Tips To Help You Save The Most Money At The Grocery Store

Providing nutritious tasty meals to your family and friends gets harder and harder in today's economy. You need to plan ahead so that your not wasting any grocery items and part of your grocery budget. If you need a half of a cabbage head to make slaw tonight plan on using the other half of that cabbage head in a recipe with in a few days. If you only need half of that carton of ricotta cheese plan a use for the rest in a day or two. Don't waste or have to throw away half a item or part of a item because you only used half of it in your initial recipe. Always remember with most recipes you can double the recipe and freeze or refrigerate half for another day.

Coupons Can Save You Big Money At The Grocery Store

Pay attention as you read the above title. Coupons can save you big money at the grocery store. You should always purchase a Sunday newspaper for the coupons they contain. Also check with your local supermarkets to see if they offer double coupon days. Take your Sunday newspaper and go through it carefully looking for all the coupons you can use. Clip these coupons out and organize them in a envelope. If a grocery store in your area offers double coupon days shop there with your coupons on one of those days even if it is only for the items you have coupons for.

Buy One Get One Free Sales

While some of these can be real bargains be sure that what you are buying is a real bargain. Ask yourself some very important questions.

1. Is the item you are paying for to get the free item over priced.

2. Always compare popular items prices at other area grocery stores.

3. Do you really need two of the same items and do you have adequate storage for perishable or frozen items.

4. Organize your pantry so you can look at a glance and see how many of each item you have.

5. Don't buy a buy one get one free item just because its on sale. Have a plan for that item when you purchase it. Ask yourself what are you going to make with it and when.

Plan Your Meals At Least A Week Ahead.

Always plan your meals at least a week ahead and write out a simple menu so you can check to see if you have all the items you will need to make a particular recipe on hand or will you need to make a trip to the grocery store.

Keep a list of needed grocery store items so you can easily make a grocery store list. Always when ever possible purchase the store brand of any item as the store brand will almost always be cheaper than a name brand item.

Do your grocery store shopping alone with a grocery list and a calculator. Add your groceries up as you put the items in the grocery buggy. Check over your grocery receipt carefully once you get home. You would be surprised how often I find myself being over charged. Be sure that there are not items on your grocery receipt that you did not bring home with you.

When you get in the habit of cooking ahead you will also find yourself saving money. If your making hamburger helper tonight and tacos tomorrow cook all your hamburger tonight and place the hamburger meat for tomorrow nights tacos in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Make Good Use Of Your Crock Pot

Your crock pot can and should be a big part of your day to day life. Plan meals for your crock pot and your life will get so much easier. If you use your crock pot your meal will be ready when you come home from a hard day at work. I would suggest purchasing two crock pots in case you want to cook more than one item. One crock pot should be larger than the other in case you want to cook a large roast or etc. Purchase a good crock pot cook book or search Hub Pages for great Crock Pot recipes.

1. Always save and use grocery store coupons. See if any of your area grocery stores have double coupon days.

2. Don't take anyone grocery shopping with you. Always shop from a list and only buy what is on the list. Don't go grocery store shopping hungry.

3. Use what ever grocery coupons you have on every grocery shopping trip.

4. Make use of your crock pot or crock pots and use them on a regular basis. Purchase a good crock pot recipe book.

5. Always check over your grocery store receipts carefully when you come home from the grocery store. Check the total and check for items you did not receive.

6. Only purchase what is on your grocery shopping list.

7. Always purchase store brand items when you can. Store brand items will be half or less the cost of name brand items.

8. Buy the larger family size packs of meat and break them down into smaller packages at home and you will save money.

9. Chop or slice up your own fruits and vegetables. You pay extra for those chopped or sliced up ready to use items.

Thanks for taking the time to read my Hub Page on Saving Money at the Grocery Store. Please feel free to post your own comments or tips below.