We've learned why family meals are important, steps to meal planning, and tricks to get meals on the table quicker. Let's now learn ways to save on those family meals!
Have you noticed your grocery bill rising lately? Grocery store prices have jumped by 3% in the last year, with even higher spike for staples such as dairy and beef. As a result, even if your purchasing habits haven't changed, your grocery bill is likely going up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American family spent $4,000 per year on groceries in 2013, or about $330 each month.
There are lots of ways to keep your grocery bill on the lower end. The first is meal planning and shopping your own food supplies which we discussed HERE. Other great ways to keep your grocery bill in check include:
Printable Coupons: It's not necessary to subscribe to a newspaper to access high value coupons. There are several coupons available to print or link to a grocery loyalty card.
Want to increase the coupon savings? Sign up for a SwagBucks account and earn 10 points for every coupon you print and redeem. Savings on top of savings!
Stockpile Great Deals: If you stock up a little each week on the BEST deals, you will eventually have everything you need in your own "grocery store." Stock piling is not only an economical way to live, but gives you peace of mind and the satisfaction of knowing you are preparing your family for whatever hardships may come your way.
- DealsToMeals.com - Utah Based. Each week's grocery store deals are uploaded and then rated from "Buy Only if Needed" to "Great Deal!" You can create custom lists and then price match at Walmart to save time and money. 2 week FREE trial + $4.95 monthly subscription cost.
CashBack Rebates: The savings don't stop once you've checked out! There are several cash back programs you can access online or through your smart phone. Typically you'll have to hit a certain dollar amount before you can cash out but you're getting cash back for items you're already purchasing!
- Snap by Groupon - Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store - not that some of the offers can be redeemed as many times as you'd like! Each offer's redemption limit is clearly noted on its details page. Then, just upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website within 2 days of purchase. When you account reaches $20, you can request payment under the 'My Account' page and select 'Cash out.'
- ibotta - You can unlock offers by completing various tasks, such as learning a fact or watching a short video. Then, search for offers in-store by scanning the barcode of items that are in your shopping cart. After making a purchase, you can submit a rebate by tapping on "redeem" for eligible items purchased. Then scan the product bar code and submit a picture of your receipt.
- Checkout 51 - Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store. Upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website (it is recommended that you upload your receipt immediately after purchase since there are only limited quantities of offers available). When your account reaches $20, you can cash out and they'll mail you a check. Note that offers go live on Thursdays at 12AM in each time zone and they expire the following Wednesday at 11:59PM in each time zone. You must submit the receipts while the offers are live.
- SavingStar - View offers on your mobile app on online - there are often 100% cash back "surprise" freebies during the month. Then, use your registered card at checkout as your normally do. For receipt-scan stores, take a picture of your receipt and submit through the SavingStar app or website. Note that discounts are not received at checkout but will be posted in your account within 2-22 days depending on the store. In addition to cashing out your earnings using your bank account or PayPal, you can use your earnings to score Starbucks eGift Cards, AMC Theatres eGift Cards and iTunes Gift Codes.
How Do You Save Money on Family Meals?
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shop the ads, stock up on sale items, buy fresh fruits and veggies in season and price match.
ReplyDeleteWE always price match. There are not a lot of stores near where I live, so price matching saves me time and money. We also buy in bulk things that are on sale (or case lot).Having a menu really helps to plan to use the things that we have purchased. We attempt to plan our menus around our purchases. We also include left overs in our menu plans. June Nelson WIC
ReplyDeleteMy family buys in bulk along with purchasing extra when on sale. By having extra on hand it helps reduce the amount of visit to the store which reduces impulse purchasing. Shawndra Bingham WCSO
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