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Paying too much for groceries per month? The state of the economy has everyone looking for ways to save on monthly expenses. Whether you’re buying groceries for just yourself or buying them for your family, there are ways to cut your expenses with a bit of research, advance planning and organization. Learn the strategies below for saving money on food, which have other benefits as well.

1. Coupons
Clipping coupons is the best outright way for immediate savings on groceries. There are many sources for finding coupons. They are usually available in Sunday newspapers, magazines, online coupon sites, store websites and even social networking sites. Coupons are most effective when stacked or used on sale items. Become familiar with your grocery stores coupon policy.

2. Loyalty Programs
These days, most grocery stores have a loyalty or reward program. It usually just requires a home address, phone number or an email address. Savings can be big with these! Some grocers offer a special item every week at a really low cost for loyal customers, as well as a really nice freebie for initial sign up. I recently got an organic whole chicken (valued at $11) free, just for signing up for a loyalty program. (more…)

Purchasing groceries online doesn’t really seem feasible when you add in shipping and handling?  Not to mention, standard shipping takes 7 to 10 days. What if you need groceries right away?  It depends on which site you go to.  There are sites that offer free shipping or offer it for a one time membership fee.  Do your research but there are definitely a couple of ways to save money by buying groceries online.

Amazon.com

Amazon offers a free Amazon Mom membership to moms, dads, grandparents, or anyone who has kids in their life.  Amazon Mom offers 15% off of a wide range of selected items and up to 30% off on exclusive deals in the Baby Store.  Type of items include diapers, maternity clothes, cribs, baby food, groceries, household supplies, toiletries, auto care, video games, electronics, personal care, sporting goods, and practically anything else you can think of.   Diapers are about $10 cheaper on amazon.com than in the stores.  That’s big savings. (more…)

It’s a fact that apart from utilities, grocery shopping expense is up high on any family’s budget. And as much as we all love to take the time and stroll through aisle after aisle, you must realize that such a habit often turns out to be expensive.

The longer you stay inside a grocery, the more likely you are to buy something impulsively, jeopardizing the money inside your pocket.  So what should you do to avoid making this mistake? Come prepared and armed with a list and sticking to it is always a good one. Easier said than done you say? (more…)

It’s a sad and weird world we live in where oftentimes healthy food is actually more expensive than unhealthy food. However, when you actually look at the big picture, in the long run it costs more to eat unhealthy. To achieve the feelings of satiation that you would get after eating small yet wholesome meal would require you to eat several packets of overpriced cookies. People who eat unhealthy tend to eat larger quantities of food than those who eat healthy, so even if the healthier food is moderately more expensive, eating lots of cheap junk food adds up quickly. Also, many people tend to eat full meals and then throw in some unhealthy snacks, but they could just as easily cut out the extra calories and cost.

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Just why does your bill soar over $100 every week? You walk into the store like a sitting duck with zero preparation. And buyer’s remorse sets in as you load up the checkout dreadmill. If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail. Here’s why your cart is an embarrassing mess and what you can do about it:

1. There are items in the cart you didn’t intend to buy.

Your first lesson to learn in Smart Shopping 101 is to enter every store armed with a list. No ifs, ands or buts. Do not set one foot inside without some sort of list, either in hand or on your phone. Sit in your car outside and do it there. Better yet, keep a running tally of needs, wants, and prices you’d pay for most of them on your refrigerator.

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