Tip #13: 5 Easy Ways to Save on Your Food

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If you have been following us through all of our tips to get out of debt you will see how much you could be saving, and adding all of these savings together to really make a huge difference in paying off your credit cards, medical bills or other debts you may have.

We have always lived very frugal and have been able to stay out of debt just about our whole lives. One of the things that helps us stay out of debt are our shopping habits. Our food expense with 12 people living in the house is huge.  We use the tips below so we don’t waste food.

Another way for you to save money, so you are able to get out of debt is:

Tip #13: Use all of the food in your house.

Here are 5 easy ways to save on your grocery bill.

1. Don’t go shopping until you have used everything in your pantry, cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer. This may seem extreme, but try it. Get creative, make up recipes with what you have on hand. Take a look at what you have in these areas. You will probably be surprised at how much you have and if you are not going shopping you will be saving most likely hundreds of dollars. (Use this money to go towards your debt.) You may have to go shopping for a few perishable items, but try and wait as long as possible and when you do go, make a small list of the things you really need and stick to the list.

2. Don’t buy any personal care or home care products either. Use up all the different shampoos you may have or the 15 different cleaners you have under the cabinets. We personally use only one brand of natural products and have been using them for 13 years. They are very concentrated (they last a long time), work great, are safe for the whole family,  and save us a lot of money.

3. Plan a menu for the week, shop only once a week, and buy the ingredients that are needed for these recipes ONLY. Once you have emptied your refrigerator, freezer, cabinets, and pantry, this is when you learn to shop once a week and with a list.   You will save a lot of time and gas going to the store only once a week also.

4. Don’t buy on impulse. Don’t buy anything you were not planning on buying. This impulse buying could cost and extra $5 or add up to an extra $100. Tell yourself  NO! This could be hard if you go shopping hungry. Eat before you go.

5. Look for weekly sales and plan your menus with the items that were bought on special. (This is what we do all the time.)

6. Don’t throw out left overs. Use them for another meal, even if there is just a little. (bonus tip) I thought of this one after I was done with my post.

I have met several families who have been able to eat what they have in their home and have saved over a thousand dollars on groceries, not to mention freeing up space and using items that have been in the back of their freezer or cabinets for months or even years.

How long could you go without going shopping?

Do you know what is in the back of your freezer?

Here are the previous tips to get out of debt if you missed any:

31 Days of Tips to Get Out of Debt! Explaining our journey.

Tip #1 to get Out of Debt: How to Find Excess Spending

Tip #2 to Get Out of Debt: How to save Money on your Energy Bills

Tip #3 How to Save Money on Lunches

Tip #4 How to Save Money Eating Out

Tip #5 How to Save Money on your Car

Tip #6 How to Cut More Car Expenses

Tip #7: 20 Tips to Conserve Water and Save $$$.

Tip #8: 20 Activities for Cheap or Free Family Fun

Tip #9: 15 Ideas for a Free or Cheap Date Night

Saving’s Summary

Tip #10 How to Save Money on Subscriptions

Tip #11 How to Save Money on Your Phone Service

Tip #12 How to Save Money on Bottled Water

Follow us as we share tips on how we keep our spending in check and still be able to have fun, enjoy ourselves, have quality family time, and keep ourselves debt free.

We love to have comments. Let us know if you have tried any of our tips.

Doug and Sharon
(Parents of a Dozen)

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