Personal Finance Advice

You can save a lot of money by cutting back on your expenses, but you can’t get away with not buying food.  You need food to live, and whether you spend your grocery money to bring food home or if you instead blow your entire food budget on eating out you still need to buy the stuff.  There is just no getting around it.

It makes sense that when you are looking to get your personal finances in order your first impulse may be to look at how you are already spending your money and figure out ways to cut back on the money you spend.  Since there is simply no avoiding the need to buy food then you should follow a few tried-and-true tips that can save you quite a bit of money when the time comes to head to the grocery store:

Use basic ingredients.  It’s usually cheaper to buy the ingredients for the meals you want to prepare and then make it yourself as opposed to buying a boxed or frozen variety that you merely need to toss in the microwave and slap on a plate.  Using less processed foods may also save you money in the long run because it’s healthier, and that equals less illnesses and medical bills.

Use coupons.  Clipping coupons may seem like a waste of time, but coupons can actually save you quite a bit of money.  Remember that coupons aren’t always the absolutely best way to go - after all, a comparable generic item may cost less than a brand name item with a coupon - but if you can find coupons for items you already buy on a regular basis then you’re going to save money.  You’ll save more if you can find a store that doubles or triples coupons.

Look for sales.  Although you don’t want to waste gas by chasing grocery sales all over town, it still makes a lot of sense to peruse the ads of the local grocery stores and find out who is selling what at the best price.  Base you choice of grocery store on where you can save the most money, and don’t let customer loyalty sway you into accepting higher prices just because it’s the place you have always shopped.

Try generic items.  It’s delusional to think that all generic items are just as tasty or effective as brand names…some generic items are pretty nasty.  You should  try a variety of generic items at one time or another to see if you can find some items that cost less and are just as good as name brands because these items are out there.  Look for ingredients that go into meals comprising of several ingredients, because you won’t even notice the generic ingredients once it all put together.  If you buy a generic brand distributed by the store and you don’t like it then check with the store to see if there is a money-back guarantee. 

Lose your fear of leftovers.  What is the key in saving money on groceries? Don’t be afraid to eat from the same dish for a few meals.  For example, a delicious lasagna makes a great meal, but the leftovers can also make a great lunch for the whole family the next day or can be frozen and become an entree in a couple of weeks.  If you use proper food storage methods for your leftovers then they can last long enough to fill your stomach for a few meals.  It’s a great way to stretch your grocery money.

Omit meat.  Meat is expensive, and there is no reason why you have to include it in every meal.  Instead of making beef burritos make them bean, and instead of filling omelets with ham fill them with cheese and green peppers.  The ideas are limitless, and it can be a healthy alternative to meat with every meal.

Also be sure to compose a grocery list before you go and to avoid giving in to impulse buys while you’re walking through the store.  It doesn’t make sense to research your shopping, compose a list, and walk into the store armed with coupons if you’re only going to start filling your cart with whatever catches your eye.  Just like with every other aspect of spending and personal finance, you have to learn to control yourself.