by Priya Kanwar

Created on: February 05, 2009   Last Updated: February 19, 2009

These are hard times for us all economically, due to the global stock market recession. In such situations, running a household can be tough, as one needs to set priorities on various expenses that are bound to come up every month. Did you know that spending money on food and groceries is the second largest expenditure after housing?

You can save money on your food and grocery expenses by some very simple tips. If you observe your way of shopping and how many times you land up at the grocery store, you will probably know the answer. The first thing to do would be to plan out your whole month or take it week by week in advance. Take stock of your kitchen inventory and other food items that you need for the week and prepare a list realistically. Be firm, and put only the things that you really require on the list and that would last for the whole week.

After you have the list ready, go to the store and don't hesitate to look for bargains or discounts. Check the MRP on each and every item along with the expiration date and buy only fresh items as they will last longer. There are some stores or supermarkets that boast of offering the lowest prices, like for eg. the Subhiksha store in India and Big Bazaar. You may also get good discounts on bulk purchases, so you can consider buying some items in bulk and split it with your neighbor or friend. For eg. buying Rice, cooking oil, etc., in bulk may get you a better price at such stores. So don't hesitate in checking them out.

Whenever you plan to go out to the store, try leaving your kids at home or ask your husband or anybody else that you trust to look after them while you shop. This serves two purposes, one; your mind can now be free to concentrate fully on your shopping and thereby you may get a better price or discount. You can also take your time in selecting the most economic brand of an item. It's not necessary to buy the most expensive one. And the second benefit is that the kids don't make you spend extra money on useless demands like chocolates or candy etc that they may find very attractive and want then and there. Refusing a kid at the store in front of other people can many a times turn very embarrassing. Trust me, I know.

The best way to save money is to buy fresh foods more than preserved or precooked food. These days the markets are swamped by such products. What's more, buying fresh food and cooking it from scratch turns out to be not only cheaper but also more enjoyable and healthy in the long run. Buy

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