Save Money on Groceries Without Clipping Coupons
Simple Ways to Reduce Your Grocery Bills
Dec 18, 2008
Many Americans are struggling to provide their families with healthy meals due to the steady inflation of food costs since the onset of economic recession. According to the Consumer Price Index Summary released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in December of 2008, grocery bills have risen over six percent in the last year alone. It is not surprising that people have started looking for new ways to spend less at the supermarket. Help is on the way. These simple tips will show you how to save money on groceries, without clipping coupons, by getting back to the basics.
Buy Meat at "Wholesale" Prices
Purchase a whole cow or pig from a local farmer, and have a butcher package the meat for you. Many farmers will partner with a mobile butcher for your convenience. This allows you to simply place your order then pick it up when it is ready for your freezer.
You should also talk to your local butcher about buying a slab of beef or whole pig directly from him for price comparison. The key to saving money with this tip is to have one or two other people share the cost with you. There will be more than enough meat to go around, and this is the most affordable option.
Grow Your Own Produce
Plant a vegetable garden to significantly reduce your grocery bill. Not only will you have fresh produce to use in healthy meals for your family all summer long, but you will also be able to can vegetables to store and eat when it gets too cold for gardening. Another benefit is the peace of mind that comes with knowing your produce is completely organic.
Plant an Herb Garden
Consider growing your own fresh herbs to add natural flavor to your food. You can fit several plants in one pot, and most are relatively easy to maintain. Keep them in a kitchen window sill for easy access, or put them outside to provide a wonderful fragrance to your patio area. Herb gardens are very inexpensive to start, but they pay off in a big way because buying the bottles of dried herbs at the grocery store can get really expensive.
Do All the Prep Work at Home
Take care of all your own prep work, such as chopping, grating, peeling, and mixing at home. Buying the pre-made vegetable or fruit tray, package of grated cheese, and baking mixes is indeed more convenient and less time-consuming than prepping the food yourself, but you will also pay pretty penny for those conveniences.
Barter
Bartering is always an effective method for saving money. Offer your neighbor some pecans from the tree in your backyard in exchange for some of his apples. Strike up a deal to bring tomatoes and corn from your garden to your co-worker as a trade for some of her fresh eggs. Never be afraid to bargain with people. You might be surprised how truly open most people are to the idea, especially when it means cutting their food costs.
Don't Overlook Your Natural Resources
Save money on groceries by taking advantage of the abundant resources nature has to offer. Family fishing trips to the lake for the day are not only great bonding experiences, but also an opportunity to literally catch your dinner for free. Throw in some blackberries you picked from the side of the road for a blackberry cobbler, and you have got dessert to top it off.
There are many simple ways to provide your family with healthy meals on a budget. These tips will help you get back to the basics of saving money. This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you are willing to think outside the box, then you are capable of some very creative budget planning.
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