Frugal Grocery Shopping in Tough Times

Most casserole and soup recipes can be 'stretched' by adding rice, macaroni, noodles, barley or extra vegetables. Anytime you reduce the most expensive ingredients (meats for instance) and can maintain a great flavor you have a winner of a recipe. Check my Squidoo lens http://www.squidoo.com/frugalcooking for some recipes.

Note that just because you are fixing meals doesn't mean it will be difficult. Meals can be inexpensive, quick, easy and tasty.

1. Create an Alphabetical Canned Goods Shopping List

Make this list with columns for each store where you grocery shop. Take a minute at each store and fill in the regular price for canned items you use such as green beans, corn, peas, peaches, applesauce, etc. This list will allow you to quickly check to see if a sale is really a good buy. If it is, then buy as many cans as you can afford, store, and use before they expire.

2. Shopping Loss-leaders or Beating the Grocery Stores at Their Own Game

Stores often have canned goods or paper goods that are at or under the cost to the store. These sales are called"loss-leaders" and created to bring more customers into the store. If you use them wisely you will never have to purchase your basic items at full price again!!! Many times these items are a special display on the ends of the shelves and sometimes they aren't in the weekly ads. Be vigilant and knowledgeable about prices and you can beat them at their own game.

3. Use Those Weekly Ads

You have now created your alphabetical canned goods shopping list, have some casseroles or meals in mind now it is time to check out the weekly sales fliers that the grocery stores publish.

First check the meat sales section since this is the most expensive element in most meals. Decide what recipes fit the meats on sale. Once you have your meat selection, check your recipes to see what else you need. Add anything you are missing to the list. Yes! You are going to shop with a list and stop all of that impulse buying you've been doing. If it isn't on the list or a loss leader that in an unadvertised special for your pantry stock then you aren't going to purchase it this time.

Second, what are the fresh veggies and fruit that are on sale? Shop the bargains there and then fill in with the frozen food specials to round out the menus for the week.

Don't forget to check the paper products, cat & dog food and other items in the sales flier.

4. Coupon mania online and off

The local newspaper often has coupons in the weekend edition. Frequently these coupons are worth far more than the costs of the newspaper so even if you don't read the paper, purchase it for the coupons!!! Now use these coupons wisely. Only buy items you will use or feel like you want to try and your family will like. Match up the coupons with your list of items for the week.

You can also register with many grocery stores and food companies and score coupons online. Many stores and companies now offer coupons or free products if you 'like' them on Facebook.

Look at your pantry as a form of savings account because you have purchased all of these items at a greatly discounted price. If you want to have a visual of the savings, put a piggy bank or savings jar in the pantry and "pay" yourself the amount you have saved. This is a great visual for the whole family and helps keep you motivated to stick to your list and shopping budget.

Remember to shop your pantry when preparing meals so that the items you purchase don't go to waste. Rotate your stock by putting the newest cans to the back so you will use the oldest ones first. Sometimes it helps to write the purchase date on the top of the can or box so you know which items are oldest.

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Here are a few thoughts to help you stay on track and keep to your budget and list.

1. NEVER shop hungry.
2. ALWAYS shop alone - if possible.
3. Have your coupons, shopping list and canned goods master list with you.
4. Watch for unadvertised specials that work with your plan.
5. Try to shop only once a week - saves money on gas and reduces impusle buying.
6. Mark the items off your list that you have put into your cart. (Helps prevent missing some key ingredient.)
7. If you are shopping more than one store, take an ice chest to put frozen food and meat into so they won't spoil.

Most of us live in a family and it is very important to have the support of those around us when we are trying to control our finances and grocery budget. Talk about your effort to build a pantry savings plan, use a savvy shopping strategy and try to involve others in the menu planning. If each person gets to pick a favorite meal at least once a month, if the money you save by using these strategies is used for the benefit of the whole family, you'll find greater cooperation and you can often make it into a game to see who can come up with the most creative way to save.

Maybe one family member has a green thumb and would like to start an herb garden to season those meals.

It is important to teach children to cook, so if they are old enough, maybe each child can make their favorite meal each month.

If you can make your food budgeting a family affair it can increase the savings and family fun.