saving money
Saving Money At The Grocery Store
Providing nutrition meals for your family is important, but the cost of the groceries it takes to prepare them can certainly affect what you are able to do. To help offset the cost of preparing meals, you need to plan well for it. Too many items we use to make meals end up going in the trash. If you only need Ω a head of lettuce then plan another meal to use the rest of it so it doesn’t end up in the trash.
While it does take longer to prepare home cooked meals, it is less expensive than buying frozen products that offer you more convenience. They will generally run you twice as much as the ingredients you need to prepare the foods yourself. If time is an issue, consider using one day a week to prepare various meals that you can freeze for later in the week.
It is understandable that everyone wants to cook with the ingredients that will make foods taste the best they can. Yet most of us purchase items at the grocery store based on a name brand we are familiar with. Have you ever stopped to compare the price with store brand? If not, you really need to as you will be shocked at the price difference. Yet in most cases the store brand of a given item is every bit as good as the name brands.
A couple good examples of this include cereals and sodas. Name brand boxes of cereal can cost you around $4 per box. When you purchase the store brands that come in plastic bags instead of the boxes you will find you get twice as much cereal for less than Ω of the cost. I pour those larger bags into airtight storage containers so they stay fresh.
Popular soda like Pepsi and Coke cost over $2.50 for a six pack. You can purchase the store brand Cola for about $2.50 per case. Yet they taste every bit as good as those name brand sodas we often associate with. I guess mentally we think that the higher price means better quality but that isnít always the case.
Many people like to cook with various herbs but the cost of them can really add up. Since they arenít necessary it is a common area where people choose to eliminate from their shopping list. For very little money you can grow your own herbs in your yard or even in a small kit that sits on your kitchen window. It can be a fun process to do with your children and you will have the different herbs you want to cook with but not the expense associated with them.
You can also grow your own vegetables in a small garden area of your yard. It doesn’t cost very much to purchase the seeds. You may even find tending to your garden offers you a place to relax and reduce your stress levels. My family eats lots of strawberries but they are one of the most expensive fruits at the grocery store. We now grow our own so we can enjoy these delicious berries all we want when they are in season.
If you decide to purchase fresh vegetables or fruits from a grocery store, get those that you have to chop up on your own. While purchasing those that have already been sliced for you is more convenient they will cost you more for the same product.
Meat is one of the most expensive items you will find in a grocery store. Unless you live with a family of vegetarians, you will have to pay the price they are asking for it. Look at the per pound cost of meat before you purchase it. You will find the larger packages offer you a lower price per pound. Buying these larger portions and then separating them into the right sizes for your meals once you get home is an excellent way to lower the amount of money you spend on the meat your family eats.
You Can Have Fun As A Family Without Spending a Ton of Money
Frugal family fun is easy to find. Enjoying an outing doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Below I list several ideas for frugal outing for the family. Pick one, or even all of them, and enjoy.
*Be patient and wait to see new movies on video. Some communities even offer free video rentals at local libraries and will order new movies if library patrons request a certain title.
*Check to see if there are any discount movie theaters in your area. Most of these places show movies just before they’re released to video. A family of four can go out for an evening at the movies and spend less than five dollars for a fun family outing. Keep a list of movies you want to see, and then check the discount theater listings each week. These theaters often keep the movies for just one or two weeks, so stay alert to what’s playing.
*Go to the first show of the day at first-run theaters for the best prices (and shortest lines!).
*Check your area for free days at museums, zoos, etc.
*Check for free concerts, plays, and other live family entertainment in local parks.
*Call and find out if your local college stage production group, ballet or orchestra will let you watch them rehearse for free.
*If you want to eat at an expensive restaurant, go for lunch rather than dinner. The menu is usually the same, but the prices are often half.
*When dining out, drink water only. Ask for a lemon or lime wedge if you want to make your drink seem special. This trick can easily cut $10 off your family’s total dining bill, which could mean the difference between going out for a fun meal or staying home eating frozen egg rolls again.
* Go fly a kite. Literally!
Saving Money and Being Frugal Can Be Rewarding
Frugality and happiness aren’t something society usually puts together. Frugality often brings up images of great sacrifice. We think of the miser who lived in poverty only for others to find millions saved after the miser passes away. What was the use? Frugal living isn’t necessarily what you may possibly consider it to be. Frugal people live very happy lives. They find happiness in meeting goals, reducing their financial burdens and living stress free.
How happy can you be when you are drowning in debt and struggling to make ends meet? You aren’t living frugally, but you aren’t happy either. The frugal person often sees each step towards being debt-free or early retirement as a great success. They don’t focus on that outfit they didn’t buy or that new car they aren’t driving. They focus on having spending money left over at the end of the month. They focus on the things that really matter.
Frugality is also a huge challenge. You get to be very creative with your money and the way you live. Many people love moving from one thing to another, looking at the way to cut costs for each category. For example, you’ve cut your utilities, now what about your groceries or gasoline consumption? The goal is what keeps the frugal person going. The daily victories and challenges keep them interested. The penny saved keeps them adding it all up. And the debt free life keeps them stress free.
Imagine a life where you have no debts to pay. All you have are your living expenses. Think about having two thousand extra dollars a month. Dollars that aren’t already spent before you make them. Think about retiring early to do something you enjoy instead of something you have to do. Think about following your dreams. Think about having money left over each month. Frugality will get you there. Now wouldn’t that make you happy?