How to Save Big on Your Grocery Bill

We are in tough times. Things you used to be able to spend on freely may not be so "free" anymore. However, there are still certain things needed to survive, such as groceries. Read these tips for way to save big on your mandatory grocery bill.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The desire to save!

1. Firstly - use what you have. If necessary, go through your pantry, your cabinets, and take an honest mental note of what you actively use and what seems to sit forever til it gets old.
   Use this mental note to figure what you actually NEED to buy, because you actually do...and what you don't really need.
   If you can, take the things just "sitting there", and throw together a quick meal...Or give it to someone who will use it!

2. Price compare. Sometimes you go in the store and grab it because it what you see first. Take the time to walk up and down the aisle and price compare. If you can, take time to compare 2 or 3 different stores or ask around to see who generally better prices on certain grocery items you buy.

3. Store brands! Nothing wrong with that. As with Step 2, you can try a cheaper, store brand for yourself to compare it to the name brand you may currently use, or simply ask around about better-tasting store brands.
   As with medications, clothes, and many other things - "generic" or store brand groceries can help you save big and still give you what you like.

4. Coupons! If you don't already, scourge through your Sunday paper. If this is not of interest to you (which I strongly encourage), hop online (or do both!) and pull up coupons for items you need.
   there are also online sites I have heard of such as The Grocery Game (link below) where you can find sales at your local stores.

5. Plan shopping trips, and make sure you don't take too many! Impulse shopping generally means more spending, compared to planned and shopping-list driven trips to the grocery store.
   Make a shopping list. Review it and edit/cut and note items as needed, and make sure you have it when you go!

6. Faucet water! You might be surprised to discover how expensive bottled water really is, especially if you have a bigger household/family size.
   Buy a good-quality filter for you sink faucet, or you fridge, and drink away!

7. Bigger family size? If you don't know of it already, investigate bulk-shopping at wholesale clubs/stores such as BJs and Sam's Club. At these stores you can buy items in bigger sizes and packages (known as "bulk") compared to smaller sizes and sometimes a great final price than in regular grocery stores.

Tips & Warnings

• Be honest when comparing prices, and considering what items you can stand to cut out of your grocery budget. i.e. - "I buy 2 bags of candy every 2 weeks...but it doesn't get eaten unless my nieces and nephews come over, once a month." Go figure!

Resources

• The Grocery Game site

[jcrush]

on 8/17/2009 we should go shopping together, you do the groceries and I'll do the thrift store shopping, lol./*****