Stretching Your Grocery Dollars

Shopping for groceries is an inevitable fact of our ever busy lives. We may imagine that we are saving time by dashing in, roaming the aisles and throwing whatever looks good into the cart. Most often, what we end up with is repetitive, nutritionally unbalanced meals and ballooning grocery bills. Or worse, frequent fast-food stops and pizza calls. Brighten your meals and save time and money by planning ahead ? an added bonus you may even save a few calories.

Some money saving tips:

? Before you visit the grocery store each week, check out the Sunday circulars. Clip coupons while you watch television or get your children to lend a hand. Organization is the key to the coupon game, so invest in an accordion coupon file. Trust me, it's infinitely easier than rifling through small slips of paper or finding yourself without the coupon you need when you get to the store. You can find some very user friendly organizers for around $10.00 at sites such as www.galison.com.

? Look through the food section of your local newspaper. You'll get some great ideas about bargains to look for as well as what produce, seafood, etc. is in season. The circulars and the food section are two places to begin building a weekly menu, that isn't boring, on a budget. It's also a good idea to comb the Internet. There are a wealth of sites offering ideas for budget menus.

? Consider joining a shopping club such as Sam's or Costco. If you don't have the storage space, but would like to benefit from the savings and convenience of buying in bulk share the bounty with a friend. You can each take a turn shopping from a list once a month or so.

? Keep your receipts for a month or so and notice the high, low and average prices on the items you buy most. When the price hits its low, buy a few so that you can skip it when it slides into the high range.

? Experiment with 5 ingredient meals. There are a number of books, videos and web sites that help you make great meals with only a few ingredients even on weeknights.

? Check out sites like www.cutouthunger.org/get_coupons!.htm; www.refundsweepers.com; www.refundcents.com; and www.aplusfreestuff.com for information on rebates, refunds, freebies and other savings. If you do take advantage of rebates, complete forms meticulously and keep copies of receipts, UPC, proof of purchase documentation and contact information for the vendor.

? Include your local grocer's weekly circular in your savings plan. When store sales are coupled with the savings cards now offered by many grocer's you can save hundreds of dollars each year.

? Pay attention to promotionals. Some grocer's offer reward if you spend the target amount within a specified period. Rewards generally include a percentage off of your grocery bill at a later date or cash back.

? Curb impulse buying. Grocer's have developed their floor plans with your dollars in mind; the object, get as many as possible with proper product placement. Learn the layout of your store and make a beeline to your destination. Temptation is especially tough in the check out aisles. Fight the urge to succumb to these powerful marketing practices by making, and sticking to, a list.

? Try not to shop when you are starved. It makes sense that you are more vulnerable to impulse buying when you are hungry.

? Make a budget and take a calculator to the store.

? Compare prices. Store brands are not necessarily least expensive. Take just a moment to scan the shelves for best prices on the items you buy. When comparison shopping, make sure to take note of per unit costs.

? Look below eye level. Bargain priced items are often shelved below eye level and out of your immediate view.

Grocery shopping can take a big chunk out of your budget if you are not careful. With just a small investment of time you will realize savings that you can take to the credit union.

Nicole Soltau is the President and Founder of http://CreditUnionRate.com - The Leading Credit Union Directory Search, Find, Join.

---

Learning the Basics of Handling Money

With prices increasing all the time, saving money can be... Read More

Top 10+ Ways to Jumpstart your New Year?s Finances!

Of course, these don't have to be done in any... Read More

Financing Collectibles for Fun and Profit

With the advent of the internet and especially auction services... Read More

Take Control and Master Your Kitchen

Those who keep a watchful eye on where their money... Read More

Should You Borrow From Your 401(k) Account?

If you have a 401(k) account, it can be very... Read More

Estate Planning Basics

You have probably accomplished a great deal with your life.... Read More

Adverse Debt Levels Blight UK Consumers Personal Finances

Debt levels are at an all time high in the... Read More

The Wright Place - Finances

Women have a love/hate relationship with money. Most of us... Read More

How To Place an Online Order for Checks ? It is Easy as 1-2-3

If You Have an Existing Account and 5 Minutes, You... Read More

College Expenses: Seven Ways to Save on an Education

Many people graduate from college owing thousands of dollars in... Read More

Your Dry Cleaner?s Double Standard

Women are charged more for dry cleaning services. Don't fume,... Read More

How Check 21 Affects You

The Check 21 Law is the new federal law for... Read More

Tips To Save Money At The Supermarket

Are you interested in saving money off your grocery bills?... Read More

What Happens if You Die Without Making a Will

If you die without making a Will in the UK,... Read More

Save Money on your Clothing Budget. Tame the Closet Monster!

Reducing the clothing budget was a serious challenge for me.... Read More

10 Tips To Save Money When Dining Out

Here are some tips that can help you save money... Read More

Know Thy Finances

The first step to financial success lies in knowing your... Read More

Honor Those Who Serve with Checking Account Supplies

Our global society has had a wake up call in... Read More

Reporting Identity Theft

Would you know what to do if you suspect that... Read More

How to Draw a Personal Budget that Works

Many people spend their little income haphazardly without any planning... Read More

Personal Finance ? Why You Should Compare, not Despair

Sorting out your personal finances can be a tricky and... Read More

Are You Sick of the Financial Insecurity of Fluctuating Seasons and Income?

Finding a stable and secure income that will come year... Read More

Strategies for Success

Holy Shenanigans! More STUFF?Loosing one's business due to lack of... Read More

Personal Loans For Homeowners ? One Of The Numerous Rewards For Being A Homeowner

You no longer look at the pictures of homes cause... Read More

Understanding Your Finances Can Give You Power And Choice

What is finance and what do you need to know?... Read More

Budgeting your Savings - Did You Let Your Piggy Bank Get Away?

I think most of us have at some point in... Read More

If I Had a Structured Settlement, I Would Use It to Pay for Gas

Has anyone been to the gas pumps lately? Soon $3... Read More

Kundalini Lessons - Money

I've been going through and interesting growth period lately that... Read More

The World is Not Enough - Calling for a More Ethical Approach to Personal Finance

At a time when the entire world's attention is focused... Read More

Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills

Many don't realize that our basic utility bills provide the... Read More

The Origins of Check Writing

People haven't always written checks to buy goods and services.... Read More

Debt Management ? More Ways to Save on Gas Consumption

The price of gas continues to climb, and with continued... Read More

Financial Readiness: Preparing for BRAC (Base Realignment And Closing)

The recommendations for military base closings have been released and... Read More