•look at the price per ounce: my local grocery store actually lists the price per ounce (or per ea) on their price labels for most things and I love this because you may think you're buying the cheapest cereal, but if you look at that small print number, you will see which brand is actually the best deal. If your grocery store doesn't list it, it's easy to figure out. Pull out your phone, open the calculator, and divide the price by the number of ounces (or the amount of whatever is in the package) don't be afraid to compare prices. Write them down if you need to. It may take a little longer to consider everything you buy, but you'll get the hang of it and remember which brands are usually the best price and the little savings always add up.
•don't be afraid to try a new brand: just because your mom always buys a certain brand of something or the commercial looks better, does not mean that the off brand or cheaper similar brand isn't as good. I will admit right now that sometimes, the brand does matter and you don't want to stock up on a brand that is strange to you, but give it a try and if you like it, it will save you money. On the other hand, don't forget to do your math because sometimes, the name brand is in sale and actually cheaper, so don't be afraid to check.
•do your homework: shop around and find out which stores have the best prices/quality on which things and plan your shopping trips according to that. If there's that one thing in the next town that's cheaper it may not be worth it, but if you have a whole list, make the trip. For example, I know that at Costco I can buy milk, cheese, eggs, and butter for cheaper than maceys, so I plan to go there for those things (which isn't a big deal now that we have our own Costco yay) but I also know that chicken, diapers, Parmesan, and honey is cheaper (and/or the brand I prefer) at SAMs club, so I take a trip over there using my parents membership card every once in a while and sock up on all these things when I do.
•meat: I almost never buy meat for more than $2-3 per lb. there is the occasional steak or brisket that we buy sometimes for a holiday or birthday, but other than that, I just wait for the meat to go on sale and then I buy a bunch and put most of it in the freezer. This is also a nice trick for quick meals sometimes, if you are freezing a bunch of meat, try preparing it for a specific meal, cut it and put it in marinade then let it sit in the fridge while it thaws and marinates. You could also grill some chicken in your favorite seasoning and then cut and freeze it for a casserole or soup later. Keep an eye out for meat thats on sale, if its going to go bad writhing a few days, then you can prepare it and freeze it that day. Make sure to put a date on everything and use the oldest stuff first.
•buying extras: for the most part, we don't. We don't usually buy a lot of chips or soda or fun snacks just because, well, we talk ourselves out of it. And let's be honest, if I'm not willing to spend the money on junk food, it also stops my family from eating it which is healthier. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't get treats every now and then, just be frugal about it. We usually only buy fun stuff when it's on sale.
•make it yourself: I am always on the lookout for a good new recipe to make something from scratch because it is almost always cheaper. We never have boxed dinners, canned soup, or anything like that. Don't get me wrong, I know it can be a lot of work and I'm not trying to brag. Depending on your time availability, you may or may not be able to make very much from scratch, but the more you do, the better. If you have a hard time with dinners, try looking up some good recipes for mixes or frozen dinners that you can make a whole bunch of on a Saturday or something and have ready to go. Next time you make a casserole, make an extra and put it in the freezer. For the most part, the more time you spend on something, the less money you will spend on it.
•sales: always keep an eye out for things that are on sale. If its less than you usually spend and it is something that is easily preserved, stock up. I frequently walk past things I don't intend to buy just to see if its on sale (if its not, don't get roped into buying it haha)
•snacks: ok, so before I had kids, I felt like snacks fell in the fun/unnecessary category. For some people that is the case, but with kids, you really can't make it through the day without snacks. There are a lot of things you can make yourself (I don't have a clue how to make fruit snacks, so we never have those, but I have a pretty good granola bar recipe) and there are a lot of things you can buy in bulk. I see a lot of people with the giant boxes of individually wrapped crackers, pretzels, etc. and this is a great start. If this is the case with you and you still feel like you need to cut back on the budget, skip the box of individually wrapped pretzels and go for the giant party bag. Take it one step further an instead of using a ziplock, use washable containers. You can buy small plastic containers, or save the containers from things like applesauce/fruit cups. (Which brings me to the next thing) for fruit or veggies, do the math and if its cheaper to buy fresh produce, it's not too much more work to prepare. Give the kids a fresh apple slice or banana. If you need it on the go, give your apples or pears a quick lemon juice or lemon lime soda bath. Oranges and cucumbers also travel well after they are peeled and/or sliced and kept in an airtight bag or container. Bananas are perfect any time, anywhere. (If there is leftover of a banana, it will stay perfectly good as long as its not peeled down all the way just slice off the exposed end when your ready to finish it) if you feel like you are spending too much on prepared/packaged snacks, look at each one and ask yourself how you could cut the cost of it.
I hope these tips will help you in your quest to lower the grocery budget. My one last rule for you is a good ole "when it doubt, leave it out" if you aren't convinced that you need something, then don't put it in your cart. (This is also my motto for clothes shopping ;) )
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