6 Simple Ways to Save Money on Food

Food is one of the biggest controllable expenses in a budget. With a few simple tricks you can save a lot of money on groceries and other food related expenses.

Make a List & Stick to It

Before you head to the store to buy groceries take a look around your kitchen cupboards and refrigerator. Make a list of what is missing and plan some meals for the upcoming week or two. When you are at the store don’t buy things that aren’t on your list unless you genuinely need them.

Use Grocery Store Ads

Look for coupons and sales on items you buy normally while planning trips to the grocery store. Wait till staple items for your household go on sale and stock up on them when you have a coupon.

Limit Grocery Store Trips

Try not to go more than once a week. The more trips you may to the store the more likely you are to spend more money and buy items that you don’t need.

Limit Eating Out

I like eating out as much as the next person, but it can really impact a budget. The convenience is not usually worth the extra cost and it is usually less healthy than making the food at home. Use eating out as a treat, not as a habit.

Fill Your Freezer with Ice

If you have a large deep freezer or even a small one with empty space in it, fill up a used milk jug with water and put it in your freezer. This will eventually freeze and help keep your freezer from having to run so much, saving money on your energy bill.

Reuse

Do you really need to buy paper bags for sack lunches each day or can you use all those plastic bags from the store? Do you really need to throw out that Ziploc bag after one use? Instead of paper towels or paper napkins, why not use a rag or cloth napkins? This is not only good for your bank account, but good for the environment too.