Cutting your food budget is one of the best ways to reduce your expenses — freeing up cash to grow your savings and pay off debt. Even better, there are a number of strategies for doing so while enjoying healthy meals, wholesome snacks and even the occasional splurge.
In fact, following these tips will find you eating better in many cases.
So, let’s take a look at saving money on food.
Shop the Perimeter
Fresh foods are almost always found around the outer edge of the store. Meanwhile, less wholesome, processed foods usually inhabit the aisles. Shopping the perimeter means you’ll spend less money, while avoiding foods packed with preservatives, artificial colors and flavorings.
In other words, the perimeter is more affordable and better for you too.
Plan Menus Around Ads
Most grocery stores issue weekly circulars touting the items on which they have sale prices. With a bit of study, you can craft entire meals around discounted items. What’s more, if something your family really loves goes on sale, buy more than you’ll need for that week and store it for later. Oh, and one more thing: If the store is out of stock on a sale item, ask for a rain check so you can get it at the sale price when they get more.
Go in with a Plan
Figure out what you need to get, create a list and set a budget before you go to the grocery store. This keeps you focused on your needs, which will reduce your spend. It also gets you out of the store faster.
Shop Alone & After Eating
“Ooooh, Mommy, look! Happy Honey Pops! Can we get some?” “Hey Sweetie, check it out! This (thing we don’t need) is on sale two for the price of one!”
Going into the store alone frees you from the distractions kids and spouses create. If you must take them with you, give them “the talk” before you go into the store. Remind them you’re here to buy what’s on the list — no pricey extras.
To that same end, always avoid shopping when you’re hungry. This is a proven budget buster. Everything looks good when you’re hungry, so you’ll buy things you don’t need. And, for the record, two for the price of one is only a deal if you needed to buy one in the first place.
Buy Produce in Season
One of the miracles of modern logistics is you can get a watermelon in Minnesota in January. Grown in a sunnier climate, picked just as it begins ripening and flown to the colder climate, the melon arrives just in time for you to purchase it ripe.
However, it’s going to cost far more than the locally grown watermelon you’d buy in August. It’s likely to be less flavorful too. The fruit ripened off the vine where it could have continued being nourished as it came to fruition. Long story short, you’ll get the best price and more flavor when you shop in season.
Go to Bargain Markets
Large mainstream chain stores and smaller boutique grocers have costs built into their prices bargain markets can avoid. As a result, you can find identical items for as much as 50 percent less. Yes, you’ll do without the nice décor and pleasant lighting, but you’ll leave the store with more of your dough still in your pocket.
These tips for saving money on food will help you free up cash to afford other needed items, save and eliminate debt. If the latter is a concern, consulting a company like Freedom Debt Relief can help you find other ways to make your money go farther through debt settlement. And any penny you can free up on food costs can go toward working on getting rid of these debts faster.
In the meantime, you’ll eat better with these ideas — for a lot less money.
