Five Ways to Save on Groceries This Month

We all want to spend less on our grocery budgets, right? Here are five things I've been doing that help me save an average of $50 a month on my grocery budget:

1. Bin shopping.
I'm sure this is on nearly every "lower your grocery budget" list. At our fairly local bag-it-yourself store, bin items cost about 1/4 the price of prepackaged items at a typical grocery store. And they have a vast selection of snacks, fruits, cereals, nuts, legumes, flours, sugars, spices, trail mixes--the list goes on and on. The bins also include specialty "healthy" options that can provide GREATER than a 75% discount from typical store prices.

2. Peruse local sales paper ads.
Many of these are offered with a local paper (we have a free classified paper delivered every Tuesday that includes local grocery store ads) or can be found online. It is easy to compare sales prices and purchase specific items you are looking for. I've found this particularly helpful when shopping for meat, which is typically one of the highest priced menu items. Couponing can also be very beneficial, although it can be time-consuming and can woo us into buying items we don't really need or use.

3. Eat more hot cereal.
Serving per serving, hot cereal costs less than cold cereal does. And it is easier to control your sugar intake. Oatmeal, for instance, is high in fiber and protein, can be microvawed in just over a minute, and the topping selection is limited only by your imagination.

4. Plan meals in advance.
I've developed a 2-week meal plan which includes a number of inexpensive menu items. When I follow this plan, I can purchase items in advance (often at the less expensive bag-it-yourself store). This saves time as well as money as it requires less trips to the store AND reduces the temptation to eat out or get "quick fix" meals (plus the temptation to buy that pop or candy bar or other little thing that we don't really need).

5. Invest in resources that help lower budget costs.
I purchased three used books that include great ideas for saving money and feeding the family for less. The books have been worth far more than the small investment they required. They are:
The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn
The Tightwad Gazette II by Amy Dacyczyn
More-with-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre

Happy saving! I'd love to hear about your experiences, and any tips you have that you'd like to share.