There are so many ways Americans waste money every day. Sometimes, when I see how other families spend their money, I want to cringe. But the thing is, saving money is a personal choice. However, there are a lot of ways that you can save money on food costs, just by changing a few habits.
Eating Out
Eating out has become an American past time. In fact, American’s do it far more than any other country. However, it is a wallet slimmer every time. A meal for five at a restaurant, depending on what type you have chosen can cost somewhere between $30-$50 on average. Do you really think it costs $50.00 to feed your family for one night? Not hardly. Think about all those groceries you could purchase with $50.00 extra cash, or even the $30.00! If you eat out often, try cutting back to only once or twice a week. Our family of seven, eats out one weekend night per week, and we eat at home the rest of the time. I do not cook gourmet meals every single night, but I do cook from scratch as often as I can. If you do choose to eat out, try to eat at inexpensive all-you-can-eat places, or at places where kids can eat free. This can help save bundles of money if you do it often enough.
Ignoring Sale Ads and Coupons
Quit ignoring sales ads. Those are those little things that come with the mail, usually on Saturdays and Wednesdays, though they can periodically show up all week for different stores. And even if you don’t have one, before entering a grocer, pick one up and browse through the sale and price buster items. Coupons are another way to save serious money when shopping. It makes me cringe to watch a family in front of me checking out, and seeing what they put on the belt. Knowing I have dozens of coupons for those exact items. One day, I totaled up how many coupons I could have used on the products the lady in front of us, was buying. I could have saved her a whopping $23.42 if she had shopped beyond the deals and used coupons with her order. So stop ignoring sales ads and coupons. Look for price busters each time you enter a store, and remember that often stores place their best deals at the front of the store.
Why not take the time now, to re-evaluate how you spend your hard earned cash in the kitchen. You might just find a few additional wastes of money, that you can eliminate just like that. Be sure and share your tips with us!
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