Easy Ways to Stretch Your Grocery Budget

For me, going to the grocery store is one of the few things that I (usually) get to do alone. It's my break from the kids for some time alone. Lately, it's been getting more stressful. Every month, the grocery prices seem to just go up and it gets harder to stick to my budget (read how to set, determine, and follow a budget in seven easy steps).

How are we supposed to feed our families without going broke in the process? Here are some ideas to make your grocery budget go farther, without buying a ton of processed foods. These tips are helpful whether you're trying to build up your savings, stay on budget, or cut back so you can stay on budget.

1. Have a meatless meal once a week or more. We incorporate salads, roasted veggies and quinoa, beans, and various pastas to achieve this goal. Simple black beans and rice or an even healthier version is a great way to do this.
2. Stretch your meat. Make the meat you do eat stretch by loading up on veggies, fruits, and beans either by using them as fillers or as the meal's focal point. Check out my apple carrot turkey burgers and Southwestern taco salad to get an idea of how to do this.
3. Buy clearance meat. Stores usually mark down meat that's close to it's sell by date. Scout out the stores and stock up. Pay attention to price, though, as sometimes even clearance meat is still pricey (especially beef). Watch the quality as well, sometimes the meat is really fatty of off color so not worth the price even on clearance.
4. Buy in bulk. Often, the larger packages of foods, such as beans, rice, potatoes, cereal, etc., are cheaper when you buy a larger bag. If you're able to use it all before it expires, buy the larger bag. Buy whole chickens when they're on sale then use the leftovers in other recipes or freeze it. If it'll just go to waste, though, skip it.
5. Look for sales on items you usually buy and work your shopping around them. Avoid buying things that aren't on sale when possible. Though, never buy meat that isn't on clearance. Shop for fruits and veggies that are in season to save more. Often, bigger bags of fruit rather than picking out of bins saves you money. Around holidays, scout out the meat that's popular for that holiday and stock up the freezer.
6. Stock up when you do find items on sale. You can freeze many foods, such as meat, butter, and bread for later.
7. Plant a veggie garden. Growing your own is a great way to save money. Focus on the staples you eat regularly.
8. Buy frozen veggies. Canned is also cheaper, but not as good. Frozen veggies have all the same nutrients, taste as good, last longer, and are cheaper than fresh.
9. Look for the dented fruit and bread bins at the grocery store. Not all stores have them, and even then it's hit and miss (some can even be more expensive) but it's worth a look.
10. Price compare. Keep an eye on the items you buy most at various stores and see what store has it cheaper. Remember to factor in how far the store is and figure out if it's worth it to drive for just a few items that may be cheaper at the other store.
11. Make extra food to have for lunches through the week and to take to work. That way, you're not eating out and spending more or buying pre-made foods. Be sure to use up the leftovers, though, or you'll waste money instead.
12. Buy store brand. The off brands, except on rare occasions, are cheaper than name brands. Often this is the case even when using coupons.
13. Cut back on juice/soda/chips/cookies. Those items add up and cut into the money you have for other foods.
14. Buy fish in bags rather than fresh. If you're a seafood eater, this one cuts your costs. I buy 2 pound packs of individually frozen salmon and tilapia portions. The individual portions also help me track how much we're eating and not make too much.
15. Avoid pre-made or prepared foods, like roast chickens, baby carrots, and other convenience foods that just eat up your budget.
16. Bake your own bread. Unless you buy the regular white or wheat store brands, which aren't as healthy, you can most likely save baking your on bread. Plus, it'll be healthier and fresher.
17. Cook at home. This is a big one and really the most important of all. Eating out costs more than cooking your own at home and it eats up your budget faster than anything. If you eat out often, none of the other tips matter as you'll still be spending lots on food each month.

Check out more ways to slash your grocery spending in my follow-up article here.

M's Freezer-Only Challenge

The freezer, complete with ominous lighting.

Last night when I went down to pull out meat from our upright freezer for the next few days' dinners, I got a surprise. Frozen meat and fruit came flying from the selves, attacking me as I tried to wrestle a small package from the freezer's icy grip. The meat I'd found on sale the past few weeks had led the freezer with organized stacks to become one where it was a danger to remove anything. I'd also noticed our credit card bill (unrelated to the meat buying) was higher than the budget allows. The freezer is an organizational and budget pitfall for many of us.

Suddenly, a light bulb (along with the alarm letting me know the freezer had been open too long) went on. I could solve two problems at once-- save money and clear out the freezer some. It would also mean a fun challenge to set for myself.

Thus, the Freezer-Only Challenge was born. What is this challenge you ask? Why, to only cook with meat pulled from the freezers (we have two) the next month. No buying more to freeze or use fresh. My month started January 23, the day of my last shopping trip. I'm not including fruit and other frozen items in this no-buy challenge as we don't have much of those.

Over these next weeks, I'll resist the temptation of grabbing meat at the grocery store that's a great price. That's hard for me as with soaring meat prices, sales are so important to keep the family fed without going broke. I'll just have to remind myself that really, there's no more room. That and I'll just be under attack again if I keep filling the freezer. Trust me, a bag of frozen chicken falling on your head as beef falls on your foot isn't fun at all. My goal is to end the month with a more manageable freezer that I can organize, and keep organized going forward, and a lower credit card bill.

I invite you to join me on this freezer-clearing, money-saving challenge. I'll be posting a few updates on how it's going and would love to hear about your experience (or why you don't want to take the challenge). Let me know by leaving a comment here or posting on our Facebook page.

Read the wrap up for this challenge.

Easy Money Saving Tips: Round Four

This article is part of a series. You can read the other articles here, here, here, and here.

It's time again for more money-saving ideas!

1. Bring water bottles and snacks with you. I've found that when we're out doing errands or fun activities, we get more tempted to buy bottles of water, sodas and quick snacks. Doing this every time where were out was really eating into the monthly budget and taking cash away from things we needed more. Now, we fill up reusable water bottles and bring them with us along with granola bars (the cheaper store brand ones) or other easy "throw in your bag" snacks. M2 loves the applesauce fruit pouches, which are cheaper than the fancy singles you find in the baby section.
2. Skip store bought or delivery service water. Buying water or having it delivered through places like Culligan adds up. Fast. All the trash doesn't do the environment any favors, either. Instead, we have a filter in our fridge connected to the door dispenser that gets changed out every 6 months or so. If the water in our area wasn't hard, we'd even skip that. The water is just as good as the bottled kind (I actually think it tastes better) and is much cheaper. Before we had the built-in fridge filtration system, we used a Brita pitcher.
3. If you don't need it, don't buy it. Stores often run sales that make items you wouldn't usually buy so tempting. While setting up our budget, I found I was running into the pitfall of buying those "good deal" items. Then I realized--It's not such a good deal if we don't need it. It's also eating away at having money for things we do need. Now, everytime I pick something up, I ask myself if we 1. Need it. 2. Will use it. 3. Would it be something I'd buy if it wasn't on sale. If I can't answer "yes" to all three, I put it back.
4. Group trips to save gas. Rather than breaking up my errands and activities, I plan each trip to make the most of my time and gas. Each week, I look to see what activities we have going on and what errands I need to do. Then, I group things together as much as possible to make the least amount of trips.
5. Weigh sale price vs. how much the gas will cost. When I go through the weekly circulars, sometimes there are only one or two items at a store that I'd need. I then decide if I'd actually be spending more on gas to drive for the savings than I would if I got the items at another time at a slightly higher price. Sometimes, it's not worth the drive.

How M Determines, Sets, and Follows a Budget

This article has been updated. Check it out for newer, more in-depth info and a handy printable.


Family accountant is one of the many jobs I have. This means doing the taxes each year, paying the bills each month and --you guessed it-- figuring out and setting our budget. It actually sounds much scarier than it really is.

Going from an office job to freelance writing and
editing meant new challenges professionally.
And meant it was time for a new budget.

I started from scratch for our new budget last year after I left my office job to be a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader and a stay-at-home mom. There are different ways to budget and some people do things differently. It's a trial-and-error to see what works best for you. Here is a step-by-step on how I budget that is easy to follow. A handy printable is included.

Step one Follow your spending for a few months. How much is going to groceries? Household items? Cell phones? Electric? Student loans? Internet? Mortgage? Gas? Water and sewer? How much is spent over all? Once that is done, you can look at everything again to see where you can cut back. For tips, check out my Easy Money Saving Tips series. Part one, with links to the others, is here.

Step two Figure out the absolute lowest amount you can get away with spending each month based on the numbers in step one. The lowest amount includes everything you need monthly with a bit of cushion to cover the things that pop up here and there, like new clothes and shoes, fun activities, treats or doctor appointment copays. This is your monthly spending portion of the budget. 

Math and money

Step three Add up all the expenses that aren't monthly. Vet bills, insurance payments, property tax, house repairs, car repairs and maintenance, new appliances, holiday and birthday meals and gifts, etc., all fall into this category. I find it's better to estimate high and pad it a bit. I'd rather figure we need more here and have money left over than run short. Each month, try to work as much of these pop-up expenses into the monthly spending as you can. It doesn't always work, but that's what this budget section is for anyway. 

Budgeting for the holidays!

Step four Figure out how much you need to save each year, in case of emergencies or unplanned expenses. This fund also helps determine what trips and fun activities are possible. I try to budget and plan so that as much as possible comes out of the monthly spending. All the big ticket things we'll need for Baby2 comes from here. The main goal of this part of the budget is savings, after all!

Step five At tax time, once the W2s were in, figure out how much money you bring in each year after taxes, pre-tax deductions (like health care and flex spending), and 401k contributions. This lets you know if the other budgeting is on track or if it needs to be tweaked and tightened more.

Step six On you have all the above info together and are confident that your spending and saving is as mapped out and budgeted well, pull up good old Excel. Make a spreadsheet to track each month's spending so not only do you know where we stand, but next year you'll be able to make any needed adjustments. After all, what good is a budget if you don't make sure you're following it? 

You can plug in the monthly spending amount and break it down between each category of spending. Make slots to stick in the non-monthly expenses as they pop up so you can keep track of those as well (this is really helpful when the next year comes along to plan for the next budget). If anything changes, update that category. For us, I did that when our internet bill went up and water bill went down with a new washer. When food prices went up, I came up with some more ways to save in order to compensate for that. 

This isn't my real spreadsheet, it's just an example.

Step 7 Throughout the month keep an eye on what's being spent in each category and to what the electric, water and other bills come. That way, if you're in danger of going over, you can cut back other places if possible (such as putting off buying household things you don't need right now until next month, tightening up on gas use or skipping treats). 

Step 8 At the end of the month, enter in what was spent in each category in the Excel sheet, add it up, and mark whether or not you broke even, went over or saved. If you went over, that overage needs to come from somewhere else whether it be the next month's cushion, non-monthly, or savings. Some months we have slipped up. No one is perfect. It will happen. Having the budget and tracking it let you see that it's happening so you can address it before it gets too bad.

The next year,  take a look at the spreadsheet and see how the budget worked for the year. Take into account anything that you need to change for your new budget. Hopefully, you'll be right where you planned financially, if not better.
 
Happy budgeting!


Disclaimer: I am not a financial expert. This is simply how I do our budgeting and what has worked for us. For professional advice, contact an accountant.

Easy Money Saving Tips: Summer Activity Edition

This article is part of a series. You can read the others here, here, here, and here.

With Memorial Day coming up on Monday, we're getting closer and closer to the summer season. It's that time of year when families are looking for fun activities that won't break the bank. So what is an fun-family-activity-planning, money-saving SAHM to do? Here are some free or cheap things I take advantage of whenever I can.

1. Free outdoor events and movies. Many counties, towns and organizations hold fun, free events. Do a search online for your area, call the government center and/or check out pamphlets at the library. We've found kids' festivals, craft festivals, heritage days, battle reenactments, concerts and movies in the park (or pool), parades and more. For a few dollars, you can check out school concerts and other productions. Some movie theaters even offer a free (or very cheap) showing of older children's movies on certain days. Many of these events aren't just fun and free, but educational too.
2. Parks. Most of us have parks in our area that we just never think to use when we're looking for something fun and free to do. By us, we have ones with huge playgrounds, pools, walking trails, lakes, tennis courts, disc golf courses, ball fields and picnic areas. Check out the ones near you and find one you like. There are also a number of national parks around. At various times during the year, they offer free admission. Our favorite is Shenandoah National Park, which, along with some free days, offers a season pass for $20. Since it's $10 to get in as long as we go twice, we at least break even. The views are amazing. Pack a lunch in a cooler, grab the whole family and head out for a day of fun in the sun. Some parks even offer grills so you can bring along hamburgers and hotdogs to cook up and then have s'mores for dessert. (Don't forget the sunscreen and plenty of water!) 
3. Museums. Many museums have at least one day a month where they don't charge admission. Some are even free year-round, like the Smithsonians in Washington, D.C. We have a children's museum that does free first Friday evenings and we're close enough to do day trips into D.C. Museums sometimes also offer free special events so keep an eye out.
4. Local pools. Last summer, we moved to an area that has tons of community pools around. While not free, for a few bucks we can spend a day relaxing in the pool and then hit the park for a dinner picnic.
5. Libraries. I love, love, love our local library. In our county, you can not only get a card for the county system but for three other nearby county systems as well. Each offers different children's programs for various ages, all for free. The one I go to with M2 most often does a sing-along and story time then play time with lots of toys for her age group. The bit older kids have a story, songs and then crafts. Special guests, like a live turkey around Thanksgiving, also make appearances. There's even a Lego club for older kids and a number of book clubs. And, of course, there are tons of books you can borrow along with kid-friendly movies. Borrow a movie, build a blanket/pillow fort, pop some popcorn and spend a rainy day relaxing.  Or, set up some boxes decorated to look like cars (craft project!) add the popcorn and you've got a drive in theater.

Yard Sale Season

As the weather warms up, flowers bloom, kids head outside and the sound of lawnmowers once again invade our ears, I'm reminded of another season that's upon us. Yard sale season! Once the nice weather is in full force, signs start cropping up and those looking for a good deal emerge from their homes in the early mornings.

You can take advantage of this wondrous season to save money and also to make it. Yard sales are often filled with kid toys, clothes, bikes, outdoor and sport equipment and so much more at a fraction of the price you'd pay new. Some sales may be duds, but dig around and you'll find some amazing deals that are sure to keep some green in your pocket.

While you're spring cleaning, take a look around at all the stuff you no longer need or use. The old saying about one man's (or woman's) trash being another's treasure is so true. Keep your eyes peeled for:

1. Kitchen gadgets taking up space that you never use
2. Clothes your kids hate or have outgrown that won't work as hand-me-downs for your family
3. Old baby equipment you no longer need
4. Toys stuffed in a corner, never to be loved again
5. Clothes in your and the hubby's closet that you/he never wear
6. Accessories you don't wear, including shoes, purses, jewelry, scarves
7. Knickknacks and art you're tired of and have stuffed in storage
8. Old furniture you're not using
9. Items from a move that you didn't find a place for in the new house
10. Boxes of "junk" you stuck somewhere to get it out of the way and haven't thought about since
11. Anything and everything lying around taking up valuable space and making cleaning more of a chore

Collect it all, put on price tags, set it out nicely on card tables, strategically place easy-to-read signs along main roads and get your yard sale rolling! You'd be surprised what can make you a few extra dollars. If you're ambitious, ask neighbors and friends to join in to expand the offerings. The more you have, the more you'll attract buyers. Anything you don't sell you can save for another sale or donate.

We're currently working on sorting things out for our own sale. After we moved last year, there were so many things that just didn't work in this house or that the previous owner left behind. We also ended up with a ton of stuff from my childhood that my parents unloaded on us now that we have space. It's taking time to go through and sort it all. Once we're done, I'm hoping we'll make enough cash to buy M2 her winter duds and an outdoor playhouse. Oh, and a pizza for Mama and Dada. ;)

Saving Money on Kids' Clothes: Easy Money Saving Tips Round Two

This article is part of a series. You can read the other articles here, here, here, and here.

As parents, we all know our kids grow so, so fast. One day, your adorable son or daughter is happily crawling along. The next, her or she is running all over the place. It also seems that the wee ones wear an outfit once or twice and then, suddenly, it no longer fits.

Off she goes! This is also her new Easter dress, mentioned later.

It's as if the clothes were shrunk in the washy by magical clothes-shrinking evil elves. Or, more likely, demons since elves are the nice little creatures that make cookies. They couldn't possibly be the ones taking your adorable baby's cutest outfit and making the pants into shorts and shirt into an inappropriate crop top.

To make an upsetting situation even worse, those twee little outfits can cost a shocking amount. An amount that gets even more shocking when you realize a new wardrobe is mandatory every few months. So what is a money-conscious sticker-shocked mama (or dada) to do?

Simple: shop KACTS.

Shop in the Know
Know what your child has and what he/she needs. This is the foundation for the rest of the tips. You have to know BEFORE you can acts (get it?) Think about your child's current size and the next one. Have you already gotten a ton of jammies? Is there only one pair of jeans? How many socks are in the drawer? This helps you shop with a mission so you're not grabbing a ton of things you don't need (just because they're cute) and wasting money on them rather than getting the items that are on your to-get list.

I keep bins of M2's clothes for upcoming sizes and keep track of what she has. That way, when I'm applying all the other tips, I know what we really need and don't waste money stocking up on something of which she already has a ton. (Though, there will always be that one cute item she doesn't NEED but is too cute not to HAVE. ;) )

Shop Ahead
Near the middle to end of each season, clothes go on sale to make room for next season's duds. Figure out what size your child will be in when that season comes around again. For example, winter clothes tend to go on sale soon after Christmas. What size will your child be in that time next year? Once you know that, you can shop the sales for next year. This saves a ton of money as you won't be stuck at the start of next winter having to pay full price (or getting a smaller discount) for items. True, they won't be the "current" fashion, but as long as that doesn't bother, savings will add up. Also take note of what brands don't fit your child right, or run small, so you can avoid them or buy up a size.

All those cute holiday items for Halloween, Valentine's Day, Christmas and the like that cost a fortune in season? Wait until the holiday is over to buy them for the next year.

I wait until holiday items are on clearance and then stock up. On Halloween, I grabbed M2's costume for next year for about $2 at Carters. It was $40+ regularly. It's just not worth paying full price for something that's so seasonal and worn so little. I also found her cute jammies and shirts for next Christmas at 75 percent off, a fraction of what I'd pay if I waited until the next Christmas season to get them. I avoid buying Osh Kosh brand as no matter the size, it never fits M2 right. Target's Circo brand runs small on her so I skip it or buy up a size. Every other brand I've bought, she fits true-to-size.

Christmas jammies and shirt bought in 2013 for 2014. 

Shop with Coupons
Many stores, such as Kohl's and Carters, offer decent coupons regularly. When you pair these with other sales and discounts, your final total will plummet. If you're not close to a store you like, keep an eye out for a coupon or deal offering free shipping. Also know when your favorite stores run their best sales and pair your coupons accordingly. Many stores run sales often, but when are the BEST ones? It's easy to figure out over time. As I mentioned in the shop ahead section, end-of-season and after Christmas sales tend to be the biggest at any store. If you time it right to jump when the sale starts, you can get the best selection.

For M2's Easter dress this year, I found an adorable dress that was $24. There was no way I wanted to pay that much, even though it was a dress she could wear for spring and summer as well. Lucky for me, Kohl's had a 50 percent off sale. I then combined that with a $5 off coupon they'd sent me and a 20 percent off deal that was running when you paid with a Kohl's credit card. After tax, I walked out of the store with a beyond adorable dress (that M2 LOVES) for $5.90. I couldn't even find something that cheap at a thrift store and this was brand new! You can see a side shot of the dress in the top picture of this post--M2 didn't want to stand still for her photo shoot.

Shop Thrift 
Check out thrift and consignment stores but remember to be picky. Is it stained? Does it have holes? Is there a button missing? Zipper broken? Something else wrong? And remember, just because it's at a thrift store doesn't mean that it's a good deal. Try different stores to see which has the best deals and selections. Dig around the racks at the good ones and you'll find some deals. Hand-me-downs from friends, siblings and cousins are always the ultimate thrift shopping.

I've found that many thrift and consignment stores have items that are way too worn, but when I dig, I can find some that are like brand new. When I go, often there's only a small handful of items worth considering. Given the fact that I can save so much when I buy on clearance, that allows narrows the options as many times, thrift store prices are the same or more than what I'd pay for brand-new clothes. If it's really cute, I still get it even if it'd cost the same new. It's not always just about price! Dressing up little girls is way too much fun.

Consignment sale finds.

Shop Savvy
More than one store may carry the same item. For example, Kohl's, Carters and TJMaxx all carry the Carters brand. Check them all out to see who has the best price, sale and coupons before you buy. It's also helpful to know about how much you'd pay for an item at its lowest price so you can know when something is or isn't a good deal. When you walk into a store, skip the front racks and go straight back to clearance. Though, remember, just because it's on clearance doesn't mean it's a good price. It really pays off to know your prices and how much you're willing to pay for an item. Because clearance racks can be iffy (sometimes selection and prices are good, sometimes not) do a run through whenever you're at the store. Just be careful not to fall into the trap of having to get something every time you look; that will just end up costing you more! Walmart and Target have a great clearance section. Many of their items are a great price to start, like Walmart's new $5 footie jammies.

I've come to know the cheapest price I can (usually) get an item at. This helps me figure out the most I'm willing to spend on something. Jeans? $5, tops. Tshirt? $2-$5. Shorts? $2-4. Outfit? $7 or less. Jammies? $8 on the very high end, $5 on the lowest. My lowest price ever was 30 cents for a brand new adorable pair of shorts at Kohl's. If something doesn't fall in my range, I skip it, watch for sales and scour the clearance racks another time. Target is great for clearance racks so I check every time I'm in there.


Now that you're in the Know and can shop ACTS, happy shopping AND saving!

Easy Money Saving Tips: Round One

This article is part one of a series. You can read the other articles here, here, here, and here.

I don't know about you, but at our house, we're on a tight budget. As a SAHM, determining and managing that budget is part of my job. So is finding cost-cutting measures we can use. I've found that budget tips are more of a "one-size-fits-most" deal as not all of them work for everyone. We'll never be those people who get the fattiest cut of meat or bone-in just because it's cheaper. We're also not a cloth diaper family. With all the tips out there, my number one money-saving tip is simple--find the ways to save money that work best for you.

Here are a few I've implemented for our family.

1. Use rags instead of paper towels. We have a stock of rags that I keep in the kitchen drawer for cleaning the kitchen, bathrooms, baby, stains, you name it. They're washed (very thoroughly in very hot water) once a week. As each rag is used, it gets tossed in a dirty laundry basket until the next wash day.

2. Wash clothes in cold water. Only sheets, towels and the aforementioned rags are washed in hot water. This saves a bunch on electricity, as does having energy efficient appliances.

3. Cut the cable. We discovered that most of the time, the TV was tuned into random junk we didn't care about. For the $90+ bucks a month we'd have to pay to get it, it wasn't worth it to us. Instead, we watch things online and use Amazon Prime Instant Video. Honestly, we don't miss having cable at all. Not having it also means that M2 doesn't get much TV exposure, which is something we fully support.

4. Skip theater movies. Movies in the theater means paying for a baby sitter and the ticket, which can get pricey. We only see a movie in the theaters every now and then. The rest of the time, we rent from RedBox. It's cheap and when you sign up for their email alerts you can get great coupons (often, a totally free rental).

5. Don't buy any meat at the store full price. Watch for the little yellow (at least they are in our stores)
clearance stickers and stock up when it's a good price. A sale and a clearance sticker is a big win. Be sure to check the price per pound, even when it's reduced, as reduced doesn't always mean it's a good deal. If it looks funny, that also means it's not really a deal. I stock up when meats are cheap and store them in a deep freeze. This trick helps us avoid having to get the bone-in or fattier cuts. Chicken is also a good bet for money saving--it usually is cheaper than beef and pork, plus it's healthier. A whole roasting chicken can be bought cheap and used for many meals.