Blog Post #11: Money Saving Ideas
This blog post will cover some tips and tricks to save money when grocery shopping and making meals.
Tip #1: Coupons! Coupons have been used for years to help people save money. Shockingly, I heard someone say that coupons were outdated and makes someone look old. Trust me, no one will laugh or judge you if you use coupons. Plus, if you shop at stores like Walmart (like I do), there are more self-checkouts available, so no one will be paying attention to you anyway! Also, you can use coupons on your phone or you can use digital coupons instead of cutting coupons out with your scissors.
Tip #2: Pick one day of the week to meal prep. This is usually discussed with money saving tips, but it can also be important when thinking about meal ideas. If you plan your meals ahead, then meal prepping is still important! It can save you money, but it can also save you time. Meal prepping can also be a money saver since you are not eating out! Cooking at home can be a healthy and cheap option instead of eating out at restaurants all the time. My day to meal prep is Sundays, and I usually spend the day making smoothies for breakfast, pasta salad for a quick lunch, and brown rice to make as many rice bowls as I can. I also make overnight oats for my husband and I to eat as a dessert after the pasta salad is gone.
Tip #3: Make a grocery list of the foods that you need. I always go through my fridge and pantry, and write down the foods/items that I need to buy. If you stick to buying the foods on your grocery list, then it will help you to stay away from impulse buys. It can also help limit your trips to the store, and to limit your spending.
Tip #4: Pay attention to the prices of the grocery items. Your can compare the items to make sure you buy the cheaper one (I compare items in Walmart against stores like Publix). I also buy non-name brands. You will see that the off-brand items are usually cheaper, even though they are the same item! For example, I buy Great Value items at Walmart, or Publix brand items when at Publix.
Tip #5: Some stores will offer a membership perk, and if you sign up, you will get rewards. You can see if this is beneficial for you and your family.
Tip #6: See if your grocery store has weekly deals or sales. You can plan your meals around the items on sale, saving you more money. I usually see what Publix has for BOGO deals, and it pays off! I look up BOGO deals online and plan my grocery list based on what they offer.
Tip #7: See if a wholesale club is good for you and your family, like Sam’s Club or Costco. You can buy items in bulk, it will end up saving you money in the long run. For my household of two people, it is not useful for us since the food will expire or spoil before we can use some of the items. But if you have a bigger family, a wholesaler can be useful for making grocery purchases.
Practical Ways Towards “Peachy” Living
Plan weekly meals to save you money and time. Plan your grocery list accordingly and only shop for the items you need
Compare prices of food items to make sure you are getting a cheap yet healthy option
Use various tools, like coupons, sales, memberships, or points to save more money
