Be Smart With Your Grocery Budget & You Can Enjoy Big Savings
With rising food costs, clever marketing and smaller packaging, it can get a little tricky to manage if you don’t know what to watch for.
Here are a few tips that can help you get the most bang for your buck…
Be Picky About Expiry Dates: For fresh bakery items, meats, dairy and packaged fresh produce (anything with an expiry date), don’t pick from the front of the shelf or top items. Merchandisers will push the soonest to expire to the front of the shelf and stock the fresh stuff at the back (better chance to sell an item before it expires). Go for the longest expiry dates so you have more time to consume it (and less waste). For fresh items try shopping at a large, busy grocery store since their product turnover is much higher (giving a better chance to find longer expiry dates).
Stock Up On Deals: Staples like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, these are safe to buy in lots of 6 or so since you’ll definitely use them. This will cut back on your future grocery bills since you already have plenty on hand and you’ll never pay full price again!
Know Your Prices: It’s a good idea to track prices with a price book, but if the thought of tracking each and every item you buy overwhelms you–you don’t have to go crazy and track every single thing, just track the main things that you buy: meats, dairy, cereals, etc. You’d be surprised at how many items aren’t the deal you thought they were (pay attention to sizes too).
Take Advantage Of Coupons: Use coupons whenever you can, but only for items that you really will use. Keep them organized to make your savings system efficient. Also use the instore membership cards wherever possible to accumulate points and savings.
Keep Your Pantry, Fridge & Cupboards Organised: If everything is disorganized and jumbled together, it’s easy to miss an item (or several) that you already have in stock and don’t need to buy. A lot of money is wasted due to disorganization.
Buy In Bulk Sizes When Possible: If something is easy to freeze, buy large flats or packages and cut down to meal size, repackage then freeze. Buy big when prices for in season fruits and vegetables are good and freeze the excess .You can save several cents per kilo
Look For Cheap Meat Cuts: These can be used for soups, homemade broths, hearty stews and slowcooker recipes…costing you just pennies on the dollar when compared to premium cuts. The meat will be tender and moist if you use them in slow cooked. Use rice, beans and pasta as cheap fillers. Or cut back on the amount of meat and stuff pieces to bulk up the portions.
Make Less Shopping Trips: If you go weekly, you’ll find stuff to buy weekly–and that can easily pump up your monthly total. Choose a hand basket instead of a grocery cart for quick trips, there’s no room to fill it up with non-essentials.
Buy Packaged Produce With No Regrets: When it makes sense! There are certain vegetables that just don’t do well in most homes instead of buying a head of cabbage and a bunch of carrots, buy a small coleslaw bag…or buy two sticks of celery instead of a whole celery bunch. You may end up paying more (per weight), however it’s costing less at the cash register and you will have no waste. Throwing out spoiled vegetables is throwing out money.
Plan For Once-A-Month Cooking: Try preparing at least one or two meals that you can make in big batches.The idea is prepare a whole month’s worth of meals at once, but you don’t have to go to that extreme at first. Try making just one or two dishes in bulk (3 or 4 meals) then freeze them–this accomplishes savings two ways: Less temptation to order takeout on busy days as well as uses up those items purchased in bulk (at lower prices).
Make Your Own Stuff: The ideas are endless! You can make homemade laundry detergent, and homemade cleaners, …there are loads of things you can make yourself for a whole lot cheaper if you have the time.
Give Yourself Time: If you’re shopping in a rush or with three young children hanging off you begging for 100% sugar content cereal, you’re not going to be in the mood to scout for good prices. Try to shop when you can do so alone and not pressed for time. If your spouse isn’t a strong shopper, agree he or she stays home for the sake of the family budget (waiting to help unload the groceries of course!). For quick trips to replenish fresh produce, Ido the opposite and squeeze in grocery shopping time between other errands–less time to dawdle (and spend).
Build A Better Shopping List: Throughout the month, track all the items that you need to replenish or will soon run out of. On shopping day, create your shopping master according the store’s floor plan so you have items listed by aisle or section. Knowing just want you want to buy helps you stay focused and less browsing the shelves trying to remember what you need (less chance to be tempted
Grow Vegetables & Herbs: Don’t let the thought of a large garden overwhelm you, go as small as you like at the start and grow in size as you feel comfortable and can manage. Both large gardens and small pots can save piles of cash by growing your favourite veggies & herbs. Consider herb pots, small plots of potatoes, container tomatoes & cucumbers, grow a small pot of onions and even bean sprouts right on your kitchen counter. Whether you have a large backyard, a small apartment balcony or just a sunny window, you can grow some of your own food and pocket the savings.
Watch The Deli Area: If you shop after 7 p.m. or so, good deals can be had in the deli section for roasted chicken, roast beef, prepared salads and other dishes that the store is eager to sell before closing. If you can use them up for a late supper that night, great. If not, think about ways you can use the meats: e.g grab a couple of the roasted chickens, shred them and made chicken salad for the next day, chicken pies for the freezer, stir frys for the next night. Keep the chicken carcass and make some soup stock the next day. Cheap meat that’s already cooked for you.