If you follow the suggestions on this list I guarantee that you will be able to stretch the buying power of your food dollar! It's really not hard to apply these 30 principles.
1. Start a Price Book:Most people will agree that this is one of the best ways to compare compare prices. I first learned about price books in the first book of The Tightwad Gazette series by Amy Dacyczyn in which she goes into great detail about starting and maintaining a price book. By using a price book you can compare prices and get the most value for your dollar. I use a loose leaf binder and I have a separate page for each item. I list the prices for each store that I frequent. It is also helpful to put the price per ounce since sizes of items may differ from store to store. Starting a price book takes time and commitment in the beginning but once you have it done it will become a valuable tool to use to save money. You can start off by just keeping all your receipts and then mark the prices in your price book.2. Buy Your Bread at Bread Thrift ShopsI don't go every week since I can freeze enough to last me a couple of weeks. I can get bread at the thrift store for half of what it costs in the grocery store.3. Check for Items that are Reduced for Quick SaleMake friends with the butcher at the grocery store and find out when the meats are put out and marked for quick sale. If the meat expires that day or the next day it will be reduced sometimes as much as 50 percent. Just be sure to either use it that day or immediately freeze it. You can also find produce reduced for quick sale.4. Shop the Loss Leader SalesLoss leaders are items on sale in which the store does not expect to make a profit. Loss leaders have the purpose of attracting you into their store so you will buy your other items there. Take advantage of loss leaders and stock up when items you want are greatly reduced.5. Carry a Small Calculator with You to the StoreSometimes the larger item is not always the least expensive per ounce.6. Watch the Cash RegisterSometimes the correct sales price is not input into the computer system. They do make mistakes because I have caught errors several times. If you find it impossible to look as the cashier rings up your total try to examine your receipt before you leave the store.7. Be Cautious of Buying ClubsBe aware that buying clubs like Cotsco or Sams Club do not always save you money. Some items are actually higher than what you could get if you purchased store brands. Some people tend to purchase too much snack food and convenience food which tend to run up the food budget. Keeping a price book as I stated earlier will help you determine what the bargains are. Cheese is one of the items that I have found to be less expensive at Sams. You can get good deals on books and also software. Unless you do a lot of shopping at these buying clubs the cost of the membership is not worth it. At some of these clubs you pay as much as $35.00 so you would have to spend $700 to recoup the membership fee. I wait until Walmart runs an ad for a free admission to Sams for one day and buy what I want then. They run these ads about every three months.8. Buy Store Brands Rather Than Name BrandsI have found store brands to be 25 to 30 percent lower than the name brands. Some of these store brands are manufactured in the same plants as the name brands.9. Use Coupons WiselyUse coupons on the days when the coupon will be doubled. Only use a coupon on a product that you and your family will use and use a coupon only if it will make the price lower than the store brands. Also, use your coupons in conjunction with loss leader sales. You can often get the item free when using these strategies.10. Shop in Season for Fruits and Vegetables11. Consider Growing a GardenYou don't really need a large yard to grow a garden. Ever heard of square foot gardening? The produce you grow tastes so much better and it's healthier for you too!12. Give up Non Nutritional FoodImagine all the money you would save if you did not spend it on potato chips, cokes, cookies, and candies.13. Brown Bag Your LunchesUntil recently my husband was buying his lunch out until I found out that it was costing him an average of 15 to 20 dollars a week. I now take time to pack him a lunch. He is more than happy to eat last night's leftovers.14. Learn to Cook from Scratch15. Don't Shop When You Are HungryAll kinds of things will find their way into your cart when you are hungry.16. Have More Meatless MealsYou don't need meat three times a day. For a change why not beans and rice? Consult a vegetarian cookbook for other ways to incorporate meatless meals into your menus.17. Puree Your Own Baby FoodHomemade baby food is very easy to make. You can steam the vegetables and then freeze the contents in ice trays. You then store the frozen puree cubes in baggies and just pop what you think baby will eat in the microwave.18. Breast Feed Your InfantIf a woman is able she should consider this as an option. The price of infant formula is costly. Not only is breast feeding frugal, it's always available, the right temperature, and it's healthy for both the baby and the mother. Breast fed babies are less likely to get ill so you save on doctor's bills.19. Learn to be Creative With LeftoversRecycle leftovers into new dishes. Those leftover veggies can be frozen and you can have stew.20. Some Stores Honor Competitor's AdsThe Super Walmart where I shop will honor another store's ads. I just take the ad in with me and show it to the cashier.21. Eliminate Alcoholic BeveragesAlcohol is expensive and eats a big bite out of your food budget.22. If You Eat Out Eat Lunch Instead of DinnerLunch at most restaurants is less expensive then the dinner menu. Also find out the days when your favorite restaurants run specials and eat those days. Some restaurants have a kids eat free night.23. Weigh your Pre-bagged ProduceFor example a head of lettuce is priced at 59 cents. Try weighing different heads of lettuce and put the heavier one in your basket. The same applies to 10 pound bags of potatoes or anything else bagged up. Always get the heavier bag.24. Visit Web Pages of Food CompaniesSign their guest books and receive free coupons and free samples of products in the mail.25. Check in the Store for RebatesUse this strategy only if you can save money over buying store brands.26. Buy Economy Sizes and DivideI buy the gallon size can of ketchup. I then put it washed out containers of grape juice bottles and refrigerate.27. Get Involved with a Food Co-opGet your friends and family to go in together and purchase items in bulk. To learn more about food buying co-ops you can call the National Cooperative Business Association at 1-800-636-6222.28. Let Your Child Take His Lunch to School29. Give Up Convenience Food30. Don't Waste FoodHow many times have you put something in the refrigerator and forgot about it until it turned green? Try to have things labeled in your refrigerator so that nothing goes to waste. You need to be aware of the length of time that you can keep items in the refrigerator before they need to be thrown out.