Ten Ways to Bail Out Your Grocery Budget

Ten ways to bail out your grocery budget:

1. Make a list.

If you go to the store with a list you are probably going to spend less then you would otherwise. Impulse shopping sky rockets when you do not have a list, and this is not going to bail out your budget, it is going to ruin it.

2. Use the Internet.

The Internet is a fast and convenient way to comparison shop and get the most bang for your buck with groceries. You can view the weekly ads from your favorite stores. You can find coupons, and deals. Use the Internet, and use coupons.

3. Overlap meals.

If you want to bail out your grocery budget, then do your beset to choose meals that have overlapping ingredients. This is a good way to ensure that you use up everything you buy, and that you do not buy stuff you do not need. For example, if you plan to make something that calls for half an onion, then plan a meal that calls for the other half. That way your grocery dollars do not get thrown out with the trash.

4. Cut coupons.

Coupons are your friend when it comes to bailing out your grocery budget. You can get manufacturers coupons, in-store coupons, etc. These can help you save a few cents to several dollars, but when your budget is tight, every little bit helps, and the fact is, over time the amount you save really adds up.

5. Shop online.

If you shop online you are less likely to purchase stuff because of smells, or colors. Stores set themselves up in a way that will tempt you to spend more, and blow your budget. Today it is possible to buy groceries online, and while it is often more expensive per item, you save in the end.

6. Cook.

You can save on your grocery bill by cooking from scratch. Cooking your own dishes rather than buying frozen premade meals is a great way to save. Buying a frozen pasta meal will run you $5-$8, but buying pasta and making the same basic meal yourself will cost far less.

7. Use less meat.

Meat can be very expensive, so use less meat and you can see the savings in the breathing room in your budget. How can you use less meat and still find satisfaction? Instead of making meat the main course, let it be a garnish or side dish. For example, have a stir fry, or have a soup, etc.

8. Shop smart.

Stores are cunning, and they set up the store to entice you to buy more, so be a smart shopper and do not fall for clever end cap displays, or smells wafting through the store. The smarter shopper you are, the better chance you have for bailing out your grocery budget.

9. Stock up on sales.

If there is stuff you use frequently, and it goes on sale, then stock up on it. The best way to bail out your grocery budget is to spend less on stuff you normally buy. This means if you eat cereal every day, and boxes of cereal are sold for less, then buy lots at that time.

10. Don’t over buy.

Statistics show that most people waste a lot of food, about 28% in fact. So, if you want to save your grocery budget, do not buy food you are not going to use. If you want to bail out your budget, you should be careful to only buy the groceries you are going to use before they go bad.