Search Results for: blog when do items go on sale at the grocery store

Does It Cost More for a Homemade Lunch?

I started out making homemade lunches for my first-born child for financial reasons. It just seemed cheaper that way than to buy lunch from the cafeteria. Years later, all of my kids still pack their lunch bags every day. They actually prefer it because they don’t have to spend time waiting in a cafeteria line or trying to decide on food they might not like. A friend of mine agrees with the preference but not with the cost. She says she winds up spending more money when her kids pack a lunch compared to when they buy it at school. … Continue reading →

Kroger’s Coupon Policy

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You can save some money on your grocery bill when you use coupons. Of course, that will only work if the store you shop at is willing to accept the coupons you have brought with you. It is always a good idea to check out the coupon policy of the store you want to shop at before you go. The coupon policy can change at any time, and without warning. Here is what you need to know about the coupon policy at Kroger. Digital Coupons * In order to use digital coupons at Kroger, you must have an active online … Continue reading →

How to Be a Hero Mom on a Budget

Sometimes I don’t feel like a hero mom. Such as yesterday. It was very late, and my tween and I were in the grocery section of Target looking to pick up just a couple of food items to help us make it through a long week, since we missed our scheduled food shopping.  As we passed the frozen case on our way to hunt down cheese, my child asked me if we could get ice cream. Apparently he and his siblings already went through the one gallon container, the one quart container, and the box of ice cream sandwiches that … Continue reading →

The Notebook Effect: How Writing Everything Down Saves You Money

Sometimes when we need to cut even more, the only solution is to make ourselves accountable, to pay attention, to have our spending put right smack in front of our face. It is when we ignore our spending, even our small stuff, that things can get out of hand. One of the ways to do this is to get a notebook and keep track of daily spending, whatever it is. Spent $198.57 at the grocery store, write it down. $4.74 on a latte? It goes in the book. $12 at the library book sale? Yup. $1 for mints on the … Continue reading →

Boston Bombings and a New Reason to Stockpile Frugally

The Boston bombings have taught us many things. Some we already knew, such as the resilience of the human spirit, how easily ordinary people become heroes, and the strength of a community all working together. It also has taught us some other, more practical lessons, such as to always be aware in crowds, to report suspicious activity, and to be prepared for the unthinkable. One of the many photos of that time that sticks in my head from the Boston bombings is the image of a police officer delivering two gallons of milk to a young family who couldn’t leave … Continue reading →

How to Build a Grocery Stockpile on a Tight Budget

I recently received the following question from one of the Families.com readers about building a stockpile. “I know that buying things when they are on sale and building a stockpile saves money, but how can I do this when the normal groceries cost so much?” Sophia. Sophia has a really good point (hi Sophia!). It can be tough to build up a good stockpile when there isn’t any extra money to do it, but it can be done. You can start out small. Even an extra $5 a week toward a stockpile item will help. With $5, you can buy … Continue reading →

Stretch It Out for Grocery Savings

You can stretch your grocery bill when you stretch your food. I do it all of the time, and it helps me keep our grocery bill less than $100 a week for a family of five. Now that is great grocery savings. So many meal items can be stretched without compromising health or flavor. For example, I frequently stretch out ground meat with bread crumbs, oatmeal, TVP or even wheat germ (if I get it on sale). Meat is expensive, so it is one good area to stretch. This works for pretty much anything that uses ground beef, hamburger, chicken, … Continue reading →

How to Make a Weekly Frugal Food Plan

Food is quickly becoming one of the biggest expenses in the average family’s budget. Attack your food budget with a weekly money-saving plan. Each day pick a task that will help you save money on your food bill. Developing a weekly frugal food plan can reduce the cost of feeding your family. Below, you can see an example of my own weekly frugal food plan. You can use it as a guideline and customize it to make it your own, so it makes sense for you and your family. Sunday Go grocery shopping with a list and coupons. Distribute bulk … Continue reading →

Organize Your Stockpile by Becoming a Shelf Life Expert

I’m always on the look out for good stock up opportunities. When something goes on sale, can be “purchased” for free with coupons, or is on a deep clearance, I instantly calculate how much of that item should come home with me. It is important to know how much, logically, you should stockpile of a particular item or category of items. For example: how many jars of peanut butter should be in your pantry  right now until the next great low price? How many boxes of pasta, packages of toilet paper or bottles of shampoo? it all depends on the … Continue reading →

What’s the Best Value: Buying Big vs Buying Small?

Sometimes you have to buy big and sometimes you have to buy small if you want to get the best value for your money. It all depends on the circumstance. At the grocery store, you want to buy big when buying in bulk will save you the most money. Of course, it doesn’t always work that way. Always check unit price and do a comparison of your various options. Usually this works well on items that aren’t otherwise on sale, don’t have coupons, can be used up before they expire or are purchased at a bulk warehouse store where normal … Continue reading →