The #1 way to save money is to PLAN AHEAD!!
I usually save 50% sometimes more sometimes less. It depends on the add.
There are Five Adults and 2 Toddlers in my house
Before I started saving I would go to the store without a plan and pick up everything I thought I needed and about 20 other items I would like. I spent a lot of money and then I ended up having to get creative at the end of the week to make a meal.
The first thing I do is make a list of general items I know I need; toliet paper, Salt, Butter...etc
Then think of meals I could make for example I already have noodles and sauce. So if I buy ground beef I have a meal.
Then I go to http://www.southernsavers.com/ ( a very important webiste!!) and look up the two stores I shop at ( Winndixie and Publix).
I then click everything I am going to purchase and see what coupons I need or am going to print.
After I gather everything I am ready to go.
I go to the store with my coupons and list. I always look for clearance items as well to see if I can get a quick deal. But make sure you know if it a good deal, just because it is on sale or "clearance" doesn't mean it really is.
Once I am home I make an inventory of what I have. I then make a Menu for the family for example
Snacks:
Fruit
Popcorn
Chips
Applesauce
Lunch:
Sandwhichs ( chicken, turkey or ham)
Soup
Pb and J
Mac and Cheese
Chef Boyardee
Salad
I would go on to list all the food options available. This makes it easy for someone to see what is available to eat. So noone can say " there is nothing to eat". It saves time and it makes it a lot easier to grab something on the go.
Another way I save is I buy all of my fruits and veggies from a local produce stand. It saves a lot of money. You just have to know your prices to know if you are getting a good deal.
You should grow a garden! I pay $1-2 for seed and get $100's of dollars of produce out of it!
ReplyDeleteEspecially grow items that cost a lot of buy like tomato, bell peppers, strawberries, herbs etc. Great blog though Sally. Keep it up!
Rita that really is a great idea I just kill plants easily lol. Thanks for sharing the idea. maybe I can start a small one to get the hang of it.
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