How to Stock Your Kitchen Cheaply
If you're trying to cut expenses and stick to a budget, evaluate the way you stock your kitchen. You may be able to significantly cut your weekly expenses by using a few savvy shopping techniques. After the first shopping trip during which you use these techniques, add up all the money you saved. This can help provide incentive to stick to your new shopping routine. As you shop, remember that eating cheaply does not necessarily mean eating poorly. You can still prepare flavorful, healthy meals using less expensive ingredients.
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Things You'll Need
- Coupons
- Circulars
- Nonperishable ingredients
- Eggs
- Beans
- Frozen vegetables
Instructions
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Make a meal plan before you go to the grocery store. If you know exactly what you're going to cook for the next week or two, you'll be less likely to waste money on items you don't need. When considering your weekly menu, aim for meals that can offer leftovers. For example, if you cook a large pot of spaghetti or chili (depending on how many people you feed), you can likely eat it for the next two dinners. This not only helps stretch your budget, it also saves time in the kitchen.
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Write a list after defining your meal plan. Include all the ingredients you need to make each dinner. Include items for breakfasts and lunches. If you typically eat lunch out, start buying ingredients you need to make it yourself. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are cheaper than ordering out from a restaurant. They also provide you with protein and whole grains (make sure to buy whole grain bread). Include a few snacks on your list, too, such as fruit, nuts or yogurt.
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Check coupon possibilities before you go to the store. Only use coupons if they will truly save you money. For example, don't buy a product you ordinarily wouldn't, just because you have a coupon for it. This doesn't save you money; it encourages you to spend more. On the other hand, if you have a coupon for an item you normally buy, but it's a different brand, purchase the cheaper brand instead.
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Explore your local dollar stores before you go to the grocery store. Some towns have more than one of these. Many dollar stores offer cheap spices, boxed pasta, canned fruit and similar items. Check the expiration dates on all items before you purchase them.
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Check the circulars from different grocery stores before you go shopping. Circulars are typically available in your newspaper or you could check stores' websites. Go to the grocery store that offers sales for the products you plan to buy.
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Stick to your list when you shop. Avoid the temptation to buy extra items. It may help to mentally add up the prices as you add the items to your cart. When you select a product, choose the generic brand.
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Calculate whether the bulk price for an item is cheaper than the individual unit price. If you use a lot of a particular item, consider buying it in bulk if it's cheaper that way. Avoid buying items such as fresh vegetables in bulk, as they will likely spoil before you eat them all.
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Stock up on common, nonperishable ingredients if you have a little extra money. Delish recommends stocking up on items such as cooking oils, condiments, broth, baking ingredients, pasta and canned items.
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Explore local and national aid options. If your household is low-income, you may qualify for assistance programs, such as food stamps. Check with your local government as well; they may have additional programs. Ask a librarian for help finding either public or private local programs. There may be a church, food pantry or other organization near you that can help you stock your pantry.
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Tips & Warnings
Even if you aren't a vegetarian, you don't need to eat expensive meat for every dinner. Eggs and beans are cheaper sources of protein.
If you have kids, avoid bringing them to the grocery store with you. They may ask you to buy extra snacks or a more expensive brand.
Frozen vegetables will keep for months in your freezer. If you find yourself throwing away spoiled fresh vegetables, switch to frozen to save money.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit chillies image by Hassan N from Fotolia.com
