Save money on groceries

After your mortgage or rent and your utility bills, food is generally the biggest expenditure for the household. Therefore, if you are looking to save money your grocery shop is good place to start. There are plenty of measures you can take to cut down on the cost, none of which involve resorting to measures such as living on porridge or beans on toast, or other wise compromising on the quality of your meals. Also remember that even if you are only saving as little as £10 per shop, over the year that weekly saving will mean £520 extra in your pocket.

Check local newspapers as many include supplements from local supermarkets containing money saving coupons and details of multi buy offers. Take advantage of offers and buy in bulk if this practical. But remember, do not be tempted to buy something you would not usually consider if it wasn’t on a special deal, as this is just going to increase your weekly shop rather than helping you save your pennies!

Take a look at money saving websites as some include promotional codes for either getting discounts on online grocery orders, or getting free delivery.

Join club card promotions. For instance, Tesco give you points for every pound you spend on your shop. Discount vouchers will then be sent to you on the basis of how many points you have earned. Or get a Nectar card which can be used in multiple shops, such as Sainsburys, to save money on your shopping.

Before writing your shopping list, draw up a meal plan for the week. By doing this you will know exactly what food you do need, rather than guessing what you think you might want during the week. Once you have made the list stick to it, and do not be tempted by additional luxury items while you are walking round the supermarket.

Try to avoid shopping when you are hungry if you have no will power when it comes to impulse buying. The hungrier you are, the more likely you are to add unnecessary items to your trolley!

Shop around. Supermarkets are always competing with each other to offer the best prices to shoppers. Doing a little homework on this will definitely save you a few pounds each week.

Convenience food is not just bad for your waistline and your health, it is also bad for your purse. Cooking meals from scratch generally works out a great deal cheaper. If culinary skills are not your biggest talent or you do not have the luxury of having a lot of time to spend cooking, spend some time researching quick and easy recipes so you can cut back on how much you rely on convenience food.

Look into companies that deliver weekly vegetable boxes, such as Riverford Organic Vegetables (a Devon based company who deliver to the South of the UK).Each week you will receive a selection of seasonal vegetables for less than you would pay for similar quality in most supermarkets. Many of these companies offer free delivery.

Join a wholesaler such as Costco or Macros. You can make big savings this way, although the downside is you need to buy in bulk to really benefit, which isn’t a practical option for everyone.

With a little planning and dedication to sticking to your budget, most people will find they make big savings over the course of the year. See how some of the above tips work for you and start planning what you are going to put your extra disposable income towards!

(by Leanne of SavingMoney-MakingMoney.co.uk)

Easy Strategies for Saving Money

When it comes to saving money, it isn't as hard as you think it is. There are many ways to save money without sacrificing what you have. Remember, frugal living isn't living within someone else's ideal. It is taking frugal ideas and making them work for your lifestyle. You can use them any way you want. But a warning: over time frugality becomes addicting.

One of the easiest ways to save money is to simply buy things for less. Comparison shop and use sale adds. Buy a less expensive brand. Pay attention to what you are doing. For example, a lot of grocery stores (and Wal-mart) put the cost per ounce on the price label you see on the shelf. This is a great way to tell which brand is really the least expensive. You can also compare different sizes of products.

Take steps to make the items you use last longer. There is a common idea among various philosophies that when you purchase an item, you are now responsible for it. Take good care of what you have. Maintain your car and your vehicles. Keep things clean. Don't just throw things away. When it comes to food, there are many ways to stretch the expensive items, such as meat. Take the time to learn ways to make things go further.

You could also use things less than you already are. Combine all of your errands into one trip, reducing the usage of your vehicle. Turn off lights. Use a toaster oven or microwave instead of your oven. Make sure that your home is energy efficient and not wasting heat or air conditioning. Don't just waste the things you have -- stretch them out.

Try to use something completely out before you throw it away. Find ways to re-use items. Recycle plastic shopping bags into trash can liners. Use a white t-shirt with a stain under your sweaters. If it is too dingy, use it as a rag. Find ways to get every cent out of your purchases.

Try to find a way to use what you already have instead of heading out to the store at every whim. Substitute what you can. Fix things yourself. Assess whether you can wait or if the item must be purchased immediately. If you can wait a bit, perhaps you will be able to find it on sale or comparison shop a bit first. Try everything you can to lower the cost.

In fact, you may find that it is something you can do without right now. Or perhaps it is something you can make. There are many things you can do yourself, such as cooking, decorating, making gifts and many more. If you have the internet, you have an endless resource in front of you.

There are endless ways to be frugal. They range from the extremely dedicated frugal ideas to those that anyone can adapt to fit their lifestyles.

(by Martin Lukac of RateEmpire.com)