Frugal For Life

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Emergency staples -Hillbilly Housewife has a great emergency list of staples that you can cook at home for ~45 dollars (depending on your area) which will feed a family of 4-6 for a week (or longer if you have fewer people). Not only does she give the shopping list but, also what to make and how to make it.

Eat-in For Lunch - This doesn’t mean a sit down meal at a restaurant, it means bringing in your lunch at work. If you see your co-workers 8 hours a day, take a quiet moment away from them and save money at meal time. If you have to go with them, take your lunch with you and eat your meal while they charge it to their credit cards. True friends don’t put you debt.

Write out a shopping list- Go in knowing what you need and have your coupons on the ready for those items

Take a Calculator - This is especially important when you are on a budget. Even more useful is rounding up to the next dollar to cover any non-food item taxes (2 cans of veggies. 87¢ each = 2.00 rounded up)

Avoid Pre-packed, convenience foods - cooking at home is always cheaper than paying someone else to cut and precook the item for you. There are situations that call for them, but they are rare - at times people are lazy, including me.

Less Meat - Unless you get a wicked deal on bulk meat that can be frozen, it will always be cheaper to substitute poultry or vegetables instead.

Only Necessary Coupons - This means that you don’t use coupons for items you would NEVER buy or new items that you have not tried and probably wouldn’t buy anyway. If you do have coupons to use, it may be cheaper to buy the smaller item and get more off the price than a larger item. (use your calculator)

Weigh your produce - It may look odd but when I grab a bag of potatoes, or carrots for example, I weigh them to make sure I’m getting AT LEAST the weight that is on the package

Buy Above and Below - Marketers know that we are more likely to buy what is directly in front of us. Instead, look above your shoulder height and below your knee level for other bargains.

Off Brand is Money off - I hate Kleenex brand tissues, they are so thin, instead I buy the Kroger store brand tissues as they are cheaper and thicker. Don’t be a loyal brand shopper if you can help it.

Price Match - If you have to go to a different store for just one item, bring the store ad with you and see if you can get the same price without having to go to the other store and spending gas money.

Rain Checks Rule - If the item is out of stock, get a rain check. You usually have 2-3 months to pick up the item when it is back in stock and this gives you time to get more coupons while at the same time, saving more money for stocking up.

Go Full and Alone - The fewer people that are with you the more money you save (unless you both have the same money saving interests in mind) and make sure you have already have something in your stomach so you don’t buy what appeals to your palette but you buy what appeals to your budget.

Look for Loss Leaders - Many weekly ads will have a handful of really good deals for a period of a couple of days (loss leaders) to get you in the store to buy more. Try to get in, get the deals, and then get out!

Shop Quickly - This is why a list is perfect. You get what you need and save money. How? Studies show that for every 30 seconds you spend in a store over 30 minutes you will spend $.50 that you wouldn’t have spent before. I know this is hard when milk is in the back and produce is in the near corner when you enter the store, for an example.

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