You may have noticed that the cost of items at the grocery store has steadily gone up in that past few years. There are many things that contribute to this escalation in prices including higher fuel costs, inflation, and an overall recessionary (or depression-like) economy. Regardless of the causes, the average person needs to find ways to save money at the grocery store. There are a number of ways to lessen the impact of high cost foods without necessarily having to simply do without.
Spread Out the Meat
One of the highest priced types of food in the grocery store is meat. Beef, pork, poultry, and seafood are easily the most expensive items purchased. To many, the only way to spend less is to not buy (or eat) these items. A vegetarian lifestyle is fine if it is chosen, but if it is forced upon a family because of financial difficulty it will be resented. An alternative to a vegetarian diet and a way to lessen the sting of high priced meats is to use meats in dishes where it is not the main component of the meal.
Dishes like casseroles, soups, stews, and chowders are great ways to stretch meat items and thus lower the overall cost at the grocery. An added side benefit of preparing soups and stews is health. Since meat isn’t the main ingredient, soups and stews encourage the entire family to eat more vegetables. Because the vegetables are prepared in the soup, the broth is nutrient dense, making for a healthier meal. If you make large quantities of the soup or stew and then freeze it, your family will not get all the added sodium normally found in canned soups and stews.
Don’t forget to check your grocery’s deli department to see if they offer discounted prices on meats and cheeses they have sliced throughout the day. It isn’t uncommon to find delis that mark down the lunch meats they have already sliced just prior to closing for the night. This is a great way to save on lunch items.
Co-Op Your Family and Friends
Buying in bulk is a great way to save on many items. However, it can often lead to storage problems. Unless you have a very large pantry and the ability to store large quantities of perishable items, bulk shopping by yourself might be more expensive that shopping in a normal fashion. There is also the problem for some of initial cost of bulk foods. The cost per serving might be lower, but the initial purchase price is higher. A solution to both of these issues is to find like minded friends and family and compare tastes and menu items. Then see what items you all need and try to find them in bulk. The initial cost of purchase is spread over multiple families and the storage problem becomes much smaller.
Coupon Cutting Tips
Everyone knows the benefits of cutting coupons to save money at the grocery store. One thing you can do to increase your coupon savings is to find a newspaper from a larger nearby city and check their Sunday edition. It is not uncommon for that larger city’s paper to have higher value coupons and even include items that are missing from your local paper. You might even check at the local university to see if there are any classes on couponing. You might be surprised at how much you can learn. Also check online for any good coupons, not just on groceries but anything else. I always check for coupons when I go on vacations. An expedia coupon may end up saving you hundreds on your next travel vacation. There are some great coupon tips in this article link as well. I was surprised to find out that a lot of manufacturers like Betty Crocker and Pillsbury have coupons right on their websites!
Brands and Clearance Items
Many people are brand loyal, but if you want to save money, then you should experiment with buying generic brands. Look at the ingredients or contents and see if they are the same as the brand you prefer. Often time you will find them to be identical, except for the cost. Generics can be purchased at a much lower cost than brand names. Sometimes more than 50% lower in cost.
Don’t forget to check for clearance items while at the grocery store. Many times, items that are dented, or nearing their expiration date are offered to customers at reduced costs. Pay attention while at the grocery store or ask someone if necessary, when they place items on clearance and where they display them. Make it a habit of checking for these items when you grocery shop. Pay close attention to your coupons along with these clearance items, it isn’t uncommon to actually get brand name items on clearance for free after the coupon savings are applied.
Check out the less known markets in your area
Sometimes the ethnic markets offer great deals at much much cheaper rates than the huge chain supermarkets such as Kroger, Vons, Ralphs an others. In my neighborhood there is a great Korean market that offers produce at half the cost of the supermarkets. I can see that when I look at my receipt after I am done shopping, I have saved almost $40 in groceries.
Check out the huge warehouses in your area
Places like Costco, where you can buy in bulk are great for non-perishable items like toilet paper. There are also huge retail chains like Walmart and Target where there is a lot of savings in their grocery sections.