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How to Stop Spending Too Much Money at the Grocery Store

Are you spending too much money at the grocery store? It is not uncommon if you are going over budget when it comes to grocery people do. However, if you would like to save at least $100 per month, you can reduce your grocery shopping bill by following these few simple steps.

First, you need to make a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu for the entire week. Then write a grocery list of all the items you need to cook the meals.

Second, once the menu and grocery list is complete, put a dollar amount next to each grocery item and total the cost of these items at the bottom of the list. This task will give you an estimate of your total grocery bill.

Next, I would also suggest you review the weekly ads of you local grocery stores. Only shop at the store with the best sales. The store you shop at will vary from week to week depending on your grocery list and the weekly sales ads. Third, before you go shopping make sure to get your coupons from the local newspaper or online. Some stores even double the face value of the coupon which saves you even more money. These may seem old to be an old fashion way to shop, but coupons still save a lot of money.

Finally, do not forget your grocery list and make sure you stick to it. The biggest problem that people have is buying things that they don’t need. It can be very difficult to follow a list completely, but stick to it the best you can. The more you follow the list and do not deviate, the more money you will save.

The key to reducing your grocery bill is planning and sticking to your plan. If you make a meal plan, stick to your list, use coupons and shop at the stores with the best sales, then you will surely save money…

The Cheap Grocery Shopping Guide For Busy Moms

Can You Buy Cheap Groceries These Days?

The other day, I have to admit that I was shocked to note that the price of brand name tuna fish had risen to over a dollar for a 5 ounce can. I like to buy a brand that advertises itself as “dolphin free”, and I thought I had to purchase a name brand to get that. However, I did notice that the store brand was still under eighty cents a can, and guess what? It also carries a “dolphin free” label! Maybe I should not admit that my family consumers a lot of canned tuna, but I will tell you that I cannot see paying twenty cents more a can for the same product, just because it carries a major brand name.

Check The Grocery Store Brand’s Price

This, of course, leads me into my first suggestion. You may have a fistful of coupons for a name brand product, but the store brand may still be less expensive. Most major grocery store brands are actually quite good. If your favorite brand name of tuna fish, salad dressing, or pickles seems pretty expensive, remain flexible. If you are not sure you will like another brand, just try one item to test it.

Take A Pantry Inventory Before You Shop

Before I started taking inventory, I cannot tell you how many times that I purchased salad dressing, pickles, or tomato sauce, brought them home, and realized that I already had plenty on hand. Meanwhile, I may have forgotten to pick up staples that I was out of like onions, ketchup, or salsa.

Should You Make A Grocery List?

Honestly, I am not big on making any sort of shopping list that is set in stone. I will advise you to make notes of any staple food that you need. Things like eggs, peanut butter, or rice might make this list. You may note other things, like produce or protein, but I would not be too specific.

If you can be fairly flexible about menu planning you can take advantage of in-store sales. There are a couple of very good reasons for taking this approach.

Take advantage of in-store sales or specials. My grocery store always has some sort of protein on sale. One week it may be ground meat. Another week it may be chicken. I can come up with a dozen ways to prepare any of these things, and I can maximize my budget if I take advantage of good deals.

My grocery store always has some items for sale. These may be because the store ordered too much, has discontinued an item, or has an item about to expire. This often provides me with a good opportunity to pick up canned or packaged goods that I can use to prepare meals.

I enter the store knowing i need to purchase items to prepare a week’s worth of meals for my families. But I do …

5 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Looking for more ways to save money at the grocery store? In this uncertain economy, many people are trying to squeeze out just a little bit more from each dollar. If you are among those looking to stretch your budget, consider these five ways you can save some money when you shop at your local grocery supermarket.

1. Reach for items on the higher shelves. “Why would I want to do this?” you ask. The answer is simple but not widely known. Grocery stores often place the higher priced “premium” items at chest and shoulder height, where it’s easier for you to select the items. Lower priced items are usually placed on the top shelves where it takes a little more effort to reach them. Make the effort, reach high, and save money!

2. Buy from your local butcher. We tend to think that our grocery super store has everything at the cheapest prices, but this is not always so. Consider going to your local butcher for fresh cuts of meat that may actually be cheaper than the grocery store.

3. Visit your local farmer’s market. Many towns and cities have farmer’s markets where local farmers bring their best fresh picked produce to market. Here you will be sure to find a large variety of fresh fruit and vegetables that is a steal when compared to the produce at the super market.

4. Buy potatoes. Yes if you want to save a ton of money on groceries, buy potatoes. Potatoes are a very inexpensive staple food item that can be used in a multitude of recipes. The larger the bag, the cheaper per pound you will pay. Once again, check out your local farmer’s market, as they often have potatoes at rock bottom prices-even cheaper than at the grocery store.

5. Buy groceries online. This is a relatively new way to shop for groceries, and one you should consider if you want to save money. Many grocery chains offer online shopping these days. By grocery shopping online, you reduce the chance of buying things you don’t need since you’re not actually walking the store aisles where there’s always a tempting goody around every corner.

In summary, we’ve presented five ways you can same money at the grocery store. Saving money sometimes comes by dribs and drabs, but it does add up in the end. The adage, “a penny saved is a penny earned” is still true. Saving your money by being a smart shopper is almost like getting a pay raise, and who doesn’t need a pay raise nowadays!…

Put This in Your Shopping Cart First

When I embark on a large shopping trip, by large I mean I have up to 60% of my weekly budget in my right front pocket. I have a tendency to shop only a certain way. I create my grocery list a certain way. My list dictates what will enter the cart first.

To stay within budget you need to have a list of everything you need from the store and the coupons that you might possibly use. When I first started using a list it was all over the place. I ended up crossing all over the grocery store several times becoming frustrated and usually having to go back because I always missed something.

Today my grocery list is written in sections.

I have my produce section all together. My meat section is all together, my dairy section is all together, other items such as pasta fixings are grouped together. Cleaning supplies are always at the bottom and paid for separately. Grouping your grocery items into sections will do a couple things for you. First it will shorten the time you take to find all the items you are looking for. If there are items that you can not find without help make a note of where there are when you do find them with help for next time.

This concept has come from the frustration that would develop of having to go back down another isle that I had already been through. This happened because my list was not written properly. Grouping my items reduces the chance of this happening which saves me a ton of time. It also allows me to focus on what I need. In previous articles I have written about how smart your grocery store is. They want you to travel up and down the isles of their stores so you can be tempted to purchase more food. Being organized reduces these chances of picking up extra items.

The first section I always hit on big trips is the produce section. I like to take my time picking up what I need from here. I also like to look at my cart before I continue on with my shopping. It is colorful and full of healthy vegetables. Depending on your store layout will dictate where you go next but stay on the outside of the store isles where all the wholesome good foods are. I leave going up and down the isles until the very last. I tend to leave my cart at the bottom of an isle. This way I can walk down it and pick up the items I need and head back to the cart verses pushing the cart and accidentally throwing stuff in that is not on my list.

Then off to the checkout with most of my budget and list goals obtained.…

How Do You Cook for a Family on a Tight Budget?

Today, everyone seems to be pinching pennies and having to cut back in every area of their budgets. While we cannot control the costs of our utilities and such bills, we can try to control the costs of our monthly grocery bill.

Here are 3 ways you can cut down on your food budget without sacrificing variety and still keeping your family satisfied.

First, take stock of what you already have in your pantry. How many times have you picked up some canned foods for a certain recipe and then decided not to cook that particular dinner? From time to time, I take stock of what is in my pantry and it helps to “jump start” my creativity in what to cook for my family. Look for recipes that use up those stray cans of enchilada sauce or creamed soups that you already have on hand.

Second, look for some really good cookbooks that work for the kinds of foods your family loves. Try to use “family style” or casserole recipes as they will tend to go further than a typical meat and potatoes meal. Then, use these cookbooks to come up with a menu for the week or the pay period or however long you are planning for. It is much more efficient to plan your menus and shop for those items you need to complete those items than it is to shop for whatever strikes your fancy that particular night. You can certainly leave a few nights on your menu list for those times when you just want to order a pizza, but try to have meals planned out ahead of time as much as possible.

Thirdly, shop for what is on your list. I also try to make my list in the order of the aisles of the particular store I am shopping at. Use coupons (if you have them) for those items you can. You can even look online during the menu planning process for online printable coupons to take with you. Invariably, there will be those items that as you walk the aisles, you will remember that you are out of or that you need… but with proper planning, you can really cut those items down to a minimum. I have been shopping this way for many years and if I plan ahead properly and take the time, I can shop once for all the items I will need for the 2-week pay period and only have to go back to the store for perishable fruits, veggies, or milk.

All of this may sound rather complex, but as you get used to shopping this way you will find it becomes easier and easier and you will be able to do the initial planning much quicker each and every time you complete your menus and shopping list for the week.

Happy Shopping!!…