You can slash the cable bill, cancel the gym membership, and turn down the thermostat all you want, but these steps will pale in comparison to the savings you’ll realize simply by cutting your grocery bill.
Food is typically most people’s third largest expense, trailing only housing and transportation. Yet, your grocery bill is also the easiest expense to trim, creating the largest amount of savings with the least amount of effort.
Unfortunately, we sometimes suffer from paralysis by analysis. Not knowing where to start, we SIMPLY don’t get started. But you don’t need a grand plan. Just take baby steps.
Your task is to implement just one simple change into your shopping routine. Implement this change for several weeks until you’ve made it part of your normal shopping behavior.
Once you’ve taken this first baby step, add another simple change to your routine until, like the first change, it becomes second nature. When you reach this point, you guessed it – add a third simple change to your normal shopping routine.
The amazing thing about this is that once you see the savings start to pile up, you’re going to get even more excited about taking the next simple baby step. It turns into a pleasant money saving cycle. The more you save, the more you’ll want to introduce small changes that allow you to save even more!
Start with the easiest baby steps first, – those that create the biggest savings with the least amount of work. Then graduate to baby steps that may take a little more effort like clipping, organizing, and using coupons.
Here’s a sample BABY STEP plan.
Month 1: (BABY STEP 1) : Stop by an Aldi supermarket. Aldi is a clean, no frills grocery chain with high quality food at low prices. Shoppers can save 30-40% at Aldi compared to conventional grocery stores. Find an Aldi discount grocery store near you by visiting the store locator at www.Aldifoods.com.
Since the stores are typically smaller than conventional supermarkets you won’t find everything you need. I, for instance, generally purchase my staple items (sugar, flour, milk, butter, etc.) at Aldi before proceeding to a conventional supermarket.
During your weekly grocery shopping trip, make Aldi your first stop. Then proceed to your regular grocery store of choice. This one baby step alone could easily save you $100 to $125 or more a month! That’s an extra $1200 to $1500 in your pocket each year.
Month 2: (BABY STEP 2): Once you’ve made a habit out of stopping by Aldi, move onto the next baby step. Take a look at the products you buy on a regular basis. For one of these products try the store brand version. If your family doesn’t like it, return it for a full refund. Most stores offer a no questions asked refund on all of their store brand products.
Try a different store brand product each week. If find just ten products for which you can purchase the store brand alternative, you’ll easily save $5 to $10 a week. Doesn’t sound like much until you realize that, over a month, you’ll save $20 to $40, and over a year you’ll pocket $240 to $480.
Month 3: (BABY STEP 3): Meat is one of the most expensive parts of your food budget. Just once a week cook a meal without it. Check out websites like MeatlessMonday.com for great meatless recipes. This one simple step could save you $7 to $10 a week. Again, that represents a yearly savings of nearly $364 to $520.
Month 4: (BABY STEP 4): The simple habit of stockpiling will lead to some incredible savings. This one simple step takes advantage of the tremendous savings inherent in “2 for 1” and “buy one, get one free” sales. For products you purchase frequently, wait and stock up when these items go on sale at a deep discount.
For many products this type of sale occurs every four to eight weeks. The key is purchase enough of the item to last until the next significant sale. Stockpiling basically cuts your costs in half. Because of limited freezer or pantry space you may only be able to do this for a few items, but the savings will still be tremendous. You can easily save $15 to $20 a week by using this technique, a yearly savings of $720 to $1040.
Month 5: (BABY STEP 5): Begin planning your meals around the supermarket sales circular. As we mentioned above, meat is one of the most expensive parts of your food budget. In addition to skipping meat one night a week, plan the rest of your meals around the meat item and side dishes that are on sale for the week. This habit alone will save you $10 a week, or $520 a year.
Now these baby steps are just a small sample of the number of ways you can slash your food bill. You don’t have to implement or follow these specific examples. The point is, by taking one simple action, and over the course of a month or so making it a normal part of your routine, you can easily start racking up impressive savings.
Focus on one small change at a time until it becomes second nature. Then focus on another small area of improvement until that change becomes ingrained.
Each baby step may only save you a few hundred dollars a year, but added together they’ll save you thousands. Now that’s something to smile about.
Once we understand the true nature of wealth we can start making our money work for us instead of against us.
Personal finance is about more than math. It's about behavior. Change your behavior and you change your financial situation.
When we spend money we're really exchanging time spent on the job (our life energy) for a product. Understanding this leads to better buying decisions.
Put your finances back on track with Michelle Singletary's twenty-one-day financial fast.
{ 136 comments… read them below or add one }
Major thanks for the article post.Really thank you!
Your location is valueble for me. Thanks! cheap jordans
Really enjoyed this article post.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.
Wow, fantastic weblog format! How long have you ever been blogging for? you make blogging glance easy. The overall look of your site is magnificent, let alone the content!
or maybe guest writing a blog post or vice-versa? My website goes
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful article. Many thanks for providing this information.
It as difficult to find experienced people for this subject, but you seem like you know what you are talking about! Thanks
Your style is really unique compared to other folks I ave read stuff from. Many thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this page.
That is an when i was a kid, i really enjoyed going up and down on water slides, it is a very enjoyable experience.
Your chosen article writing is pleasant.
pretty beneficial stuff, overall I feel this is well worth a bookmark, thanks
Just wanna comment that you have a very decent website , I enjoy the layout it really stands out.
You have made some really good points there. I looked on the net for additional information about the issue and found most people will go along with your views on this website.
Yours is a prime example of informative writing. I think my students could learn a lot from your writing style and your content. I may share this article with them.
Thank you for helping out, superb information. In case of dissension, never dare to judge till you ave heard the other side. by Euripides.
If you are going for best contents like I do, only pay a quick visit this website daily because it offers quality contents, thanks
This is one awesome blog.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Im thankful for the article.Thanks Again. Awesome.
Really appreciate you sharing this blog post.Really thank you! Cool.
perform thаА аЂа opposite аА аЂаffeаАааАТt.
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
This can be so wonderfully open-handed of you supplying quickly precisely what a volume
Thanks for the blog.Thanks Again. Great.
Thank you ever so for you post.Really thank you! Great.
I will immediately grab your rss feed as I can at find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you ave any? Please let me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Im no expert, but I think you just made a very good point point. You certainly comprehend what youre talking about, and I can actually get behind that. Thanks for being so upfront and so genuine.
I?d need to examine with you here. Which isn at one thing I normally do! I get pleasure from studying a submit that can make folks think. Additionally, thanks for permitting me to remark!
their payment approaches. With the introduction of this kind of
This site certainly has all of the information I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject matter and found most guys will agree with your blog.
instances, an offset mortgage provides the borrower with the flexibility forced to benefit irregular income streams or outgoings.
It as hard to find well-informed people in this particular subject, but you seem like you know what you are talking about! Thanks
Wow! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a entirely different topic but it has pretty much the same layout and
design. Superb choice of colors!
Hello, I enjoy reading through your article post.
I like to write a little comment to support you.
Thank you for your post.Really thank you! Keep writing.
This blog was how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I ave found something that helped me. Cheers!
Keep on writing, great job!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject matter and found most guys will agree with your blog.
Many thanks for sharing this first-class piece. Very interesting ideas! (as always, btw)
I really liked your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on
Wolverine, in the midst of a mid-life crisis, pays a visit to an old comrade in Japan and finds himself in the midst of a power struggle.
Spot on with this write-up, I honestly think this web site needs far more attention. I all probably be returning to read more, thanks for the advice!
the time to study or pay a visit to the material or websites we ave linked to below the
There is apparently a lot to realize about this. I think you made some nice points in features also.
transfers a slice of the risk he takes on your behalf, back to you.
I really liked your article.Much thanks again. Will read on
This is a really good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Short but very accurate information Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!
readers interested about what you’ve got to say.
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Much thanks again. Want more.
one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam responses?
Very good post.Much thanks again. Awesome.
Your posts customarily consist of a correct amount of truly up to date information. Everyplace accomplish you extend up with this? Emphatically declaring you are fantastically creative. Thanks again
Im grateful for the post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
This is a topic that is near to my heart Thank you! Where are your contact details though?
The topic is pretty complicated for a beginner!
Wow, great blog.Much thanks again. Really Cool.
You made some respectable points there. I looked on the internet for the problem and located most people will go together with together with your website.
Really enjoyed this blog.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on
that may be the finish of this post. Right here you
Muchos Gracias for your blog article.Thanks Again. Cool.
What’s up, yup this piece of writing is truly nice and
I have learned lot of things from it on the topic of
blogging. thanks.
This is very interesting, You are an overly professional blogger.
I really liked your blog.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
It as hard to find experienced people on this subject, but you seem like you know what you are talking about! Thanks
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your website provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will be
grateful to you.
Hello, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one
and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks?
If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can recommend?
I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any assistance is very much appreciated.
whoah this blog is excellent i like reading your articles.
Keep up the great work! You already know, many individuals are searching round for this info, you
could help them greatly.
You are so interesting! I don’t believe I have read through
a single thing like this before. So good to find another person with some genuine thoughts on this subject matter.
Really.. many thanks for starting this up. This website is something that
is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality!
This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I
have found something that helped me. Cheers!
Hi to all, it’s in fact a good for me to visit this website, it contains important Information.
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative.
I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future.
A lot of people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
We stumbled over here coming from a different web page
and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to finding out about your web page yet
again.
You can certainly see your skills in the paintings you write. The arena hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
Thanks again for the blog article.Really thank you!
It as hard to come by well-informed people in this particular topic, however, you seem like you know what you are talking about! Thanks
Say, you got a nice article post.Really looking forward to read more.
I truly appreciate this post. I ave been looking everywhere for this! Thank God I found it on Bing. You ave made my day! Thank you again
That is a really good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very precise information Thank you for sharing this one. A must read article!
There is definately a great deal to know about this issue. I really like all of the points you have made.
Whoa! This blog looks just like my old one! It as on a entirely different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
Many thanks for submitting this, I ave been in search of this info for your whilst! Your weblog is magnificent.
Very superb information can be found on web blog.
Really informative article.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
Valuable Website I have been checking out some of your posts and i can claim clever stuff. I will definitely bookmark your blog.
I really liked your article.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Really informative post.Thanks Again. Cool.
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic article.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Wow, this paragraph is nice, my younger sister is analyzing such things, so I am going to let know her.
I value the blog.Much thanks again. Awesome.
we like to honor numerous other world-wide-web web-sites around the internet, even when they aren
Well I sincerely liked studying it. This post offered by you is very useful for accurate planning.
This is one awesome blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on
Ridiculous story there. What occurred after? Thanks!
This awesome blog is no doubt interesting and besides informative. I have found helluva interesting things out of this amazing blog. I ad love to go back every once in a while. Thanks a lot!
You made some nice points there. I did a search on the subject matter and found most persons will approve with your blog.
Simply wanna comment that you have a very decent web site , I the style it really stands out.
Looking forward to reading more. Great blog article. Will read on…
I value the post.Really looking forward to read more. Want more.
There is definately a great deal to know about this issue. I really like all of the points you made.
I truly appreciate this article post.Thanks Again. Cool.
rhenk you for rhw ripd. Ir hwkpwd mw e kor.
provide whether post dated check or authorize the borrowed funds company to electronically debit the total amount from your bank checking account.
I value the blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool. this site
on some general things, The site style is ideal, the articles is really
Im thankful for the blog article.Thanks Again. Much obliged.
I just want to tell you that I am all new to weblog and really savored this web site. Probably I’m likely to bookmark your site . You definitely come with remarkable writings. Thanks for sharing with us your web-site.
valuable know-how regarding unpredicted feelings.
I really liked your blog post.Really thank you! Want more.
New car loans is probably the common loans in the financial
Keep up the fantastic piece of work, I read few articles on this website and I conceive that your website is really interesting and contains sets of great information.
pretty practical stuff, overall I think this is worth a bookmark, thanks
web browsers and both show the same outcome.
Many thanks for sharing this excellent piece. Very inspiring! (as always, btw)
You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
Terrific work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website. Thanks =)
You have remarked very interesting points ! ps decent site. I understand a fury in your words, But not the words. by William Shakespeare.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this article and the rest of the website is also really good.
This blog was how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I ave found something that helped me. Appreciate it!
Im thankful for the article.Thanks Again. Really Great.
Say, you got an excellent blog site article.Appreciate it Again. Will surely read on
This blog was how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I ave found something which helped me. Appreciate it!
You completed a number of nice points there. I did a search on the issue and found nearly all people will have the same opinion with your blog.
Wow! Thank you! I constantly needed to write on my site something like that. Can I include a part of your post to my blog?
The when I just read a blog, I’m hoping that this doesnt disappoint me approximately this one. Get real, Yes, it was my method to read, but When i thought youd have something interesting to state. All I hear is a number of whining about something that you could fix should you werent too busy trying to find attention.
You have mentioned very interesting details! ps nice web site.
Very good post. I certainly love this site. Keep it up!
Really informative article.Much thanks again. Want more.
I am glad that I observed this blog , exactly the right information that I was looking for! .
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, great blog!
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Cheers!
I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are incredible! Thanks!
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! Water is the most neglected nutrient in your diet but one of the most vital. by Kelly Barton.
Say, you got a nice blog.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
I think this is a real great blog post.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
I?d need to talk to you right here. Which is not something I generally do! I take pleasure in reading a blog post that will certainly make people believe. Also, many thanks for allowing me to comment!