Grocery Roundup

I'm looking forward to breakfast on Saturday morning. For me, most breakfasts are eaten alone, in the dark, something quickly poured into a bowl or spread on toast. On Saturday, however, I'm planning on making some bagel egg sandwiches with some hash browns and perhaps a nice bit of fruit on the side. Looking into my fridge and freezer, however, informs me that some shopping needs to be done first.

I was planning on writing up how I save money when I go grocery shopping, but I feel as though that topic has been done to death by many writers far more experienced than I. So here are some of their thoughts on how to save money at the grocery store.

Yahoo! Green suggests forcing yourself to shop on a two week schedule, to ensure that you use up all food without it going to waste before you but more to replace it:

"Raise your hand and repeat after me: "I solemnly swear to consume the remaining portions (if any) of meals I failed to previously consume within 24 hours of my failure to consume them."

Seems a little too regimented for me, but hey, if it works for you... I actually think that my mother did this while I was growing up.

Get Rich Slowly rounds up his favorite ways of saving up to $100/month at the grocery store:

"Buy your produce on sale. Purchase produce that is on sale that week. This is often based on what type of produce is in season. This will not only help your pocketbook, but it will also help you explore new foods and experiment in the kitchen."

My roommate Jeff did this the other day, buying himself some "apple pears", or "perapples" if you will. He did not like them.

Bargaineering has 5 easy ways to cut your grocery bill. The one that would be the favorite of my fiance is:

"2. Use less meat.By weight, meat of any kind is the most expensive part of your meal. You should try to use less of it."

I have to admit, because my fiance is a vegetarian, I've started to eat less meat. I've actually never felt better in my life, physically. I have more energy and I never feel bloated like I do when I eat a lot of meat or pizza. Try having one day meat free every week, it makes a huge difference in your diet - and your budget.

To add to the list, I'll suggest that you buy staples in bulk when they're on sale. Awhile back I found our favorite pasta sauce for $2/can, when it normally is $3.5-4/can. So I bought as many as I could carry home, and I haven't regretted it yet.

Back in May I was spending about $300-350/month on groceries. Now I'm down to a much more reasonable figure, about half of that, which is where I would love for it to stay.

How about you? How do you save money on groceries? Why not try just one of the many examples, and see if you can't help yourself save $100 this month.

Potential savings: $17+ per month. Total savings this month: $100