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If you want to save money on groceries, there are many sneaky tricks to help your cause. The magical home hints on this page will add a little fairy dust to your day and will certainly add more cash to your stash!
If you are like me, you might prefer not to suck up precious chunks of your weekend trudging down those slippery aisles with a trolley. You might prefer to stay home instead of looking for a not-quite-ripe-yet banana or washing powder that is in a very pricey but quite-nice pink box. Trudging and looking can be very tiring indeed.
I’m sure there are plenty more activities you can do with your weekend. For example you might like to pant up a hill on a new bike trail or dig in the garden to doof-doof through a too-cool pair of headphones. Or perhaps you prefer to get a fresh copy of the Saturday paper and flip through it, while sipping on a too-strong latte?
You decide…
Personally, if I want to save money on groceries, my preference is to avoid the purchase the way I try to avoid laundry or doing the dishes. I would rather do any of the activities above than go to a supermarket.
This goal involves placing my tired feet up on the couch with my glasses perched at the tip of my nose ready for relaxation!
Plan A is to watch telly and Plan B? To watch telly with one eye on the internet and one finger doing my groceries – online. Yes. I am a multi-tasking type and I must say I do this very well, even with a wine in my other hand.
In fact, there are as many ways to save money on groceries, as there are marketing strategies to lure you in! And today, I’d like to let you in on some of my secrets.
So sit on your wallet and get ready to keep that hard-earned cash where it should stay! Under your butt!
Make a plan and stick to it
Leftovers calendar
Use a leftovers calendar. Mark down leftovers you put back in the fridge on the calendar. Now before whipping up new meals create meals from these leftovers. You can grab a leftovers calendar in the Printables section in the Savings Room. Before writing any shopping plan, always write a plan for using up leftovers first.
Have a plan
Always have a plan. Shopping without a plan will cost you double if not triple over the course of one year. If you do not shop with a plan consider you have lost a potential holiday away to your dream location. Again. Never go to the supermarket without a plan or a shopping list.
Meal-planning books
Invest in a meal-planning book like Table Tucker where meals are planned and budgeted out for an entire year. Visit Table Tucker for more information. Table Tucker suggests ways for using up leftovers every week and offers free lunch and snack ideas. You will also only cook three nights each week using this book. It is the world’s most cutting-edge eco-smart cooking system.
Use technology
Invest in a mobile app that will assist you in writing your grocery lists.
Budgeting
Never go to the supermarket without a budget in mind. Invest in a grocery budgeting app. Estimate the cost of your grocery shop if possible. Divvy up money for groceries each week and always be strict about staying within your budget.
Join a community
Try signing up to our community website where you can join a group like Frugal Foodies. Grab recipes and member submitted tips daily. Try starting a cooking co-op. You can search for members near your location to create a local cooking co-op.
Save on groceries by making your freezer your best friend
Timing
Set aside a specific time each week to plan groceries. Also set aside a specific time in your calendar to go grocery shopping each week. Alternatively complete your grocery shopping online.
Buy and cook in bulk
Buy ingredients in bulk every season and plan meals you can cook in bulk. Meal planning books like Table Tucker assist with bulk buying groceries each season and also help with using up leftovers. Buy rice, pasta and potatoes in bulk. Keep ingredients handy to avoid extra trips to the supermarket.
Make some good investments
Invest in a chest freezer so that you can buy meat in bulk. A slow cooker is also a great investment for creating delicious meals from cheaper cuts of meat.
Time grocery shopping right
Freeze meals
Freeze meals ahead of time to avoid cooking every night of the week. This reduces the temptation to buy takeaway food on those nights when you are too tired and cannot be bothered cooking.
Shop online
If you weigh up your spend, time and schedule, shopping online is an excellent option. Shopping from the couch is not only easy, it allows you to sort items by price. You will save money at the supermarket and produce excellent savings over the course of the year.
Source cheap suppliers
Always seek out and research the cheapest suppliers before venturing out. Local newspapers and the internet are great places to start this research.
Bookmark budget meals
Research budget meal ideas using blogs, books, websites and social network communities.
Coupons
Subscribe to coupon websites and start clipping coupons. Factor in these coupons when planning your menu, shopping list and grocery run. Sunday newspapers and local newspapers are full of coupons that can produce further savings.
Would you like even more great tips on how to save money on groceries?
Want more? Save money on groceries and download money saving cheat sheets | Use up leftovers, create quick and easy meals, find healthy budget lunch and dinner ideas!
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