Why is my dog's photo attached to this article about saving food dollars...you'll see! I think we're all feeling the pinch of rising gas and food prices. I know we are. So from various sources, I've compiled some ways to save money and lower your grocery bill:
Coupons! Every Sunday get the paper and go through the coupons. The coupons alone will easily pay for the price of the Sunday paper. Match them up with the weekly food/grocery sale flyers and plan your shopping accordingly.
Dollar Store! My husband is living in temporary quarters on his own until we relocate. He has saved a bundle by dropping by the dollar store to get some necessary household items. There was an ABC News story recently that showed a chef's challenge to make a gourmet meal using only foods from the dollar store. She did it and saved over $100 on the meal over purchasing items at a high end market. Give it a try.
Wash Your Own Dog! Yes, technically, this isn't grocery shopping. But I save $32 to $40 every time I wash my own dog instead of taking him to the groomer. I buy Hartz Oatmeal dog shampoo for his sensitive skin at the grocery store and I use barber scissors to cut the little matts off. I even use an old hairbrush to groom him with. We have saved at least three grooms and he looks cuter now. Yes that's his handgroomed photo at the top!
Choose generic or store brands of healthy groceries, such as whole-grain cereal and frozen vegetables. Look high and low for them—the most costly options are shelved at eye level. Buy fresh produce in season. Try local farmers’ markets for fresher, less expensive options. Frozen vegetables are healthy and even more affordable than fresh produce, and you can get out-of-season vegetables less expensively.
Make larger batches of your favorite healthy meals. Store labeled leftovers in the refrigerator and take them for lunch the next day. Buy chicken, fish and meat in bulk, and put them in freezer bags in meal-size portions.
Begin a home or community garden so you that can grow your own fruits and vegetables. Or, have an herb garden at home, which is less expensive than buying fresh herbs in the grocery store. I know it's cheaper to buy a basil plant than to buy fresh basil at our grocery store.
Buy in bulk and make your own convenience sizes using ziplock bags.
1 comment:
Great post! I'm looking to make some changes in my own eating habits, so I appreciate your insight a lot! Thank you. I recently stumbled upon this blog like I did yours and I thought your readers may appreciate the advice of this couple: http://burisonthecouch.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/food-for-thought/
I've started to look for their stuff more regularly and I think I'm going to add your blog to my list as well. Thanks for the post!
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