100 Tips To Save Money On Food - Article 2 of 5

Food prices, gas prices and everything else we need  are raising rapidly. There are ways to save money when it comes to your food.

Not every tip fits every situation. A gallon size container of salad dressing is cheaper per ounce, but not if it sits in a single person's fridge for months on end.

I will post 10 more tips tomorrow on the Be Prepared and Back To Basics Groups. Be sure to check them out.

You can find Article 1 of 5 here.

Remember: The most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.

Before You Go To The Store

11. Sometimes you're lured into buying things that lose their appeal and end up sitting on the shelf. To cure yourself of impulse shopping, every so often force yourself to make a meal out of those items in the cupboard. That will quickly put a stop to this impulse buying.

12. Consider group strategies. A neighborhood group or extended family might save by buying in bulk directly from wholesalers and farmers. In our area, there are many farmers who sell potatoes. They are so much better than the ones you purchase in the store. We raise our own but I know many elderly couples who can no longer raise a garden will preorder garden veggies from local farmers.

Shopping

13. Try shopping with cash, taking only an allotted amount to the store. It is so easy to loose track of how much money you are spending when you use a debit card. Set a certain amount from each pay check and carry a calculator with you.

14. Statistics indicate that people buy more when they are hungry or accompanied by others, especially children. (However, grocery shopping can be a good learning experience for kids; let them find all the coupon foods and comparison shop with you.) Never shop while you are hungry. There will be too many quick and junk food items find its way into your cart.

15. Don't diddle-dawdle. You know what I mean. The longer you're wandering through the store, the more chance of impulse buys. Stick to the list.

16. Avoid convenience stores. They have higher prices and very few if any specials.

17. Guard against nonfood impulse buys that could end up in your cart, such as the latest DVD, perfumes or toiletries. Do you really need them? I purchase my toiletries at CVS and Rite Aid. You can find out how to get these items free or cheap in my group CVS, Riteaid and More

18. Limit trips to the store. Multiple trips usually mean more incidental items added to the cart. With gas prices the price they are these days, you can't afford to make more trips than necessary. Make a list, Follow the steps in the first article that was published. You will find it here.

19. Try "catch-and-release" shopping with high-end items. Put that bottle of name-brand, extra-virgin olive oil in the cart, and while you finish the rest of your purchases, ask if it's something you can live without. Then before you check out, put it back on the shelf. After all, dreaming is free. You can laugh if you want but I do this all the time with clothes, food and other items. I feel like I had them and no longer want them. LOL (However, if you end up convincing yourself to buy these things, or you forget to put them back, this method isn't for you!)

Coupons

20. Use the coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper ads. I look at the insert and it if is a good one, I will purchase multiple copies. Depending on the coupons, I may purchase up to four copies. None of my friends or neighbors purchase the Sunday paper or I would bum their coupons from them.

Remember:

The most expensive food you can buy is the food that goes to waste.