How to Save Money on Food
Clip coupons for things you need., Coordinate coupons with store ads., Join a coupon-swapping organization., Create a grocery list, and stick to it., Don't buy things just because they're cheap., Stick to your budget., Compare prices., Buy in bulk...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Clip coupons for things you need.
Shop at stores that double or triple the value of a coupon.
Take time to find the best type of coupon, one that offers a free product. -
Step 2: Coordinate coupons with store ads.
Shop at stores where coupons are honored on items already on sale. , Swap coupons with people in your geographic area.
Exchange for items that you frequently use. , Don't let eye-catching advertisements distract you.
Your grocery list should be generic enough to allow some flexibility with close substitutes.
For example, writing "20 pounds of vegetables" is better than listing names and quantities of specific vegetables, because you may not know which vegetables will be on sale at any given time. , Buy what you actually need. , Record your monthly spending on food, and keep looking for ways to go lower.
This will force you be more creative with your recipes and pay more attention to your nutritional needs. , Many grocery stores post the price per ounce or kilogram along with the total cost of a product.
Otherwise, a pocket calculator can be handy. , It tends to cost less if you buy larger quantities.
Buy durable goods that you'll need in the future, such as bath tissues, grains, canned food and dried beans. , It is cheaper and healthier to eat food from nearby farms and orchards.
Buy in bulk and freeze or can., That is when bakeries and grocery stores mark down their day-old items. , That is when the meat department marks down items about to go past the "sell by" date.
This meat is perfectly safe and can be frozen for later use. , In many cases, these rival the quality of the better known brands at a significantly lower cost. , They may be convenient, but they're usually more expensive and less nutritious.
Shop on the periphery of the store where fresh produce is located.
Avoid the center aisles where processed and packaged food is found.
Buy inexpensive but healthy foods that are easy to fix, such as oatmeal and legumes. , Include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and nuts.
Animal products can be very expensive and not necessarily as nutritious, which could conceivably increase medical costs down the road.
Meatless Monday is a public health campaign associated with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
It encourages people to give up meat once a week to cut the intake of saturated fat.
Visit Johns Hopkins University's website for meatless recipes! , They purchase overstocks and test-market items from manufacturers.
Be flexible, as they offer a rotating stock, and items change daily.
You can save up to 40% on brand-name items by adjusting your menu.
The American west coast's deep discounter is Grocery Outlet (www.groceryoutlets.com). , They usually sell in bulk at cheaper prices than their competitors.
Examples are BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club.
Consider the costs of membership and transportation.
They may outweigh any savings they may provide.
If you buy mostly fresh produce and not much packaged food, wholesale clubs are probably not for you. , You can frequently take home free or cheap food.
Family-run businesses often provide this benefit. , Then you can make a careful shopping list and buy only what you need.
Maintain some flexibility, however.
If something not on your shopping list comes on sale at a steep discount, be willing to alter your menu accordingly. , This will help you minimize purchases.
For example, Mondays eat sandwiches, Tuesdays pasta, etc.
That does not mean you have the same sandwich every week.
It just helps you organize your grocery shopping more efficiently., Buy one favorite item a week.
For example, if you like cookies, buy just enough for a few days, so you don't get so many they may go bad., They are usually cheap and help increase the lifespan of your vegetables., It never hurts to cut them up and store them in the freezer as "mixed vegetables" for future use., Juices can be real money drainers.
Not only are they expensive, they have a high sugar content, which is not good for you in the first place., Hunger make it hard to stay within a budget., They'll ask for lots of junk food.
If you buy much of that, it's expensive and can lead to wasting food. -
Step 3: Join a coupon-swapping organization.
-
Step 4: Create a grocery list
-
Step 5: and stick to it.
-
Step 6: Don't buy things just because they're cheap.
-
Step 7: Stick to your budget.
-
Step 8: Compare prices.
-
Step 9: Buy in bulk.
-
Step 10: Buy local and seasonal.
-
Step 11: Shop for baked goods early in the day.
-
Step 12: Shop for meat later in the day.
-
Step 13: Consider buying private-label or store brands.
-
Step 14: Avoid processed foods.
-
Step 15: Select plant proteins.
-
Step 16: Check deep-discount grocery stores.
-
Step 17: Consider joining a wholesale club.
-
Step 18: If you need a job
-
Step 19: look for one in the restaurant industry.
-
Step 20: Plan your weekly menu before you go shopping.
-
Step 21: Have a weekly schedule.
-
Step 22: Don't overindulge.
-
Step 23: Invest in those vegetable bags or containers that keep produce fresher for longer.
-
Step 24: If you look in your fridge and find a lot more food than you can use in a few days
-
Step 25: make a soup or stir-fry
-
Step 26: something that can be frozen and will use up as many vegetables as possible.
-
Step 27: Avoid juices as much as possible.
-
Step 28: Never go shopping when you are hungry.
-
Step 29: Try not to bring kids along while shopping as bringing them can make it hard to stay within a budget.
Detailed Guide
Shop at stores that double or triple the value of a coupon.
Take time to find the best type of coupon, one that offers a free product.
Shop at stores where coupons are honored on items already on sale. , Swap coupons with people in your geographic area.
Exchange for items that you frequently use. , Don't let eye-catching advertisements distract you.
Your grocery list should be generic enough to allow some flexibility with close substitutes.
For example, writing "20 pounds of vegetables" is better than listing names and quantities of specific vegetables, because you may not know which vegetables will be on sale at any given time. , Buy what you actually need. , Record your monthly spending on food, and keep looking for ways to go lower.
This will force you be more creative with your recipes and pay more attention to your nutritional needs. , Many grocery stores post the price per ounce or kilogram along with the total cost of a product.
Otherwise, a pocket calculator can be handy. , It tends to cost less if you buy larger quantities.
Buy durable goods that you'll need in the future, such as bath tissues, grains, canned food and dried beans. , It is cheaper and healthier to eat food from nearby farms and orchards.
Buy in bulk and freeze or can., That is when bakeries and grocery stores mark down their day-old items. , That is when the meat department marks down items about to go past the "sell by" date.
This meat is perfectly safe and can be frozen for later use. , In many cases, these rival the quality of the better known brands at a significantly lower cost. , They may be convenient, but they're usually more expensive and less nutritious.
Shop on the periphery of the store where fresh produce is located.
Avoid the center aisles where processed and packaged food is found.
Buy inexpensive but healthy foods that are easy to fix, such as oatmeal and legumes. , Include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and nuts.
Animal products can be very expensive and not necessarily as nutritious, which could conceivably increase medical costs down the road.
Meatless Monday is a public health campaign associated with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
It encourages people to give up meat once a week to cut the intake of saturated fat.
Visit Johns Hopkins University's website for meatless recipes! , They purchase overstocks and test-market items from manufacturers.
Be flexible, as they offer a rotating stock, and items change daily.
You can save up to 40% on brand-name items by adjusting your menu.
The American west coast's deep discounter is Grocery Outlet (www.groceryoutlets.com). , They usually sell in bulk at cheaper prices than their competitors.
Examples are BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club.
Consider the costs of membership and transportation.
They may outweigh any savings they may provide.
If you buy mostly fresh produce and not much packaged food, wholesale clubs are probably not for you. , You can frequently take home free or cheap food.
Family-run businesses often provide this benefit. , Then you can make a careful shopping list and buy only what you need.
Maintain some flexibility, however.
If something not on your shopping list comes on sale at a steep discount, be willing to alter your menu accordingly. , This will help you minimize purchases.
For example, Mondays eat sandwiches, Tuesdays pasta, etc.
That does not mean you have the same sandwich every week.
It just helps you organize your grocery shopping more efficiently., Buy one favorite item a week.
For example, if you like cookies, buy just enough for a few days, so you don't get so many they may go bad., They are usually cheap and help increase the lifespan of your vegetables., It never hurts to cut them up and store them in the freezer as "mixed vegetables" for future use., Juices can be real money drainers.
Not only are they expensive, they have a high sugar content, which is not good for you in the first place., Hunger make it hard to stay within a budget., They'll ask for lots of junk food.
If you buy much of that, it's expensive and can lead to wasting food.
About the Author
Matthew Richardson
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: