Best Way to Save Money on Groceries

The Budget Chef

KW Publishing

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Best Way to Save Money on Groceries: One Woman's Secret

By Kathy Wilson

Let's face it, with the way things are today with gas and grocery

prices going up (and just about everything else) most of us are doing

what we can to save money on groceries. I know you've heard it all;

coupons, shop the sales, using rebates...but I have a simple technique

that I have found is the best way to save money on groceries for my

family. So no matter how much money you make, or how much you spend,

anyone can save money!

First of all, all those tried and true grocery saving ideas really can

work. But honestly, I don't have the time. I do cut out the occasional

coupon, and wish I had the time to work all the couponing angles, but

I don't. My secret to saving money happened accidentally as I was

trying to become more organized to be able to run my online business

from home more efficiently.

I make a weekly menu. That's it, that's the secret. I know, like I

said, seems more like organization. But the fact is, when you make a

menu each week, then develop your grocery list from that menu, you can

save up to 30% on your grocery bill every week. If your grocery bill

averages $100 a week, that's $33 bucks, folks. That adds up to more

than $1700 dollars a year. That's a lot of money to be throwing away.

And the savings are higher if your grocery bill tends to be higher

than $100 a week, like mine.

The reason this works is that it eliminates impulse and unnecessary

buying. The menu and list keeps you on track so you know everything

you need. How many times have you bought a couple heads of lettuce and

some tomatoes, thinking it would be great to have a salad "sometime

this week" only to find them later in the frig, $9 worth of trash?

We've all done it, sometimes so many times its embarrassing to admit!

Better still; use the weekly sales flyers to create your menu from

discounted items. For instance, if round steak in on sale this week,

make sure a couple of meals on your menu use round steak. Apples on

special? Buy a bag and make apple pie for this weeks dessert. Getting

it?

It really does work to save you money on groceries, and the side

benefit is that you avoid those last minute (and unhealthy) trips

through the drive thru. Every morning you know what's for dinner, so

you can thaw your meat, or start your slow cooker without the guilt

and expense unplanned meals can cause.

So try it. Get out a paper and make a menu for this week. (Or you can

visit Women on the Net for free menu printables.) Create a shopping

list from your menu. Feel free to interchange a meal here and there if

you come across a good sale, but be sure to change it on your menu

list. Now compare your grocery bill to the last few you've had. Pretty

cool, eh? From a mom who has raised 5 kids and three stepkids, this is

my secret for the best way to save money on groceries, and keep you on

track at the same time!

Kathy Wilson, is an author, columnist, and home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com. Visit her at her website http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com and also at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com , where ANY woman can learn to make money on the internet!