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If you ask anyone if they would like to save money on groceries the answer will most definitely be a resounding "Yes". But when we ask "How?" they might do it the answer might the common response of "clip coupons" or even and "I don't know". Well, along with the coupons there are other ways to ultimately save money on grocery shopping, and we'll take a look at some tips here.
First, let's take a look at coupons and make sure we get the most out of that money saving technique. Smart shopping takes planning and this is especially true when it comes to groceries. When you shop try and find a store that gives double on manufacturers' coupons. Many stores will do this up to $.99. For example, if you have a coupon for $.75 off, the store will take it off twice, giving you a total of $1.50 off. Not too bad! To really maximize this pay attention to your grocer's weekly specials. Many sales last only one week at a time, so watch for instore specials to go along with your manufacturers' coupons. For example if your grocer's secials run from Sunday through Saturday, try to plan your shopping for Friday or Saturday. By that time you can be checking out what is coming on sale next week while seeing what is currently on sale this week. This has a couple of benefits. The first one is that you don't buy on Friday what will be $1.00 cheaper on Sunday. Secondly, this will help you maximize your coupon savings. For example, if you have a coupon for $.75 off on cereal that will be on sale for $1.99 on Sunday, you can take that coupon in and have it doubled toequal $1.50 and then get your cereal for a total of $.49 for it instead. So remember, along with the coupon clipping it pays to read your grocer's flyers, not only to see what is on sale now but to see what sales are coming up.
Another way to save money on groceries involves looking around in-store. Many grocers have sale racks for items they consider not so fresh. In produce you can often find slightly bruised fruits or vegetables for just pennies. If you use things such as red or green peppers in your cooking this is a great place to find them. When used for cooking, the lack of freshness or crispness is not that detrimental. When you can grab a bag of peppers for $.50 as opposed to $3.00, you can take them home, cut out the parts you may not like and chop up and freeze the rest. The same holds true for other vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli. You can pick up a head of these and take them home, chop them and freeze them for future use in soups.
In the meat department you can also find these deals. It is wisest not to gamble with the quality of your meat, but occassionally you will find a large package of ground beef reduced for quick sale. You wouldn't want to take this home and freeze it as it is, since it will require shelf time for thawing, but you could turn it into meatballs as soon as you get home. Then throw the cooked meatballs in the freezer. This is not only frugal, but it is convenient when you want them in the middle of the week. You have meatballs on hand without additional fuss because you pre-cooked them all at once.
The bakery section of the supermarket also offers savings on items that were baked only the day before. Bagels and breads, whether baked on premises or pre-packaged and brought in, both do well in the freezer until needed. Just a few seconds in the microwave or thawing at room temperature on the counter restores moisture.
There is still another obvious way to save money on groceries and that is to buy in bulk. Most people have a savings club warehouse in their city or at least nearby, and by joining these clubs they can save money on purchases, but they usually require buying in multiples. If you can find good buys on something you use a lot of, whether it's soup or coffee, this is also a way to go.
So whether it's coupons, watching the flyers, buying and preserving reduced price items or buying in bulk, choosing to incorporate at least one of these tips will show a savings on your grocery bill.
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