Cutting grocery expenses costs budgeting

If you are not one of those frugal driven spenders and savers, you need to be - period, end of story.
Cutting grocery expenses and eating habbits will take some time and adjustment, but lets get started.

First of all keep in mind that coupons only save you money if they are brands and types of foods that your family is accustomed to.
You can always begin transforming what your family is used to eating...I would make this change slowly.
Don't go out to the grocery store and drop a mint on a whole new grocery list that your family wont eat.
Start with less.

How about this...
Start with snack foods.

1.) Instead of buying packaged premade snack foods make your own from scratch.
You are on the internet , make it work for you, get your moneys worth out of all this information at your fingertips.

Here are some low cost recipe sites for baked goods and desserts. ( there are thousands of recipe sites online)

http://www.thriftyfun.com/Recipes_833.html

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Desserts/Cookies/Main.aspx

http://www.grouprecipes.com/s/cookies/recipe/1/relevancy

Make your own chocolate chip cookies - Peanut butter cookies - twinkies - Cakes - Pies etc.
The savings will be wonderful and if you bake double batches you will save even more.
Sounds strange huh?
Well its not, you can always buy ingredients when they are on sale, freeze the second batch and bring them out during a time when the kids want something sweet.

There's no reason to pay for packaging that your ultimately gonna throw into the garbage can.

There are also sites online that give free famous resturaunt recipes

http://www.copykat.com/

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/home.asp

Now you can make KFC at home and I'm sure cheaper than 16 pieces of chicken for $20.00 or McDonalds big macs.

2.) Make a grocery list and stick to it ...Thats the most important money saving tip I can offer with groceries.

My problem is going shopping hungry ...don't do it !!!
My grocery bill is usually $20.00 higher per week when I shop hungry , then three days later Im kicking myself for not buying more chicken with that $20.00 because we ate that $20.00 worth of junk 2 hours after we got home with it.
Stick to that list and eat before you go !

3.) Find the cheapest grocery store in your area.
If your estimated savings is $50.00 then it makes alot of sense to drive the extra 5 or even 10 miles to the discount grocery outlet.(even with gas prices being high)

4.) Don't take the kids if you can help it.
Another of my down falls is that I have a 2 year old.
If it's outta site , it's outta mind and he would never miss the fruit roll-ups or the lunchables, but when I take him along he MUST have it or else.
Try to get a family member to babysitt during your grocery shopping trip.

5.) Keep in mind that a sale isn't always a sale.
Many grocery stores have terrific sales , if you buy only whats on sale.
Don't buy anything else except whats on sale and always look for an even cheaper store brand.
Chances are the store brand is even cheaper by 10% - 20%, than whats on sale.
Buy it ! Again dont buy the fancy packaging unless you plan to frame it and display it as home decor.

6.) Don't forget to buy the staples needed to make things from scratch instead of prepackaged foods.

7.) Now that you've done your grocery shopping it's time to inform the family that eating is no longer a free for all.
Gone are the days when the kids can come in from school and eat an entire meal before dinner or a whole box of Ho-Ho's.
They will need to know that you will provide after school snacks for them and where they can be found.
They will need to know that there will be 3 meals cooked each day and that they better wise up and start eating when it's cooked.
Sounds drastic but really it's not as long as you stick to your guns.
They won't starve and will probably become much healthier in the long run.

Okay so get started on that grocery list !!!