How can i cut down on food bill?

Question

we have 2 toddlers and me and hubby...what are some ways to cut back and save on food...any cheap ideas

Answer 1

I know this sounds crazy but try shopping at the Dollar General for thing on your list.  You will be surprised how much cheaper name brand items are there. Food, Hygiene, Cleaning items are more then likely anywhere from a few pennies to a buck or two cheaper than the bigger one stop shops and major food chains. Plus they accept coupons!!!

I know that Sam's Club is one of those one-stop shops but they have great prices on meat. You can buy meat in bulk, it's much cheaper and you can always freeze it for later meals.  

Aldi's for a family of 4 is also good. Our spending budget on groceries is about $150 for 2 weeks. We don't have steak and potato every night when we shop there but we can get by with a nice meal every night of the week.

Oh ya, on our budget going out to eat happens about once or twice a month. That helps the food budget greatly.

I wish you Good Luck on your food budget. Times are getting harder by the day!

Answer 2

Go for store brand rather than name brand. You'd be surprised how they compare, and most of the time for me, store brand tastes better than name brand!

Go for the essentials and things you need rather than everything you want. You don't need a bunch of cookies if you already have pudding. And, go for one rather than more. Such as, if you want Oreos, Chip Ahoy, and Keeblers, choose just one that settles your craving.

COUPONS! Look in the newspaper for things such as Clipper Magazine, or a local store ad. These can definitely help you!

Try to stay and eat in rather than dining out, and if you must do so, drink water or tea versus soft drinks and coffee.

Look for things on sale or clearance. Some stores have tables set up with slightly damaged or overstocked items. Look at these! They can still be eaten, used, etc.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 3

The TV showed a woman blending her own baby food and snacks from fresh veggies. Cost...about 3 cents a jar...compared to 65 cents a jar for store bought.

Also check out your local  99 cent Store, Dollar Tree, or Dollar Store. They have a lot of off brand foods for only $1 or less. You will be surprised at how much you can save...even those cookies and snacks are lower priced...and the kids will never know the difference.

Answer 4

When things I use are 2 for 1 I stock up on 6 weeks worth ( that is about the time the sale rolls around again). It may costs to buy 6 weeks worth of frozen chicken but then you aren't spending that money again for awhile. Last week ground beef was $1.33 a pound ( high quality) I bought 10 lbs. This week ice cream is buy one get 2 for free! I bought three and told my family it could not be eaten in one week. One week I stock up on toilet paper, another I load up on frozen orange juice that is marked way down. You get the idea.

IYou can usually find your grocery store's sale flyer online. This will help you find the loss leaders each week. Those markdowns on products you use are the key to saving each month.

After awhile you have a well stocked pantry at half the price.

Throw in a few double coupons and you will be so happy with your shrinking grocery bill.

-Melisa

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Answer 5

Buy on sale items only and have meatless meals a few times a week.

Answer 6

Learn how to cook from scratch so you're not paying exorbitant prices for prepared food, and educate yourself about food. Compare the price of pancake mix(95% flour) to the price of flour, you'll see what I mean. It takes about 5 minutes to mix up pancake batter at home, and I add a little wheat germ, buckwheat and grated nuts for extra taste and nutrition. You'll eat better for less, too, if you make your own stuff. I got a bread machine a while ago and can't stand most store bought bread any more. Four slices of store bread goes down like nothing. A sandwich of my own bread feels like a meal. A loaf of my whole wheat bread costs maybe 50 cents versus $4 a loaf for the very best bakery bread.

Don't buy junk food, buy as little processed stuff as possible. If you have to turn on the oven and get out the mixer to make cookies, you're just as likely to settle for an orange. Make it so everything you buy is nutritious and good quality. Price isn't everything. Too many people fill up on food that has very little but calories in it.

Plan meals so if you roast a chicken, leftovers get made into broth a day or two later. Broth can be frozen until you have enough to justify making soup.

Buy at a wholesale place like Costco for staples and things that keep. If you see something on sale that you use often, stock up. Check the flyers every week to see who's got a deal on your favourites.

Answer 7

Don't buy processed pre-packaged foods.   Buy only basic staple items in bulk and learn how to cook.   you will save amazing amounts of money per month, though meals take more time to prepare, but its a family thing to eat together.