By far there is never a question if you want to save money on groceries, the answer will always be yes. Lets be honest we can't negotiate most of our household bills. Car payments, insurance, credit card payments, Utilities are out of the question. But your food budget is VERY FLEXIBLE. Being armed with a little knowledge can save you BIG BUCKS in the future. For the most part,most of us can cut out small everyday expenses without much drastic change in life. Especially important if you have children. Remember if you start cutting drastically there will be rebellion. And you might be the culprit.
Cutting costs on grocery shopping is easier that you might think. There are numerous ways to reduce your budget and free up some needed MONEY! And it doesn't mean that you shop at one place only. I shop at many different grocers like warehouses, local Big name grocers, and discount chains..
The Very 1st thing you must do is Eliminate eating out! PERIOD! It is way to costly! Even the quick stops at the convenient store, Coffee, Drive-Thurs add up too quickly. I know your family might be very upset to hear that going out to dinner is cut out. But they will soon become to really really appreciate the times you do go out for special occasions that you decide on. But don't splurge on going out to dinner. Search for local restaurant coupons in local papers. Even going to http://www.restaurant.com/ will save you TONS! I once bought $50.00 worth of vouchers for $5.00. Just watch for the sales, they have them often.
Secondly you need to get used to using coupons.And use very often. Put them were they are accessible. Organize them so you understand and can scan quickly. I keep several envelopes of Restaurant coupons and Retail coupons in the car ready for a quick use. I have one rule in my family: "If I don't have a coupon then we don't pass GO". There have been countless times were the coupon expired or I though I had one but I was mistaken. In that case I simply ask the cashier for a coupon or a small discount. The worst that can happen is they say no.
Lastly you need to look at whats in the pantry. What are you serving for meals? How much are you spending on buying convenient food? I know we are all short on time but home-made meals cost a fraction of the price. If you are not a savvy cook don't worry there are hundreds of easy busy lifestyle recipes for you to experiment with. Remember to change up meals serve breakfast for dinner, skip breakfast to have a big brunch, go meatless a couple of times a week, have a end of the week leftover meal. My kids love this idea because they can have a little of everything. Plan the weekly meals on what you found on sale that week. Load up on the staples, Meat, cheese, bread, veggie and fruit first. That will keep the focus on meal planning rather than what we were are in the mood for that minute.
Saving money on groceries is simple. But being a continence shopper is no easy task. Remember to take your time when purchasing products. Ask yourself do I really need this? And more times than not you will put the item back. Shop for what you need, and when you do use all the coupons you can.
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