Not many of us are beginners, but just in case a few of my readers are I thought I would share some tips. Perhaps there are even a few that regular Frugalites have missed in their quest.
1. Use grocery delivery when you can. This keeps you out of a store if shopping is something that is your downfall.
2. Set a food budget. Once done see if you can lower it in a couple of months.
3. Create a meal plan. This is such a money saver and makes one take stock of what leftovers are in their fridge.
4. Always make your grocery list based on your menu plan. Once you start being able to buy items ahead of time, you can actually have the makings of meals months down the road.
5. Check unit prices in the store. The cheapest is not always the best buy.
6. Eat at home. If you want to eat out for a special occasion that is fine. Remember the least expensive meal to eat out is breakfast.
7. Save veggie scraps for broth, the same with chicken/turkey/ham bones. Save the bits of leftover bread to make bread crumbs.
8. Drink more water. Not only will this save you money, but is better for your health as well.
9. Grow your own food if possible.
10. Buy meat in bulk if you have invested in a deep freeze. Deep freezers are relatively inexpensive now, so if you have room go for it.
11. Check for manager specials or clearance food.
12. Learn to can or freeze seasonal veggies and fruits.
13. Go to U-pick farms if there are any near you. Much less expensive than purchasing the same fruit or veggies from a market.
14. Make your own bread if possible. The cost is less than half of purchasing it in a store.
15. Make your own treats from scratch at home. Much less costly than purchasing a package of cookies and you get a great deal more.
Everybody have a wonderful evening.
God bless.
I'm the opposite - I always go to the shops so I can pick out exactly what I want. The number of time in the past I have been given substitutes or an item just hasn't been available . . . and sometimes the quality isn't great.
ReplyDeleteI do always have a list based on planning though and am quite good at sticking to it, although I do always take a look at any yellow sticker items. :-)
xx
Good idea in theory to set a food budget, but I've found it nigh on impossible to lower it as the price of food items goes up so much week on week. Pick your own farms (as they're called here) are a good idea, I don't know if there are any here where we've moved to, will have to investigate.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific list, Jackie.
ReplyDeleteGreet advice. I do most of them. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI chuckled at the first point. Since I've moved in with my daughter, I have taken over the grocery purchases as she cannot be trusted to stick with the list. I did go overbudget with groceries last month, but mostly because I was stocking up for my son, and then my daughter. We're at a point now, that it is at replacement/sale items now.
ReplyDeleteCooking and eating at home is probably the thing that has helped me save money. I do admit we've had fast food a few times since I moved here, mostly because I was exhausted and it was "my" night to cook. :)
All very good ideas!
Here are a few more.
ReplyDelete16. Buy store brand products
17. Make your menu depending what’s on sale for the week.
18. Shop loss leaders at several stores if they are within a reasonable travel distance.
19. Look for a bread outlet. In my area the one I frequented closed but I just discovered another one that is on my way to a used bookstore where I donate books.
20. Check the grocery ads as soon as they are out. Your store might have an online preview if you register for their website.
I do some of them, and I used to do the ones I don't do. It seems I used to be way more frugal than I am now, but I still consider myself frugal.
ReplyDeleteWe do pretty much all of these tips. Resident Chef has been making our own (sourdough) bread since covid hit and we never buy treats, other than a very occasional bag of potato chips. There's always a dessert in our freezer to pull out for a little treat on the weekends (tonight it's homemade cherry pie and tomorrow night it will be carrot cake). We started doing online grocery orders and curb side pick up and I love it because I know it saves us money overall, to say nothing about the time it saves.
ReplyDeleteAll great tips. We don't have delivery where we live but I prefer to go shopping anyway. Well my husband does it usually. Too many times I've heard people getting the wrong items or produce with spots etc. Also, it usually involves delivery costs, unless you buy some specific name brand items. Buying generic brands is what we save on too, although we don't have a lot of generic brands where we live, or they aren't much cheaper.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while we do make bread, buying bread is actually a lot cheaper where we live (due to government subsidies). I still love to bake bread so won't put a stop to that!