Tips for Grocery Shopping on a Budget

Grocery shopping on a budget can be as filled with surprises as it can be fraught with disappointment. It's hard to make do on a limited budget, and sometimes it really comes in handy to have friends, especially if your friends share your need to be frugal. The key to shopping on a budget and making it work is to know what you're doing before you start.

Partner Up
Before you ever leave the house, find a friend and partner up. Designate one day a week as your grocery shopping day and take turns driving. Together, you can also buy bulk items you might not be able to accommodate or afford on your own. Share the cost of gas and bulk products. Take advantage of the time children are in school and make a day of it.

Coupon Exchange
Start a new program in your neighborhood and call it coupon exchange day. Take turns hosting the coupon exchange in each other's homes. This is also a good way to check out different food products. Each week, whoever is hosting the exchange can make something for lunch from a grocery product no one has tried before. This will not only give everyone a chance to taste a new food and determine if they'd like to purchase it for their own family, it will also provide an outing for young mothers who may not otherwise get a chance to visit with their peers.

Coupons
Coupons can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of 12 months. Check out the Sunday paper for coupons as well as store flyers. Some libraries collect coupons for patrons. Check to see if your library offers this service. If they do, you may want to include a stop at the library on your weekly shopping excursion.

Keep coupons in a folder or envelope in your purse or car. Never leave home without them. You just never know when a sale might pop up.

Sales and Rebates
Grocery store flyers are usually sent to homeowners via the mail, but sometimes stores hold impromptu sales that are only for that day. Take advantage of what you can, but never overbuy and never drive a distance for one or two items. Regardless of how little bananas are going for this week, unless you plan on eating bananas for every meal for the next five days and making plenty of banana bread (and then only if you can freeze it), don't buy 20 pounds of bananas. Waste is waste no matter how you look at it. Even if the bananas only cost you a penny apiece, it will be devastating when you have to toss them in the trash because you aren't able to eat them before they spoil.

Check products for rebate information. Many times rebates are only announced on the package. Also check store brands over name brands. Often you can pick up two store brand items for the same price as one name brand item.

Shop Around
Do some comparison checking. Choose four different grocery stores and shop a different one each week. Based on coupons, store discounts, sales and actual prices, determine which store will give you the most bang for your buck.

Likewise, know which stores are holding sales. Weigh the pros and cons. If a store is holding a good sale, but the location of the store is out of your way, will you save money in the end? Anytime you can save money, go for it. But with the price of gas, and wear and tear on your car, it may not be worth it to travel miles in search of a few sales.

Buying in Bulk
Buying in bulk usually means you'll need a freezer in which to store some items. If you go with a friend, buy $20 worth of hamburger and split it. You'll need freezer bags in several sizes and enough freezer space to accommodate your product. Rotate your frozen foods. Keep several small boxes or compartments in the freezer and label them according to date. Make sure you use the products in a timely manner. Frozen items are often on sale in stores because the expiration date is right around the corner. Don't buy something you cannot use up in the time allowance or you will have wasted money rather than saved.

Farmer's Markets
Often, it's possible to pick up fresh fruit at a farmer's market inexpensively. Find out when the farmer's markets are held in your area and work your shopping day around it. Never make special trips to the grocery store or to the farmer's market. That extra trip may waste the same amount of gas-or more-than what you saved on groceries.

One item that is usually much less expensive at the farmer's market is corn on the cob. Purchase it in bulk at a lower rate, husk it at home and then boil it for three minutes. Cut the corn from the cob and place into freezer bags-just enough to feed your family one meal in each bag-and freeze immediately. You'd be surprised how much corn is on one cob. Depending on the size of your family, a bushel or two could give you enough corn for the entire winter.

The same goes for fruit. If you can purchase a bushel of peaches or apples and then can or freeze them for later use, you will probably save quite a bit. Just make sure the price you pay for the product is low enough. You also have to add the cost of jars, sugar, Sure-Jell or other canning items. Keep in mind that not all fruits freeze well. Consult a canning and preserving book for more information.

Unless you have a root cellar at your disposal, buying potatoes in bags larger than 10 or 20 pounds at a time is not recommended.

Set a Limit
Set a limit on how much you can spend on groceries and don't go over it. If you want more of a certain sale item, put something else back. Keeping to your budget is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to grocery shopping, but with practice, you can become efficient.