How to Buy Groceries for Almost Free

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By Heidi Braley
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Almost Free Groceries

Who would not like to buy their groceries for a fraction of what they are paying now. Money has to go farther than ever before, or so it seems to us and food is one thing we cannot do without. If you knew that you could slash your grocery bill by at least 60 to 70% and still eat wonderful food, you would be so relieved and could pay off some bills with the extra money.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Find your local bumps and dents store. This is a store where the damaged goods go when they are not suitable for the retail grocery stores. It doesn't matter to many people that a can has a tear on its label or that a package of crackers is nearing its expiration date. Especially when they are paying pennies for the deal.
Step 2

Save your money and instead of paying the premium price for a local store, take the trip once a month or so to drive the distance to the discount outlet. Make a list of what you need and don't be tempted to buy junk food that will use up your money. By their frozen products for super discounts on breads, juices, ice cream and meats.
Step 3

Map out your trip and stop at vegetable stands to pick up fresh vegetables and fruits. Don't be ashamed to ask for their bruised produce. You can easily wash and prep it when you get home and they sell it for next to nothing.
Step 4

Try to shop for dairy products at a dairy outlet. You will have to do a little homework to find one with good prices, but many times if you drive to areas that are less economically advantaged, you will find better prices.
Step 5

Plant seeds as often as you can from the produce you buy. Watermelon will grow quickly from seeds you spit out. Buy a bag of dry beans and plant a couple of dozen along your fence. Pop a few cherry tomatoes in a patio pot and cover it with soil and soon you will have a thriving tomato plant. Use the growing season to your advantage. One cucumber plant will give you scores of cucumbers and a little mint will grow into a wild crazy amount of edible greens.
Step 6

Buy frozen meats when they go on sale and that means a real sale, not just when they say it is a sale. Turkey is often sold for under 50 cents a pound around Thanksgiving, and brisket around Easter and sausage around July 4. Wait for the sales and then buy extra and throw them into your deep freezer.

Comments

eac913 said

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on 10/3/2009 This is great information and so true. I buy my bread at the "Day Old" store. They taste just as fresh as what I used to buy in the grocery store. What is a bumps and dents store though?

wesellforu said

on 9/29/2009 Great tips, we usually shop at an outlet store first then go to the regular grocery store for anything else we need. This really helps us Buy Groceries for Almost Free. Thanks for the great article 5* and recommend