Make A List

Most People have certain things they eat regularly. So making a basic menu plan should be fairly simple. You know you have to eat dinner 7 times this week. So write down 7 dinners. Think about what you need to make those things. Make a list. Look in your pantry and fridge to see what basics you are out of. It helps to keep an ongoing list inside your cupboard of things as you run out of them. Making a list will help make sure that you get everything in one trip. Statistics show that you spend more the more trips you make to the store. When you go in for one item that you are out of, and you come out with a whole lot of other things. Plan to go grocery shopping two to three times a month. Sometimes it will be necessary to shop in between trips to the grocery store. If you have a problem with impulse buying, then maybe try getting your milk and bread at a convenience store where there is less to tempt you.

Should You Buy Already Prepared Food

It is usually better to cook from scratch when you have a large family. When I cook for my family it is generally cheaper to not use prepared foods. A big pot of stew is very inexpensive to make, but to buy cans of stew can run into money. However, if the choice is between going out to eat or prepared foods, then definitely prepared is better.

When it was just me and my husband, it was probably cheaper to buy prepared foods rather than buy all the different ingredients that we would need for a smaller batch. The food almost always went bad before we could use it, because there just wasn’t enough people to eat it. You can only have spaghetti for so many nights in a row.

Buy Basic Food Products

It is healthier and more cost effective to buy more basic things when shopping for groceries. Buying a bag of rice will save you money compared to a box of flavored rice. The prepared foods usually contain preservatives that are not good for your body. If you prepare the food yourself, then you can control exactly what is in it. Oatmeal is allot less expensive than instant oatmeal and it is better for you. Processing takes allot of nutrients out of food and it is quite a bit more expensive. Although, if you are not willing to take the extra time it takes to cook these foods, then this tip will not be helpful for you.

Check Ads Before You Go

Check your adds regularly. This will help you to know what is a good deal and what is not. Some stores are better to buy certain items at than others. I have a particular store that always has eggs on sale for a good price. That’s the only place I will buy eggs. Grocery stores adds start on the same day every week for the most part. Planning your menus around these specials can help you save as you shop. Generally the front page of the ad has the best deals. They’re designed to get your attention and make you want to come to that store. Just because an item is in the add does not mean it’s a good deal, that is why you need to check them regularly. Buying produce in season will also help you save money. If it is something you can freeze, then do so. Out of season fruits and vegetables are expensive and not good quality.

Store Discount Cards and Coupons

Many grocery stores have cards that give you a discount on certain items, especially items that are advertised in their ads at a sale price. If you don’t have a card, you’ll be charged a higher price, which is listed in the ad in tiny print beside the item’s picture. The cards are useful to shoppers. Many stores have registers that print out coupons for future purchases of items that you have bought that day if you are using the store card. The cards are easy to get; you have to fill out a sheet with some basic information at the register or customer service desk, and then just remember to use the card when you check out.

If you get the Sunday newspapers, it often includes coupons for dollars off on groceries. Most coupons are for processed foods and new products, but you can find them for many different items. You can use a coupon while an item is on sale, so you can double your savings. It does take a little organization though. If you’re on a budget, however, you could save quite a lot of money if you buy several items on sale with coupons.

Take A Calculator

How many times have you been shocked by the price at the register and wondered what did I buy? Well taking a calculator with you to shop could help you if you’re on a budget, especially if you’re an impulse buyer or have small children who distract you while you shop. If you’re good at math, you can try to keep a running total. But if your like me, a calculator would be great. As you add an item to your basket, punch the price in the calculator. Using a calculator will help you to make wiser choices; if you see that your total is rising rapidly, you can put something back and choose a lower priced item. Using the calculator will prevent any shock at the register.

Compare Brands

Many grocery stores have their own brand name products, and these products are usually made by well-known manufacturers. Store brand products are almost always less expensive than name brand products, and if you look at the ingredients, they are probably identical. Buy one of the store brand products, taste it, and if you like it you can save money next time you need that item. You can save by buying store brands on food, over-the-counter medicines, cleaners, and other household products. It is common for stores to put all of their store brand products on sale at one time.

Larger Quantity

If a grocery store puts a nonperishable item on sale at a very low price, buy extras. Basic foods like flour, sugar, beans, rice, canned and frozen goods will last quite a while if you use them regularly. If you buy enough, then you won’t have to buy it when it’s not on sale.
Buy your snack items in bulk instead of putting money in a vending machine regularly. Joining a wholesale club means you must purchase a member’s card, but a few trips to the club can save you lots of money if you buy items you use frequently in quantity. The clubs offer samples of certain items frequently, so you are able to try something before you buy it. This is great, because you don’t want to buy a ton of something you might not like.

On Sale

Just because it is on sale, doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. If it is not something you usually eat, then it may not be a great sale for you. When Kellogg’s goes on sale, it still may not be as cheap as the private label brand that you usually buy. You can save by buying items on sale, but it won’t be a savings if you don’t like the product. Only buy food that you know you or your family will eat or you will have wasted your money. Be careful that you don’t buy large quantities of perishable items. If half of it gets waisted before you eat it, you won’t have saved any money. Always check the date on sale items. It is very common for stores to put product on sale when they are close to going out of date.

Don’t Go To The Store Hungry

Make sure you have already eaten when you go to the store. Everything looks good when your hungry and your grocery bill will show it. It’s easier to resist junk food when your tummy is full.

These are just a few tips on how to save money when grocery shopping. If you use them, you’ll be sure to save money at the grocery store.

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The concept is quite simple really. Instead of walking aimlessly through the aisles in your local grocery store and purchasing an amazing deal of bulk dehydrated bacon on a whim — that you never end up using anyways — spend some time at the beginning of your week and decide what your meals are for that week. There are two known reasons that cause people to spend more money at the grocery store — no list, and if you’re hungry. So you break down and buy a king size candy bar, big deal, right? But then you forget the milk and the stick of butter. And then you get home, you’ve enjoyed your decadent appetizer, five o’clock rolls around and for some mysterious reason — even though you just spent $200 — you have nothing and no idea what to cook for dinner for your party of five.

Time-Saver

Menu planning isn’t a grueling task but it does take some time — time that is given back when you get to the store and you know exactly what you want. Here’s the process in a nutshell, or at least how I do it.

1. Make a list of all your favorite dishes.
2. Decide on how many new dishes you want to try a week. This could vary from 0 to 7 — depending on how big your favorite dish list is and how adventurous you are.
3. Look through your freezer and cupboards. What ingredients or meats do you have that need to be used, or that you’ve forgotten about?
4. Pick 0 to 7 of your favorite dishes, and then browse your cookbooks and pick 0 to 7 new recipes — keeping in mind the ingredients in your freezers and cupboards that have to get used up — so of course you have 7 total recipes for that week.
5. Decide on the side dishes to go with the main meal. For example if we’re having lasagne, I’ll throw in garlic bread and a salad.
6. Make your grocery list from your menu plan.

At this point, I do something a little extra. I write the favorite dishes down on an index card with the side dishes included. As I try new recipes, and if I like them, I do the same thing. So eventually I’ll have a bunch of index cards with all my favorite meals. And then when the week is beginning, I just rotate through those cards adding a couple of new dishes as I go. You could just keep building that rotation schedule until you never have to browse a cookbook again! You could even go a step beyond that and write a grocery list for those ingredients on the backs of your index cards. Sounds a little obsessive compulsive I know, but there will be no more staring at your shelves wondering what to cook tonight.

If this sounds like too much, there are numerous menu planning books out there that do just that — make a plan and a shopping list for you.

Money-Saver

If the saving time doesn’t get you, or the abhorrence of that dreaded question what can I cook for dinner tonight? Then maybe the money-saving aspect will grab you. Just think about it — if you have a list of dishes that you know everyone in your family loves, then you’ll also know what ingredients you need. You’ll then be able to keep a look-out for bulk deals on meats or canned products that you may use in those dishes. This can save you so much money in the long run! And of course we already mentioned, the risk of haphazard buying now that there’s a list in your hand significantly diminishes.

This is something that you need to tailor to your family, so take some of my guides if they’ll help or check out the numerous menu-planning books out there.

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The effects of bankruptcy can be far reaching and can impact people’s lives long after the bankruptcy has actually ended, making it difficult to obtain credit and even spoiling many employment opportunities when companies credit check potential employees.

Often the situation has got so bad that there is no other choice, however, for many, there may still be time to turn things around, if you start now!

47% of credit card holders only pay off the minimum balance on their card each month. This is the worst way to pay them off, guaranteeing that you will still be in debt for many years to come.

If this applies to you, you are not alone. It is constantly hammered into us through T.V. and advertising that it is ok to spend money before you have earned it and many of us have been fooled. The problem is that this way only traps you into a life of working hard for someone else. That doesn’t sound good to me!

Fortunately, there is still time for most of us to avoid the inevitable if we make the change now. Here are my top 7 tips to get you out of the debt trap.

Tip 1. Put it all down on paper.
Make a list off all of your debts. It sounds like an easy task and it is. You need to write down your creditors names, total amounts outstanding and monthly payments. Be prepared as it can be a bit scary especially if you have not listed them all before. But don’t worry; you’ll get on top of it.

Tip 2. Prioritize your debts.
Which are the most pressing debts? If you stand to lose something (like your house) by not paying then that is the most important debt. Next, if you have already had trouble and have come to an arrangement with a creditor, you should try to stick to it. Next, list your debts by interest rate, highest to lowest.

Tip 3. Get rid of your credit cards.
If you don’t have them then you can’t make it worse by using them. It may be scary at first but you will soon get used to managing without them.

Tip 4. Check out your credit report.
It’s worth making sure that no companies have put black marks on your report. If they have and it’s a mistake then you should contact them and get it fixed. If it is not a mistake, you should still contact them, try to pay the debt off and see if they will remove the mark. It is worth it down the line to have a clean credit report.

Tip 5. Work out a spending plan.
Spending plan or budget, they are both the same and the benefits of working out a realistic plan can be huge. Apart from the benefits of knowing exactly where you stand, you will know how much you can spend without feeling guilty.

Tip 6. Never swap unsecured debt for secured debt.
Companies will throw offers at you once they learn that you are in debt trouble and you are a home owner, but they will reposes your home at the first opportunity if you start missing payments so don’t do this unless you have no other option and always seek impartial advice first.

Tip 7. Don’t do it alone.
There is plenty of help and advice available to you; you just have to look for it. Talk to debt charities, I guarantee that they won’t be surprised or shocked no matter how bad your situation is. They will however be able to offer good and helpful advice.

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Knowing how to manage your finances and where every bit of money is going plus being consistent in following your budget will pay off in improving your financial health. You will also be able to worry less and less each month about your debt as you will be more in control of your finances. Even if unexpected expenses come up, you will still have your budget and continue to see results from your progress.

Spending more money each month than you can afford can cause serious financial problems and create enormous debt issues as well. However, with having the knowledge of your spending habits, you will even be able to find ways to shave off expenses to have a little extra money each month. Isn’t that a nice thought? Well, it doesn’t just need to be a thought! Now is the time for you to stop just thinking about it and take action.

Instead of thinking that creating a budget is some horrible chore to be dreaded and avoided at all costs, get excited about how much money you are going to be able to save to get out of debt. Think about how unnecessary spending is robbing you of your hard earned money. Look at how you are going to track down that cash thief and take back control of your finances.

Creating a budget to get out of debt is the first step you need to take to begin regaining control of your money. Don’t waste another minute worrying when you can start now to plan for a better future!

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1. Be prepared when the sitter arrives. Of course the first time you have a new babysitter come to the house you shouldn’t be rushing out the door the minute she arrives without making sure everyone is comfortable, but a lot of time can be wasted by having the sitter arrive too early. If the babysitter arrives at the time you requested, she is on the clock regardless if you are ready or not.

2. Split the cost with friends. If you’re going out with friends who also need babysitting ask your sitter if she would consider watching the kids together for a slightly higher price. If it works out, both of you would end up paying less for the same amount of time.

3. Barter your services. You might have a special skill or talent that a teenager, friend, or other parent would like to learn about. You can offer your services in exchange for babysitting, creating a win-win situation for both parties. I knew of a mother who was a music teacher and gave a teenager from her church private piano lessons in exchange for babysitting hours.

4. Arrange a parent swap. If you have friends with kids or know other parents who also need babysitting for their children, agree to alternate watching each other’s children.

5. Review your childcare expenses. If you take your child to a daycare center, it might be less expensive to have quality in-home care instead. This is especially true if you are paying for multiple children. You can search for local babysitters and nannies in your area using an online matchmaking service like Sittercity, and you’ll be able to determine if this a more cost effective option for your family.

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We sent out a short survey on what everyone would like and many people liked the gift basket idea with the options that were given.  I have found baskets for almost every occasion out there, which really surprised me.  When I first thought of gift baskets, I thought of the normal baskets with just fruit and a basket pretty much.  But I have been finding cookies, alcohol, a new baby basket, spa basket filled with different spa items, and this huge “wow” collection that has pretty much everything except the kitchen sink. 

Did you receive a gift basket and what was it?

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