To keep my groceries organized so I know what I have and don't have, I have been doing the following:
I placed my groceries into plastic containers that I can pull out like drawers to check so nothing gets forgotten on the shelves. It also helps me to keep rotating my stock.
I designated certain rows or shelves in cabinets or even the freezer for distinct items, like the soup, vegetable, or canned fruit row, meat drawer in the freezer or the quick meal shelf.
I create a list of what potential meals I already have in the house and distinguish lunch or dinner meals so any of us can check it quickly know what's available and what we have to make a meal.
Example of list:
Lunch- peanut butter, tuna, soups, grilled cheese, ravioli, veggie burgers, ramen noodles, lunch meat/burritos.
Dinner- 6 hamburger patties, 8 drumsticks, 2 lbs. ground beef, turkey breast, pizza dough, and 2 lb. ham
This helps me to rotate my foods and not let something sit in the freezer while I continue to purchase meals.
When shopping for groceries and household supplies, having a well organized list is one of the best money savers (and time savers) that we've tried.
Through the years, I've read at least one hundred different articles with tips and tricks on how to cut your grocery bill. With a large family, I've followed most of the advice at one time or another.
Here in the Great White North life is not always easier. But one area that helps out is the scanner "code". When I go grocery shopping - I check every receipt - every time.
The number one way I save money on my groceries is menu planning. I write out what we will have for dinner the whole week, make up the grocery list, and add to it any necessity items such as toilet paper, detergent, etc.
Buy cranberries early in the season and put them straight into the freezer. The closer you get to the holidays the more expensive they get.
I've found that when grocery shopping, it pays to check the price per ounce. Sometimes a sale item isn't the cheapest product. Kids love to help with grocery shopping. While shopping, asking them to compare prices and price(s) per ounce for various foods.
Do your grocery shopping a day later each week, Monday one week, Tuesday the next etc. You save a week's grocery bill every seven weeks.
Keep a small list of what you pay for items that you buy often. Then, when you're at another grocery/department store, you'll know if their special is really a special.
This is a page about advice for stretching grocery budget. When living on a budget, you are probably trying to reduce expenses in many areas of your budget.
This is a page about dealing with mistakes at the cash register. Mistakes happen and the easiest time to correct them when shopping is while you are still in the store, either at the register or service desk.
This is a fun (and scary) experiment. Take your typical weekly sale paper for a grocery store or retail store. Choose one page and add up the $ cost for every item on ONE page (things on sale).
Before heading out to shop, make a list. Put a list of items you want, plus the sale price and any coupons you have. Total the costs before leaving the house and only bring that much money.
Check with your grocer from time to time to see about any greatly reduced meats or fruits that he'd be getting rid of. You could put those fruits to good use making batches of homemade jams, jellies, preserves ...
Take advantage of a store's "loss leaders." These are sale items the store is selling at such a low cost they may even be losing money on them. These items are priced so low to get you into the store, with the hope that you will keep shopping for regularly priced items.
Remember to shop at grocery stores after the holidays. They will sell the seasonal foods for cheap. -- breads, cakes, cookies, meats, etc. (and of course seasonal candy.)
Watch the store sales and take the time to cut your coupons. I usually save between $30-40 each trip to the grocery store. It is worth the time.
