Frugal Food-Shopping

The price of food these days – along with just about everything else – has skyrocketed. The vast majority of us simply have no alternative but to stretch our dollars to their absolute breaking point. So, here are a few tips to help you do just that when shopping for groceries:

• Clip coupons. In every weekend newspaper you're likely to find fliers from stores and supermarkets that are running sales. Using coupons from those fliers will help to offset many high prices. In addition, you can also find coupons online that can be used at your local supermarket. Also, supermarkets occasionally hold sales for items they may have to declare as a loss. Stock up on these items by freezing and storing them for future use.
• Buy store brands. There's typically a section on each shelf in the supermarket devoted to items with the particular store's labels. You can stock up on canned goods, sugar, flour, pasta and many other items in order to keep expenses down.
• Buy in bulk. If you're have a membership at one of the wholesale market 'clubs,' you may be able to save quite a bit of money by buying food and other household items in bulk. By doing so, you can shop monthly instead of weekly for all your grocery needs. You can also buy milk that doesn't have to be refrigerated until it's been opened.
• Buy in-season fruits and vegetables. The best place to purchase all your fruits and vegetables is probably at a local farmer's market. You can be assured that the produce is fresh and you may even be able to find other items that can also be stocked up on.
• Utilize chicken. It's still one of the better buys you'll find in the meat section. Most supermarkets carry whole frozen chickens that you can buy fairly inexpensively, as well as packages of legs and thighs. You can create a variety of meals for a month utilizing whole chickens – for instance, you can make soup, fried chicken or chicken in Marinara sauce.
• Pasta is also inexpensive. You'll often find two-for-one sales on this item at the supermarket, so stock up whenever you can. If you have a tomato garden, you can make sauce with fresh tomatoes that you've grown yourself. If not, canned tomatoes aren't very costly, so you can buy a dozen cans or so and store them for future use.
• Visit bread stores. In some cities, there are outlets where breads and meats are sold at discounted prices because they're a day old. With meats, you may have to be a bit careful, but day-old bread is typically fine.

You see? There are numerous ways to save money on grocery bills. These are just a few. All it takes is a little ingenuity and a keen eye for the sales in your area.