In the past, we talked about starting to pull together information so that you can understand where you are spending money. With a few week’s worth of information available to you, it’s a good time to begin to analyze your spending.
First, look at your food expenditures. Do you find that you are spending pocket cash on snacks, coffee, bottled water, and other items that you may have originally overlooked? In general, the majority of your food expenses should be spent at the grocery store – that’s usually the cheapest place. Therefore, look to purchase breakfast items, coffee and other beverages, lunch items and snacks there.
Buying in bulk and/or with coupons can provide you with huge savings. Personally, we try to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where the produce, meats, dairy, and breads are. While coupons aren’t really available for produce, there are always sales, and you will also find that items in season are generally more reasonable. There are lots of environmental reasons to choose in season, local items also. Farmers markets and roadside stands are also a great, reasonably priced way to get fresh produce.
Also, you can save lots of money by actually planning your meals based upon the sales, coupons, and specials of the week. The best way to do this is to have some favorite recipes with a variety of different foods, and then using the sale paper and your accumulated coupons, decide what to make for the week.
Do you find that you are frequently eating lunch out or ordering out for dinner? If so, think about whether or not you can limit that by buying some additional food at the grocery store. Buying a salad at work? Can you make one at home? For the same cost as a purchased salad, you can probably buy enough ingredients to make several salads. Do you purchase coffee on the go? Can you make extra at home and carry it in a reusable mug?
There are many ways to save money on food, and all that is required is a bit of advance planning! Do you have other suggestions? Post them below!
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Good suggestions–I think this is a big part of my downfall when it comes to spending. There’s a cafeteria just across the hall at work (in a hospital) and I am in there WAY too often buying coffee and snacks I could’ve picked up at the store for a fraction of the cost. They are reducing our discount soon (boooo!) so I am really going to have to cut back.
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That’s such an easy trap to fall into… try bringing lots of snacks to work so there’s always something appealing to choose from.