Tips to save money on food

Food can be your biggest variable expense, for some your biggest expense next to your housing cost. It is getting harder and harder to save money on food. The cost of food is only going up, and it is just being more difficult for people. As a single parent it is the biggest area that I try to save on. Here are some tips on what has really helped me save a lot of money.

Make a meal plan and a grocery list.

If you are still not making a list, what are you doing? That is the easiest way to make sure you don't overspend. If you don't have a meal plan and a list, then it is very easy to just grab whatever you see. It is also easy to get a lot of random food, then not have anything for full meals. That would mean you have to go back to the store to complete your food list. If you are not a meal plan person, I totally understand. But it is the best way to save money. Even if you only meal plan for dinners each night. Make sure you put a leftover night at least once a week to make sure that you don't waste any food.

Shop the sales first.

Before you make a meal plan, make a grocery list using what is on sale. If you need a vegetable for dinner one night, instead of getting carrots get the broccoli that is only $1. Make your meal plan around the items they have on sale that week.

Make meal plans around what you already have.

By making your meal plan around what you already have, you ensure that you don't waste any food. Wasting food is a big problem, and it also makes you spend more money. When you throw things out, just because you didn't use it, then you have to buy it again. It also frees up your budget for stock ups.

Stock up on things when it is on sale.

Whatever your budget is, try to put half of it aside to stock up. By stocking up on things when it is on sale, you will save so much more money. Of course, try to do it with items that you can either freeze or that are not perishable. If you use a lot of canned tomatoes, and you find some on sale, stock up. That way, you don't have to pay full price for things. Things that don't go bad, you should never spend full price for them.

Go vegan a night or two a week.

Meat can take up so much of your budget. Especially now, as meat prices have gone up so much. So the easiest way to save some money is to go meat free. Now, I am not saying you have to become a vegetarian. I love meat, and eat it all the time. But it does cost a lot. Not only will it save you money by going meat free sometimes, but it also is very healthy for you.

Make meat the side not the star.

If you make meat the star of a meal, then you will go through a lot quicker. Especially if you have a large family. So make meat the side, and make a starch the star. Such as potatoes, which cost a lot less, and will fill them up a lot. It can make your meat stretch a lot more.

Make things from scratch.

If you are not a cook, then this might sound overwhelming. However, you can save a lot of money just by making things from scratch instead of purchasing it. It is a lot easier than you think it is. You can find some very easy step-by-step recipes that anyone can make. It also is a lot healthier for you.

Stop meal subscriptions.

There are a lot of meal subscriptions out there. It's hard to not see an ad or sponsorship from a meal subscription each and every day. If you are very busy, and not much of a cook, it can be very helpful for people. However, it can be costly as well. You can make things very similar for cheaper by making changes based on what you have. If you are struggling with the cost of food, cut any meal subscriptions you may have to save money.

Cut out as much processed foods as you can.

Processed foods are made to try and get you to eat and purchase more. That is why it is hard to just eat one chip or one cookie. They made to try and get you to eat more. You eat more, and then you buy more. A lot of them have little or no nutritional value. So then you need to buy more food to make a complete meal plan. Try to cut out as much processed foods as you can. Such as chocolate mini muffins in tiny packs. They are overpriced, and you will eat more.

Eat enough food to fuel your body.

If you don't eat enough through the day, then you find that you will snack more, especially at night. There is nothing wrong with snacking. Snacks, especially processed snacks, cost a lot more, than the cost of a full lunch can cost you. So make sure that you are being mindful with your meals. So that you can spend less money, and get all the nutrition that you need.

Use coupons and money saving apps.

If you are not using some form of coupon, what are you waiting for. It's basically free money. The easiest way to do it is to get a money saving app. Here in Canada, a big one is Checkout 51. They will give you money back for buying certain things. If you were already going to get those items, then you can save a lot of money. All you have to do is upload your receipt. It is just that easy. If you see coupons, use them. If you can stack store sales, with these apps and/or coupons, then you can save a lot. And maybe even get things for free.

I hope that these tips have helped you. The cost of food is going up. But that doesn't mean that you can't still save some money. You can, you just have to know where to go, and how to do it. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take it one step at a time.

-T