If you can save money, over the course of a month or two, by buying in bulk, plan to do so. But be sure that you're going to use all of it before it gets bad - it isn't cheaper to buy in bulk if you don't use it.

16) Think deep freeze

If you really want to save, you'll need a big freezer. Ask around - someone you know might have a relatively new model they don't need anymore. You can use freezers to stock up on meat, frozen veggies, and similar staples, and to freeze big batches of pasta, casseroles, and other dinners you prepare ahead of time.

17) Don't waste leftovers

Have a list on your fridge of what leftovers are in there, so you don't forget about them. Plan a leftover night or two, so you're sure to eat them all. Pack them immediately for lunch, so they're ready to take the next morning.

18) Don't buy junk food

Don't buy junk food (or buy as little as possible). Junk food not only costs a lot of money for about zero nutrition, but it makes you and your family fat and kills you slowly. Talk about a bad deal! Opt for fruits and veggies instead.

19) Go when the kids are in school

When you bring kids, they will pester you and pester you until you buy some kind of junk food. Even if you're able to stick to your guns, it's not pleasant saying no 10 million times. In most cases, you'll save money shopping without the kids.

20) Grocery stores are for groceries

"Avoid purchasing nongrocery items at a grocery store," says Steinback, who advises consumers to weigh convenience vs. cost when they pick up supplies like painkillers, contact lens solution, mouthwash or toothpaste at the grocery store. "I know it's convenient," she says. "But, you double your cost."

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