My definition of successful grocery shopping is saving money. With prices of everything on the rise, cutting costs is a must. Despite rising costs, my family has managed to save a little money here and there on just about everything. We have stopped going to movies, renting movies, and eating out. We only drive when we have to, making sure to get everything done in one trip. Buying groceries is another story. We all must buy groceries. We have to eat, but we also have to save money. I have found several ways to save money when buying groceries and still have quality, nutritious meals. Surprisingly, it was easy than I thought it would be.
I have changed old saying "it takes money to make money" to "it takes money to save money" when I purchased a discount club membership. I found a wonderful "buy one get on free" membership at a local discount club. A friend and I went into together; it cost us half of what it would have if I hadn't found this great deal. That same membership continues to save me money. My friend and I takes turns driving when we shop there. Half the cost of gas! When we buy in bulk, we will sometimes split the cost and the items, saving us both money. The little bit of money I spent on the membership was back in my pocket after just one trip there.
I also spent money to save money when I bought a reliable used freezer. I now have a place to store all of the frozen finds I buy. I carefully label and date all of the foods I buy so I don't waste them by letting them go bad or get freezer burn. I carefully place the newest items on the bottom. It takes a little time, but it gives me the chance to go through everything and see what I need to use soon. I also freeze leftovers, so they have a nice cold home as well. This saves us a lot of money each month.
Buying in bulk is another way I save money. I buy the family-sized packages of meat. I separate them into what my family would eat in one meal and freeze them. I label everything, even noting what meal ideas I have for each particular package. Into the new-to-me freezer to be used at a later date. I also buy flats of canned vegetables, fruits, and soups when the price is right. Sometimes, the discount club allows it's members to mix and match the flats. I make a special point to go shopping on those days. I also buy packaged meals in bulk. My daughter lives on macaroni and cheese and the "meal helpers" are a great for those crazy days when cooking a "real" meal is out of the question. I add tuna, hot dogs, and shredded chicken to the macaroni and cheese. I jazz those packaged meals up with my own spices and adding sausage to the hamburger the package calls for.
Not only do I buy in bulk, but I also cook in bulk. I use the phrase "cook in bulk" loosely; I have a family of three so what I consider cooking in bulk would be a normal-sized meal for larger households. It is cheaper to cook a big pot of soup than a little one. I freeze the leftovers and we eat them at a later date. I do with casseroles as well. Of course, everything is labeled and dated.
Coupons and the "discount card" provided by the local grocery store also saves us money. It isn't always feasible to drive to the discount club for "daily needs" such as bread, milk and eggs. I clip coupons like a mad woman. I have even set up a "coupon exchange" with people in our church and other friends. We trade coupons so we can buy what we want and what we will use. It doesn't save money to use a coupon if the item purchased isn't used, no matter how little we spent on it. The discount card will sometimes double the savings of the coupons as well as give is additional savings on that store's particular brand. I have added the discount card to our "UPromise" account. This sets aside a portion of the money we spend on certain things into a college fund for our daughter. For more information on this program, visit www.upromise.com. This doesn't directly save us money on groceries, but it does add to our daughter's college fund.
I also watch the local newspapers for specials. The grocery store is great about advertising it's special as well as double coupon and "BOGO" (buy one get one free) days. Daily specials not found in the newspaper are posted near the shopping carts where we enter the store. I read every line, checking over my list and mentally taking inventory of my cabinets and pantries. If I see a great deal, I add it to my list.
I look for the discount aisle at our local grocery store. There are great savings to be found there. Our meat department has a special section of discounted items, too. The meats are usually close to their expirations dates, but I can still use them. These aisles and sections often offer "BOGO" items. I take advantage of this as much as I can, especially for items like meats, cereals, and snacks. I check the expirations on all the packages, making sure they can be used before they are too old to be used. Our bakery also has a "day old" section. I buy a lot of breads there. If I notice the bread is stale, I freeze it to be used for meat loafs, croutons, and bread puddings. I love buying name brand breads for 25 cents per loaf!
I try to buy fresh fruits and vegetables only when they are in season. When I do buy fresh foods, I make sure to only buy what we will use before they start to spoil. If I notice limp carrots or shriveling potatoes, it is time for a pot roast or some soup. They can be frozen and used later. Fruits that are about to go bad are made into salads and frozen as well. Or, I get out my juicer. Our entire family loves the fresh juice; we even make homemade popsicles out of it. I rarely have to throw out spoiled food. I stay on top of that. Everything thing I throw in the trash is just like throwing dollar bills into the garbage.
Store brands is an excellent way to save money on groceries. I can't always tell the difference between these brands and the higher priced national brands. Of course, this will vary. If my family doesn't like the taste of the store brand, I go back to the national brand. Again, if the item isn't used, we aren't saving money. The store brands that aren't favorites in our family, I still will buy sometimes - especially canned vegetables. These can be added to soups and casseroles so the bland taste is masked by the other things I add.
I never buy pre-made meals, no matter what my day has been like. I have frozen meals tucked away in the freezer for such days. The smell from the "Chinese Kitchen" at our local grocery store can be quite alluring, but I fight the temptation. The bakery has beautiful cakes on display, but I keep walking. I have flour and sugar at home, maybe even a cake mix somewhere in my pantry. I do fall prey to the frozen meals sometimes. The price must be low and a coupon always helps. I also do not buy shredded cheese or pre-sliced meats. They are always more expensive. I have a cheese shredder at home and the butcher will slice the meats to my specifications at no cost.
I avoid impulse buying like the plague. The candy, batteries, and magazines in the check-out lines are the store's final attempt to get me to spend more money than I should. I avoid these lines as much as possible. If you compare prices, the items in the check-out line are more expensive than the exact same items in the aisles of the store. I also go armed with a list of what I need to buy when I shop. If I see something I think we might want, need or use, I write it on the back of my list. Once I get home and put everything away, I look at the new list I made while at the store. I search my cabinets and pantries to see if I really did need them. If I did, I will start a new list for the next time I go grocery shopping.
I also try to avoid taking my daughter and husband shopping. They tend to shop with their eyes and their stomachs, not with our tight budget on their minds. My husband is a donut and cheese addict. I have to watch him carefully so I don't end up with glazed donuts and fancy cheeses in the cart. He tries hard, but he just doesn't understand we have to stick to the budget.
A little trick I have learned is to double check my receipt for errors. On my shopping list, I have also written what coupons I will be using that day. I don't even start the car until I have made sure I wasn't over-charged or a coupon wasn't deducted correctly. When I get home, I make check off the groceries on my receipt with what I am putting away to be sure I have everything I paid for. We are all human and make mistakes. I am surprised by the mistakes I find.
I have devised to way to make sure all the things I do to save money is actually saved. The receipts from the stores has the amount of money I saved listed below the total. Whatever the amount of savings, I take that money out of my purse and put it in the "cookie jar." Every month or so, I count the money in the cookie jar. I either leave it there or put it into our savings account. Sometimes, we use that money for the little extras we usually do not have - like a trip to the zoo or museum or taking our daughter to McDonald's.
These are just a few ways I save money on groceries. I have learned that by planning ahead and thoroughly thinking through my shopping lists, I can save money. I keep my eyes open for good deals. I am constantly looking for new ways to save money. Every little bit helps as we see the prices of everything go up and up and up.