Do you use food boxes from Angel Food Ministries? If so, check out our food box resources.
Best tips for saving money on groceries
- Keep a stocked pantry and shop your pantry first
- Watch grocery sales and only restock your pantry when prices are low
- Plan your dinner menus in advance
- Your butcher is your friend - if roasts are cheaper than ground beef, ask the butcher to grind the roast for you
- Shop discount grocers like Aldi and Trader Joes
- Buy spices in bulk - many Amish and Mennonite stores offer deeply discounted spices
- If delivery is available in your area, take advantage of it - you won't be tempted to add extras to your cart if you aren't at the store
- Plan your leftovers - food thrown away is money thrown away
- Give our Frugal Mom Menus a try
Free Menu Planner - trying to keep your grocery bill on budget can be a challenge. There are many websites, articles, and books to give you ideas for your own meal planning on a budget. The most important thing to keep in mind when trying to come in within a grocery budget is that if you don't have a plan, you will never make your budget goals. The Menus 4 Moms meal planner is an excellent tool for this.
Frugal living websites
Great Depression Cooking
93 year old cook and great grandmother, Clara, recounts her childhood during the Great Depression as she prepares meals from the era. Learn how to make simple yet delicious dishes while listening to stories from the Great Depression. The video featured is the most recent one made, so if you would like to start at the beginning, look for Episode 1.
Fractured Frugal Friends
With both free and premium (but inexpensive) content, F3 is a tightknit community of members dedicated to frugal living with very active message boards. You will find articles about bulk cooking, frugal living, and a variety of other topics to help you save money. There is periodically an edition of their online magazine/newsletter in which all content is free; past content is only available to subscribers.
Living on a Dime
No matter what your income level, this site will challenge you to think about how your money is spent. Founded by two women who each paid off an extraordinary amount of debt on income that is close to the poverty level, the site contains articles and a blog that will impact the way you think about spending any amount of money.
Frugal recipes from Miserly Moms
submitted by readers of Miserly Moms
The Dollar Stretcher
one of the oldest and best frugal sites; be sure to check out their articles on how to save money on groceries and food.
Miserly Moms
"Through the use of the tips I share and the other resources recommended, I hope that many people will be able to afford to cut back on working hours or quit altogether in order to spend more time with their family." (Jonni McCoy)
Frugal living articles
Dee Ann Guzman's Meals for Hard Times is an excellent place to look for ways to make it through a difficult financial period. The 3 part series will help you get through the leanest of times.
This symbol indicates a Menus4Moms resource.
50 Ways to Save Big at the Grocery Store
by Lois Breneman
It is rewarding to learn new ways to save big at the grocery store. Many of these tips to save money start in your home, before you ever get to the store. Some involve careful planning and using what you already have to the fullest potential, so you won't need to buy as much at the grocery store. Remember, you only pay taxes on purchases made, so buying less means lower taxes for you. I'll give you some pointers, many of which I'm sure you are already putting into practice. In that case, you might want to use this article as a checklist to prove to yourself how well you are doing. But even if you happen to find only one or two new ideas, it would be worth implementing them as well to save even more.
These Hard Economic Times
by Jill Cooper
I keep asking myself, "Has the world gone crazy?" What are people talking about when they say "these hard economic times?" I am so confused because I hear so many people say these are such hard economic times but, at the same time, what I see happening with my own eyes and hearing with my ears is a totally different story.
Let me give you some examples what I mean. Are these examples of hard economic times?
Stop Eating Your Way Into Debt
by Jill Cooper
At this time of year, there are usually 3 things people are panicking about: how to lose weight, how to save money, and how to get organized. We have already touched on losing weight so this week I would like to touch on saving money. Hopefully most of you realize that you can get into deep debt if you buy a house or a car you can't afford. That seems to be pretty obvious, although a lot of people do it anyway. But that is not what I want to deal with today. The Bible talks about the little foxes that spoil the vine. What that is talking about is the little things that sneak into our lives without us realizing it. They start picking away at the vines in our lives until it destroys us. One of those "little foxes" is eating out.
Save on Home Energy Costs This Winter
by Deborah Taylor-Hough
Approximately 40% of winter home energy bills involves heating. Here are some simple tips for cutting back on your home energy costs this winter.
Save on Groceries Before You Leave Home
by Jill Cooper
One of the easiest ways to save money on your grocery bill starts before you even leave the house. It's no extra work, you don't have to deprive yourself of anything and you don't have to clip any coupons. What is it? Stop wasting food.
How to Maximize Coupon Savings
by Amy Strait
In the past week there has been some discussion on the Menus4Moms Yahoo Group about the Grocery Game (http://www.thegrocerygame.com/). I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my feelings on ways to grow your coupons savings while grocery shopping.
Coupon and saving sites
Frugal Cents - Coupon codes and special deals
SHARE Wisconsin - SHARE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people save money on groceries. Through volunteer service SHARE is able to help families 30-50% off grocery store prices. A variety of food is available through SHARE from fresh produce to frozen meats and plenty in-between. SHARE has locations all over Wisconsin and is available in many other states as well.
Miscellaneous thrifty sites
Dr. Dipstick's Temple of Thrifty Motoring - Helps for the mechanically uninclined that will extend the life of your vehicles.
Submit your favorite frugal site
