How to Shop Frugally (Without Compromising Good Food)

Everyone wants good food to eat, but many Americans, myself included, are feeling some financial strain. Well, there is indeed a way to get the best of both worlds. Here are some tips to minimize the cost of groceries:

- If you have a Kroger's, Food Lion, Aldi's, IGA, or a similar store that specializes solely in groceries, I would recommend shopping there. It's best if they have their own card that you can get for free, like Krogers, which is where I shop. Usually they offer great discounts if you use your card.

- Shop the sales. If you aren't a picky eater, this will be extremely easy. Always check what's on sale because there is usually something good to be found. Also, look for those things whose expiration dates are nearing. They're usually marked down, and most of them will last for a while before going bad, or they can be frozen to last.

- Don't be afraid to collect coupons. You can find them in newspaper leaflets or even printable coupons online. Remember, coupons for expensive brands aren't worth it it there is a similar product that can be purchased for less than the reduced coupon price.

- Don't be afraid to buy in bulk or even just in excess. If you think your family will only use one loaf of bread, but there's a buy one get one free sale then get both loaves and freeze one. Many foods, such as vegetables, fruits, breads, etc, can be safely frozen and thawed for later use without losing any flavor or anything.

- Choose just one "special" meal a week that your whole family enjoys and wants. Then you can buy that meal special, regardless of the price, and it's a good compromise for maybe eating more common meals (like hotdogs and hamburgers, which are usually on sale or inexpensive to buy) for the rest of the week.

- If you're really ambitious, Raman Noodles make a great, inexpensive staple to other foods. They're very inexpensive to buy, and as long as your family likes them you can have them as one meal every couple or days or so, which will really reduce your meal costs as well. Plus, if you get tired of just plain Raman Noodles, try mixing them with vegetables and goodies like that.

- Since fruit and vegetables are so hard to find on sale (and they are indeed necessary for a proper diet), look for whatever is on sale when you go shopping and buy in bulk of that. Remember, what you won't eat right away can be frozen for some time. Apples (or apple sauce), green peppers, corn on the cob, etc, all make great sidedishes or healthy snacks year round.

- Remember, all of the big stores around you (including supercenters like KMart and WalMart that also sell food) have leaflets that describe exactly what's on sale for that week. These come in handy when you're deciding where to shop and what to get. It gives you a good idea about what you'll be able to find in the different places and you can pick things out ahead of time that you might consider buying. Keep in mind, too, that it's ok to shop at two, even three or more, different places to buy all of your groceries. Just remember to factor in the price of gas if you have to go too far out of your way to do so.

Oh, and if you have doubts about these tricks, I assure you they do work. Last week I did my monthly shopping and spent $75, including Raman Noodles, apples, grapes, hot dogs, hamburgers, lunch meat, bread for sandwiches and toast, kool aid, popcorn (kettle corn and regular both), and ingredients for spaghetti, garbage bread, and italian bread. Granted, I am only shopping for two people, but I know that my father (who shops for only 3) spends probably around $150 a week. So, all of these saving tips really do add up in the long run.