2 Simple steps to save on groceries

If you are spending more on groceries than you like, here's a couple of tips to help you reduce that bill.


1. Plan your meals. Studies show that people who shop less frequently spend less money. This is because there are less trips and fewer opportunities for impulse buys. Start simple though. If you usually run to the store almost daily, aim to plan your menu (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) for three days at a time and buy all that you need for those three days. If you usually shop once a week, make a menu plan and shop for two weeks all at once. If you are able, plan your menu around what is on sale. Weekly ads usually come out Wednesday.


2. Use up what you already have. Once you have planned your meals, shop your own cupboards and fridge before heading to the store. If you already have lettuce, don't buy more unless you have a plan of how you are going to use it.

If you find yourself frequently having to toss out food, keep a diary for a month and find out how much food you have to throw away. Then list how much it cost you to buy that food. Sometimes you can't anticipate when produce will go bad, but most of that money that was wasted in food thrown away, could have been saved if you had a plan to use it. This is something I need to work on as yesterday I had to throw away a bowl of soup and some oranges and carrots that had gone bad. Oh, how I hate wasting things!

So, if you have extra food that you can't use (perhaps you have a fruit tree in your yard that has a bumper crop and you don't even like plums!) or you are going on vacation and have produce you can't use, you could give those things to a neighbor or post an ad for them on craigslist.org or freecycle.org and give them to someone who will put them to good use.

Give it a try and post your experiences for others to benefit from!