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If you have a family, then one of your biggest expenses is probably the weekly grocery bill. The healthy food we want to feed our families with doesn’t come cheap, and prices always seem to be on the rise. But, despite the continual increasing cost of food, and the ever-tightening of family budgets, you can still cut down on your grocery bill by being organized and planning ahead.
Here are some easy menu planning tips for frugal families:
1. Know what you have on hand right now. Have you ever had to run to the grocery store for something, only to find out later that you already had it in your cupboard – you just couldn’t find it? Saving money on your groceries starts with organizing what you have on hand right now so you know where it is and can easily find it. Otherwise, you can end up wasting money on items you don’t need. Organize your pantry, shelves and refrigerator.
2. Plan your meals in advance. Before you head out to the grocery store, plan your meals for the next week or two. That way you will know what you need to buy and you won’t make any unnecessary purchases. You also won’t be tempted to eat out because you’ll have everything ready at home to make nutritious meals.
3. Check the grocery store flyers. When you’re planning your meals, flip through the grocery store flyers too. They will tell you what’s on sale this week. To save money, plan your meals around items that can be purchased for a good price. When you go to the grocery store, you won’t be as likely to spend time looking at more expensive items when you already know what’s on sale.
4. Use leftovers creatively. With a little imagination, one meal can be turned into two by planning to use leftovers. When you plan your meals, organize your menu so that the cooking you do for one meal can become the beginning of another. For example, leftover meatballs from spaghetti and meatball night can become meatball subs the next day.
5. Look at your calendar and plan ahead for busy days. We all have days where we have limited time in the kitchen, with sports clubs and evening activities. When you’re planning your meals, keep an eye on the family calendar so you can plan to accommodate those kinds of days as well. If you have made something ahead of time, or have planned a quick dinner, you will be less likely to eat out or pick up a more expensive item on the way home.
The grocery bill is one of most family’s biggest expenses, yet it is also among the easiest to cut down. With some organization ahead of time, you can easily plan meals that will help you save money.
If you’re a mom with a family to care for, you already know how much of your budget gets spent on food and cooking. In fact, this may be one of the biggest items in your budget. So, when it’s time to cut back on expenses, the kitchen is the first place many moms look to save money. Here are some kitchen tips to help frugal moms keep their budgets under control.
1. Don’t let food go bad. If you’re like most families, when you clean out your fridge and your cupboards, you probably end up throwing a lot of food away. It might be past its expiry date or already transforming into a different life form. This is a waste of food and money and it is easy to avoid.
If you keep your fridge and cupboards organized, you should be able to easily see what you have in stock. That will remind you to use it before it goes bad. As well, review expiry dates regularly. Then you can remember to use the item before it expires.
2. Don’t buy too much food. Some grocery stores will offer you discounts if you buy in bulk. However, that’s only a good deal if you’re actually going to use all the food you purchase. It is a common mistake to buy too much because it looks like you’re saving a lot of money. In the long run, you may be spending more than you need to on food you won’t use.
3. Make your own condiments. Condiments like salad dressings, seasonings, and sauces can easily be made at home. That can cut a lot out of your grocery bill. Look for recipes for dressings, salsas, chilli sauces, vinegar, marinades, and so on. They will probably be a lot healthier for you than store-bought ones as well.
4. Cook from scratch. There are many convenience items available in the grocery store. However, you can cut down on expenses by cooking from scratch. Instead of relying on high-priced convenience items to save you time, you can manage your time in the kitchen better by planning ahead and cooking more than one meal at a time.
5. Eat what is in season. You can save money by choosing fruits and vegetables that are in season. They will be lower priced than other, off season, items. If you’re not sure what is in season, you can do some research or ask your grocer.
6. Eat what is grown locally. Because locally grown foods don’t have to be shipped, they cost less once they reach the store. You can even buy directly from local growers at farmers markets.
7. Try cooking meatless or vegetarian meals. Meats are often very expensive. One way to save money is by trying to cook more meatless meals. If your family isn’t ready to go vegetarian, you can start by having a meatless night once a week. Even that small step will cut down on your kitchen spending.
The kitchen is full of opportunities to cut back and save money. Following the above tips will help frugal moms keep their kitchen spending under control.
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Frugal Tips to Shrink Your Grocery Bill Ebook
Frugal Tips to Shrink Your Grocery Bill (Plus Recipes!) offers helpful money saving tips that will cut your grocery bill. Who doesn’t want to and need to save money in these hard financial times? Find out how to save money on groceries with this frugal tips ebook. Also included are some delicious frugal recipes.
