NaturallyFrugal.com - Anybody have some frugal ideas I can use to save money on groceries and other things?

Anybody have some frugal ideas I can use to save money on groceries and other things?

I am generally frugal with groceries, like making something new out of leftovers, and trying to buy foods that can be used as more than one meal. But, I feel like I am missing some other ideas and tips to save money on groceries and other bills. Does anybody have any other ideas? Thanks for your input!

Public Comments

I use red wine vinegar and salt to clean my copper, instead of buying copper cleaner. Works great!
I'll think of some other and write them down.
when I buy fresh parsley and use the leaves, I put the stems in the freezer and then use them in enhancing broths.
Also, I have a clean/washed out orange juice container, non-plastic and I fill it with usable vegetables. For example, I will place say tomato peels, fennel frawns, parsley, first layer of onion which is usually discarded into it and keep it in the freezer and constantly add to it until it fills.
Then when I want vegetable broth, I cut open the container and place the frozen goodies water and 30 minutes later I have a vegetable broth. But I do add fresh celery and carrots.
Hope this helps...

do what I do, and eat over your buddies house until his wife asks you for grocery money.... then go hit up another friend. :)
I haven't bought groceries in months!!!
P.S.
I have a month's supply of MRE's I will never eat if you want!

See if there is an Aldi grocery store in your area. You have to bag your own groceries and pay a quarter deposit on your cart but the food is dirt cheap.

I found that buying things in bulk seems to help. I know the price on bulk items seems high at the time of purchase, however if you look at the unit price on the tag, you will notice how much you are actually saving. I perfer Sams Club .

Work out what you need and make a list... only buy what is on the list... NO IMPULSE BUYING...lol
Except... when the thing you want to buy is on a special offer (BOGOF or multibuys).
Where possible get the shops own value brand of the food... it still has to comply with food standards.
Try making more of your own foods - batch & freeze.
Get more meals out of your foodby reducing the protein and padding out with more veg. (Healthier too)
Good Luck!
:-)

If possible try growing your own herbs and vegetables.
Make your own bread and other baked goods.
Buy frequently used items in bulk, keep staples such as pastas and dry beans in your pantry, they are both cheap and you can make a ton of delicious dishes using minimal ingredients.
Make a menu and shop for only those items needed in your menu, that will avoid impulse buying and buying extra things you don't need.

I'm like you, a frugal shopper. I recently converted to shopping at Costco (Sam's Club, etc), and I discovered not only am I shopping less BUT I am saving money on purchasing BULK items.
Buying in bulk usually means 2 or 3 of the same thing. I discovered that once I stocked up, I didnt' require going back to purchase the same item over and over again week in and week out, which cut time at the grocery store, gas, time, etc. It took me about a month, to have my pantry and refrigerator stocked up to the point where if and when I go to the local grocery I now spend less money, cause I'm fully stocked, I'll buy milk, eggs, etc.
Perfect example--I buy toothpaste in bulk, usually 4 boxes/tubes for the price of $7.00, seems expensive, but at least I don't go to the grocery store every week and spend almost $2.50 on one tube.
I buy bread and refrigerate or freeze the other loaf. I do the same with cheese slices, ham, turkey, etc. I never run out of food, cause I'm well stocked. They take coupons TOO!!!
Good Luck and Prosper...;*!*;...

Use the generic brands. Compare the ingredients in the name brand & the generic brand. Majority of the time its the same. Groceries are just expensive across the board..no real way to save much. Just check out the weekly circulars & buy whats on sale & have that for that for ur meals. Frozen dinners r an option.

Steal....it would save you a ton of money

Coupons and store ads can save you significant money. If you aren't watching the ads and coupons, you could be missing out. Many major papers have coupon inserts in the weekend paper. Cut only the coupons for products that you would actually use, otherwise you're wasting time.
Watch your grocery store ads carefully and try to buy and plan your meals around items that are on sale each week. Also try to purchase products when they are on sale and when you have a coupon.
If you don't absolutely need something (most of the time we don't), wait for a coupon and use it with a sale. This is helpful if your grocery store runs buy-on-get-one (BOGO's) promotions frequently. You can use two coupons for that purchase.
One other tip, if you find coupon inserts have coupons for products that you buy in quantity (2 or more) then you might want to make sure you have additional coupons. One way to get them, without having to buy another newspaper(s), is to talk to someone at the customer service counter about taking inserts from their unsold newspapers.
Most grocery stores keep unsold newspapers around for at least few days after the weekend before they newspaper distributor picks them up for a refund. If you're lucky, you'll find someone who is willing to let you have as many inserts as you need. They don't need the inserts to return the newspaper to the distributor.
Milk is almost always less expensive at convenience stores than grocery stores. Sometimes as much as $2 lower per gallon. You need to know your stores and prices and check the ads though to be sure you're getting the best price.

(1) Use coupons from newspapers, online, swap with friends/family/"clubs"; watch for double- and triple-off offerings.
(2) Buy large packages and buy "bulk" (unpackaged items when you can).
(3) If you buy bottled water, buy some from the 25-cent machines often located outside stores. (Use that for cooking, rinsing vegetables, the pets, and use the more refined water for drinking & some cooking.
(4) Look through store advertisements for store coupons.
(5) Looks at clarence items.
(6) Visit/shop at discounts grocery stores.
(7) Buy in-season produce, esp. at the end of the season.
(8) Eat before you shop, so you're less apt to impulse buy.
(9) Grow your own garden, if you can -- or, at least, tomatoes, peppers, herbs in pots. A few tomatoes, alone, can save you quite a bit! You can control what goes into your vegetables (i.e., don't use pesticides, fertilizers [just enrich the soil], etc.)... The planting is great exercise, sun, and fresh air -- you're healthier for it. If you have kids, they'll be learning how to plant, they'll be excited about eating something they grew. (The health and fun can bond families and cut medical bills.)
(10) Make lists, so you know what you need and (a) don't stray far from the list; (b) so you don't have to make other trips to get something you forgot. [Some computer programs generate basic shopping lists.]
(11) If you buy specific brands, venture out and try a few other, less expensive brands to see if you can "live with it" [i.e., shampoo, laundry soap... some less expensive foods lack flavor and are not worth the cost reduction].
(12) If you have goods that have been in the cupboard a while, check the expiration dates, (and if good) give them to a friend/neighbor/co-worker. They might return the favor & save you some money.
(13) Car pool tot he store -- though that's often a hassel... (?)
(14) Eat more meals using pastas & rice.
(15) Bake your own breads, pizza dough in a bread machine. The investment in a bread machine pays for itself rather quickly.
(16) Use lower-wattage light bulbs where a lot of light is less important.
(17) If you use air conditioning to cool, try using a fan at night [and turn A/C off or on minimum cool].
(18) Use cold water to wash (washing machine); hang clothes outside (to mostly dry; fluff in dryer).
(19) Watch for sales, like "two for one".
... I'm sure I'll think of some more. I'll probably be back.
:)

A lot of times when I'm looking for ground beef or cubed steak, I'll see a cheaper cut of beef on sale or just cheaper than the ground or cubed, take it to the meat cutter in the store and ask him/her to cube it or make it into ground beef. I have also taken roasts and had them cut into steaks and sliced for homemade beef jerky.

make sure you always get sundays newspapers they always have good coupons in it go for savings

I love walmart because there meats are really cheap. I bought 2 whole cut up chickens last night for under $7 which was awesome. I think their cereal is so much cheaper also. Winn-dixie has outrageous prices (cereal is like $4 for a small box) Milk is also really cheap at walmart. its rediculous to go to the local grocery store because u get more and save more at walmart and sams club.

From reading the responses here I think I am probably the best shopper, I use store brands and buy on sale and stock up. Things that I use often I keep in mind what the cheapest prices are. I only use coupons for name brands that I cannot get in store or generic brands. I shop Aldi's and save a lot but you have to watch the prices because somethings are more then I can get them on sale at other stores. I put a little more water in the beans so to speak and like use fillers like pasta and other things to stretch out the left overs and I have my own vegetable garden and can and freeze lots of stuff, I am still eating tomatoes and potato's from last years garden. I try to plant stuff that I can do that with. I am a diabetic so I have to watch my diet closely and so I do have to use more veggies but they are cheaper to buy at a farm market or produce store and cook yourself rather the buy frozen, prepared or canned. They are better for you to. I eat alot of stews and soups and things that I can stretch out. I buy my bread from a day old store, whole wheat for $.39 a loaf. If you get one good idea out of this I have done my job, and by the way the question that you answered of mine, it was Hillary that said that and you can check it out at www.friendsofhillary.com.