Is your food bill like mine? Out of control and out of this world? Does it seem to get bigger and bigger each month? I decided to try and get my grocery bill down to a more “normal” range…whatever that is! By implementing a few strategies, I was able to see a noticeable difference in my food bill right away. I hope these will be helpful to you and your food budget. Just think… whatever you save at the grocery store means more for family fun!! Good luck!
The first thing I changed was my approach to meal planning. I used to write out a week’s worth of menus, or more. Then I would make up a shopping list for those menus and all the other things I needed for the week or month. Then off I’d go to the grocery store and get all that was on my list.
Let me say, though, that if all you do is take a list to the grocery store, you’re better off than shopping without a list. But there’s more you can do to save. Rather than plan out menus that sound good for the week, plan your menus around the grocery store flyers. These come with your newspaper or in the mail. Some stores also send out coupon books. Sit down with these and plan your menus from what’s on special at the store this week. If chicken is on special, plan several chicken meals. If hamburger or roast is on special, plan several meals that use these meats. Or stock your freezer!
Some stores have buy one-get one free specials. If it’s something you use regularly…stock up! Coupons are good ONLY if you usually use the product. Why pay a little for something you normally wouldn’t buy at all?
Another way to cut your food bill is to buy in bulk. Make sure, though, to check the unit price of the item to make sure you’re really getting a good deal. If the unit price of a bulk product is low (you need to be aware of prices to know this), stock up on the product. Paper products and meat are usually great to buy in bulk. If you freeze the meat in meal-size portions, you’ll be able to thaw what you need each night, and it won’t spoil.
I don’t know about you, but my family goes through juice and snack foods in record time. My kids can polish off a jug of juice and a box of granola bars during one episode of Rugrats! This gets very expensive. Instead, I stock up on juice when it’s on super special and I buy graham crackers, fish crackers and pretzels in bulk. Rather than each kid having a pre-packaged snack and a box of juice, they get a cup of “inexpensive” juice and a small bowl of snack crackers. Let me say… inexpensive doesn’t mean inferior. Inexpensive means buying prudently. For lunches, I fill sandwich bags with various snack foods, which is much cheaper than buying single-serving snack foods. Yes, it’s a little more work, but it saves a lot. I can buy a bulk-size box of graham crackers for about a dollar more than a regular-size box.
If you’re worried about crackers or cereal bought in bulk spoiling, just re-package in large zip-lock baggies. I haven’t had anything spoil yet!
One change that is sure to save you money on your food bill is to stop going to fast food places for lunch or dinner. Sometimes it can’t be helped…and on those days, don’t worry about it. Sometimes, though, we drive through McDonald’s because it’s easy and fast. Just add up all those visits during the month, and you’ll cut down…I promise! One way to have “convenience” food on hectic days, without paying the not so convenient price, is to double cook and freeze. Whenever you make a casserole, spaghetti sauce or chili…make double. Pulling a ready-made, home-cooked dinner out of the freezer is very convenient and very delicious… and very cheap!
Try one or all of these ideas and see how much you can save over a month. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Put the money you saved into a vacation fund, go out to a nice dinner or buy something special for yourself or your family. It adds up!
