Frugal Living

7 Grocery Bill Money Saver Tips

Grocery shopping can be a very stressful few hours. It can also take a huge chunk out of your thinning wallet. How can you save $ on your grocery bill?

Join the free membership clubs. Most major chains have membership cards where you can receive the cheapest cost on foods. Some memberships also offer discounts on gas, which is also an added bonus. If you are going to do your grocery shopping at the store anyways, why not sign up for the discounted gas and deals.
Stay away from items placed strategically by the entrance. They are usually higher priced.
Special items at end caps are not always sale items. Be careful of the old thinking that the end caps are where are the sales are. This isn’t always true.
Look up and look down. Companies with bigger budgets can have their items at eye level or prime location because they pay for those spots. Look up and down to see lower cost, same quality products.
Watch out for Boutique Buying setups. There is such a thing as “boutique buying” in grocery stores. This is when you will find items like the parmesan cheese right by the pizza or pasta ingredients, or salsa by the tortilla chips. If you don’t have it on your list, leave it alone.
Always bring a list! Make your list beforehand, plan your menu, plan your meals.
Shopping the “perimeter” isn’t always the best choice anymore. There are many items down the aisle that are healthy and budget-friendly. For example, dried beans, whole grains, canned/frozen fruits and veggies are down the middle of the aisle.

Please share this article with friends if you find any tips helpful!

Nutrition for the Week

Do you complain about not having time to eat healthy during the week? Do you think making healthy food takes too long and is too much work?

Here are nine things you can do on Sunday afternoon or evening to improve your nutrition. All it takes is a little prep work and planning:

Wash and chop vegetables. Store in air-tight containers so they will last longer. Do not wash berries before they are ready to be eaten.
Keep your fruits and vegetables separate. Fruits like apples give off an orderless, harmless and tasteless gas called ethylene when they have been picked. When ethylene producing items are kept near other kinds of produce (like a bag or drawer) then it speeds up how fast the produce ripens. So if you want to speed up how fast an avocado or tomato ripens, then put it in a paper bag with an apple. To keep items fresher for longer, keep them separate.
Save money by buying dried beans, lentils, legumes, and grains (as compared to quick-cook or canned items). Use your slow cooker, pressure cooker, or stovetop to slowly cook according to directions. Once they are cooked, drain, rinse, and let dry. Then portion into 1 or 2 cup servings in plastic baggies or tuberware, and place in the freezer. Then for the next few weeks you will have no excuse to not make a healthy recipe because you don’t have to sit and wait for the rice, beans or lentils to cook (and your veggies are all chopped and ready to go).
Label all of your items well.
Make one large salad for the week. Then each day you can have a salad ready for lunch or dinner.
Portion out snacks into your own “100 Calories Snack Packs” or single servings. Take nuts, chips, or crackers that you may un-knowingly overeat, and portion into small zip-lock baggies.
Make a half dozen-dozen hard boiled eggs.
Plan out your menu (at least do dinners) for the week. Knowing what you are going to eat for dinner can save stress and time during the week after a long day at work. It also helps you from leaving your nutrition up to chance.
Make double- batches and freeze.

What other tips and tricks do you have to share?

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Eating Healthy Does Not Have to Break the Bank!

Stock up on these healthy, low-cost items and follow some of these guidelines:

Beans and lentils: Canned or dried you can buy these to put in various soups, stews, side dishes or turn into the main dish.
Brown Rice: A great addition to leftover meat and veggies. Brown rice may be slightly more expensive than white, the nutritional payoff is well worth it.
Whole Grain Pasta: Same cost as white enriched pasta without the nutrition. Quick & easy to prepare with veggies, lean meat, or salad.
Soups: Best homemade, but you can use canned or packet soups as your base, then add your own veggies and leftover meat. Experiment!
Fresh vegetables and fruit: F/V should be bought at least once or twice each week, preferably in season, to ensure optimal taste and nutrition. Frozen and canned work great!
Meat and fish: Go lean with meat on sale and buy in bulk. Cook your recipes in double batches, freeze and store for later in the week. Canned fish is a great addition.
Stock up on specials on staples: broth, soups, pasta, canned vegetables, tuna etc. Many of these items have a long shelf life or can be frozen for short periods of time.
Limit your dining out, sugary drinks and alcohol.
Buy generic, store brand foods.
Start clipping coupons.
Try my “Slow Cooker Spicy Black Bean Soup” recipe. It is low cost, nutritious, quick and easy.

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