by Brooke M.

Created on: October 23, 2009   Last Updated: November 11, 2009

Food prices have gone up within the last couple of months and continue to rise. No one wants to spend a fortune on their grocery bill. So in order to lower your grocery bill and save money follow these tips:

1. Make a list and stick to it

When making a grocery list you plan ahead and eliminate last decision purchases. Plan out your next weeks dinner meals and write all of the ingredients on the list. Ask your kids what is one thing they want from the grocery store. When you are finished making out your grocery list, estimate how much each item will cost. Then total up the items to estimate your total groceries bill. Keep in mind that it is hard to estimate how much you will really spend.

2. Use coupons and ad slips/sales

Look for coupons in the newspaper, online, and in ad sales. Whichever grocery store you go to, look in their sales slip to see what items are in sale that week. Make sure you are looking at the right week and decide to go when the sale is. Look for coupons for items that you use and usually buy.

3. Make less grocery trips

Stop going to the grocery week at the last minute. Plan ahead and make a grocery list to last you at least a week. When you shop at grocery stores at the last minute or two to three times a week you pick up unnecessary items. Making a grocery list to last longer will save you money and time.

4. Buy cheaper foods

Look for foods that are cheaper and try some of them. Once you find some items that are cheaper and taste good, start to buy them on a basis. Try eating that for one meal a week, or two to three meals a week. You won't get sick of eating it and it will help you on your grocery bill in the long run.

5. Eat lunch at home

Eating out at restaurants, and even fast food can cost you a bundle. If you usually eat out for lunch then try to eat lunch at home more often, if possible. Let's say a fast food cost $5 to eat lunch everyday and you work 5 days a week, you would be spending $25 a week just on eating lunch! In one month that would be $100 spent on eating lunch. So try to only eat out for lunch occasionally, instead of everyday.

6. Eat Leftovers

Keep your leftovers in a container in your fridge. You could eat that food for the next day's lunch or dinner. You could even use some food to make other meals with. For instance if you have chicken one night, you could keep the leftover chicken and make chicken sandwiches. You would have two meals with the chicken instead of just one. Overall this will make the food you buy last longer and help you save money on groceries.

Once you start using these tips, you should see a decrease in your grocery bill. Remember to stick to these tips on a basis. So go make out a grocery list and stick to it. Plan ahead and make your grocery list to last at least a week. Buy cheaper foods and try to eat at home more often.

Learn more about this author, Brooke M..
Click here to send this author comments or questions.