I've had a few requests to talk a little bit more about saving money at the grocery store. For starters, I follow three basic rules:
1. Create a weekly menu.
2. Use the menu to create your grocery list.
3. While shopping, buy only what is on your list.
For our family of four, I budget $100 per week. This amount includes all food for the week, including any take-out or trips to restaurants/coffee shops. (You can see why we don't eat out very much!)
Starting next week, I will "publish" our menus and give provide a photo of my grocery store receipt. By doing this, I can walk some of you who want grocery store "help" through my process of menu planning and shopping. And for you coupon gurus, I would love your input as well!
This week, our menu is centered around a few great values from last week's deals at Safeway. 18 pack of eggs -- buy one, get one free. We'll have omelettes, bake Valentine treats, and make waffles with plenty of eggs to spare for the next few weeks. Ground turkey -- buy one, get one free. We had turkey burgers and will have turkey tacos next week. Johnsonville Italian Sausage -- buy one, get one free. We'll try a new crockpot dish with tomatoes, onions, peppers and sausages this week. Ten pound bag of potatoes -- $.99! Imagine all of the yummy potato dishes you can make!
Cheap and Cheerful wants to know: What grocery store tips and tricks do you want to know more about? What tips and tricks can you share with other readers?
Hey Jen, looking forward to seeing your list! That is quite impressive! I need to do more meal planning. We spend about $130 per week at the grocery store and I bet we could trim off more if I really put my mind to it! ~Julie in Seattle
ReplyDeleteI do a weekly meal plan too and wanted to add that it not only saves money, but makes meal preparation a lot less stressful. You don't have to make harried 5 o'clock trips to the grocery store for one or two items only to return the next day for something else. It also helps save money by keeping you from wasting money on food that goes bad before you can eat it. When you plan a week out, you can be more realistic about what can be consumed in that amount of time and plan meals that use some of the same ingredients to get the most for your money. - Jody
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