Really when I started this blog I had great dreams of detailing menus and money saving tips as well as sharing receipts and food storage ideas... I had no idea how much time all of that would take, though- so this little project of mine has turned more into just another recipe blog.. oops, sorry! But for the most part, at least, these recipes are all fairly inexpensive and I hope I've been helping at least a little bit. For this post, I decided that I'll get back to basics a little bit and share some money saving tips like I originally intended. Then if I have time, I will add a couple more posts with the recipes I've made the past couple of days: Vegetarian Lasagna, Chicken and Broccoli Bake, The "good" Brownies.
Change your perspective and increase your knowledge. To be effective in your new spending plan, you must change your perspective and to do that you may need to learn a few things. Some will essentially be starting from scratch as far as grocery budgeting- others may just need a few pointers to continue down the right path. Either way, knowledge is the foundation of change. We need to open our minds to new information and ideas. What could you do with an extra $20 a week? How about $50.. Or even $100? No matter what your food budget, there are always ways to save. Here are some basic steps to save money on your groceries:
1. Find your motivation. Why do you want to save money? Chances are, in today’s economy you-like so many other families- are just trying to make ends meet. The grocery budget is one of the few expenses that is not “fixed” in a family budget- therefore it is a target to save some money. Even if you have the good fortune of not having to worry about the cost of your food, there is always something that we’d like to do with our money “if only we had a little more.” Find your purpose and focus on it!
2. Save your receipts. This allows you to track your expenses month to month so you can make adjustments where necessary. A lot of people I have talked to have had a vague idea of how much they spent on groceries, but usually forgot to count those extra little trips to the store for milk or a bag of chips when they say “I spent X amount of dollars on food.” Also, It allows you to identify and cut out the junk. If you realize how much money you have been spending on things like chips, cookies and any non-essential it makes it less of a temptation in the future. This also helps you to keep track of changing food prices and plan
accordingly.
3. Be aware of the cost of food. Keep a notebook of average prices for the items that you buy most often. I have made a list of all the things I buy each month. After each shopping trip, I come home, open my notebook, and record the price of each item that I bought. Again, saving your receipts will help you with this. I know when food prices are on the rise and I can also tell when it’s time to stock up on a deal. This way when something goes on sale, you know if it’s a good deal or not. Most stores will advertise a “sale” on an item just to move it though the store, even if the “sale” price is pennies less, or even the same, as the regular price.
4. Figure out the cost of your favorite recipes. Keeping track of food costs will help you figure out how much it costs to make things yourself. The $12 frozen lasagna is a lot less tempting when you know you can make it yourself for less than $5. But don’t throw out your expensive recipes. Most can be modified to use cheaper ingredients and save you a ton of money without changing the taste of the meal significantly, if at all. As I find meals that are cheap, I stick them into my folder so that I always have some inexpensive meal ideas at my fingertips.
5. Get your family on board by allowing them to contribute ideas. Make goals together . Reward yourself as well as your family. Let’s face it, change is never easy. We all have our habits that we hold on to-for good or bad. Remember that this will be a tough process, but it should also be rewarding. Be creative and look for ways you can give yourself and your family a metaphorical pat on the back. Money need not be involved! Take the kids to the park. Give yourself a nice warm bath with a good book. Stay up a little longer after the kids go to bed and give your spouse your undivided attention. Bottom line--enjoy life! Life is not about money-it’s about happiness.
6. Plan a menu for an entire month (or pay period). By organizing your menu and your meals in this way, it will allow you to plan your shopping for the entire month. This will also eliminate the “what’s for dinner” syndrome. This will also give you direction when watching the ads. Every month I know what I need to buy and I know what is not on that list. I won’t spend my precious extra money on something, even if it’s a fantastic sale, that we hardly use or need. It’s not a good deal if it goes to waste.
7. Make meals ahead of time. Time is money. We’ve all heard it and it’s true. Spending a little time now will save you a heap of money in the future. This step virtually eliminates impulsive eating out and will allow for more family time in the evening when everybody is home.
8. Buy in bulk and Compare prices. Bulk prices are not always the cheapest. Again, be aware of the cost of food and take the time to compare prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Cook and freeze portions needed for monthly dinners when you get home from shopping (or in the next day or two). This keeps kids from eating everything and keeps your food from spoiling in the refrigerator. Wasted food is money down the drain.
9. Make it yourself! Most things made from scratch really are cheaper than store-bought convenience foods. It’s also a healthier way to feed your family. When you make things yourself, you can avoid the added salt, fat and sugar- not to mention artificial flavors and colorings and who knows what else! You have more control over what junk your family is eating, or more importantly, what they are not. I have a mix for just about everything from hot chocolate, to stew, to pancakes, to sloppy Joes. By preparing these things ahead of time I find that I save a lot of time when cooking, and money too.
10. Get Organized! None of this will work if you don’t have a plan--a way to track what’s going in and out and what’s needed to buy. When you are running low on something in your pantry then you know it’s time to start really watching the ads for that item. Shop sales and bulk to replenish what you use. Keep a folder or some other way of keeping track of what you have. By setting up your pantry in this way, it allows you to use sale prices on almost everything that you put into your meals. What a difference!
11. Change your shopping habits and practice other cost cutting tips. . Use your own judgment and do what works for you and your family. While the previous steps will help you reduce your grocery budget, you may need a little extra help. Following are a few ideas that can further help you to cut costs.
Make a list and stick to it.
Only use cash to pay for your groceries.
Bring only enough CASH for what you plan to buy. If you come across a deal that is too good to pass up, come back for it.
Don’t throw away food - ANY of it!
*Re-use bacon grease for frying eggs, flavoring muffins, greasing tins, etc.
*Use juice from canned fruit as a marinade for meat or drink it yourself.
*Cut moldy cheese (white non-fuzzy mold only) off cheese block (hard cheese). The rest is fine to eat.
*Freeze leftovers for “TV dinners”.
*Return unsatisfactory products.
*Grind leftover salad and add to vegetable soup.
*Re-use leftovers in another meal.
*Save dry bread, heels, even the crumbs from cutting bread in freezer and use in recipes calling for bread crumbs.
*Use uneaten (or clearance priced) chocolate bunnies, hearts, etc as dipping chocolate.
*Sour milk can be still be used for cooking/baking.
*Use brownie, cake, pie crumbs for ice cream topping.
*Soften hard marshmallows by placing in a re-sealable bag with a few slices of fresh bread.
*Save butter wrappers to grease pans.
*Egg whites (uncooked) can be frozen for use later on.
*Freeze things before they go bad.
Half the amount of meat called for in most recipes. Cheaper and less calories!
Don’t serve seconds on meat, juice & milk. Use bread, rice, pasta as fillers if still hungry and drink water for refills.
Don’t serve your entire roast. First set aside amount needed for planned leftovers or to use in other recipes.
Cut your meat into smaller pieces. It will go further in stews, soups, casseroles, etc.
Drink Water.
Try to cut out the non-essentials. (do a little at a time so you don’t feel deprived)
Get organized. Know what’s on hand. Don’t let food go bad in your fridge or pantry.
Educate yourself. If you don’t know how to cook, then learn! Practice makes perfect.
Shop the edges of the store. Everything you need should be in produce, dairy, meat and sales. Everything else will cost you extra.
Shop around for the best deals. Try to plan your shopping with other errands in the area.
Buy direct from the manufacturer things that you use often. (if it’s a better deal)
Try store brands.
Don’t buy an item just because it’s on sale or to use a coupon.
No matter how good the deal is on soda, chips, etc, you still didn’t need to buy them in the first place!
Shop sales and bulk and stock up. (pay attention, make sure you’re really getting a deal)
Plan all your shopping in one or two trips to the store. This helps cut down on impulse buys.
Eat only what you need.
No comments:
Post a Comment