We know everyone has low household budgets, so we recently looked for such advice on how to save money on buying and cooking when money is tight. The end result is a fantastic collection of 50 basic recommendations for stretching your money far beyond possible.
Frugal Shopping Tips
Cutting your grocery bill may appear difficult at first, though it’s possible with a strategy and just few adjustments to how, when, and where you buy.
· Begin with your pantry
Food waste is a factor driving up the food budget. Food waste can take many forms at home, including leftovers that become sticky and moldy in the back of the refrigerator or fresh produce that decomposes slowly in the crisper drawer. Foods might be wasted if you forget to properly close Ziploc bags or leave cereal or cracker boxes open.
· Make a strategy
Meal planning allows you to make use of what you have now in the kitchen while also limiting what users buy at the store. However, there is a correct and incorrect approach to schedule meals. Keeping things realistic is the best approach to prepare meals. Keep it simple rather than digging through cookbooks or searching online for tasty recipes that need a lot of ingredients and time and energy.
· Make a To-Do List
You’re less likely to forget to get everything you need if you’re in the supermarket with such list in hand (either on the phone). You won’t waste as much as you intended on impulsive items if you set it the habit just to shop what’s on the list.
· Purchase meat and grains in quantity
Make buying meat and cereal in bulk a priority. Patton suggests purchasing fresh pork loin and slicing it into low-fat loin chops at home, as well as purchasing a roast and cubing it into bits or purchasing a bird and chopping it up at home.
· Shop with knowledge
Stick to the food list to keep your finances in check. Use those weekly mailings to plan out your grocery shopping for the week, and take the time to research costs for your favorite foods at several supermarkets. This keeps you from overspending on food, which can quickly deplete your budget.
· Use caution when clipping coupons
Clipping and applying coupons can feel like a victory, but coupons can also convince you to purchase stuff you wouldn’t otherwise buy.
· Make use of leftovers
Did you realize that America wastes up to 40% of its food production each year? It’s a sobering number, but it’s accurate. The most usually discarded food is vegetables. We are referring to you, mushy cucumber bag from the back of the fridge!
· Visit your neighborhood farmer’s market
Although certain farmers markets have a reputation for attracting elite chefs and catering to the 1%, your local farmers market typically has some fantastic discounts. When you purchase locally and in season, you often pay slightly less than you would at a supermarket.
· Participate in a Pantry Challenge
Just though the cupboards appear to be empty doesn’t mean you don’t have enough food in your kitchen. At the very least, you’ll have enough money to see you through until your next salary or your budget resets next month.
Conclusion
You may reduce the grocery expenditures and save money on food by changing your shopping habits and approach. Being a more frugal grocery shopper benefits you in more ways than one. You’ll also reduce waste, and you’ll be directly supporting the economic growth if you shop at farmers markets or join a CSA program.