What's Cooking?
Kat174
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my read shelf:
Dear Community,
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
How do you save on grocery bill?
I am sooooo not a clip coupon girl. (Mostly because I don't want to buy the newspaper, nor print/cut from the computer.)
But I did find that one of my three local grocery stores loads their on-line coupons to my VIP card when I visit their site and merely click.
What other tips have you found to save a couple pennies here and there?
my read shelf:
Re: How do you save on grocery bill?
my read shelf:
I clip coupons (not asss crazy as the TV show) and combine my coupons with whats on sale. I follow a website for Southern grocery stores that does the match-ups for you so I can print the shopping list and easily find the coupons that match the sale items. Harris Teeter (my grocery store) also runs a $10 off your $40 purchase in the Wednesday newpaper so I add that with my weekly coupon trip. Harris Teeter also loads coupons onto your customer card that can be combined with paper coupons so sometimes items can be free or under $1. Stock up when the items are super super cheap so I don't have to spend money on them for a while (pasta, sauces, rice, canned fruits and veggies, toiletries, etc)
I then try hard to meal plan with what I buy, but of course allow extra $$ every week for meal specific ingredients or other items we need.
I meal plan and do freezer meals.
I also buy my meat when it is on sale. A lot of grocery stores have one day a week where their meat is half off, etc. You can ask the meat counter if your grocery store does this and what day it is.
Good Luck.
Like pp, meal plan, buy meat when it is on sale.
For example, Whole Foods had chicken breasts on sale for $2.99, so I bought 3 lbs. I froze 2 lbs and the 1 lb was for dinners and lunches this week.
I sign up for blogs that mention about deals and coupons.
From Hey To Horses
Go for produce that is in season, aka when it is cheapest.
Go for frozen if the price per lb is cheaper and I don't need the fresh version.
Dried beans instead of canned. Can make a batch and freeze portions.
Whole grains are filling so they make meals go longer.
Add stuff to my meat recipes to add bulk. For example, if making salsa chicken I add beans, shredded carrot, roasted zucchini, and some frozen corn. If making sloppy joes I'll add diced eggplant, shredded carrot, shredded squash, lots of onions, diced celery, diced bell peppers (any color). Branny has a version that is all lentils so I should try to combine the methods to make a meat/lentil version. If meat dish quantity is half produce/legume then all the better.
Oatmeal makes a cheap breakfast, but also a cheap energy bar. Look up the baked oatmeal recipes. I made a version this past week that baked up firm. Cut it into squares, wrapped each one plastic, put all those in a freezer bag. Just add one to the lunch bag in the morning and it will be thawed well in time for an afternoon snack.
Don't take DH shopping. Honestly, that's a problem in our house. Thankfully he hates grocery shopping. But if he does go, it's a bunch of convenience foods and extra items we don't need. And I can pretty much count on him grabbing the most expensive cereal without thinking. Our grocery bill went down when I broke him of a few bad habits - drinking gatorade like water, buying jug orange juice rather than the frozen or just eating an orange, getting premarinaded meat vs letting me make it delicious, and thinking frozen meals in a bag (skillet jiggling type things) were everyday food.
I usually don't post here too often, but I laughed hysterically when I read this that, I needed to comment. I avoid taking my husband shopping too-- he always adds so many things that we don't need. If I do take him, I now say, I'm going here to get this, this and this-- do you need anything before we go. He's gotten a lot better, but at first he was really hurting my new savings plan.
I plan my meals out weekly and create my grocery list basically with whats on sale that week with items that I already have in house (I also stock up on meats and other staple items when they are mad cheap). I go shopping in the beginning of the sales week (Saturday) in the AM, so I can make sure they have everything in stock. I like to either go grocery shopping either early in the morning or late at night, because that's when you'll see a lot of "peelie" coupons and deals on meats, cheeses, deli, and other items that they need to sell. Before I go, I do match my list with a free coupon database to make sure there's not a coupon I have or can print around, so I can maximize my savings. There's also a lot of sites that will match-up all the sales items with the coupons that are out, so it's there's a great deal you won't miss it. But definitely shop and stock up when things are on sale, and keep an eye out for good finds in the store during slow times. Oh, and don't bring your husband or anyone that will distract you from your plan! I make a list, and will only allow myself to buy "impulse" buy in the store, so I can stay on track. Good luck!
I wrote a blog post on saving money on organic local food
Meal planning helps save us some money every week. This way I'm not running to the grocery store getting last minute thing and tempted to buy more!
I also try to stock up on some things when they are on sale.
I do cut coupons from the paper and when I have the time, I print coupons online.
*Meal planning
*Stock up on produce at farmer's market/buy in season produe
*Stock up on proteins when they're on sale and put them in the freezer
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Oh, and I also don't buy all my groceries at the store... because it's not always cheaper. For example, milk is a rip off at grocery stores-- stop into your local gas station or convenience store (my is around $1.50 cheaper). Pay attention at prices and see where you're getting the most bang for your buck.
And if you don't mind online coupon clipping, sign up for savingstar.com. It's really easy, and it's tied into your store rewards card.