It never fails, we budget for our groceries, but the bill always ends up being more. We underestimate, run out of things faster than expected and overall, everything is becoming just too darned expensive! To make things a little bit easier, here are 9 simple ways you can start saving money on your groceries.

1. Go with a List: Yes, I know…it’s a pretty obvious suggestion, but it’s amazing how effective it can be. You can purchase only what you need and avoid all the other yummy distractions of the grocery store.

2. Meal Planning: Planning your meals in advance makes it easier to get your list together and ensure you buy only exactly what you need. You can get help with your meal planning at Dine Without Whine AND they actually put your grocery list together for you too.

3. Eat Before You Go: Another classic tip. If you’re hungry, you’ll want to buy (and instantly eat) everything! Have a meal or good snack before you go to avoid impulse purchases.

4. Stock Up on Staple Items When They’re On Sale: If you see ketchup or your family’s favorite sauce on sale, stock up. Or if it’s a certain type of soup or frozen vegetable your family eats all the time, buy a bunch of it. As long as it doesn’t spoil and you have space to store it, you will save money in the long run. The nice thing about this is if you continue to stock up on a variety of items, you’ll have a nice pantry full of food at any given time.

5. Cook from Scratch More Often: Yeah, yeah…it sounds easier said than done, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. It’s no secret that pre-packaged items and convenience foods come at a premium price. They save you time in preparation, but they eat up your budget and let’s face it, time IS money. Plus, if you’re using Tip #2 and planning your meals, cooking from scratch more often is a whole lot easier.

6. Comparison Shop Before You Leave Home: No, I’m definitely not suggesting you go from store-to-store looking for the best deal. That takes too much time. Check the flyers that come to your door and see who is offering the best deals on what you actually need. If you don’t have any flyers at your door, visit the store website as they generally post flyers online.

7. Use Coupons Sparingly: Sure, coupons offer a great deal, but most coupons you’ll find are for items you don’t really need or use. Resist the urge to think, “Wow, that’s a good deal” and search for coupons based on items you need to purchase instead.

8. Keep the Little Ones At Home: If you have young children that want everything that they see, it’s easy to get into the trap of buying items you don’t need, treats that aren’t healthy and become victim to other grocery store distractions. Keep the kids at home with Daddy (it’s a good bonding opportunity) or a relative. You can even swap grocery store shopping times with your neighbor. Not only will you save money, but you’ll save your sanity too!

9. Make Quick Stops for Fresh Ingredients: This may not be easy if you’re on a tight schedule, but if you can work it in, it can save you a bundle. One of the biggest culprits in grocery budgets gone bad is spoiled food. If your fruits, veggies and other perishable items are always going bad, consider shopping for them more frequently, but in smaller quantities and restrain yourself from buying items you don’t need. If you have any teenaged kids, this would be a great chore for them too.

There you go – 9 ways to save on groceries. But in order to make these tips work, you really need to have a plan in place. You need to know what your family needs and what you’ll be eating. To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for you 1 ¢ no-risk trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your grocery budget will be glad you did.

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

9 Simple Ways to Save Money on Your Groceries

In these days, being frugal is important.

Unemployment is higher than it’s been in a long time, and many companies are downsizing or going out of business, which means job security is almost non-existent.

Combine that with the concern that prices will be going up soon, and you’ve got some very good reasons to watch your spending.

Here are some tips on how you can adopt a frugal lifestyle from my friend Cara Mirabella:

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Having trouble making ends meet? Have more month left than money? Many people struggle with this issue. One of the best ways to save money and truly stretch your dollars all the way to the end of the month is to live a more frugal lifestyle.

Yes, frugality is key. Being frugal with one’s life does not mean that you will live a life, doing without and hoarded away. Frugal living is actually very freeing. Frugal living frees up your finances to work harder and smarter for you so that you in turn do not have to work so hard to actually bring in an income.

In a time where 40% of Americans live beyond their means, meaning they spend more monthly than they make, finding ways to save and learning to be more frugal sounds like a winning idea.

There are a few key concepts that one must adopt in order to begin living a more frugal lifestyle.

Smarter money management. A person must begin to not only spend less money, but also manage the money they have in a smarter way. This can take some time and discipline but will truly pay off in the end.

Spending less. A person must also learn how to spend less than they make. This can be a difficult process for some who have spent more than their paycheck for a long time, however if they adopt some frugal living ideas they can be doing this in no time.

Saving. With the money that they save through not spending as much, they can begin to put away money into savings; another key to frugal living that will help a person to get ahead.

Continuing the process. Continuing to spend more and save less is key.

Adopting some key concepts to frugal living can truly change the way you live your life, and the way that your money works for you. Become different from the norm and begin a smarter, more frugal lifestyle today.

About the Author:

Cara Mirabella is a WAHM with one toddler from New Jersey. She owns and manages TheHouseholdHelper.com – a site dedicated to saving your time, money and sanity when managing your household. She has written several articles, reports and e-books including Frugal Living – How to Stretch Your Hard Earned Dollar.

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

Adopting a Frugal Lifestyle

You shouldn’t have to break the piggy bank just to put food on the table, but sometimes it sure feels that way.  Especially with the price of food going up these days…

Here are some tips on how to have a frugal dinner any night of the week:

1.  Cut down on the meat.  If a recipe calls for a pound of ground beef, use 3/4 or even 1/2 pound instead.  I generally will buy ground beef in bulk (especially when it’s on sale), and then will partition it into 1/2 and 3/4 pound portions.  Thanks to my trusty food saver, the ground beef stays fresh for much longer.

2.  Eat more veggies.  Watch for veggies that are in season, on sale or you can use frozen veggies.  I actually like cooking with frozen vegetables better than fresh veggies for certain recipes.

3.  Cook in bulk and freeze the leftovers.  I can’t tell you how much time and money we have saved since I bought my food saver and started cooking more bulk meals.  My family actually looks forward to leftovers now because they stay much fresher with the food saver.  And it’s much easier to plan meals when I’ve got full meals and several side dishes tucked away in the freezer.

4.  Use more pasta, rice and potatoes in your meals.  These are all cheap ingredients that can go a long way in a recipe.  And you can create countless of your own homemade skillet meals with these ingredients (instead of using a box mix).

5.  Make your own spice mixes.  Those packets of taco, chili and other seasonings can get pretty expensive.  Thankfully, many recipes for taco seasoning and other seasonings can be found online, using spices that you probably already have on hand, so it’s very easy to create your own spice mixes instead of spending a dollar or more on one envelope that will last for just one meal.

These are just a few ideas on how to have a frugal dinner.  Please share your own ways to save money on dinner!

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

Frugal Dinner Ideas

Make a grocery list and stick to it.  Don’t be tempted by instore ads or specials if it’s not on your list.  Unless it’s something you KNOW you will use – like laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc.

Also, leave the kids at home when grocery shopping.  You’ll be amazed how much you save by not adding all of those little extras onto your grocery bill!

Brought to you by mygrocerydeals.com and thedollarstretcher.com

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This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

Grocery Tip of the Week

Plan Your Meals in Advance

The key to meal planning is obviously planning your meals ahead of time. Unfortunately, many parents come home each night, ready to cook a easy dinner and have absolutely no idea what to make. With your family getting hungry and a little cranky, most families give up and drive to the nearest fast food or casual dining establishment. If you want to make sure that you stay home for dinner and that you and your family are all eating healthy, you must plan ahead.

Usually, the best way to organize your meals is to plan them out a week ahead of time. Determine a budget, determine which foods you and your family would like to eat, add in some of your family’s favorites and then create a shopping list. One of the best ways to meal plan is to make a calendar. Start out with a main dish for each night and then add in a side dish, desert and soup/salad.

Main Dish
Main dishes are obviously an awesome place to start. Usually the majority of main dishes consist of protein such as poultry, beef, pork or fish. Any one of these make a great option and by changing it around during the week, your family won’t be bored and you can please almost everyone’s favorite foods. For families that are trying to lose weight or have a history of disease such as heart disease and diabetes, the main dish is the main area you should focus on creating meals that fit your dietary requirements and lifestyle. You can easily choose lean meats, choose to eat more fish and for vegetarian eaters, substitute meat dishes with soy and main vegetable dishes.

Side Dishes
Side dishes are very critical to planning meals. This is your best chance to introduce vegetables into your family’s diet. Be sure you have at least one vegetable in the rotation each night. For best results two or more types of vegetables each meal is optimal.

Soup & Salad
For those watching your weight, a soup or salad is an ideal option to fill up in the beginning of the meal and enjoy smaller main dish portions later on. Soups are excellent during the winter months when the weather is cold outside and salads are an awesome way to get a healthy blend of fresh seasonal fruits or vegetables.

Desserts
If you are trying to get everyone to stay until the end of the meal, desserts are your best bet. Yummy desserts are very popular; you can also choose healthy fare such as fruit salads, fruit smoothies, and Jell-o.

For those looking to save time and money throughout the month on meals, your best option is through meal planning.

For a free meal planning worksheet and shopping list check out http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/ShoppingList.pdf

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

Meal Planning: How Much Can You Save?

I compiled a list of items that we buy on a regular basis.Instead of “writing” a list each month, I print it off on our home computer and post it on the fridge. I highlight what I need. Saves time since I can see at a glance what I need to buy.
Anna

Brought to you by mygrocerydeals.com and thedollarstretcher.com

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

Grocery Tip of the Week

A friend showed me the benefits of meal planning a couple of years ago and now I’m hooked!

Here are just a few of the many benefits of menu planning:

* Save money on groceries
* Save time
* Eat healthier
* Fewer trips to the grocery store
* Less food spoilage

In the next post, I’ll show you how to get started with menu planning.  Until then…

This post provide courtesy of: My Weekly Menu Planner where you can find meal planning tips, recipes and more.

What Is Meal Planning?