HOW TO STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR ON YOUR GROCERY BILL

With our new addition due in April we will be a family of 7! With that I have decided to make a few adjustments. I have always considered myself very frugal and thankfully my husband is too, we are a great match! 

Here are some ways how we stretch our dollar on your Grocery Bill:

First and foremost couponing. When I go grocery shopping my goal is to always try to save more then I spent, at times I am successful while other times I am not. We have 2 newspapers delivered to our home every Sunday just for the coupons. If I am looking for more coupons I will take a walk and look in my neighborhood and look through the recycle bins. Mostly I do my research before heading to the grocery store. I head over to Southern Savers where she lies everything out on what is on sale and even where you can print the coupons from on-line.

I try not to take the kids with me when I shop because I tend to spend a bit more when they come with me.

I suggest going when you are not hungry and make a list of what you need and try to stick to it.

Keep your coupons in a binder or some type of organization organizer and leave them in your car because you never know when you will see a good deal! 

We do have a Coscto membership and certain things I do purchase there because food goes fast in our home. One of the things I have found cost effective is purchasing certain items in bulk which I have never purchased in bulk before like ketchup. I re-use my existing ketchup bottles and a funnel and refill the containers from a huge container.

This year I have decided to make some of the items we use frequently myself such as bread, breadcrumbs, orange juice cleaners, pancake mix, beauty products and baby products, cloth paper towels, laundry detergent, etc. I will post how to make some of these items soon with a tutorial.

 Take advantage of CVS and other stores with their rewards programs and money back but make sure you use them before they expire. You can stack them up with coupons for additional savings, somethings every for FREE! 

If you are a large family like ours we have 2 refrigerators with freezers.  One inside our home and one in our garage. I like to stock up when we see a good deal on cold / freezer items. 

Search your circulars for the best prices, some grocery stores price match and they even take competitor coupons which you can stack with a manufacturers coupon!

Instead of purchasing some of my grocery items at the typical grocery store I have been purchasing more of my fruits and breads at the farmer's markets. Even when the bread is buy one get one free it is like $4.29 for 2 loaves while at the farmer's market its $3.00 for 2 loaves of bread and it's the same brand! 

We seldom eat out, it's nice on occasion but with 4 kids it can not just be a  hassle but it is expensive. So once in a while we will treat ourselves but it's an added expense that I cannot justify. When I think of how many groceries I could have purchased with that money verses one meal it makes me think twice about eating out. 

Making meals that are very inexpensive such as spaghetti or using brown rice or lots of vegetables as fillers, beans are another great filler! 

Don't get trapped into purchasing already made items, I know it's convenient but you are paying for it. Things like pre-packaged salad mixes, salad dressings, frozen pizzas, etc. Are easy to make so why purchase them already made?

If you have children pack some snacks and drinks if you are going to be on the go for awhile that way you do not stop at fast food places or restaurants and spend money.

You can check out my orange juice recipe HERE and my breadcrumbs recipe HERE.

Stay tuned on my DIY tutorials on how to make products yourself without breaking the bank!

Mama to 4 Blessings is sharing this post by linking it up at:

Sunday:The Iowa Farmers Wife, Under the Table and Dreaming
Monday: Serendipity and Spice, C.R.A.F.T., Kampen Lane, Homemaker on a Dime, Boogieboard Cottage, Southern Institute, Make it Yourself Monday

Tuesday: Crayon Freckles, A Diamond in the Stuff

Wednesday:It's Overflowing, Embracing Change, Fireflies + Jellybeans, DYI by Design, Southern Lovely, Vintage Gwen, Artsy Play

Thursday:The 36th Avenue, Shabby Creek Cottage, House of Hepworths
Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Ladybird In
Friday: delicate Construction, Create Craft Love, Flaunt it Friday,  The Shabby Nest, Blissful and Domestic, Happy Hour Projects
Saturday:  Cheerios and Lattes, Crafty Moms Share, Polkadot Pretties