Writing

My brain is fried after a full day of staring at the computer monitor. I've pounded out a dozen articles so I am wiped. Before I go to bed, I wanted to share this one with you. I know many of you moms might like the tips for frugal living. This is the first of a series so I will post more in the days to come.

"How To Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half"

Grocery prices are soaring these days and living on a budget can be challenging. If you want to save money on groceries, you need a game plan to insure your success. Let’s look at the 10 commandments of savvy shopping. I strongly encourage you to take these with you every time you shop for groceries. They will keep you focused on your half-price goal.

1. Never Shop Without A List. Never.

This means that you are not allowed to swing by the supermarket on your way home from work. You can’t just run in and grab a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk. You will plan your grocery trips each week. If you have to go back for something mid-week, you will write down what you need and take the list with you…even if the only item on the list is bread.

Shopping without a list is like aiming a loaded gun at your half-price goal. You will quickly find yourself thinking, “The cereal is on sale! I have to get it today, even though I know I have a coupon for cereal at home.” You will see some delicious-looking muffins in the bakery that you just can’t pass up.

You will think you are dying of thirst and want one of those $1.39 sodas in the check out line. These 20 ounce sodas are half the size of a two liter, which usually cost 99 cent. You are paying 40 cent more for half the amount of soda just because it’s cold and convenient.

Impulse buys always happen when you shop without a list. Even the strongest grocery shopper will fail without a list. This commandment is non-negotiable. You will ALWAYS have a list.

I know what you are thinking. Lists take too much time to make. I don’t want to stop and take a whole kitchen inventory every time I go to the grocery store. That will take way more than ten minutes!

There is an easy solution to this dilemma. You will make one list of all the items you ever buy. Look through your cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator and write down everything you buy on a regular basis. Then edit your list by the order you find each item in the grocery store.

Be sure to include non-food items like toilet paper, soap, detergents, cosmetics, pet food, and other products you buy while grocery shopping.After a lot of trial and error, I have tweaked a grocery list to include an easy solution for sorting coupons, navigating supermarket sales, and saving a lot of money.

Once you have compiled this master list, you can make copies to always keep on hand. Post a copy on the fridge or somewhere easily accessible. Then when you run out of any item, you can just check it on the list. When grocery day comes, your list is ready and waiting.

2. Never Shop On An Empty Stomach.

It never fails. If I am hungry when I go to the grocery store, I come home with twice as much food as I need. Those doughnuts look so good that I just can’t resist them (even if they are expensive and NOT on my list!). Consider this commandment as your second weapon of defense. If you eat a little snack before you go browsing aisles of food, you won’t be driven by a growling stomach. Instead you will focus on your half-price goal and use some common sense!

3. Never Buy Any Item that’s Not on Sale Unless You Have a Coupon.

This is the cardinal rule for shopping success. Do not put anything in your shopping cart that isn’t on sale. The only exception is if you have a great coupon to reduce the price. Remember, even the smallest savings add up to reaching your goal.

Some products never actually go on sale, such as milk and eggs. However, you can technically consider them to be on sale when you buy the generic brand. You are paying less for the same product. Many generic brands are made in the same factories as the name brands. They have the same ingredients, but different labels.

Guard your shopping cart with care. Don’t let anything inside that won’t add to your total savings in the check out line. This will become a fun game as you scout out sales on your regular items. You will be excited to see how much you can save each week.

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