What tips to save money on groceries?

[luv2quilt]

Now that we are in a recession, I'm finding it harder and harder to feed a family of four (2 being teenagers) without spending a fortune. Groceries is my largest line item on our budget. I would be interested in hearing tips from you all on how you make your food money stretch?

[Julie in Austin]

(1) When non-perishables go on sale, buy enough to last until the next sale (usually 12 weeks).

 

(2) When meat goes on sale, buy a lot. Cook it all at once and freeze. Then, plan meals based on what is in your freezer.

 

(3) The less processed it is, the cheaper it is. Cook from scratch as much as possible.

[j_thurm]

What about coupons? I have not personally started it but people who do it are OBSESSED, lol! They get stuff free all the time because some stores double coupons up to $1 and then you can also use the store coupons too that are printable from the store's websites. Then they just buy the things on sale. Hope that helps! I am planning on starting after school is done.

[Rosie_0801]

Buy dried beans and cook the whole packet. You can add beans to nearly everything. Don't buy breakfast cereal. Tortillas and beans keep everyone full longer, actually have nutrients and cost WAY less.

 

Rosie

[pooh bear]

I shop at Publix, and each week they have a lot of buy one get one free deals. My weeks meals depends on what is on sale.

 

I also buy quite a lot of the stores own brand. There are some things I won't buy, but for the most part, store's own brand is just as good as the named brand. Saying that, I will only buy Publix own brand. Their stuff is good, but Wal-mart, no way. Their own brand stuff is cheap and nasty.

[Pajama Mama]

What about coupons? I have not personally started it but people who do it are OBSESSED, lol! They get stuff free all the time because some stores double coupons up to $1 and then you can also use the store coupons too that are printable from the store's websites. Then they just buy the things on sale. Hope that helps! I am planning on starting after school is done.

 

Coupons can be great if you use them wisely. But sometimes the store brand is still cheaper than the name brand with a coupon. Checking the unit price on items can help you decide which item is cheaper.

 

Getting items for free is great sometimes. However, if your kids now must have that item that you received for free--they have you hooked. You'll now buy an item that you normally wouldn't. I'm sure it's an expensive item, too.

 

I joined the Grocery Game for awhile. It's great but I guess I'm not THAT committed to using coupons.

 

http://www.grocerygame.com

[SheWillFly]

Cooking from scratch really saves us money. Simple things like a snack of popcorn are a big savings since my kids love it. Microwave popcorn in a 6 pack box is around $2-3. A bag of kernels I pop on the stove is $1.25 and provides significantly more popcorn.

[OrganicAnn]

The key to using coupons is to really know what you will eat/use all the time and then wait till it goes on sale. The combination of the coupon with the sale is where you really save. (I finally had one of those really great deals. Kraft salad dressing originally $2+ on sale for $1.58 and I had a $1.50 coupon, so it cost me 8 cent! It doesn't happen that often for me but I love it when it does.

 

Also, if you are only going to use Pantene shampoo no matter how much the other brands cost, then don't bother to clip those coupons for other brands. Just look for deals on Pantene. If you don't have time to clip coupons for all products, then go for the non food items (shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deoderant, shaving cream, feminine hygene products, etc). Don't go overboard an buy enough toothpaste to last you 20 years. Having one or two extra tubes is all you need.

 

You can sign up at some companies for additional coupons/promotions - diapers are a good example.

 

Also using a price book will help with finding the best prices in conjunction with coupons. I can't remember whether $2.49 is a good price for pickles so if I keep a record of the price (without coupons), then I know when to buy. Also you should keep it by unit so price per oz or per lb.

 

Cutting down on meat and using more beans and rice (from scratch) is also a way to save money and it is also healthy.

[SheWillFly]

Cooking from scratch really saves us money. Simple things like a snack of popcorn are a big savings since my kids love it. Microwave popcorn in a 6 pack box is around $2-3. A bag of kernels I pop on the stove is $1.25 and provides significantly more popcorn.

[elw_miller]

I echo the recommendation to use a price book.

 

I also recommend 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains. All the recipes we've eaten are tasty--and generally economical (though, I think there might be one in there that calls for saffron!).

 

Have you looked through The Complete Tightwad Gazette? It's my favorite go-to book for frugal suggestions.

 

Are you able to plant a garden?

 

Are you able to get seconds from farmers market vendors? At the end of the day you can get pretty good deals from the farmers. And, if you request it, some will even bring seconds for you to purchase with the intent to can or freeze the good parts.

 

I agree with another poster about not buying packaged cereals--very expensive. I do keep on hand Brand X flakes and cheerios to use in a pinch. Generally we eat old fashioned oatmeal. We love adding in about a teaspoon of maple flavoring to make a homemade version of the Quaker Oats Maple and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal. I also make a variety of oatmeal versions--adding in cinnamon or apple pieces or dried berries (e.g., cranberries or raisins).

[Erin's Mom]

I started using coupons last fall when money begin to tight around here and my grocery bill went from $200.00 a week to $75.00 -$125.00 a week. I have my mom save her coupons for me and sometimes I buy two newspapers. By combining the store coupons with the manufacturers coupons I have bought pro-health toothpaste for $.13 and a pack of 48 stayfree pads for $.50. I have had several people to tell me how much time they think it takes but for me I figure it is just part of my job to save my family that money and if I can save up to $100.00 per week for a few hours work cutting coupons or printing shopping list from CVS, Walgreens or Publix that is money I can spend on other needed items such as books for school or field trips.

I personally have changed a lot of the way I cook also. I go to the farmers market once a week and spend around $20.00 for my salad greens, peppers, tomatoes and fruit. If lemons or limes are on sale I will buy several and juice them and freeze the juice for lemonaide (no sodas). I buy meats that are on sale and usually have three meals a week that do not even have meat(ex: bean soup, tomato pizza, pasta, veggie soup).

Any little thing that you do will help save your family money but I think for me one of the major things I realized was all of the speciality items I would buy in the grocery store and never think twice about them. Make sure you go in with a list and stick to it. That was and still is the most important for me.

I didn't use the Grocery Game I used Coupon Mom her site is free.

HTH:001_smile:

[Orthodox6]

So many great tips already posted in this thread !

 

Some random thoughts from me. . .

 

My own preference is to ignore coupons. I never saw a coupon for fresh apples ! In other words, I cook from scratch for almost everything.

 

Store brands vary in quality, so trial-&-error kicks in. I remember buying Kroger applesauce and pitching it because it was so watery. The lower price paid was, instead, a waste of money.

 

Coupons for non-food items may be helpful, depending on the item. Things such as toothpaste, shampoo, paper towels, etc.

 

My household cleaner costs plummeted, however, when I discovered the "magic" of white vinegar, which staple can be bought in gallon jugs at low cost.

 

Cruel as this shall sound, I ration some foods and beverages. :ohmy: For example, we do not care for the taste of the inexpensive versions of frozen orange juice. I buy reconstituted (as in Minute Maid, for example) orange juice and limit each person's consumption to 8 oz. per day.

 

We use meat as a minor ingredient, rather than as a focal point for a meal. It is easy to do this because, during periods when meat is allowed, I cook only with ground turkey, ground beef, and the occasional chicken sausage. No steaks, roasts, or other large cuts of meat which could tempt the diner to overindulge.

 

No chips, popsicles, candy, fruit leathers, etc.

 

Water is the beverage for "between meals".

 

Other measures taken, but it's late, and I'm tired. . . .

[cornerstonemom]

I just found the BEST site online! Try coupons.com! I was able to look at our sale paper for this week and then go to this site and get additional money off of the products I already wanted to buy, that were on sale! I even got a free bottle of bbq sauce. Give it a try!

[samba2nite]

I love to cut costs and the challenge of saving money. Here is what we do or more like I do since I am the shopper in the family.

 

First we own a deep freezer so I can buy in bulk and freeze.

 

We buy a pig at the and half a cow at the yearly county fair (and I live in the city) We split it with another family and it only costs us about 600 for a years worth of pork and beef.

 

I shop first at walmart grocery store first for veggies and weekly staples

 

Next I hit the local Grocery Outlet stores which are here in the west but I suspect exist elsewhere. It is outlet with bad labels, test products, overurns, or soon to expire items...where else can I buy napa valley wine for less than $3 bucks

 

Then I go to costco for big bulk stuff. I like to by large quantities and then break them apart for smaller storage to freeze

 

We live in the city so I also will frequent the mexican and asian markets for really cheap deals...

 

I am a huge fan of various types of beans (dried are super cheap and last forever) and rice dishes... (rice is also super cheap to buy)

 

Noodles/pasta is another way to feed a lot for a little. Make your sauce...add your little bit of meat and off you go.

 

I am also a huge crock pot fan since I can often take leftovers and create sometype of soup or stew with them.

 

I go everytwo weeks to the bread store outlet (orowheat or rainbow). I can get bread 75% off the retail prices and get a punch card that allows me to get a free loaf of bread for every 7 dollars I spend. In addition after spending 20 dollars I get five dollars credit for anything in the store. It is the only place I buy my bread, bagels, english muffins.

 

dawn in sac - who needs to leave to catch american idol...the only tv that I watch..

[Alicia64]

Dawn ~ I live in Sac -- where is the Orowheat outlet? Also does the Rainbow outlet have anything healthier than "wonder white" bread and treats?

 

Thanks for the tip on Orowheat.

 

Alicia

[keptwoman]

A friend and I are having a competition at the moment to see who can spend the least on groceries. We are blogging about it at www.bringonthebeans.blogspot.com

 

I've come up with two basic principles

 

1/ SHOP SMART

Keep a price book, absolutely utterly essential.

Get to know when sales are on and buy things on sale.

Use your price book to compare the different supermarkets in your area.

If you go past the meat department and the meat is marked down, BUY IT. And plan your meals around it. This may be unique to us though, meat is much cheaper in the US than it is here.

Check carefully, bulk is sometimes but not always better.

Look around, check out ethnic stores for staples, look at farmers markets (and any other markets you have)

Stop in at some of the stores you have often thought "must pop in there one day" you never know, they might sell stuff at a really good price.

Shop to a list. Don't deviate from it. (except for sale meat)

 

COOK SMART/EAT SMART

 

Cook from scratch using in season ingredients. Buying food in season is much cheaper than buying food out of season.

Use less meat and more vegetables and pulses.

Use your leftovers!!! Never ever throw leftovers out. Use them for lunches or as the base for another meal.

Make your own bread, yoghurt, dips etc.

Don't buy any premade anything. Don't buy any one serve anything.

Simplify your cleaning products, you don't need lots of crap to clean your home, just some simple basics.

 

My main aim now is to get myself a cheap chest freezer on eBay and start using it to buy in season fruit etc and freeze. I'd like to make my own tomato sauces and do DHs work lunches in bulk cooking lots but I'm hampered by freezer space.

[always cookin']

I am a coupon user. I do not agree that you need to eat processed/unhealthy foods when you shop with coupons. I get all of our HBA for free. Whatever you don't have to pay for frees up money that you can use for produce, etc. I haven't paid more than $.50/box for packaged cereal (Kashi, too) in years. I don't buy junk. This year I got 30 or so packages of frozen veggies for free (using coupons combined with store sale). There are rebates for fresh fruit/veggies as well (no beer purchase required). It does take time, but you can definitely save tons of money. I have a stockpile of HBA and non-perishables. Each week I only shop for produce and milk (sometimes bread). I use what is in my freezer or stockpile to fill in the rest. Buy everything when it is at the lowest price and stock up (like the poster with the example of the Kraft dressing). I am doing the same thing with salad dressing this week.

 

I do cook from scratch, and we really waste no food. It amazes me what others throw out. We eat some junk food, but not much at all.

[always cookin']

I agree with buying the produce in season. Also, I shop at Aldi's for milk, produce (non-coupon) items. Meal plan based on what is in season or in your freezer.

[Amber in AUS]

I menu plan and i find that really helps. Before going to the shops i sit down and work out what our evening meal will be every night for the next week. I look in the freezer first to see what we have on hand and then work out what we will eat and what we will need to buy.

 

I then make a complete list and take it to the shops and only stray from the list where staple items are on sale at a too good to miss price.

 

We use all our leftovers here eg - last night we have bakes chicken drumsticks and roast veges, drumsticks were $3.99/kg, i got 12 drumsticks knowing we would only eat 7 or 8 for that meal. Tonight we had the left overs. I stripped off all the chicken, boiled up some veges and made chicken patties.

 

I use my old bread for bread and butter pudding. We have desert after every evening meal and i find the kids wont ask for second if they know sweets are coming. That also helps to limit the amount i am cooking of the main meal bc sweets is cheaper than the main course.

 

As a PP said, i also limit 'special' foods like juice, museli bars & biscuits. That doesn't mean they go hungry, we bake from scratch and there is always fruit and sandwiches but for things that i buy i limit for special occasions or once per day etc.

[teachermom2834]

I shop Kroger because they have great sales and double coupons. That's the place I go with a stack of coupons and come out with a huge cart of groceries for $40 or less often. Now, it may be 8 bottles of laundry detergent, 6 bottles of salad dressing, and 25 lbs of chicken :) Basically, if there is a deal I get as much as I can. I pick up produce and bread there.

 

I do CVS combining sales/coupons/ extra care bucks. You can get some really good deals here on HBA and sometimes snack foods. I got great deals on candy there and filled Easter baskets for nearly nothing this year. I find that I only do CVS every few weeks and it is a quick in and out. It's fun to go in with coupons and extra care bucks and buy 15 dollars worth of stuff for tax and then have the cashier hand you more extra care bucks for next time.

 

If you have a Sam's membership or can go with someone who does that is worth it for a few things. I buy their bulk shredded cheese and separate it into 2 cup portions for less than a $1 each. Ground beef in the ten pound package is a good deal there and is the 90% lean (sometimes they have the 93% lean for that price). I also buy dried beans there and chips. They have a good price on Baked Tostitos that are one of the few packaged items I buy so I stock up there. I bake alot so I get the 25# bags of AP and bread flour there. Spices, too. The important thing there is to be careful and do no impulse buying. That can be tough there.

 

We just got an Aldi's and that is good for some things. I only go about once per month and stock up on blocks of cheese and a few other things. If I am needing something and I don't have a coupon or a deal for it I will get it at Aldi's. I can do better at Kroger with a deal but if there is no deal to be had on an item Aldi's is a good price.

 

I've only been doing this since December. I used to figure I'd get all store brands at Wal-Mart and come out the same and save time. That was way wrong. I'm saving a ton doing it this way. It takes a little to get organized at first but now I don't feel it time consuming at all. Because I have such specific lists and because I am only picking up a few things at a time I can run in and out of the stores quick and grocery shopping is not the weekly ordeal it once was.

 

My stockpile also allows me to skip a week of shopping if money is tight.

 

This got long. I've found that making do, not being brand loyal, etc. has really saved a lot. Oh- and you can always get split chick breasts on sale somewhere in town for .99/pound. Cook a bunch up and freeze in smaller portions and you can use it in almost any recipe.

 

Marie

[JFSinIL]

Avoid taking teens with you when shopping ;)

 

No snack foods like chips, etc. or convenience foods. Never plan meals in advance and make a shopping list - wait and see what is on sale then plan around that. Stock up on sales - a deep freezer is your friend. Cooking from scratch is great - and teens can and should learn to do it, too.

[MomofSeven]

I am a coupon user. I do not agree that you need to eat processed/unhealthy foods when you shop with coupons. I get all of our HBA for free. Whatever you don't have to pay for frees up money that you can use for produce' date=' etc. I haven't paid more than $.50/box for packaged cereal (Kashi, too) in years. I don't buy junk. This year I got 30 or so packages of frozen veggies for free (using coupons combined with store sale). There are rebates for fresh fruit/veggies as well (no beer purchase required). It does take time, but you can definitely save tons of money. I have a stockpile of HBA and non-perishables. Each week I only shop for produce and milk (sometimes bread). I use what is in my freezer or stockpile to fill in the rest. Buy everything when it is at the lowest price and stock up (like the poster with the example of the Kraft dressing). I am doing the same thing with salad dressing this week.

 

I do cook from scratch, and we really waste no food. It amazes me what others throw out. We eat some junk food, but not much at all.[/quote']

 

I'm always amazed when people say they get things for free or almost free. I usually glance through the weekly coupons and rarely see anything that even when combined with instore specials, would even come close to being free. Could you give a few more instructions on how this works for you? TIA.

[unsinkable]

I want to chime in about the popcorn.

 

I pop regular popcorn in my microwave. I put 2 tblspns in a paper bag & fold the top over 2 or 3 times. I pop for about 1 & 1/2 minutes.

 

It tastes like air popped.

[happygrrl]

Leftover food in the compost/trash is like throwing away $. This principle has saved me tons... I really consider how much we eat and only cook that much. What few leftovers we have go into the freezer for future soups.

 

I second (third? fourth?) the price book suggestion. I mocked the idea until I tried it. Wow! I cut down our budget significantly the first week!

[Rosie_0801]

Leftover food in the compost/trash is like throwing away $. This principle has saved me tons... I really consider how much we eat and only cook that much. What few leftovers we have go into the freezer for future soups.

 

 

I'm trying to get into the groove of saving veggie scraps in the freezer until I cook a pot of beans, then adding them in to make stock. Except for the carrot tops which can be grown for salad greens. I'm not sure how that goes, we've got our first sitting in soil at the moment but they don't seem to be doing much. The idea with the scraps from the stock will be drained out of that and added to the worm farm.

I've managed this once so far :D I accidentally drained the bean water last time and dh keeps forgetting to save the veggie peelings...

 

:)

Rosie

[i.love.lucy]

I'm glad for this thread as this is a struggle area for me. I don't even have a huge family and spend easily $180/week on food. Now, we don't eat out too much...but still.

 

I am trying out Angel Food for the first time this month. It will be interesting to see what the quality is like.

 

I get so caught up in trying to find things that are organic/natural/high fiber/100% whole grain yada yada yada but it's SO expensive. I had a friend mention the other night that aside from doing things to purposefully harm herself, she figures God has our days numbered so we do the best we can with what we have. Well, maybe I read too much about nutrition, but I can't help but think that having antiobiotics and growth hormones in milk, or malathion in veggies can't be anything but harmful.

 

But regardless, I HAVE to slash our grocery budget. Even if I could just cut it down by $50/week, that's $200/mo. I wish we had Grocery Outlet or any stores that will double coupons. I never do well with coupons because the store brand almost always beats out the coupon savings. I have Sams and Costco but I am afraid of overspending there.

 

I know I also try too hard to have variety and superior taste in our food. i rarely repeat things within a 2 week window (other than leftovers for lunch) and I am always thinking outside of the box for recipes. I need to move more toward a simple palate and serve more beans and soups. My kids will eventually eat them I guess.:confused:

 

Keep these ideas coming!:bigear:

[Carrie12345]

I'm always amazed when people say they get things for free or almost free. I usually glance through the weekly coupons and rarely see anything that even when combined with instore specials, would even come close to being free. Could you give a few more instructions on how this works for you? TIA.

 

Not the OP, but I've scored some great free items.

 

A common one is toothpaste. My grocery store puts Colgate on sale for $.99 ALL THE TIME, and they double coupons. 50 cents off equals free toothpaste.

 

My other grocery store had Nature Valley granola bars on sale earlier in the year, 2/$4. They were running a special where, if you spent $20 on Nature Valley products, you'd get a $10 store coupon at check out. I had mfc coupons for $1.00 off each box. 10 boxes of granola bars for free.

 

CVS gives away tons of merchandise for free when you combine coupons and Extra Care Bucks. Shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, razors, gum... Lately they've had great deals on cereal and peanut butter, even though their shelf prices are much higher than at the grocery stores.

[joannqn]

The Grocery Game is by far the best money saver for me. I don't have the patience, time, or interest in doing the work that the grocery game does for me for $1.25 a week.

 

The second thing that works well for me is to cut meat up into bite sized chunks. I can feed all five of us using 2 chicken breasts if I cut it up rather than serving whole breasts. I use the chunks as "popcorn" chicken" rather than fried chicken, or in dishes where it can be served as part of a casserole or topping (ie. chicken and gravy on top of potatoes or rice). Same goes for pork. We don't eat beef as much but when we do I buy cheaper cuts on sale and cut it up rather that serve large hunks of meat.

 

Another thing that saves a lot of money is rubber chicken. Roast it the first night and serve smaller amounts with extra sides. Use leftover meat the second night (ie. in burritos, casseroles). Boil the bones the third night for soup. Often I'll serve a different meat in between each of these nights so we don't get sick of chicken.

[OrganicAnn]

I'm always amazed when people say they get things for free or almost free. I usually glance through the weekly coupons and rarely see anything that even when combined with instore specials, would even come close to being free. Could you give a few more instructions on how this works for you? TIA.

 

Usually the coupons for that week will not combine with the sales that week, but keep the coupons for a couple of weeks and then they might. Some coupons are good for only a month and some will be good for several months (I've seen them for upto a year). Sometime during that time, the item will probably go on sale.

[runninmommy]

So , forgive me if this is a repeat...The biggest tip I follow is shop the perimeter of the store. In other words, hit the produce, meat, dairy, pantry and bread isles. All the stuff in-between is crap. Sorry, but there is no other way to put it. It is junk food that wastes your money and adds inches to your waist.

 

Make a menu ahead of time and stick to it!!

 

Follow the circulars to plan your meals around sales.

 

Follow what is in season.

 

Go to the coupon print sites and print out coupons ahead of time.

 

Grow your own veggies if you can. Especially the high-demand items. Lettuce, herbs, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, etc.

 

 

Good luck hon.

 

I have a family of 5 and I spend about $260.00 Every two weeks, and I still think that is too much.

 

I will let you know if I figure anything else out.

 

Okay, my DH says go to Dollar Tree. Everything is one dollar. Toothpaste etc...

 

I have NOT checked this out myself yet. Let me know if anyone finds deals there. I am anxious to go. Any deviation from my normal routine is not good.

 

lol.....

Edited May 21, 2009 by runninmommy

[luv2quilt]

Thanks for all the great tips girls!! Now, I'm inspired to save more money!