Groceries - Easy Ways to Cut Costs

There are three steps to minimizing your grocery billThere are several types of grocery stores and you
each week.should figure out the most cost effective way to
1. Plan Aheaduse them: the traditional grocery stores, discount
2. Buy At The Lowest Possible Pricestores, and wholesale stores. Traditional stores usually
3. Eliminate Wastehave a good variety and frequently offer special sale
Plan Aheadprices. Pay close attention to the specials and stock
If you spend 10-15 minutes planning before youup. NEVER BUY ALL YOUR GROCERIES AT A
ahead to the store you will ensure that you purchaseTRADITIONAL STORE. The discount stores often
what you need instead of wondering through thehave less variety but offer everyday low prices that
store throwing things in the cart. First decided whatare often substantially less than a traditional store.
your dinners will be each day. Here is a trick that willEven if you don't buy all your food at a discount
make that step easy. Get some index cards andstore, you should shop there and buy as much as
write one supper menu and all the items needed toyou can. The wholesale stores offer items in bulk
make that meal on each card. Make up 15 or more ofquantities. If there are items that you use frequently
these cards. Some of the menus can be fancy andand they won't go bad before you use it all, this may
some can be as simple as grilled cheese sandwichesbe a good option. You could also shop with a friend
and canned soup. It will take a couple hours to getand split the items.
the index cards written out, but then each week youOrganic food is becoming more popular. With all the
can easily flip through them and pull out the ones youchemicals, hormones, and preservatives in our food
want to use that week. If the menu includesorganic food is a healthier alternative. The downside
something that you need a recipe for, the ingredientsis it is expensive. One way to get the most for your
can be listed on the bottom of the index card. Oncemoney is to buy organic fruits and vegetables only if
you know what suppers you plan to make,you plan to eat the peel (ex. strawberries and
determine what items you need to purchase toblueberries), but don't buy organic if you will not eat
make those meals and put them on your shoppingthe peel (ex. bananas and watermelon). Because of all
list. Next, decide what lunch and breakfast foods youthe hormones in cow's milk, organic milk is worth the
need and add that to your shopping list. If you wantextra cost. Soy milk and rice milk are both becoming
to get an A in planning you can also make lunch andmore affordable and are often only a little more
breakfast index cards.expensive than cow's milk. Buy a small container and
When you have to run to the store several timestry it. You can also shop the specialty health food
because you forgot something, you often leave thestores and buy whatever is on sale. Whole Foods
store spending $35 even though you only neededrecently had generic Fruit Loops for $2.50 per box.
one $3 item. Here is a trick that can help. Make up aNo matter what store you are in read the labels and
list of the items you purchase most frequently. Groupavoid items with hydrogenated oil and high sugar
the items by department - produce, frozen, dairy,content. Try to buy more whole grains and high fiber
canned goods, dry goods, household, etc. Then savefoods.
the list on your computer or make copies. When youEliminate Waste
are ready to make out your shopping list just put aOnce you get the food home you need to eliminate
check by the items you need that week. You canany waste. Items that can spoil should be used early
leave a few blank spaces in each group to write inin the week. If you frequently throw out fresh
items that were not on your master list.vegetables before you have a chance to cook them,
Buy At The Lowest Possible Pricepurchase frozen vegetables instead. They taste fresh
An easy way to cut your grocery bill week afterand will last for months in the freezer. Along the
week is to purchase generic or store brand items.same line, canned fruit will not spoil like fresh fruit
Generic brands are better than they were years ago.does, so consider replacing some of the fresh fruit
If you haven't bought generic recently, try a fewyou buy with canned fruit. There is a good variety of
items, you will probably be pleasantly surprised.canned fruit to choose from - things like single
Walmart's Great Value and Sam's Choice brands areserving fruit cocktail and individual strawberry
good. Many grocery chains also have good storeapplesauce. Even if the cost per ounce is a little
brands.more, if less is wasted it could save you in the long
Another way to save is to cut coupons, but makerun.
sure the final price is less than the generic brandTry to use all your leftovers. You would never throw
price. Some stores have double coupon days wherea $5 bill in the trash, but it is no different than
they will double the value of your coupons up to athrowing half a pan of lasagna in the trash.
certain limit. Also, some stores will honor the publishedRemember - The freezer is your friend. Divide
sales prices of other stores if you bring in the salesleftovers into single serving microwavable containers
flyer. Stop by the service desk of your favoriteand freeze. You can take the containers to work and
stores and ask about their policies.enjoy a free lunch. If you have a recipe that calls for
Convenience foods sometimes cost more thana small onion and all you have is a large onion, chop
making things from scratch, but not always. Forthe large onion up, use half in your recipe and freeze
example: a batch chocolate chip cookies made fromthe other half. Next time you need a small chopped
scratch (which only takes a few minutes) is 1/3 theonion for a recipe it will be there for you. Many foods
cost of prepared cookie dough. But, you may to ableare freezable, so get them frozen before they go
to buy generic brand prepared cookies for less thanbad.
the cost of making cookies from scratch.