How do you plan the food shopping for your family a week in advance? Do you know how to take advantage of grocery store sales and coupons? Do you know where to find information about sales? Or where to get grocery store coupons? How much of your budget goes for meats and fish? You need to know the answers to questions like these if you are to plan and shop sensibly for your food.
If you do food shopping, you’ll want to save money. And you’ll want to have nutritionally balanced meals. To get what you want, you should get into the habit of shopping from a list. If you shop from a list, you probably won’t buy a lot of food that go to waste. And you will save time at the grocery store, because you will know exactly what you want. When you make up a shopping list, be sure to include not only what you want, but also how much.
To stretch your dollar, you should keep certain things in mind. The following ideas, if put into practice, will help you get the most from your grocery dollar:
– Shop from a list, made as you run out of foods and when planning your weekly menu.
– Try to shop just once a week, to save your own time.
– Don’t shop when you’re hungry; you may buy things you don’t really need.
– Use newspaper sale ads to spot good sale buys and to help you plan weekly menus. Also look for some brands; they’re usually cheaper.
– Check unit price labels. Find out which package costs less per pound or ounce.
– When you see a good sale bargain, stock up for the weeks ahead. But make sure you’ve got storage space.
– Look for product coupons and "double coupon days" to save money at your grocery store.
– Set a top price for meat or fish for each meal.
– Plan your menus to use up leftovers.
– Make a list of staples – the groceries and supplies you always use.
You definitely would want to stay within your grocery budget. But it’s hard to add up grocery prices as you walk through the store. Usually you don’t know how much you’ve spent until the clerk adds up your bill. And by then, it may be too late. The idea is to balance your budget the next week. If, for example, you spent too much last week, make sure you need everything you have on this week’s list. Plan less expensive main dishes. Cut out a meat (do this if you have to). Substitute fish or rice and beans, if this will save money.
If, on the other hand, you spent less than your budget last week, stock up on good sale buys.
Planning ahead helps keep your food costs down. You will also keep your food costs down if you pay careful attention to the prices for each item you buy.
Leave Your Comments