7 ways to save money on groceries
The average American family spends $537 per month on food -- $312 directly on
groceries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure
Survey. Although it may not seem like it, food costs are still one of the most
flexible areas in most families' budgets. While you may have little control
over your mortgage
or day care costs, you can probably save money on groceries.
Wondering where to start? Try these turbocharged tips
1.
Become an 'extreme
couponer'
The average manufacturer's coupon
is now worth $1.20, according to food marketing analyst Phil Lempert of
SupermarketGuru.com. That's a nice amount, but serious savers combine these
coupons with in-store coupons and good sales. Sites like CouponMom.com (free)
and TheGroceryGame.com ($10 for eight weeks) offer weekly sales-tracking
services for most states and major grocery stores. They'll tell you which items
are on rock-bottom sale and alert you to manufacturers' coupons you can use.
Manufacturers'
coupons
abound in most Sunday newspapers and at sites like Coupons.com, SmartSource.com
and Redplum.com. According to Stephanie Nelson of CouponMom.com, serious
couponers buy several Sunday newspapers or exchange coupons with frugal friends
so they can buy multiples of favorite items.
2. Stockpile sale items
Many avid couponers
stockpile large amounts of nonperishable groceries and toiletries purchased on
sale. Carrie Kirby, who blogs for Chicagonow.com/frugalista, once filled the
entire cargo hold of her Subaru with cans of her favorite soda. "My
basement shelves hold enough of things like toothpaste and cereal -- often
purchased for 25 cents or less -- to last our family six months to a
year," she says.
And if a family member gets ill or loses a job, you'll have a
nicely stocked food pantry during a rocky time.
3. Shop at the drugstore
Savvy shoppers can score huge deals on groceries
and household supplies by shopping at drugstores like Walgreens, CVS or RiteAid
Pharmacies. As an incentive to get you in their doors and back again, these
stores offer rock-bottom sales on everything from canned soup to cleaning
supplies. Combine the sales with store and manufacturers' coupons and many of
your purchases may be free, says blogger Kirby. "I haven't paid a dime for
shampoo or toothpaste in more than two years," she says.
How
it works: At Walgreens.com, click the "weekly ad" tab; certain
advertised items offer register rewards you can use like cash on your next
Walgreens purchase. At CVS.com, click on the "extra care" link to
sign up for a free store card. When you use it, you'll earn 2 percent in
"extra bucks" (CVS store credit) on every store or online purchase.
Certain purchases, noted in the "weekly store ad" link, also generate
extra bucks you can redeem on your next visit. At RiteAid.com, click the
"single check rebates" icon. That site requires you to submit
receipts to earn monthly rebates.
Extreme
couponer Crystal Paine of Moneysavingmom.com offers helpful tutorials for the
Walgreens and CVS programs and countless others on her site.
4. Form a wholesale buying club
Families -- not just businesses -- can band
together and form buying clubs
to purchase groceries at wholesale prices.
There
are some logistics required, but a buying club could make sense if you don't
have a warehouse-club type store nearby. Club representatives fax or e-mail a
group order to the wholesaler, arrange for delivery and divvy up the goods.
Generally, items are purchased by the case, then shared. Many wholesalers offer
produce, organic items, baby supplies and paper goods in addition to
nonperishable food items.
To find a club in your area, search online for "grocery
buying club" and your city's name, or check sites like
unitedbuyingclubs.com or CoopDirectory.org.
5. Cook from scratch
Frugal
families don't eat from a box or heat a frozen package. However, for
supercharged savings, you can go a step further and even make things like
cheese, baby food, jam and drink mixes.
"You
can save significant money -- and really improve the quality and nutritional
value of your food -- by cooking more at home," says nutritionist Leanne
Ely of Charlotte, N.C.
Ely's
suggestions for home cooks who want to reap even bigger savings:
Make your own yogurt (an
electric yogurt maker helps; look for used ones at thrift stores).
Cook dried, bagged beans
rather than buying canned.
Make your own chicken
stock rather than buying it in cans or boxes.
6. Plan your meals
Jot down a week's worth of dinner ideas before
you head to the grocery store, suggests Ely. This tried-and-true practice
discourages impulse-buying, helps you plan cheaper meals around what's on sale
or in season, and keeps you out of the fast-food drive-through lane.
A modern twist on menu planning: Subscribe to a
service like SavingDinner.com or e-Mealz.com. For a small fee you'll get a
weekly meal plan online or by e-mail, along with a shopping list. Some services
offer kosher, gluten-free and low-fat meal options.
7. Plan a pantry week
Challenge yourself to get through one week every
quarter (or more often, if you can) without setting foot in the grocery store,
says Mary Hunt, author of "Debt-Proof Living." Use leftovers, unbury
freezer items and clean out your pantry. Chances are, you have more food on
hand than you think. Use the money you've saved on groceries to pay down debt, bolster your savings
or even make a contribution to charity.
How much money do you spend per month on groceries? Let us know!
Other ways to save
Read these Bankrate features to learn some savvy
savings strategies, including how to maximize your savings as you shop.
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