Simplify, Shop Wisely and Spend Less
by Marianne Giullian

Cut your grocery bill

It is important to shop wisely. For years, I have been saving money on groceries. On average, I save 50 percent at the
grocery store. In a month, I save almost as much money in food, clothing, etc. as I would make with a part-time job. By
careful shopping, I can stay home with my kids instead of having a job outside of my home. However, shopping wisely does
not mean that you need to buy the cheapest thing and give up quality and taste. Saving money in the grocery store does not
need to take hours of clipping coupons, etc. Buy what you need and don't spend unnecessary time buying things you wouldn't
normally use just because they are on sale. The following suggestions can help to simplify our lives and help us to be
happier and stay in our budget at the same time as we shop wisely.

1. By not spending, you save. Just don't buy the junk food. I bought two liter bottles of soda for 25 cents a bottle. It was
a great deal. I couldn't stand watching my kids drink the stuff, knowing that soda is bad for them. I could have just
given them water to drink instead of soda. It would have been
healthier and cost less money. Candy bars sometimes go on sale
for ten cents each. Although it is a good buy and may be hard
to pass up, it is healthier for you and your family if you
save your money and don't buy junk food. Fruit snacks were on
sale for a third of the regular cost. This is another good
deal, but as I watched my kids quickly devour them, I wondered
if it was worth the good price to have them eat the sugary,
artificially colored and flavored snacks. I could have bought
carrots for less money and they would have had something
healthy to eat. Carrots have beta carotene, which is great for
them.

2. Look for better, healthier alternatives. I buy name brand
cereal for $1.50 per box or less. I may be able to find store
brand cereal for less, but many of them get soggy more quickly
so I do not buy them. Even though buying name brand box cereal
at $1.50 per box is a great deal, a 50-pound bag of oatmeal or
wheat cereal would cost a great deal less and would be
healthier for us in the long run. In addition, hot cereal
seems to be more filling than cold cereal.

3. Try using less of a better quality product. I used to buy
ground beef because it was cheaper than other cuts of meat.
Now I buy leaner cuts of meat and cut by half the amount of
meat in my recipes. Another alternative is to eat good cuts of
meat occasionally and eat more beans. Beans can improve your
health and protect you, so why don't we eat them more often?
They are less expensive and better for you.

4. Make it yourself. It seems like the bread that is on sale
is usually not the kind that is high in fiber. To buy the good
quality bread costs a lot of money. I make my own 100% whole
wheat bread without any preservatives for a fraction of the
cost of the same bread in the store. Homemade tortillas,
muffins and bagels cost substantially less to make yourself
and the taste is so much better. Making your own stew with
fresh vegetables costs less than the equivalent of canned stew
on sale and you don't have the preservatives.

6. Use what you have. Unless you are celebrating a special
occasion, use the food you have before running to the store.
If you don't have exactly what you need, substitute something
else in its place. If you don't have an acceptable substitute,
make a different meal from what you have on hand. You will
save yourself time by avoiding a last minute trip to the
grocery store. Limit your trips to the grocery store to once a
week or twice a month.

7. Make a menu and grocery list before shopping. It is easier
to avoid unnecessary purchases when you have an idea of what
you want to buy before you enter the grocery store. This will
also help to avoid last minute trips for forgotten items.

8. Buy things your family will eat. My kids love macaroni and
cheese. If I buy the cheap brand on sale, they will not eat
it. They can taste a difference. It will just sit on the
shelf. If your family doesn't like something, why buy it even
if it is on sale?

Grocery shopping doesn't need to be a burden. Set a budget for
food each month and/or week. Make a menu and grocery list and
buy what you need first. Use any leftover money to buy staples
and things you regularly use when they go on sale. Enjoy the
food you make and don't feel obligated to make a meal that
doesn't taste good just to save a dollar. The taste and health
benefits are worth the extra dollar in my opinion. Ten years
ago, I tried a recipe from a book about feeding your family
for less. The recipe was for peanut butter stir fry and even
though it has been ten years, my whole family remembers that
meal as the worst meal we have ever had in our lives. You can
stay in your budget without having to give up quality and
health. All of the money you spend on unnecessary sale items
like candy bars, fruit snacks and soda could add up to buy
good, healthy food instead. Just because something is on sale
and a good price doesn't mean that it is the best choice in
the long run. Be wise about your spending and realize that by
not spending, you save.

Take the Next Step:
How much per month could you save by no longer buying junk
food or at least limiting it to an occasional treat? Collect
receipts and figure it out. Sure, that sugary snack is on
sale, but what are you really paying for? Excess sugar?
Artificial colors and flavors? How about trans fat? And what
other benefits besides monetary would you see by cutting the
junk? Think about it.

Marianne Giullian is a mother of five children who enjoys sharing ideas about saving 
money and being more organized. She has a B.S. degree in Elementary Education.