Feed Your Family and Keep Your Wallet Full

In these tough economic times, we're always looking for ways to save money. But, with rising costs for everything, and families that still need to eat, how can we possibly save money at the grocery store, and still put food on the table? Here are some tips - good for both families and college students alike.

Plan your meals out ahead of time. I'm starting with this one, because it's a pretty simple concept, but it has a big impact on your wallet. When you think about what you are going to be eating, you can begin by looking in your pantry to see what you might already have. This saves you from buying unnecessary groceries. Why buy that extra can of tuna when you already have a couple cans in the back of the pantry? Also, when you think about your meals ahead of time, and you shop for those meals, it prevents a lot of extra unnecessary items you think you might need to have, but end up going unused, because there's no specific plan for it. Planning out your meals and the ingredients you need will also prevent those unnecessary trips to the store to pick up forgotten items. How many times have you gone to the store for "just one thing" and you walked out with a whole bag? Stop those impulse buys by not even going to the store. Plus, when you have a whole cart full of groceries, impulse buys are a lot harder to swallow because you're already thinking about the huge bill at the end. When you have a little basket, even a little candy bar is easy to grab. But remember that all those dollars add up.

Cut out coupons. This might seem to be a pain, and sometimes it is. But, if you cut out coupons wisely, then it won't be so bad. Store coupons are a great place to start. Free items and buy one get one free are very common. Signing up for shopping cards is essential as well. Also, many stores will double coupons or take competitor's coupons. So even a twenty five cent coupon could add up. Remember though, that just because you have a coupon, you don't have to buy the product. Only cut out coupons for things that you need. Additionally, make sure that your coupon savings is greater than the savings from buying a different brand name. If a coupon gets your product down to $2.50, but the store brand of the same product is $2.45 cents, using the coupon isn't the better deal.

Go for store brands. Most often, store brands are the same quality as name brands. So try them and see if you like them. My family likes name brand macaroni and cheese. So, if I have a coupon, I'll buy a box. But, if I'm making macaroni and cheese for a crowd, then I'll use the store brand. Check, though, to make sure that the store brand is actually less expensive. Last week I bought store brand apple juice because I had a coupon for a free gallon. But this week, there was another brand that was thirty cents cheaper. Thirty cents may not seem like a lot, but remember that it all adds up.

Buy large. I'm not saying to always shop at club warehouses like Costco. Because honestly, without a large pantry and an extra freezer, where are you going to put everything? But, club packs at grocery stores come in smaller sizes, but the savings are often as good. I buy club sized or family sized packages of meat. And, as soon as I get home, I repackage the meat into serving sizes. Today, I got a club pack of chicken breasts for $9.00. I put each individual breast in a freezer bag - and had 10 portions, so less than a dollar a portion. So, when I need to cook chicken for dinner, I can defrost the exact number of portions I need - instead of defrosting more and letting some go to waste.

Learn how to read the labels. Not the labels on the food, but the labels on the shelves. When comparing prices, look not just at what the item costs, but look at the unit price. Often, the better buy is the product that has the lower unit price. But, be aware - sometimes getting a lower unit price means getting a larger package. Only get a package size that you think you could actually use before it spoils. Or else, you'll just be throwing money away.

Think about how you'll be using the food. This may impact the form you're buying the food in. For example, if you're cooking in a crock pot, you don't necessarily need fresh vegetables. Frozen can work just as well - and the crock pot needs liquid anyways. Keep a box of powdered milk on hand. Yes, I'm serious. You may not want to reconstitute it to drink, but using it in baking and cooking could actually help stretch that gallon in the fridge.

When saving money, do the work yourself. It may be more convenient to buy pre-bagged salads. But, chopping your own veggies is much more cost effective. Also, they now sell rice that you can just heat in the microwave and serve. I buy these for days when I have no time to cook. But, when you're saving money, buy the sack of rice and cook it yourself.

Shop in the ethnic aisles (or at ethnic stores). Instead of buying the name brand of rice, look in the Hispanic foods aisle. I have found that canned beans, rice, salsa, and tortillas are all much less expensive in the Hispanic foods aisle, than in other areas of the store. I often buy juices in the same aisle. They may not be the brands I'm used to, but I find they're just as good. Especially when you're searching for something like peach nectar.

Avoid the prepackaged meals. Do you buy prepackaged meals because you want to serve your family a healthy, balanced meal when you're short on time? Then boxed and frozen meals aren't the answer. Generally, you'll need to buy a couple packages to actually feed your family. And the fillers, sodium, and fat added to these meals can hardly be considered healthy. Instead, invest in a crock pot. Put only the ingredients in that you want, and come home to a healthy, hot meal.

Search the clearance bins. You can find some great deals in these bins. Damaged boxes and cans don't affect what's inside. But, if it's not presentable enough to sell, you can reap the rewards. Also, off season products and candy are still good, even if they are heart or pumpkin shaped! Sometimes, you'll find discontinued items of things that you need anyways. So, don't pass these bargains up.

When a store buys or bakes too much, they pass the savings on to you. If your family goes through a lot of bread or cakes quickly, search the bakery cast offs. You can often find bakery items that need to be sold and used quickly. If you go through them quickly, you might as well shop here! And, if you're finding that you can't use the bread or cakes right away, you can always freeze them or use them in other ways - like in stuffings or French toast. Some great recipes for French toast can be found online!

Your family needs to eat. But, feeding them doesn't need to cost a fortune. With just a few cost saving measures, you can feed your family's tummies, while keeping your wallet full as well.