These thrifty ideas are not in the clothing department today. Today I am talking about something we do everyday...eat. Most importantly, food shopping. Groceries can be expensive, but we all have to buy them. So, why waste your money and throw out items that you spent your hard earned money to get? That's like taking your paycheck and throwing it in the trash. No one likes to waste. I am here to give you a few tips that can help you save a ton of moolah- and time!
- Buy some items in bulk. Not like Costco (all though that can save you some money on staples like toilet paper and paper towels), but buying items on sale. This past week I went to my local grocery store and they had a 6 pack of corn for $3 (that is 50 cents per ear). I brought them home, shucked them, cut them in half and froze them for later. Of course I am not going to eat all that corn anytime soon, but I can buy it now and save myself some hassle (and money) later on. And, it ended up being cheaper than the fresh canned corn I buy.
- Keep an Eye on Manager Specials. Go check out the meat department. Do you see any items with the clearance stickers on them for steaks? Grab them. The butcher of the store is in charge of circulating meat and if that meat has been on their shelves too long (less than a week), they put them on clearance so they can put their new meat in. This meat is still good and you can freeze it. Take those steaks home, slice them up for fajitas, steak tips, etc. and you will have saved yourself some dough in the process.
- Go on Off days. The best time to go to the grocery store is Tuesday or Wedneday. The least amount of shoppers go grocery shopping that day and you can always find the best sales, especially if the trucks are coming in. Talk to your produce manager to see when the truck comes in to your grocery store. This is also the best time to get fresh produce- instead of on the weekend when it has been picked through by the crowds.
- Talk to the grocery store staff. Befriend these folks. They are gold on your food budget. If you make friends with the butcher, they will recognize you and often cut you a great deal for your loyalty to the store. And, they can also help you with recipe ideas, etc., so start talking to them and before you know it, you will have one more friend in the store that can help you!
- Bring and Use Coupons. Most people do not like using coupons. This is free money my friends! Let's just say you need cereal. There may be a coupon that could save you on top of the savings from the store's sales ad. Which means you could save twice as much money as if you had just gone in without the coupon. I know they can be a hassle and it is time consuming to cut them out of the sunday paper. However, if you have seen the extreme couponers, you know, you can save some serious money with coupons.
Kroger offers a 10% discount to Seniors 55+ on Tuesdays. Just take your driver's license to the customer service desk and ask to get signed up. Kroger also has a reserved section at one end of the meat department with marked down meat, so I always check that. It's usually well stocked early in the morning if you're lucky enough to do your shopping around 7-8am.
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