Planning Your Weekly Meals

Make a list of needed items for the week and plan your weekly meals (be creative) around your local grocery stores weekly sales ad, this will be a hugh savings! Remember to take advantage of buying whatever meats are on sale as this is a perfect time to buy in bulk and stockpile that freezer. Watch for advertised sales on food items, condiments and start stockpiling these also. In a matter of months you will see your freezer and pantry stocked with food and when you run out of something you won't have to make a special trip to the store and pay the full price. Now doesn't that sound like a savvy shopper to you?.......

Try to make a conscious effort to buy only healthy food items at the grocery store.............all those toiletries, paper and cleaning products can be found for a lower price at Wal Mart or a drug store.

Limit your salty snack foods and try snacking on fruits and vegetables, this is healthier as well as cheaper. While you're shopping think twice about any prepackaged or prepared foods, take a moment and ask yourself these 3 simple questions, "is this really a necessity", "can I live without this" or "can I wait until next week to purchase this". You do realize by now that eating healthier will actually save you more dollars per week than you can imagine.

Start clipping those coupons (the Sunday newspaper is probably your best bet) and organize them into categories. Remember just because there are coupons for prepared foods and those salty snack foods...........don't even clip these, you're going to work on changing your style of shopping, eating and cooking using this method. This will really stretch your budget and remember you're watching those pennies and the dollars are taking care of themselves!!!! :)

You may not utilize all these tips...........but it will sure give you something to think about the next time you go grocery shopping! This will be challenging but you can make it a fun money game if you're ready to cut that food budget.