Coupons can help most people save a lot of money on food, but it's time-consuming to go through papers and supplements to find the best deals, and not everyone buys products for which there are coupons. Luckily, there are plenty of other tips and tricks you can use to save money on what you eat. Thinking about what you eat and where you get it will set you on the right track to save, and you can also do well by limiting grocery trips and cooking for yourself.
Step 1
The less often you go to the grocery store, the less you can buy, and the less you will spend in total. If you don't eat a lot of fresh produce or other perishable products, see if you can schedule your grocery visits just once every 2 weeks or once a month. Your food costs for the month will likely go down right away.
Step 2
Eating out is a special treat. For normal days, cook at home. If you eat out often, the amount you pay for service, plating, food preparation and even take-out really adds up. You may not be able to create meals at home that are exactly the same as they would be in a restaurant, but with recipes and fresh ingredients, you can usually prepare very similar dishes for 25 percent of the cost or less. If you must eat out, try to go during happy hours, go for lunch, or split dishes with others.
Joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) group has big benefits for its members. The costs may be notable up front, but the CSA will provide you with fresh fruits and vegetables for an entire growing season, which will limit the amount you need to buy at the store. If you can't join a CSA, consider shopping at a local farmers' market or buying local produce, which is often cheaper than imported products.
Step 3
Apples are best in autumn, and fresh berries are best in the height of summertime. If you start paying attention to prices, you'll notice that fresh fruits and vegetables are cheaper at certain times of the year. When a product is in season, stock up on it if you use that product often. Even if you won't use all that you can buy in one trip, you can bake extra and freeze it, freeze individual portions of fresh produce, or can fruits and vegetables for later use.
Step 4
If you're purchasing pre-packaged items or canned or frozen fruits and vegetables, consider purchasing off-brand or generic products. These items are often significantly cheaper than name brands and contain the very same products---sometimes, the products are even packaged in the same facility as the name brands.
Step 5
Make a list before every grocery trip you take, and stick to what's written on it. If you're tempted by a specific item that isn't on your list, add it to the list for your next trip, but don't buy it impulsively. By buying only what you need, you can save lots of money each month.
Things You'll Need
- Reusable grocery bags
- Grocery list
- Meal plan
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