Saving Tips for Grocery Shopping
Author: Kimberly A. Griffiths

Let’s face it grocery shopping can take a bite out of your paycheck. While this isn’t an expense that you can eliminate, there are ways to make it more affordable. Below is an article from Kimberly A Griffiths, the author of “One Paycheck At A Time” to help you in your quest to save money.

Introduction:
I realize at this point that you never valued so much before in your life, but now you will! A good way to save money is to shop with just as much cash as you feel you will need. This is one way to ensure you do not go over you budget.

The key to grocery savings is not to be brand loyal. Always watch the grocer store circulars and use coupons in conjunction with a store sale price, or better yet find a buy one-get-one-free sale. Be a smart grocery shopper. Use all of the coupons and grocery cards you can for items you need to purchase.


Grocery Shopping Suggestions:
• Eat before you go grocery shopping so you won't be tempted to make impulse purchases.
• Don’t forget to buy the generic or store brand for those items where a brand name is not necessary: sugar, flour, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, etc.
• Stock up on food staples when they are on sale.
• Buy store-brand cereal instead of national brands. If your household goes through a box or more per week, you can save over 0 per year by purchasing store brands.
• When buying pre-packaged fruits and vegetables for a flat cost, i.e. 5 pounds of potatoes for .88, actually weigh the bags and find the bag that weighs more than 5 pounds.
• Check out the price per ounce/pound/piece. Just because it is a big box, doesn’t mean it’s cheaper! Sometimes two smaller packages are cheaper than the big box. Compare prices ounce per ounce.
• Stretch the food that exists in your cupboards. I bet you have enough odds and ends to last you at least a week in meals if you’re creative. I have learned to make wonderful meals out of rice and beans, noodles, and herbs.
• When you cook a meal, cook twice as much and freeze the leftovers. This works great with cookie dough too.
• The weeks when the sales are not so good could be light buying weeks. If you have some food in reserve, on these light weeks the extra food is like money in the bank. If you ever hit a rough patch, you might have enough to carry you through that time.


Who likes being broke? The money seems to disappear before you even get a statement from the bank showing that your paycheck was actually deposited.

Living from paycheck to paycheck only magnifies the stress and worsens the situation. If something catastrophic were to happen, most of us would be financially destroyed within a couple months or less.

However, feeling a sense of lack will only create more frustration, and although it’s a valid feeling, it doesn’t help the situation get any better.

Before your next pay period, identify the areas in your life which are still sucking up your cash flow. However inconsequential you feel your spending habits are, over time, it all adds up. Pinpoint these leaks and as a result, you will become more efficient at managing your money.

There are a number of things you can do to curb your spending which won't feel like you're sacrificing your lifestyle. It won't be easy, but you knew it wouldn't be.

Think about where you could get a little bit of money. I realize at this point that you never
valued so much before in your life, nut now you will! Here are some immediate suggestions:

* Bring your lunch to work. If you were to eat your lunch out everyday cheaply, say each day on fast food, and you work on average 20 days in a month, you'd easily save a month!

* Drink water instead of soda. Vending machines vary, but figure $.75 per soda and a cup of gourmet coffee at .50 per business day... 20(.50 + $.75) = dollars a month! Think of the calories you will save yourself along with the added health benefit.








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At one point Kimberly Griffiths had over 18 credit cards all that were at their maximum limit. This shock came after filing for a divorce to an addictive gambler. To her horror, Kim discovered she was facing ,000 of cash advances that were used to feed his gambling addiction. The judge felt it was only fair to split the debt and I wound up ,000 in debt at the age of 22. The money management skills revealed in ONE PAYCHECK AT A TIME come from some very tough lessons. For more money saving ideas, check out ONE PAYCHECK AT A TIME by Kimberly A Griffiths. Read the Book - Become Debt Free, www.onepaycheckatatime.com

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