Streching food dollars

 How can you save yourself money on food dollars

If you are like me, the biggest thing you can do is stop going out to restaurants as much and learn to satisfy late night cravings at home.

 Its a good idea to start a budget:
For a week, track your spending on food.  Multiply this amount by four. This is about the amount you spend on food a week.

Staples are foods that help you avoid having a bare cupboard, and are not going to go bad. These might include peanut butter, flour, corn meal, sugar, dry milk, dry or canned beans, tuna, rice, macaroni, spices, and salt.

Estimate how much you need to spend on staples, and subtract that amount from your monthly food budget

This amount will be your leftovers for perishables and semi perishables

Divide your remaining budget by four and the figure remaining is your weekly budget excess. 

This should first be used on semi- perishables ,Semi-perishable would be fresh items that do not require refrigerating, but do eventually spoil or get stale like bread, cake, pies, pastries, and some root vegetables

.

Finally, use the remaining for perishables like meat, ( freeze whatever you don't use) milk, fruits and vegetables.

Remember to check all of your cupboards and refrigerators before you go shopping. Multiple trips to the grocery can waste money on gas and unneeded groceries ( who can buy just one thing from the store?)


Happy shopping!
-Patty