We are going through tough economic times. We need our money to stretch even further especially when we are in the grocery store. Here are my money saving tips to help your dollar stretch at the supermarket.

First, use coupons. Join your favorite product’s websites and you will get coupons for your brand loyalty. Even if is cheaper to buy that 99 cent soda with that coupon, you should be able to get the healthy juice at the same price especially if is on sale. Also, while it’s is great to have brand loyalty not all the generic brands taste badly, so don’t be afraid to buy that generic brand of cereal. You can even combine one box of generic brand cereal with the name-brand so your kids won’t complain. In addition, if you still want organic products go to Whole Foods and buy their expanded store brand their organic line called 365 products.

Speaking of kids, if you can arrange with your neighbor to watch each others kid each time one of you go to the grocery store, you would spending less money. Maybe you can make a trip in the middle of the night when they are sleeping. Your mind and your wallet will thank you.

If you must take them with to food shop, don’t be afraid to talk to them and tell why you can’t afford to buy the more expensive brand. It is never too early to teach them tips on how to save money. Maybe you even have them help you by sorting the coupons, seeing which store has the best saving for the week, helping you compare brands and making it a game to see how much you saved at the check out. Learn the sale patterns. For example, because of the Super ball a lot of snack foods, chicken wings and soda will be on sale. If you make your kids involved in shopping they are less likely to be bored and throw thing in your cart.

Also, some of those easy ready foods that you buy you can cook at home. If your kids love macaroni and cheese then try a recipe at home. It will taste better and have less added sodium and preservatives when you make it at home. You can make an easy homemade soup with reduced sodium chicken and some added leftover meat and noodles or rice.

When you buying those easy ready foods at the market, make sure you read the label. Avoid foods with ingredients you can’t even pronounce or so many ingredients you can’t even count them. When comes to eating the less the ingredients you have the more homemade-tasting the product is. Also, watch out for the secret sugar that ends in use. Corn syrup is not the only sugar to look out for. For example, look for sucrose, and maltose. These products are just fillers. If you are buying that frozen meat lasagna see where on the list of ingredients the meat and cheese is. The earlier on the list the better and the more meat you get. Even look at your bread and see if it has a lot of added sugar and salt.

Also, look out for the reduced section or rewrapped vegetable in produce. A lot of times vegetables are reduced because the stores have too much of that item. Also, if you can join a community garden you grow your own fresh vegetables and herbs. Sometimes if you volunteer to help other gardeners then you can get a reduced vegetable plot price or get a free plot. Fresh herbs can get expensive to buy at the supermarket. You can even grow them in a window box on your patio or fire escape. Maybe you grow some vegetables or herbs on the roof. If you see spotted banana reduced, you can use them to make homemade smoothies or banana bread. It is cheaper to make these items yourself rather buy them. You also will pay extra for the packaging and advertising as part of the price. Just can make the homemade smoothies and add it to some of the extra empty water bottles that you have hanging around the house. Also, if you buy a large container of yogurt and add your own fruit you save money. Use some of the fruit that you brought reduced. A lot of times an expensive brand will be reduced because the box is a little damaged or a label got ripped on a bottle of juice. Look for the reduced cart or section that doesn’t just sell dented cans. A lot of stores have unadvertised specials, make it free to join their saving clubs, and have early bird specials that are only good for a few days, late evening specials or specials only in the morning.

You can check out the 99 cent stores for certain items. A lot of times they sell name-brand foods for just a dollar. I have gone and gotten Perdue chicken for just a buck. A lot of times they sell foreign well known products that we don’t know because they are not American labels. But just as you don’t go into the supermarket without a list don’t go into these without an objective of what you are looking for. You may be looking for just chicken but you end up buying a lot more then that because the price is just 99 cents. Or decide on a limit on what you are going to spend and just bring that amount of cash to cover those items. Also, don’t carry the debit or credit card when you shop at those stores.

Another way to save money is how you get to the grocery store. You can walk to the store and just bring the grocery cart. Pushing a heavy cart can build muscles especially if you push the cart up a hill. Also, save gas money and go the same time as your neighbor.

Things will get better over time in this tough economy. But you will be better then ever because these tips will help you are start feeling better in this new hopeful year of 2019.…