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- Don't by better quality than you need. You don't buy prime rib for pot roast.
Low-cost meats do very well, and most times even better than hi-cost cuts in stews, casseroles, pot roasts, pot
pies, soups, etc.
- Keep meals simple. Hey, everyone loves mac and cheese. How about a homemade pizza?
hamburgers, hot dogs, meatloaf, chili, bacon and eggs for breakfast OR dinner. Good doesn't have to be fancy or
take a lot of time. In fact the more "gourmet" you make a meal, the more expensive it's going to be. In
addition, you'll probably have to buy ingredients for which you'll have leftovers that you may never use again.
So follow the K.I.S.S. principle at all meals.
- Buy a freezer. This is only advocated if you can afford it. However, a freezer is a
very good way to take advantage of bulk purchases. When there's a really good deal on meat, for example, you
can buy a large quantity and freeze it. Buying in large quantities at big-box stores like Costco and Sam's Club
makes sense when you have someplace to store your purchases. Also, you can double the amount you cook of
something like spaghetti sauce and freeze the excess for a later meal. Freeze butter, cheese, tomatoes in
season, soups, stews, breads -- the list goes on and on.
- Check the fridge daily. It's oh so easy for small things, heck even big things, to go
bad before you can use them. Think lettuce and cucumbers, yogurt and leftovers. By checking your fridge every
day, you can ctch these itmes and hopefully use them before they spoil.
- Go meatless. Try cooking a meatless meal twice a week to save money. How about
Vegetarian
Italian?
- Beware of supermarket tricks. In fact, this is a trick pulled on the consumer by many
large retailers: They raise the price on a popular brand for about two weeks and then cut the price to just
under the original price to make you think you're getting a bargain.
- Use the phone. Almost every grocery item has the manufacturer's phone number on the
can, box or bag, and some even have instructions to, "Let us know what you think." Well, pick up the phone and
call that 800 number. Tell the customer service rep how much you enjoyed the product. They will usually offer
you cents-off coupons and possibly even FREE coupons for the product itself.
- Take it back. Sometimes it happens. Something you've purchased is bad. Soured milk,
rotted fruit, fizzless soda, broken eggs. Don't be afraid to take it back. Food is simply too expensive NOT to
get what you paid for. Return bad items for credit or replacement. Most stores will gladly oblige.
- Stock up after Thanksgiving. November and December are the best months of the year to
save on groceries. There are more coupons issued in these two months than at any other time during the year.
The day after Thanksgiving, stores practically give turkeys away. This is when a freezer comes in handy. You'll
find some great bargains both after Thanksgiving and after Christmas. This is the time to stock up on
bargains.
- Check out supermarket web sites. Supermarket home pages often have coupons and
specials listed.
- Look up. Look down. The most popular and expensive items in an aisle are often put
between waist and shoulder level. Less expensive brands usually show up on the upper or lower shelves. Check to
make sure you're not missing out on something just because it's hard to see.
- Check out different forms of the same food. Before you buy green beans, check fresh,
frozen and canned to see which is less expensive by unit price. This goes for more than
just green beans -- obviously.
- Ditch disposables. Coffee filters, plastic bags, razors, water filters (instead of
bottled water) and more can be replaced with permanant items saving you money and saving space in the
landfill.
- Plan your meals. This is perhaps the hardest of all the ways to save money on
groceries, but it can be one of the most financially rewarding. You rarely buy things you don't need; you free
up precious time; you're less apt to waste food or better yet throw good food away. Like planning your day,
planning your meals can make a difference in your stress level.
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