10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries – Budgeting for Groceries

10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Like many Americans battling the current recession, you may be looking for new ways to save money. Your grocery bill offers a good place to start. According to Parents.com, the average American family spends $164 per week on food.^[4] Over the course of a year, that's over $8,500 spent on food. Read on to discover some of the best methods to reduce your grocery bill and recover some of that cash.

Be Prepared

Smart shoppers know what every good Boy Scout knows—it's best to be prepared. Before you take your next trek to the grocery store, consider the following advice:   

1.       Never go shopping on an empty stomach. Hungry shoppers are susceptible to temptation by junk food that shouldn't be on their grocery list.

2.       Set a budget and stick to it. Setting a budget forces you to purchase only the essentials. To start your grocery budget, determine how much you spend on average each month, decide how much you want to save, and reduce your monthly budget accordingly.   

3.       Plan your meals in advance. When you create a menu in advance, you rarely buy things you don't need, you free up extra time, and you waste less food.

4.       Make a grocery list. Writing a grocery list ahead of time helps you buy only what you need.

5.       Buy a deep freezer. If you can afford it and you have the space, purchasing a freezer can provide a great way to take advantage of bulk purchases. It also allows you to cook larger quantities and freeze the extras for later.

Healthy, Wealthy, Wise…and Good for the Environment

It may come as a surprise, but some of the best ways to reduce your grocery bill also help improve your health—and in many cases the health of our planet. Continue reading to discover how you can save money, save the planet, and add years to your life.

6.        Nothing Beats a Home-Cooked Meal. Home-cooked meals provide one of the cheapest and healthiest ways to eat. Focus on purchasing whole foods like meat, dairy, and produce—which you'll typically find on the perimeter of the grocery store. Of course, when you cook from scratch, you're sacrificing the convenience of prepared foods. To help combat this loss of time, consider making large batches of food that you can freeze or store away for another day.

7.       Grow Your Own. Try growing your own produce and herbs. You'll want to do some initial research to discover what plants are native to your region. Even a small box garden can yield tremendous results—$10 in plants can yield $100 in savings.

8.       Go Meatless. Meats can be quite costly when compared to other proteins like beans and nuts. To save money, eliminate meat from one or two meals a week. You can even give your meatless day a fun name, like "Meatless Monday."

9.       Cut Out the Middle Man. You can save a pretty penny by shopping at farmers' markets—or even better, go straight to the farm. You'll get farm-fresh food stuffs, and almost everything will be less expensive than at the grocery store.

10.   Eliminate Waste. A study conducted for the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that every American wastes, on average, more than a pound of food a day.^[4] Eliminating waste not only helps your wallet, it also helps reduce landfills. You can find tons of ways to reduce waste in your daily routine—reuse leftovers to make stews and bones to make stock; eat fresh produce and other perishables before they spoil; ditch razors, coffee filters, and other disposable products for more permanent solutions; don't pay for packaging—eliminate individually wrapped items from your shopping list; and most importantly—ditch the sugary drinks and bottled water for a water filter and BPA-free water bottle.  

About the Author

Check 'n Go is an ethical short term lender and has been a leader in payday loans online and cash advance services for more than 15 years. Their efforts with the Consumer Financial Services Association,  Check ‘n Go has helped to build legitimacy to the consumer lending industry. Check 'n Go sets a high bar for responsible lending in an incredibly fast,  expanding cash advance, installment loans and payday loan business.

References
[1] "How to Save Money on Groceries." BeingFrugal.Net. 27 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. .

[2] "How to Save Money on Groceries."FiveCentNickel.com. 23 Mar. 2009. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. .

[3] Kellogg, Alanna. "Family Finance: How to Save Money on Groceries." Blogher.com. 17 May 2011. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. .

[4] Kuzemchak, Sally. "Save Money on Groceries: The Challenge: Feed a Family on $100 a Week." Parents.com. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. .

[5] "Save Money On Groceries." Save Money On Groceries. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. .