These are some money saving tips I use and wanted to share. If you have any you would like to share, please drop me a line and I will publish to this page with your name.
Buy seasonal produce when it is in season, it is cheaper. Some of this produce can be frozen and then used later on when not in season and save you a lot of money.- Remember that the more someone has to do, the more it is going to cost you. If you buy blocks of cheese that you shred yourself will cost you less than buying it already shredded. Large cuts of meat rather than trimmed and cut will save you to do a little bit of work at home.
- Some markets will place mark downs on soon to expire items. My favorite is at the butcher section where meats that will expire the same day I am there or the following day are marked down. I picked up a nearly 6 lb. whole chicken for under $5. These are great bargains that you can take home and freeze and use at a later date saving you money.
- Planning your meals ahead of time and making a list will save you money. I go into town every 2 weeks to do my grocery shopping. The day before I go I look through my pantry and fridge, seeing what is leftover such as some jalapeno peppers, green onions, half box of pasta, etc. and try to use these ingredients up with the next meals so nothing gets wasted.
- If you have produce that is not going to last there are a few things you can do. Peppers, spicy, sweet or mild can all be frozen. Tomatoes can be sliced, diced, pureed and frozen. Bananas can be placed in the freezer with the skin on or you can peel it and wrap them in plastic wrap then tucked into a freezer bag and use them in baking. Berries, cherries and peaches can all be frozen. Fresh herbs can be mixed with oil, butter or water and frozen to be used in cooking later.
- Dollar stores are great for some items; plastic wrap, freezer bags, sandwich bags, aluminum foil, etc. for a $1 each – some aren’t up to par with some of the name brand products but the small inconvenience is worth it in the end. They are also great for paper products, spices, canned goods and other items. I save over $100 a month buying these particular items there rather than at the regular market.
- I am not a fan of big box stores, some things are a bargain and many others aren’t that great. You often have to buy such a large quantity that you end up tossing some of it away because it expired before you could use it all. I am sure if you have a big family that this is not an issue. They do tend to have great deals on both produce and meats but when you tack on the membership fee and all the mysterious items that land in your cart that weren’t on your list, are you really saving?
- Depending on where you live there are some markets that pop up that specialize in bargains, they bring in a large quantity of an item and when its gone, its gone. We have one here that charges you what they paid for it and what they do is mark up the sale by 10% when you check out. They sell in large lots of meat, meaning not individual steaks but the whole roast to cut the steaks from. They sell filet mignon for under $4 per lb. and 8 lb. bag of russet potatoes for under $1, There doesn’t seem to be one chain of stores but I have encountered them here in Arkansas, down in Mississippi and over in California.
- Bell peppers, especially when you buy them to do stuffed peppers, we chop off the stop with the stem and discard. I save these in a bag and put them in the freezer that way if I am making an omelet, potatoes, soup, etc. and I just need a little bit of diced pepper I simply pull it from the freezer, thaws fast under warm water and dice it around the stem.