Tag Archives: Food

How to Save Money on Groceries

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I remember a day when a 2 Liter of Pepsi was 99 cents, and you could get a gallon of milk for just a buck or two. These days, prices haven’t just increase, they’ve increased big time.

So it comes as no surprise that a family once able to stock the fridge and cabinets with food might now be struggling just to keep a few shelves full. The average family now pays over $1,000 for groceries per month, and it seems like costs are only continuing to rise.

So today, to help you fix that dent in your wallet and keep the fridge full of not junk, but healthy food, we’re going to talk about how to save money on groceries without going on a starvation diet.

  1. Coupons
    You might have seen the new show that’s all the rage lately – Extreme Couponing, which presents case studies and personal stories of renegade shoppers that have become so good at using coupons that they often walk out of the grocery paying less than 1% of retail cost.

    Now, I don’t expect you to become a crazy couponer, but just using coupons period will show you how to save money on groceries instantly. Start getting the Sunday paper, and clip coupons. Also, keep the circulars and browse them for good deals. It’s instant cash back in your wallet.

  2. Buying in Bulk
    I realize that buying in bulk can be costly, but one of the tricks people use when showing others how to save money on groceries is buying what’s on sale now, and stocking up. It’s counter-intuitive because logic tells you to only buy what you need, but if you get in the habit of buying lots of what’s on sale, then your average bill will slowly decrease until you’re paying less than ever.
  3. Not Shopping Hungry

    I realize this isn’t a trick, but it’s important that you show up to the grocery with a full belly so that you don’t get suckered into buying things that you don’t need. When you’re full, you move fast and avoid distraction. When you’re hungry, even the boxes look good.

  4. Use a List

    When you go grocery shopping without a list, you end up walking through the store and waiting for something to stick out and say “buy me.” The problem with that is that like shopping hungry, you get sucked into endcaps and displays that trick you into spending more than you want to. This is why they put the milk in the back!

  5. Buy Store Brands

    Many store brands are just as good as the original, and if you really want to know how to save money on groceries than you can start here and save as much as 50% right off the bat.

The trick to saving money on groceries is in buying smart, and paying attention to store patterns. If you learn how to master the coupon, bulk, and store brand game, then you’ll win every time.

Keep More Money in Your Pocket

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Money is a great thing and even better when it stays in our pocket. Keeping your finances under control isn’t easy especially with the economy the way it is currently. A few back to the basics ideas can really help with putting some money back into our financial pockets.

The two largest variable expenses are gas and food. Gas prices are at an all time high. It is important now, more than ever, to keep your car in good shape. Make sure you have given it a tune up, oil change, and the tires have been rotated. Experts say that 55-60 miles per hour is the best range for achieving better gas mileage. While this isn’t’ always possible, just keeping it in mind can assist in the gas bill. Also, this might be a fun experiment to try for a few days. Place a half filled cup of water in your cup holder with no lid. Driving with the cup prevents you from sudden bursts of speed. This alone can increase your gas mileage. As for cruising with the windows down and the A/C off, experts agree this is more myth than anything else. While turning off the air conditioner does save some on gas mileage, rolling down the windows disturbs the aerodynamics of the car. We suggest leaving the A/C on until you hit stopped traffic, then cut it of and get some fresh air.

As for food, well, we all probably eat out more than we should. My soft stop is Olive Garden’s Tuscan soup. But the next time you get the urge to visit your favorite restaurant, try this instead. Call your buddy over and look up copykat recipes online for some great eat-out recipes, for eating in. Not only does it usually cost less to make it at home, we are saving gas money, and best of all, we have another meal for lunch tomorrow.

Don’t forget, that the local grocery store still runs some great deals in the weekly paper. It’s probably been years since you picked one up and had a look at it, but you would be surprised how much money you can save just in meats alone. Pick up several of the really great deals and throw them in the freezer. When you’re savoring the flavors of a delicious steak three weeks from now, you’ll remember what a great deal you got on these babies.