Grocery Money Saving Tips

Published on June 2016 | Categories: Types, Instruction manuals | Downloads: 62 | Comments: 0 | Views: 539
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Coupons
Coupon Swap Have a coupon swap party. Everyone invited brings their coupons over and you swap for what you use and then check your local paper for the specials and go buy using coupons for that product. anya58 Generously Rewarded Get free coupons by calling the 800 number on the package of items you buy frequently. Or you can go online to the manufacturer's website. They like to hear from consumers and will generously reward you with excellent coupons for their products. Discount Diva

Match with Store Sales Match up coupons with weekly store sales for extra savings. When you find a good deal on a non-perishable item, stock up! Frozen items can be bought in multiples also and frozen for later. refundgranny

Double the Delight Save your big coupons, (50 cents to $1) and when double coupons come to your store, go to the store and stock up on everything with your coupons. They will double the coupons up to a dollar and you will see your grocery bill go way, way down! It's amazing! pnord

Always Available Carry your coupons with you at all times using a binder and clear cover sheets (such as baseball card holders). That way, they are always available and it is easy to see what coupons you have to use. jbcapers

Cell Phone Assistance Everyone's cell phone has an “organizer” and many have an alarm. It only takes seconds to type in an item that comes to mind during the day, and setting the alarm to go off before shopping reminds you to check the list and get your coupons together. FJL Coupons and Rebates For coupon and rebate offers, write the amount of the coupon in a circle on your list and in a square for a rebate. Later, you'll know to collect the UPC for a rebate before storing it. digicamlady

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Coupons cont...

More for less If you have two coupons for the same item, use them both and buy two smaller sizes to give you the same amount (or sometimes more) for less. JaniceH

Don’t Forget the Markdown Bin Organize your coupons in the order that you shop the store, remember to check the markdown bin with your coupons in hand as well. bigoak

Keep Coupons with Price List Inside your coupon binder keep a price list of the items you buy from the stores you shop. When you are looking at the sales and coupons you can truly see which store is going to save you the most on your overall grocery bill. Clarissa

Forgot to Use Your Coupon? After shopping you realize you have a coupon for the items you have just purchased, take the coupons and the receipt back to the store. Most stores will gladly give you the money for the coupons. Clippy Girl

Discount to the Max Use your coupons at stores that double the amount of the coupon, then use the coupon when the item is buy one get one. Terri

Better Value Check When using a coupon -- check to see if the smaller size product will be a better value for your money. Diana T

Her Coupon Game I receive the big grocery chain's coupon book. The coupons in the book can be used with manufacturers coupons. My best total was $87 before coupons and $27 after. It’s become a game for me. mommysalami

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Coupons cont...

Talk Coupons Ask friends to give you theirs if they don't use them, and if they do use some, ask them to give you the remainder. This gives me multiples of coupons for free items! blondie29697

Recycled Coupons If an item is on sale and there's a coupon out making it pennies/free: find a paper recycling bin on Monday and grab all the inserts you can from unsold Sunday papers. No need to buy extra papers or only get a few deals using the neighbor's coupons. rumrunnergirl

The Circle of Coupon Once done clipping coupons, I put remaining ones in an envelope and pass it to my neighbor on my left. She does the same and so does a third neighbor whose coupons come to me. We each do it again, so we all can take coupons the other two have discarded. AngieS 3-Ring Savings Keep your coupons organized in a 3-ring binder so that they are easy to find. Go through the weekly sales ads in your area and match them up with the coupons you have. Stock-up on those products and save big! Shana

Coupons and Closeouts Red Letter Highlight Browse around the store for closeout items, many will have coupons in your coupon folder. The closeout price is usually half off, sometimes more, and with a coupon that may be doubled depending on your store, you can get many items almost free. Patty B When making out your shopping list and checking the sales with your coupons on the list, write a C in a different color (I suggest red) next to the items on the list you have a coupon for so that you don't forget to use your coupons. krissy Prescription Payoff Fill your prescriptions at stores that offer coupons toward a future purchase. I then use that coupon (often $10-$25) to get free merchandise that is on sale. I just got 12 lbs. of chicken tenders for $3 by using the coupon and the store buy 1get 1 free deal. Jill

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Coupons cont...

Share Coupons! My mother rarely uses her coupons and always cuts them out for me. It's great to have extras when the store has a special and you get items for free. I always feel so good when the checker looks at my receipt and is amazed at the savings! Mayme

Handy Bag for Coupons I have found that a small makeup bag with a zipper works great to keep my coupons in. I always have it with me because its always in my purse and no more torn or ripped coupons. amac

When a Bargain Isn’t a Bargain All in a Envelope Write your shopping list on the back of a recyled envelope. Print coupons off the Internet and put them in the envelope. I save at least $15 to $20 a month using this method. Margaret This is simple, but true. A great bargain isn't a bargain if you didn't need it or could do without it. GLynette

Know the Expiration Date In-store coupons often don't expire for 2 or 3 weeks but disappear long before that. If it's a deal I'd like to do several times (like free milk with cereal purchase), I take extra coupons and save them to use over the next few weeks. BetteB

Armed with an Organized Coupon Book With an organized coupon book, look through the grocery ads.You can shuffle through the pages and circle the items in which you have coupons. Many times the items can be purchased for pennies or even free. Dawn

The Power of Positive Feedback I write to the website listed on the items I buy and tell them how much I enjoy their product and they send me coupons for the entire value of the item or a dollar off or something close to that. Cindy

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Menu Planning
Plan Menu with Grocery Flyers in Hand I always plan my weekly menu around the weekly grocery flyers. I am fortunate that three major grocery store chains are within blocks of my house and I will shop at all and stock up where the best prices are. Susan A.

Try Something New Choose an new recipe every week for one month and buy all necessary ingredients. Before you know it, you have a well stocked pantry and a new repertoire of recipes! Chattymom Just One Hour Per Week

Enjoy Meatless Meals I always incorporate two meatless meals into my meal plan each week. This saves a significant amount of money since meat is fairly expensive. Bean dishes or even homemade pizza are great fillers instead of a meatloaf or baked chicken breasts. Jodi Cheap Ingredients, Cheap Meals I try to make menus with a lot of cheap foods, like rice, wheat, eggs, lentils, beans, and anything that costs less than $1 a pound. If the ingredients are cheap, the meal is cheap. Since I don't eat meat as a mainstay of my diet, this is easy. mmgarren Plan Well In Advance I make a food menu for 2 - 4 weeks’ worth of meals. After the menu is complete, then I break the meals down into ingredients, check my pantry for what I may already have and compile my grocery list from there. vje Besides using my cookbooks, I copy recipes from all kinds of website sources and put them on discs according to categories, such as salads, fish, poultry, Asian, etc. I plan and rotate menus around foods that are on sale. Ralston Same Ingredients But Different Meal Plan weekly meals that use a lot of the same ingredients. That way you can purchase those items in bulk and only need a few other items. Jenee Take an hour a week and plan your menu for the week. I try to plan my menu according what is on sale that week in my local grocery store. Investing just one hour a week to plan ahead will save you the hassle of wondering what to make for dinner. Shannon Recipes by Category

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Leftover Lowdown
Save Those Crusts Save your bread crusts in a bag in the freezer; then use them as needed to make stratas, toast points for welsh rabit, croutons or bread cubes for poultry stuffing, and breadcrumbs. Gail Make Soup Freeze leftovers in a tub or baggie. When you have frozen a week’s worth of leftovers, throw it all in a crockpot and make soup! Add salad and bread for a complete meal! kitkat Have a Smorgasborg That strange single serving that is leftover after the meal. Combine it in a resealable bag and put it in the freezer. Then when you don't have energy or time to cook pull out those single servings and it’s a smorgasborg for dinner. PWilliams Cheap and Easy Veggie Soup Instead of throwing away leftover veggies (corn, green beans, carrots, etc.), toss them all into a large container that you leave in your freezer. When the container is full, add tomato juice and simmer on the stove for a cheap and easy vegetable soup! Andrea Baked Good Renewal Before getting rid of baked goods that seem stale, try microwaving them for 20 seconds. Often, they'll soften and be just fine to eat. Cyn

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Leftover Lowdown cont...

Who Needs Fast Food? Keep departmentilized freezer meal containers on hand. After each meal, divide leftover and make yourself meals to freeze. Save tons of money on fast food lunches! And the containers are reusable! Debi

Healthy Snacking When I get down to the last little bit of cereals, small crackers and raisins, I mix it all together for a simple, easy "trail mix" for my kids. They love it and are snacking healthy. tds

Creative Leftovers Leftovers at a Glance Throwing away food that has gone bad is like throwing money away. I made a list of the main ingredients of our favorite recipes and color coded them. Now at a glance I can see how to use the leftover ingredients in my fridge. Michelle Use up the food that you buy. We have a Tour de la Frigo (French??) night whenever the fridge is full of leftover containers. Use the good China. MomofThree

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Making a List
Shop Your Pantry Before you run out to the grocery store, shop your own pantry first! With a little creativity, most can eat for at least a week with food from their own kitchens. If you need inspiration, go to Allrecipes and use their ingredient search. SuzieHomemaker

Sort by Aisle I made an Excel list of all the things I normally buy and their aisle location. Before shopping I mark what I need and sort by aisle. The printed list tells me where to go, allowing me to skip several aisles and a lot of impulse purchases. lilosmom Stick to a List! 6 Lunches and 6 Dinners When I make my shopping list, I write down what I need to make 6 lunches and 6 dinners (ingredients). I then "shop" through my cabinents and cross off what I already have leaving me only with what needs to be purchased. Joy Make a list and stick to it. Don't be swayed by instore ads or specials if it is not on your list, unless it is something you definitely will use. Leave your children at home (with a responsible adult)! Ruth

Running List List at a Glance I compiled a list of items that we buy on a regular basis.Instead of "writing" a list each month, I print it off on our home computer and post it on the fridge. I highlight what I need. Saves time since I can see at a glance what I need to buy. Anna I keep a running list of what is in my pantry, fridge, and freezer; marking things off as I use them, so I know when to buy more. This way when I see an item for a good sale price, I can check my list and; if I'm getting low, I can stock up and save. Moffdj

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Making a List cont...

No More Last Minute Dash Make a grocery list and stick to it. I make my list as I plan the meals for the week. It saves time and money, by not dashing to the store at the last minute because you need a white onion for the chili. Cattwmn

Grocery List Goes High Tech I keep a perpetual grocery list on my computer at work in Excel. What I need at the store is kept on one Excel tab in store order. The second tab has my price list. I take the list with me and buy only what is on the list, controlling what I spend. Betty Matching Coupons to List

Necessary Aisles Only Please Make a master list using aisle name as a column heading and the products beneath it. Check off what you need. Shop directly in necessary aisles and zoom in on items checked. No impulse buying! Frugal use of time and saved money! Theresia

I keep a grocery list which is organized by category (breakfast, canned goods, snacks, etc) with space under to write what is needed. I keep my coupon book with the same categories and order. This really helps match the coupons to the listed items. Judy Running Grocery List

Empty Stomach Never make out your shopping list or do your shopping on an empty stomach. You always end up with stuff you don't really need because it looks good. Russell

I keep a running grocery list on the fridge door. As I notice the supply of something getting low, I write it on the list, so that I can watch for a sale price, a coupon, or both, before I run out of the item. lmlh

Go Online! Before you go shopping, go online! Look at your stores' online ad and create a weekly menu plan based on what is on sale. This allows you to make a more focused grocery list so that you buy only what you need. Angie

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Grocery Store Alternatives
Shop Ethnic Grocery Stores You can get produce, condiments, and staples at ethnic grocery stores, sometimes up to four times cheaper. The savings add up, even if you don't use ethnic recipes. saebel Buy Beef from Local Farmers Buy a half of beef at a time and freeze it. Premium cut steaks, lean hamburger, etc. are all less than $2/lb. We usually buy from local farmers with a cost of $1.50/lb cut and wrapped. A $500-$600 investment saves double that amount per year. Leona Pinching Pennies at Big Lots Great savings can be found on non-perishable foods at Big Lots and Dollar Store. It's a great way to pinch pennies! bargainbetty

Join a Food Co-Op I save more than 50 percent getting groceries through the Food Share program. Lisa

Shop Salvage I shop at salvage grocery stores and then plan our meals around the foods I bought there plus what I have in my pantry. Salvage groceries vary from week to week so you never know what you'll find, but it will be cheap! frugalmae

Angel Food Ministries Order a box from Angel Food Minisries. Add fruits/veggies from a no frills grocery like Aldi. Stretching the Food Budget Dollar Store Cleaning Products Purchase all your cleaning products at your local dollar store. The savings add up quickly. Keeps more of your grocery dollar for actual food. Granny S Dollar Store First Do your grocery shopping first at the dollar store, where you may find items on your list cheapest, before going to the grocery store proper. Tamara

Don’t Just Stick to Grocery Store Don't just stick to the grocery store for food items! I've found on occasion that stores like Target sometimes beat the supermarket when it comes to prices of items that are both on and not on sale. mkwriter

Bread Outlet Stores Buy bread at the outlet stores. I am able to buy name brand healthy bread, bagels, muffins, etc. for a third of the price it sells for in the grocery stores. Becky

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Eating Healthy
Homemade Dry Mixes Make your dry mixes. Buy yeast, flour in bulk; measure items for several batches. I make mixes for bread, pizza dough, muffins and cookies. Saves money and trips to the store. Nancy P. Back to the Basics Healthful Plant Foods I've made it my goal for this year to focus my grocery shopping on the basics: milk, eggs, wholegrain bread, and in-season produce, and then buy the least processed and healthiest foods I can to round things out. Anniesgram Homemade Bread Savings For the bread bakers out there, shop your local warehouse store for your supplies. I recently spent just under $3.50 for two pounds of yeast. That's versus over $4 for a 4-oz. jar at my local supercenter market! Chronister Visit Farmer’s Market Near You Buy fresh produce at your local farmer's market. Earthsinger Eat more beans, tofu, and meat and dairy substitutes such as soy milk or rice or almond milk, soy yogurt, soy or rice cheese. Not only is it better for your health as plant foods contain no cholesterol, but lots of fiber and nutrients. Serenity Buy in Bulk Buy foods in bulk at your natural foods store in the bulk bins section. Oatmeal, beans, seeds, nuts, and grains such as rice and flour are much cheaper that way and you help save the planet by using less packaging. Serenity

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Eating Healthy cont...

Avoid Conveniece Foods Avoid convenience foods when possible. Not only are they more expensive, but they are often high in sodium, fat and sugar. You are paying for that convenience. For example, instead of buying preseasoned rice, buy regular rice and add your own seasonings. j6256

Pick a Baking Day Pick a day each week and designate it as your baking day. On baking day, spend a couple hours making snacks (gummies, granola, popsicles, etc.), hotdog/hamburger buns, and bread. Then you can avoid the snack stuff and the bread aisle at the store. Angie Stick to the Outer Edges I buy real food found on the outer edge of the grocery store. This is produce, meat, dairy, bread, dried beans, grains, nuts, and other unprocessed foods. They are much cheaper than processed foods, and I use them to make healthy meals for my family. caffeine Make Your Money Grow... When summer is here, try growing your own fresh vegetables and herbs. I always have an abundance to share. It is amazing how many vegetables you can get from an investment in just a few plants. A little money "grows" a long way! Rhea

Put Up Food All Year Long Canning, freezing and drying are not a summer only activity. Loss leaders can provide a great source of produce for putting up any time of the year. Karen

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Eating Healthy cont...

Cook From Scratch Flour with a little baking soda and baking powder is cheaper and healthier than Bisquick. Tomatoes, garlic, and spices are cheaper and healthier than Prego. Amanda

Get Pre-1960s Cookbook Be sure to get a couple of old cookbooks (pre1960). These cookbooks will have a lot of "scratch" recipes in them and will help you eliminate processed foods, which are much more expensive than the basic ingredients. Cindy in NY Cooperative Cooking Get together with three or more of your neighbors to form a “cooking cooperative.” One neighbor cooks in “bulk” for the others one night a week. This means you can bulk shop for groceries, save more, get free nights and eat nice food not cooked by you! Suzuki Control the Salt Instead of buying "packets" of taco mix, gravy , etc. Look online for a simple recipe. This is usually healthier (you control the salt) and much cheaper. Buy the staples in bulk to make these mixes. Tami

Learn to Cook Learn to cook from scratch. Buy flour, sugar, baking supplies while on sale and freeze them for freshness. Plan a menu for even desserts and stick to it. Use these baked goods instead of expensive packaged foods for snacks. frugalwoman

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Pricebook: Shopping like a pro
No Time? That’s Okay. I never had time to make a price book. I keep a list of prices of the common items I buy at the Super Wal-Mart (the usually cheapest place near me), and if another store beats that price, I know it's a deal. Kathleen Know a Good Price When You See One Is It Really a Bargain? Make and carry a price book. Track the best prices on products you purchase regularly. This can be done in on paper or in a spreadsheet. This way you'll know a good price when you see it. Stock up when the price is at its lowest. Val in Chesapeake Don’t Forget Sale Cycles Make a Spreadsheet Make a price book of items you typically buy. Then track the store, regular price, quantity and unit price of each item. Also note date and price of any sales. This tells you the best price and how often you’ll need to stock up. Smurfyjane Use a spreadsheet with stores as columns and rows for prices per store. Fill in prices based on store fliers. The bottom row has sums showing which store is cheapest. I get low prices on the day that last week's coupons expire and next week's begin! newyorktransplant Keep track of the best prices of foods you buy regularly in a notebook, so you know when a "sale" is really a bargain or not. Stores have different "sale" prices on the same food every week. Stock up when the price is lowest! Frosty One Page Per Store Please Make and use a Price Book. Make a page for each grocery store you shop. Write the most frequently purchased items and the lowest price you've paid. That way you'll know when the item goes on sale for the lowest cost. It's time to stock up. heavenbound

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Shopping Strategies
Don’t Be Tempted by “Come-ons” Always shop the grocery store starting at the far aisle and ending up on the first isle. This way, you will buy first what you need and won't be tempted by those early "come-ons." TUCKY Look High, Look Low When in the grocery aisles, look high and look low. The most profitable (most expensive) items are at eye level. The budget brands and economy sizes are on the top and bottom shelves. Val in Chesapeake Compare Cost Per Ounce A calculator will help you compare the cost per ounce on all sizes of the same product. Often the largest box isn't the cheapest. Stores may list the cost per ounce on small tags; often they make these tags confusing so you cannot compare prices! Susan B It’s How Much? Use the price accuracy guarantees offered by many stores. If an item rings up higher than the shelf price these stores give you the item for free. Lori Wait a Week You can wait a week for anything! Shop like your grandparents did by visiting the grocery once a week with a list and a cash budget. If you run out of an item, make do until shopping day. Lucynda Know Store Sale Rotations Grocery stores rotate their sales. Stock up on enough sale priced non-perishable items to last until the next sale. My store rotates every eight weeks. Combine the sales with coupons for an even better deal! Rach Where’s the Damaged Goods? Find out what your grocer does with damaged or "must sell now" items! My grocer offers bargains culled from the previous night's shift: produce, dented cans, boxes with ripped cardboard but ingredients still unscathed--all at bargain prices. Martha

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Shopping Strategies cont...

Keeping Your Eye on the Map Our grocery offers a map of the store. I keep this on the refrigerator, right by the grocery list. When an item is put on the list, I make sure to put the aisle number next to it. When I go to the store, I only go down those aisles I need to. Jen B. Buy Loss Leaders in Bulk Buy the loss leaders in bulk for each area store. Kroger often has shredded cheese for $1 a bag. Buy 10-20 bags at a time to last until the next sale. Use your freezer.You might have some initial expense, but will experience savings in the long run. Heidi You Don’t Have to Buy Two Buy one, get one free deals imply that you have to purchase two or more items to get the discount. But, you can purchase only one and it should ring up 1/2 off. This will keep you from overbuying when you really only want/need one item. naomi “Big” Shopping During the last week of the month, grocery stores have their best buys. Why? Because most people run out of money. Wait to do your "big" shopping. Pat

More Sale Strategy Stores usually run better sales in the middle of the month due to many people getting their checks on the first to the third of the month. The brand name items usually have a better sale in mid month and saving the coupons and using them then saves a bunch. Donna

Track Prices on Calender Items hit their lowest price every eight weeks to three months.Track on calender or spreadsheet. Order multiple coupons from the coupon clippers and stock up. No storage? There's always under the bed! Maxine

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Shopping Strategies cont...

Is It “On” or Just “For” Sale? Understand how to read a "sales flyer." The first rule is, if there isn't a "regular price" listed, the price you are looking at is the regular price; it's not on sale. It's just for sale. Exclusions are percentage off and BOGOs. Val in Chesapeake The Early Bird Shopper Shop early in the morning. My grocery marks down meat at least 25% off and sometimes more. Most of the time, the sell by date is today or tomorrow's date. You need to use it the day you buy it or freeze it. nana04 Shop Off Peak Hours Shop grocery stores open 24 hours at off peak hours, such as before 8am and after 8pm. Not only are the lines shorter, but often times, you can find great mark downs in the deli case, produce, meat, and dairy aisle. Dawn Shop Alone Don't shop with your husband or kids. They will be drawn into all the foods that are being marketed at them, and your grocery bill will skyrocket! Suzy

Watch at Ring Up Always check items as they're scanned for price/quantity. Many don't ring at the sale price or are scanned twice. Watch the cashier scan coupons, some get skipped or not doubled. Know the store policy on BOGO, some stores let you buy one at half off. ksodek You Don’t Have to Buy Two Don't fall for the "sale" tag that advertises 2/$3, thinking you have to buy the two to get the price! You don't most of the time. You can buy the one for $1.50. CatPeople The Beauty of Clearance and Coupons Always search the clearance items in the grocery store. If it is on clearance and you use a coupon, the item could be close to free or entirely free.Toothpaste was on sale for $1 and I had $1 coupon. Sher87

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Shopping Strategies cont...

Control the Impulse Avoid the impulse buys that are near the cash register. The closer an item is to the checkout, the higher the profit the store receives. Joyce The Soda Aisle In the same soda aisle as the name brands are the generic brands sold by most grocery stores. They’re galf the cost with practically the same taste. Tamara Don’t Leave Home Without a Calculator Never shop without a calculator. You can easily compare unit prices to be certain you're getting the best deal. Coupons can generally be used on smaller sizes and might give you the best deal per ounce or pound or whatever unit you're comparing. Andrea Compare the “Cost Per” Compare the "cost per" for each item. When buying tissues, compare the "cost per 100" to find the best deal. When buying cheese, check the "cost per oz." to see if what's on sale is really the best deal. heavenbound

Day Old Bakery Check to see if your store has a day old bakery markdown rack. We buy breads and rolls, breakfast items and sometimes dessert items for 3050% off. JaniceH Eat First, Then Shop Never ever go to the grocery store hungry. Always eat a good meal before going and you will not "accidently" buy junk food or impulsive buys. Shawna Take Advantage of the Little “Extras” Always be on the lookout for any “extras.” Check the cans or jars toward the back of the shelf. Sometimes you can see products that offer 20% more free or have an instant coupon or rebate form attatched. midgett1

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Get Friendly with Your Freezer
Buy Beef Seasonally and Freeze I buy steaks in the winter and roasts in the summer and freeze to use in opposite seasons. I cut the roasts into steaks to use in summer and save some for potroast and for stew. In the winter, steak is cheaper than roasts and I use it to make my own stew meat. Norma Jean From Soup to Nuts... Use that freezer! You can freeze almost anything. On sale or marked down meat, cheese and after-holiday treats all freeze well. Use that freezer and save! Brenda M.

Banana Bread Ready Chicken Broth from the Freezer Roast chicken and eat it. Cover carcass in water with celery, carrot, onion and some seasoning and boil. Strain out broth. Cool and skim fat. Freeze in two-cup portions in freezer bag. Thaw as needed for chicken broth in recipes. Dawn When over-ripe bananas are available cheap at the store, buy in quantity. Peel them and place in ziplock baggies, then freeze for later use in bread, muffins, smoothies, etc. I put three in each bag, because that is what my bread recipe calls for. Bamagrama

Break Down Family Packages Buy packaged meats in the larger family sizes at much reduced prices. Then use plastic freezer bags when you get home to divide up the meat and freeze. Find out on what day and time the store reduces the meats and shop during that time. Arla

Stock Up on Marked Down Meat Find out when meat is usually marked down. Then shop early. I find meat marked $1 to $1.50 per pound. Steaks to ground meat are all marked down before they expire. I buy all I want and take it home and re-package for freezing. This saves a bundle. luvsabargain

Milk Freezes Great! Milk freezes great! Stock up when it's on sale, pour some off into another container (I use a two-quart jug) and freeze what's left. This has saved us a lot of money. frugal logic

Busy Weeknight Time Saver Buy the larger packs of ground beef when on sale, then when you get home cook it all and freeze in two-cup packages. This saves space in the freezer and time on a busy weeknight! Anah

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Freezer cont...

Fresher Baked Goods For a small family, when you buy buy a loaf of bread or bagels or a cake, put a serving or two in a small sandwich bag and freeze it for later use. That way, you can enjoy the freshness of all the product and not waste money by it going stale or moldy. Kathi

Monthly Meals Learn how to do once a month cooking. Get free books at the library to learn how to do it efficiently. We saved over 75% of our annual grocery bill by cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner one month at a time, and it's fun! OAM Cooker

Instead of Freezer Bags... When In Season Stock up on items when they are in season and on sale. Freeze or can perishable items for later use. Daja Don't buy freezer bags. Instead, save and use the inside wrappers from your cereal boxes. They are heavy duty, sturdy and work great for freezing items! Debi

Cook and Freeze When you find a great deal on meat, cook it up and freeze it already cooked. Fry ground beef with onions and garlic and it's ready for spaghetti, tacos, sloppy joes, etc. This works for chicken and other meats as well! ginarenae

“Eat Down” Your Freezer When money is really tight, "eat down" the freezer or from your food supply. It's amazing what you find in the freezer that you forgot you had! It's fun to come up with some very interesting meals. ladyclare

Cooking Once a Month I cook a month's worth of dinners in one day and freeze all the meals. It saves money because I am able to purchase in bulk and make many different meals. For more information, look for once a month cooking books at a bookstore. Jerilyn

Soups On! Make single size servings of soup and freeze in resealable bags. This is one of the best money savers I know when I run out of something or am just too lazy to make dinner. Suzuki

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The Produce Section
Buy Bigger When your grocery store offers produce such as bell peppers or cauliflower at a price per each rather than per pound, buy the biggest pepper or head of cauliflower you can find! Diana Homemade Veggie Stock When cleaning produce, save the leaves, stems and other parts of the veggies that you would normally throw away. Make vegetable stock with those parts, plus an onion and some garlic. Tasty for homemade soups! Jan in Kansas

Fresher Longer I find that putting vegetables in a green plastic bag keeps them fresher longer J Find the Heaviest When buying bagged produce, such as apples, onions or potatoes, always weigh several bags to find the heaviest. The contents of each bag can vary by several ounces. Julie

Veggie Ready I buy multi-colored bell peppers on sale. Then, I wash, cut them into strips, and freeze. I buy sale onions, freeze the whole bag, and thaw an hour before chopping (no tears). I add onions to the pretty bags of peppers and am ready for fajitas, stir-fries, etc. Debbie Fresh vs. Frozen Banana Strategy To keep bananas from getting overripe, put them in the fridge in a plastic bag. They won't turn dark, and will keep for a week. Cmele Frozen vegetables are often on sale for $1/lb or less. When fresh cost more than $1/lb, buy frozen because they are just as healthy. Pam

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Dairy Deals
What They Don’t Know... When my gallon of milk gets about half full, I add about two cups of water and shake it to mix. My family can't tell the difference. I also do this with dish soap and shampoos, only use less water and fill to about 3/4 full. Angelmom Where You Buy Counts When buying milk look for it at your local pharmacy (CVS) or gas station. I buy about five gallons a week and save close to $1 per gallon compared to the grocery store. Beth

Cracked Egg Savings All the Vitamins, Half the Fat and Cheap! Turn one gallon of whole milk into two gallons of 2%. Pour whole milk into two containers, add correct amount of water to powdered milk for one gallon. Add to the whole milks, shake well and chill. All the vitamins, half the fat and each gallon is less than $2. Hoofhearted If you find a cracked egg in a carton, ask the dairy peson to repackage the eggs for you. They have different cartons they use for that and the eggs are at a greatly reduced price. I got $1.09 jumbo egss for 89 cents. Martha

Shred Your Own Cheese I purchase chunk cheese when it is a good price and shred it at home. I use a large bowl for it and add some cornstartch to it. Mix well and freeze. The cornstartch prevents it from freezing together. You can simply take out how much you need. Dixie

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Dairy Deals cont...

Cream Cheese By the Brick My family eats a lot of bagels with cream cheese. Instead of buying the little plastic tubs of cream cheese, I buy it in 8-ounce bricks and put it in my own reusable plastic container at home. Saves money and it's environmentally nice! genesisgirl

Stretched Milk Stretch your milk budget by buying whole milk instead and adding half again water. Be sure to refrigerate overnight to prevent a watery taste. SoDak

Cook with Powdered Milk Cheese Ends Ask your grocer at the deli counter if he has "cheese ends," which are the leftover ends that they normally couldn't sell. They're usually at least 25% less. Enjoy! Cindy in NY Use powdered milk in place of real milk in your cooking recipes. Voni

Evaporated Milk Substitute Powdered milk is less expensive than bottled or evaporated milk. To make a substitute for evaporated milk, just 1/2 the amount of water. Elise

PAGE 13 - 1

The Meat Counter
Visit Discount Meat Section Go to the discount meat section and choose meat from there, go to discounted shelve items and get items there. A lot of times, items on my list are in those two areas and along with coupons with those already discounted items, it is a great way to save! misskittym Make the Cut If a recipe calls for 1 pound of chicken or ground beef, I use 3/4 pound. In our area, we pay close to $6 per pound for most meats. I save approximately $6 a week/$300 a year without sacrificing any taste. Kimberley Chicken Quarter Know-How Make a Beeline for Savings Every time I shop, I make a beeline for the corner of the meat freezer. There I have found meats that had reached their "sell by" date and been frozen, marked down up to 50%. I have gotten ground pork for .39/lb. and roasts for .89/lb. PJ Buy a 10-poiund bag of chicken leg quarters when priced $3. Cut the leg from thigh fry/bake legs, boil the thighs pull the meat off bones to make chicken noodle casserole and chicken enchiladas. With stock, make chicken noodle soup. Mom of lots Ground Pork Instead of Ground Beef First in Line Find out when your meat counter does its markdowns, so you can be first in line. Serena Use ground pork instead of ground beef. It tastes just as good, has less fat and saves up to 50 cents per pound. (It is not mushy like ground turkey!) Wendie

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The Meat Counter cont...

Substitutions Welcome Substitute ground turkey or chicken for recipes that call for ground beef. Season with chili powder to create a more "beef-like" flavor. I have been able to purchase the one-pound rolls of turkey for 79 cents each. CharityAngel

You Can Still Eat Steak You can save money and still eat some nice steaks. When Porterhouse steak is on sale, stock up. The Porterhouse looks like a T Bone ,and if you cut the bone away, the longer side is a New York or Kansas City Strip and the smaller side is a slice of Filet Mignon. Roanwolf Hamburger Patties Purchase large packages of ground beef. Patty into hamburgers and then place into a plastic sandwich bag. Put them all into a larger bag, date it and freeze. Cook only the amount needed. They defrost faster, and there is no waste. MGP Mom Turkey Is Cheapest in Fall

Supper Made Quick and Easy I buy meat that has been marked down for quick sale. I then cook it when I get home and freeze it in meal-size portions. It not only saves money, but also it makes supper quick and easy when I rush in from work. Mandy

D-I-Y Stew Meat When stew meat prices are sky-high (in cold weather), I buy roasts on special and cut the meat myself. lmlh Buy cheap turkeys in the fall. Roast for supper, freeze the leftover meat for soups and casseroles, and cook off the bones for broth. We easily get at least six meals out of one turkey! Jan in Kansas

PAGE 13 - 3
The Meat Counter cont...

Two Meals, One Chicken Cook a whole chicken and make two meals from it. The first night I cook the chicken in my crockpot with salt, pepper, and onions. After this meal, I pull all the chicken off the bone, strain the broth and make chicken corn soup for another evening. Kristin When Purchasing Whole Chickens... When purchasing a whole chicken, buy the largest one you can find. You get more meat because the bone structure is essentially the same as a smaller bird. Glo Monday Morning Shoppers I buy meat at our local warehouse club on Mondays. The meat that is left over from the weekend shoppers is usually marked down. Therefore, I can get good deals. It's perfectly good meat for less money. momof3

Chicken Leg Quarters in Bulk Buy 10 lb. bags of chicken leg quarters and cook them in a stock pot. Pick the chicken off the bones and freeze for casseroles, soups, and tacos. For less than $5, you get about a gallon of chicken stock, too. Tightwad Tips Grind Your Own Beef Buy tip roast, chuck roast, etc. when it's on sale and make your own ground beef to suit your taste using your food processor. Read your manufacturer's booklet for instructions. Willow When Do They Clean the Butcher Counter? My grocery has a butcher counter. Between 7 pm and 8 pm, they clean the case for the night. I have gotten 93% lean ground beef for 99 cents per pound by shopping late. I buy it in bulk and freeze it to use in spaghetti and meatsauce or casseroles later. Pam

PAGE 13 - 4
The Meat Counter cont...

Portion Control and Cheaper, Too! Use a food scale to weigh two or four ounces of ground beef, and then shape with a round cookie cutter, separate with wax paper, and freeze for future use. This is much more economical than buying pre-made patties, and you have portion control. Hoofhearted Tender, Cheap Cut of Meat Buy rump roast when it's buy one get one free. Place both in pans, add one can of gingerale each, and cover with foil. Bake it at 190 degrees for eight hours. The tough piece of meat comes out tender. I then use one and freeze one. mommy1 Let Your Butcher Save You Money Your butcher can help you save money. At no extra charge, they will cut meats to your liking. They’ll grind roast into hamburger and make bone-in chicken into boneless skinless chicken. Just go during nonbusy times. Keri

Tenderize the Tougher Cuts To tenderize the tougher cuts of meats without having to cook it for hours, add 1/4 cup of vinegar for every three pounds of meat, soak for at least half of a day, rinse it and add whatever seasoning you like. Mico

48 Hours to Save Look for those 48 hour deals and buy in bulk! I got 75 lbs. of bonless/skinless chicken breast at 98 cents per lb.! They even packaged it in 5-lb packs for me. money2save

Don’t Buy Deli Meat Deli meat is on the average approximently $4 to $8 per pound. Instead of buying deli meat, roast your own ham, roast beef, and turkey for sandwiches rather than purchasing deli meat. Diane

PAGE 14 - 1

Spice It Up!
Add a Little Spice to Your Life! If you want to add spice to your life, just buy in bulk and store in airtight containers. You can also make ginger-garlic paste, onion-tomato paste, etc. These taste great in pasta! And they cost next to nothing when compared to those grocery store “spice mixes”! Suzuki Visit Local Ethnic Grocery Stores We purchase spices at the Indian store where they sell them for much less than at the grocery store, and they have a huge variety. Becky

Buying Spices in Bulk Shop Ethnic Food Aisle Spices sold on the "ethnic foods" aisle of the grocery store are almost always cheaper and fresher than those tiny bottles and cans sold on the regular spice aisle. lmlh I buy the spices that I often use in bulk at Costco. I pay what I would pay at the grocery store, but I get about ten times the amount. Elizabeth

Support Local Farmers Buy spices at your local farmer's market. For example, poppy seeds are $4.59 at the grocery store. At my farmer's market, I pay $1.25 for 2 ounces! Liv-Pup

PAGE 15 - 1

The Well-Stocked Pantry S
Shop at Home First Before heading to the store, I "shop" in my pantry and freezer. I am amazed at how many times I find just what I planned to purchase or something that would work just as well. Margaret Never Pay Full Price Again Buy sale items only. With a well-stocked pantry, you can make many meals from sale items. Google your main ingredient to get recipes. Try to substitute an ingredient if possible to keep from purchasing something you may not use again. LoriC

Know What You Have Take an food inventory of your cabinets, pantry and freezer. You'll know exactly what you have on hand, you won't buy duplicates and you'll know what you need to use up before going bad. You can save substantially! Try it! frugalit On Sale? Stock Up! 90 percent of what I buy each week is on sale or purchased with a coupon. Keep stocking up on items as they go on sale, and if you do this consistently, you will always have on hand what you need and your grocery bills will go down. Debby

Buy for Back-Up Using What You Have on Hand Utilize what you have in your pantry or freezer (or even leftover foods) by using AllRecipes.com, which lets you type in what foods you do have and comes up with a "favorite recipe" of others using ingredients you have on hand! nicjen I buy for my back-up instead of what I need. When I get the back-up out of the pantry, I know I have a few weeks to wait for that item to be on sale. memoriesmama

PAGE 16 - 1

Kid Saving Solutions
Don’t Shop with Hungry Kids Don't shop with four hungry children. Feed them before you go, or you'll come out with four different boxes of granola bars and nothing to fix for supper. Daja Keeping Sugar at a Minimum My kids are allowed one "sugar" cereal a week to be eaten only on Sundays. During the rest of the week, we have basic cereal or homemade waffles. Tami

Cutting Unhealthy, Expensive Habits Make your kids buy their pop, snack foods out of their allowance. These high cost and unhealthy foods should be rare in your home. Once they see they could be spending their money on other things, they are likely to cut back on their snack and pop habits. MKJ in Seattle

Teach Kids to Grocery Shop They can help with coupon clipping, making a grocery list, and shopping; then pay them a percentage of money saved. They will learn the basics of frugality. SutuG

Diaper Wipes for Pennies Homeade diaper wipes for pennies! Cut Bounty roll into thirds and place in round Rubbermaid container. Remove cardboard middle and first wipe will come up thru the middle. Pour a little Dawn and water over the top. Decorate the container! rachelinva

Homemade Baby Food Instead of purchasing jarred baby food, use your food processer to make fruits, veggies and meats. Place food in ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen, put cubes in freezer bags. Chris After-Holiday Savings Buy holiday candy when it's 75% off after the holiday. Kids don't care what color wrapping paper is used in their school lunches or in snack cupboard. Couponlady

Kids Love Noodles! Since kids love the noodles, I add packs of Oddles of Noodles (without the flavor packets) to chicken noodle soup. This gives plenty of noodles for cheaper than opening more cans of soup. S Hook

PAGE 17 - 1

Pets, Too!
Cheaper Doggie Treats Dog treats can get expensive, but our pets are family, too! Instead of buying treats, they generally make a moist dog food with individual packets of the same "treats" meant as entire meals. We buy two boxes a year for our two dogs! Amie

Cat Litter Substitute Instead of buying cat litter, shred old newspaper or any type paper that you are throwing away. A savings of $15-$20 per month. Kathy

PAGE 18 - 1

At the Check Out
Take a Raincheck Always get a raincheck if the store runs out of a sale item. If there's a spectacular sale with a limit of items per customer, I will visit that store more than once and purchase the limit each time! lmlh

Always Check Receipts Be sure and check your receipt before leaving the store. A lot of prices change so fast the store cannot always keep up with them. And the sale price may not be reflected on your receipt. Marlene

No More Sticker Shock Do not rush to the check-out counter. Take a few minutes to review what you have in the cart. Put back at least a few items and you won't get sticker shock at the counter. Priya

Earth-Friendly Savings Certain grocery stores will pay you 5 cents per fabric bag that you bring in to bag groceries in. This saves the earth by not wasting resources, and you’ll save 30 to 40 cents a week by doing something simple. Bonjour Use Cash Take out your grocery budget money in cash. Keep track of your expenses as you shop by writing them down as you go and using a calculator. When you've reached your cash limit, you're done. Jen

Just One More Time... Always watch the prices as the clerk rings up the grocery items. I can usually find a mistake or two. The prices are many times higher than what was posted on the shelf. Look at your reciept one more time for mistakes also. wens

Price Matching Wal-Mart matches competitors’ ads. Use your weekly food ads to determine the best price. List the price and the store. Take the list with the grocery ads to Wal-Mart and have them price match all items to the competitor’s lowest price. WildJaycee

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