We live in a world of instant gratification and hence it is extremely vital to concentrate on saving money as much as is possible. If you take a look at the bigger picture, numerous households in the US are drowning in debt and they don’t have any solution at their disposal with which they can get back their finances in order and help their family pull themselves out of debt. While they are struggling to make payments towards their monthly debt obligations, at the same time, they even don’t know how to save money here and there and keep boosting their savings account so as to be able to weather any obstacles in the long run.
If you think that the gas pump is the only place where you’re being forced to pay a hefty amount, you’re mistaken. You’re also paying more at grocery stores and at food products. You can blame this either on the disheartening crop yields of the farmers or the soaring prices of oil, the weak dollar and reasons like global warming. What does all this mean? Should you look for a smart and new way to save on food items and grocery products? Well, we’ve compiled a list of points that you can follow in order to save your dollars.
#1: Planning should be done way before time
Experts suggest that one should soon take inventory of whatever you have at your disposal so that you never commit the mistake of overbuying which is the most common reasons behind unnecessary spending of your dollars. Jot down all the things as per your needs and the menu that you plan for the week and consider how you’re going to utilize the leftovers. Which day of the week should you work on the leftovers? Before you go out for shopping, have a light snack so that you don’t ‘binge-buy’ while pocking items from your grocery list. Don’t always fall for the cost displays that are there at the end of the aisle. Check the advertisements so that you have a clear idea on what is on sale.
#2: Healthier food choices are always cheaper
As per a study that was done by the Journal of American Dietetic Association, when you choose healthier foods like optimum nutrition whey or other forms of whey protein, this helps you save more money by spending less. According to a group of researchers, it was concluded that those families which together went on diets which promoted weight loss, they not just lost weight but they could also stay within their budget. When you’re on diet, you tend to diminish the size of the portions that you have, you buy foods which are low on calories and this boosts the amount which you plan to spend in the grocery store. The extra foods which add to calories like sodas, nutritional value, chips and bakery items often add up to your expenditure. This can be avoided when you’re on diet.
#3: Set a ‘money date’ day each week
How about sitting down with your money once in a week in order to get a tab of how much you have, how much you should spend and how much you can save? This is the time when you should spend in updating your budget, analyzing all your accounts and tracking your progress against all the financial goals that you have. Determine how much more you have to progress in order to be able to reach your financial goals. Anyone who wants his financials to improve should invest some time with his dollars.
#4: Use rebates, coupons and watch out for products on sale
Do you think you’re flexible enough to plan meals around the items which have been put up on sale? This could be one of the best ways of reducing your grocery costs, even more when you use coupons. Ensure that they’re being spent on only those items which you would anyway buy and not on items which are not included in your life. Keep in mind the Sunday newspaper as they have sales and couples in fill which can help you in getting started. Whenever you find any of your staple food on sales, stock them up as you can also get them at half the price. Utilize your freezer where you can store these items to be used later.
#5: Buy in-season products
How about checking the food category of your newspaper so that you could find out the best buys for that entire week based on the fresh vegetables and items of the season? The in-season food is usually priced in such a manner that it is sold off. For instance, if you take into account corn on the cob during the months of summer, it will cost you as nominal as 10 cents for an ear but during the other times of the year, it will probably cost you 10 times more. Instead of shopping from branded stores, shop from the local market so that you can avail their greatest discounts.
#6: Save money on all those protein foods
Whenever you think it is possible, substitute the cheap sources of protein like tofu, eggs and beans for more expensive sources like fish, meat and poultry. If you’re someone who is health-conscious, you should eat vegetarian once in a week so that you can boost your consumption of health foods based on plants. Eggs are one of the best and cheapest forms of protein that you can take for breakfast and also for your dinner and lunch. Try a smaller portion of fish, meat and poultry and extend your dish with beans, whole grains, veggies and eggs.
Therefore, whenever you’re trying your best to save money on food items so that you have enough money in your savings account, follow the above mentioned strategies. Keep saving as much as you can so that you don’t have to take resort to loans in case you fall short of funds.