Shave $150 off your grocery bill

[Fern]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/20/pf/g...ction=money_pf

[robex]

Good article, Fern. I've been bad this month about planning our meals. This is partially due to my Dh being home so much more and me being at work more, but it's mostly due to laziness on my part. I admit to going grocery shopping at 4:00pm to grab something quick. This is a bad habit that I need to stop! December is sooo busy--I look forward to January!

[PRICEPLUS]

good article. Given the way our grocery bills go here it might be worth looking in to it.

[kashi]

Interesting. Our grocery bill averages about $220 a month (only two people), but it would be nice to shave more off of that.

[Tree0164]

It is a decent article but I really think most of us already do this stuff. It is more geared toward the frugal beginner the couple the family that is spending hundreds of dollars in grocery and eating out each month.

[CasaHova]

Thanks for the link, great info

[Bluezy]

That was a wonderful article. As hard as one might think it is to take the time to list and plan, it is really worth it in the long run. I'm also certain that many of us would trim MORE that $150 off our food bills!

[jodi]

Hmmm...I never plan meals in advance, but I rarely have to run out for a special ingredient. Usually early in the day, I look at what I have to use up in the fridge and freezer and plan around that. I find that a well-stocked pantry and spare freezer (items bought on sale, of course!) save a ton of money in the long run.

[skipper]

this is a great article I have a problem with grocery shopping and planning its one of the things I want to work on this year

[Ima saver]

Well, I eat out 5 or 6 nights a week. I can almost eat out for less than i would spend for a really nice meal. I usually spend less than $20. If I go and buy steaks, potatoes, charcoal, I have spent $30 without a tip. This is my husband and my enjoyment time. We take a bottle of wine, or cocktails with us and have an enjoyable 2 or 3 hours out every night(We live where you can brown bag because the county is dry) That is our entertainment, and we don't have to cook or clean up the kitchen and run the dishwasher.

[Tree0164]

$20 is usually several dinners for us at home. We don't eat steak all the time but we are not meatless either.

[cercis]

I'm not far into it, but I've already spotted an apples and oranges comparison - the lettuce. Organic produce will cost more. Period. So you can't compare standard romaine lettuce with organic lettuce (which is probably only the hearts because they removed the outer leaves for cosmetic flaws).

[niki_the_tiger]

We are pretty good about being frugal, but groceries is one area we aren't so great in... I plan to change that... especially spoilage. I think for veggies and fruit I will start going a few times a week, rather than trying to buy everytihng for two weeks like I usually do!

[gakline]

Here's another article from the Chicago Tribune.
Balancing the budget: Swamped by high bills everywhere you look? Here are some ways to save in the kitchen.

[acezz4e_tish]

we save eating out only specials. for example, our two places are burger king and dominos. bk has family nite on tuesday here. kids burger meals are 99 cents and whoppers are 1.49. value fries and soda, i spent 10.50 tuesday for three kids and two adults. everyone has diff tastes on pizza. my youngest only wants cheese period. they have that new 777 deal, which we ordered last friday, delivered, soda and cheesy bread was 26 dollars. that deal is twice a month only for us and bk is weekly. thats all we eat out, unless someone else comes out with a family plan that is all we will get out.

[kashi]

$20 a day, six days a week equals $120 a week. That's more than $500 a month, for two people, not counting any groceries or the seventh day of the week.

We probably spend about $300 a month max for groceries and eating out for two people. I'm sure we could do better than that if we shopped sales, cut coupons, and stopped eating out. I guess it all depends on what is important to you and what you are willing to cut out to save!

I'm trying really hard to get better about spoilage, too, niki! I hate throwing out things I should have used.