Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How to Save Money on Groceries the Easy Way

By Elizabeth Morgan

It comes as no surprise to anyone that our economy is in bad shape. Unemployment and job layoffs are becoming the reality for 20,000 families everyday. Have you saved just in case? Is your savings adequate to weather the storm? Your family may be able to cut food costs in order to start saving now.

All to may of us have been lax in our food budgets and have an unexpected oppertunity for savings.

Reducing grocery expenses doesn't need to be a chore, there are easy ways to accomplish the task.

You do not need to go without your favorite foods, only make a few efforts to make better spending decisions.

Pump up your savings account with these 10 easy grocery savings tips:

1. Plan to buy more when prices are low. Buy-one-get-one offers save you 50% off the full shelf price.

2. Use double coupons to reduce expenses. Even without the desire to coupon all the time, using high face value coupons is a money saver. Ten coupons for a dollar each will save you $10 a week, while going to a double coupon store will save you $20 per shopping trip.

3. Combine double coupons with products already on sale. Youll be surprised that name brand products can be just pennies on the dollar.

4. Knowing when to buy will help you avoid paying full price. If you do nothing else, always buying on sale will save you 30-50%. Grocery stores usually run products on a rotating sale schedule of about 4-8 weeks.

5. Private label store brands save money. Where once store brands lacked quality, today they are as good if not better than the national brands. Give private label products a try and see how quickly your grocery bill goes down.

6. Cheap food is often found in the dollar stores. Many dollar stores now carry dairy, meat, dry goods and produce at super low prices.

7. Go shopping alone, without the family and spouse. To get you best deal takes concentration and the fewer distractions or time pressures the better.

8. Shop with a budget and a shopping list. Planned purchases take temptation and overspending out to the equation.

9. Dont let food go to waste. You bought it, so get the most out of it.

10. Free coupons can be printed online. Free grocery coupons are now availiable online. Many printable coupons are worth a dollar or more before doubling.

Yes, times are tough for all of us, but you can find the money to start saving by making a few small changes to your grocery budget. The best thing to do is to get started saving today, don't wait!

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