Shopping Secrets

Grocery Savings Made Easy

By Tawra Kellam

Most people don't think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family of five on $175 month. In five years my husband earned an average of $22,000 per year. In those five years we paid off $20,000 in debt. There are countless ways you can cut, but if you are a frugal beginner, try these simple suggestions from Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites (Not Just Beans Publishing, 2002), for saving on your food bill first.

• Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized!
• Don't buy what's already hiding in your kitchen.
• If you're a fan of coupons, remember this: It's not what you save, it's what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn't ordinarily buy anyway, you haven't really saved anything.
• A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one – so buy smaller fruits!
• This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you're a diehard meat fan). Use meat as an ingredient instead of a main dish. A good recipe for this is Green Chile. It uses only half to 1 pound of pork.

• Cut back on the juice and milk. Use the money you've saved from eating less meat and drinking less juice and buy something that's on sale. Those sale items will help you cut back even further next month.

It's the little things that add up, so start small!

Want to see more?

• Cash, Not Clutter: How to Make Coupons Work for You
• Frugal Feeding: Saving Money When Dining Out
• Recipes!
• Talk about it!