Feeding your Family For Less

Mediterranean CuisineOf all of your monthly expenses, your food bill is the easiest to save money on. It may take a little extra effort on your part, but you can slash your food bill in half and still get nearly as much food as you have been. Getting your groceries for cheap, doesn’t mean you have to eat unhealthy. These ideas take healthy options into consideration as well. So before you head to the grocery store, here are a few tips from Low Income Loans Assistance:

Shop at a farmers market

Instead of buying your groceries at a shop, consider finding a farmers market or a Co-op. You’ll save a lot of money and get have access to plenty of healthy fruits and veggies. A Co-op lets buyers get foods a little cheaper because the fruits and veggies are bought in bulk, so the suppliers charge less. 

Grow a garden

Perhaps the least expensive way to get fruits and vegetables is to grow your own. Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow. If you have a small space you may still be able to grow strawberries, peppers and carrots. Grab a few books at the library to bone up on some gardening skills and get to planting. You’ll have fresh fruits and veggies year after year, free except for seeds and labour. 

Couponing 

The idea of using coupons is overwhelming for most people. However, you don’t have to spend hours every week searching for coupons. Just pick a few coupons for items you buy regularly and use those. Combine these with sales at local stores and you can rack us savings much faster. 

Plan your menu around sales

Create your weekly menu after the sales circulars come out. Find out what meat is on sale and which stores have the best prices on other supplies. Buy what’s cheaper and eat that. You’ll spend less because your list will include items that are already on sale. 

Stretch your food supply

Double the amount of milk you have by purchasing whole milk, halving it and adding water. You’ll get twice as much low-fat milk for half the price. You can beef up meat dishes by adding beans or rice which are less expensive but just as filling. 

Skip the name brands

Truth be told, the store brand of your favourite cereal tastes nearly the same as that fancy name brand. Don’t pay for packaging. Swap out the name brands for off brands and you’ll save a lot off of your grocery bill. 

Find discount grocery stores

Some stores are simply cheaper than others. You’ll save even more by utilizing shops that specialize in low prices because they cut back on nonessentials. Aldi’s is a good example. You’ll pay less because the store keep staff to a minimum and doesn’t offer shopping bags. You can get even better deals if you grab dented cans (does it really matter if your cans have a few dings?) and breads that are running close to their sell by date. 

Cutting back on your grocery bill takes a little extra planning, but it can pay off in the end, make a few sacrifices and spend a few minutes planning your menu for the week and you’ll have a little extra cash to sock away. 

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