Open the refrigerator and see how many products are there, but you either do not want to eat it, or you left it for later. Add the presence of various sweets in cupboards, cupboards and it turns out that a huge part of the earnings goes to two items of expenses: utility bills and food. Do you want to eat better but spend less? Then for you the advice of folk craftsmen, sensibly approaching nutritional issues.

What purchases are superfluous? Spontaneous. It may be a promotional item that you didn’t plan to take, but the discount is good, so you bought it. But the fact is that promotions are most often carried out on products with an expiration date. We bought it, didn't eat it right away, and tomorrow it’s already unsuitable for eating - they threw out both food and money. When making a list before going to the store, set aside 10% for unforeseen expenses and adhere to this rule strictly. And you can also borrow a limited amount of money, leaving your credit cards at home - there is no money, you simply cannot buy anything extra.

Foods should nourish, not excite hunger

Even a limited budget normally includes eggs, pasta, kefir, canned fish, cereals, butter and vegetables. And this is the basic diet for many delicious and satisfying meals. As for smoked meats, pickles and pickles - they whet the appetite, forcing you to eat more.

Soups are the basis of the diet

Liquid first courses are a real "magic wand" for thrifty housewives. A small amount of chicken bones, potatoes and a pinch of pasta makes a normal soup - this has long been tested on themselves by pensioners who receive minimal subsidies. If you want more satisfying, cook borscht, cabbage soup, you can even without meat - rich soup with garlic and croutons will satisfy even the most hungry man. A simple calculation in finance will prove that a portion of borscht (homemade) in 1/4 chicken broth will cost about 30 rubles, and chicken noodles on bones are even cheaper - 10-15 rubles. Of course, if you do not buy instant noodles and ready-made broths, you will have to stand at the stove.

The most expensive dish is meat hodgepodge, but without smoked, boiled sausages and other delicacies. A portion of the soup "draws out" 70-80 rubles. But even with such expenses, home cooking will cost less than eating rollton and other infusions.

Menu compilation

This could be a list of meals for the week or for the day. The main thing is to strictly adhere to the compiled menu: breakfast - tea with cookies, lunch - soup, pasta, dried fruit for a snack, and boiled chicken and water with lemon for dinner. It is good for family people to make a menu for the week and spend a few hours on the weekend preparing the entire list. Products and ready-made meals will be well stored in the refrigerator, some can be frozen, salads can not be seasoned, and instead of tea with sugar, boiled compote is cheap, tasty and healthy.

If you strictly adhere to the diet, without snacking on cookies, which will have to be bought, then food costs will significantly decrease. The poorer the menu, the lower the cost - this is a true rule. But do not worry, even from the minimum list of products you can cook a lot of dishes: casseroles, porridge in water with milk, potato pancakes, dumplings, buckwheat cutlets - ask your grandmothers and mothers, they will tell you how you can save money and at the same time feed the whole family satisfyingly.

Stock up on food

If there is no money in your wallet anymore, and living until your paycheck or retirement is still a long time, you will have to tighten your belt and look for cheaper products. There are such: loose pasta, seasonal vegetables, chicken backs. It is better to buy groceries in large supermarkets (chain), where there is a choice. And in order not to stay completely "aground", buy half a kilogram of liver, chicken from the salary and separate a piece - let it lie in the freezer, there will be a supply.

When you receive finance, you will have to clearly calculate how many products you can buy. Refuse semi-finished products, purchase chicken and divide it into parts:

• drumsticks and wings - fry, then serve with a side dish;
• thighs - separately, also fry;
• separate the breast and cut into several plates - ready-made chops, they turn out to be 6-8 pieces;
• the back and bones - for broth;
• crank the pulp from the backs and trim the skins through a meat grinder with onions, stick the meatballs, stuffed peppers and also freeze.

This is how you can stretch the chicken. Chicken legs, necks, backs - these are things that are sold very cheaply, even today. But if you cook, remove the meat and then pour it into containers, the legs give a good gelling component, as a result, you get an excellent homemade chicken jellied meat.

Freeze foods until they go bad

Everything is stored in the freezer: bread, milk, kefir, ready-made pasta, cereals, broth and soups. The bread can be cut into portions, before lunch, it can be taken out in 40-60 minutes, or put in the microwave for a couple of minutes - it will become as fresh. Buy shallow containers with lids so you can microwave right away. Cooked - laid out, cooled down and put into the freezer. In the evening or in the morning they got it out, they warmed it up before eating - an appetizing meal is ready, homemade and hearty.

Give up sweets

This is difficult if you are used to buying cookies, cakes, pastries and other sweets. However, even the most fastidious gourmet will gladly replace these sweets with homemade ones, which are much cheaper, or with dried fruits. In addition to making costs less expensive, homemade baked goods can be less sweet, and dried fruits have more fructose than sucrose. Even regular sweet beets are great as a dessert, just like grated carrots - try it, it really tastes good. But chocolate, candy, marshmallows and many other sweets today, unfortunately, are not made from pure products, so they do a lot of harm: from tooth decay to the appearance of wrinkles, acne and allergic reactions.

Excessive amounts of sweets lead to hormonal imbalance and thyroid problems. But a complete categorical refusal is also bad - a person has a real withdrawal, mood deteriorates, appetite rises. After a few days, it goes away, you just need to get used to or replace purchased sweets with homemade manna with a minimum amount of sugar - cheap and tasty.

Refusal of drinks

Removing tarragon, lemonade, cola, soda and teas from the diet is all sugar and extra money. It is not profitable to buy water in small bottles - buy a large glass for athletes, it contains almost 800 ml of water, which can be boiled and poured at home, or you can boil compote, jelly or make delicious tea and then drink it anywhere.

This is the most difficult thing, because if there are kids, other people in the house, then it is impossible not to buy fruits and sweets. However, it is quite possible to give up sausages, expensive cakes, sweets and chocolate. Delicious porridge with homemade jam is no worse than purchased quick-bred porridge, and compote is much healthier than cola. We'll have to endure the battle, but when the finances in the family are already running out, there is nothing to choose from. And, most importantly, do not feed your friends and acquaintances who come "for a cup of tea", offering them a snack. If these are relatives and close-minded people, they came to see you, and not to eat.

You have someone to feed - the husband earns, he will receive what he is supposed to. Of course, we are not talking about freeloaders. A normally healthy man eats oatmeal, boiled meat with pleasure, will not give up dumplings and potato sandwiches with an egg - all this costs a penny, and satiates much better than any smoked meats. Children will love boiled pasta with butter and cheese, meatballs from that very chicken, lazy dumplings, cheesecakes and casseroles.

Moderate your appetites

To save something, you need to give up something. Review your food spending. Make it a rule not to throw out checks right away in the store, save them for at least a week - you yourself will see how much money goes down the drain. But only you will have to take checks everywhere, including in a shawarma stall, calculate expenses carefully and not try to justify yourself by saying that you “wanted something tasty”.

Most of the money from our monthly budget goes to an apartment (in case we rent a house) and food. If we live in our own apartment, then it is food that most often comes out on top.

Some might say that saving on food is an extreme thing. After all, food for many is a joy, and family dinners are a real mystery. "Well, now eat only black bread ?!" - some are indignant. But let's not exaggerate: saving on food doesn't mean starving. Nobody forces you to eat one porridge and bread and stop buying your favorite cabbage pies. You just need to be smart about buying food, especially now, in times of crisis.

So, how, in fact, save on food? Of course, each situation is individual, and some solutions may not suit you at all. But we will try to give you a few universal advice... Some of them may seem elementary, but think about it: are you following them exactly?

When we go to the store and don't know what we want to buy, we start looking at everything. “Actually, I wasn’t going to buy sweets, but this cake looks so appetizing that it’s simply impossible to resist…”, “Oh, I’ll take a couple of packages of pizza. Only once! ”,“ Hmm, I haven't eaten a smoked sausage for a long time ”- sounds familiar, right? In order not to find yourself in such situations and not spend extra 100-200 rubles, make a shopping list in advance.

You can make a list on a regular sheet of paper, write it down as a note in your smartphone, or use a special application - fortunately, now there are enough of them.

One of the most popular shopping list apps- it "Buy a loaf!"(Buy me a pie). The application is simple and easy to use. It allows you to manually enter a list of products and their quantity, underlines products from different categories with different colors and knows how to group items from the list. To delete a purchased product from the list, just click on it. By the way, the app has a built-in dictionary and can tell you what to add to the list. Application "Buy a loaf!" can be installed on devices with Android or iOS systems. There are free and paid versions.

Another popular application is Listick... Here you can not only create an endless number of shopping lists, but also keep track of financial resources. Data can be synchronized between different devices. Like Buy a Loaf, Listick has a built-in dictionary.

Of course, there are many more shopping list apps out there, and you can go for whichever one you like best. The main thing is not to forget to make lists! When you have a clear plan, it’s easier for you to focus on the products you want and skip the unnecessary ones.

You have already made a list, but the temptation to deviate from it is great. The solution is simple: calculate how much it will cost you to go to the store, and take it with you (+100 rubles). Of course, this method is not very suitable for those who pay exclusively by card. But you can, for example, withdraw a certain amount from the card - just for going to the store. Or get a separate, "store" card.

When we are hungry, our eye stops at all the products in a row, and the stomach only asks: "Buy, buy!" As a result, we return from the store and wonder: why did I buy so much unnecessary food? On the contrary, if we go shopping after a hearty lunch, the temptations will be much less. This way, you can only buy the products you need.

It would seem that the advice is banal. But think about it: often the store around the corner can be one and a half times more expensive than the one that is five minutes away. At the same time, the quality of the products does not differ.

For example, a Moscow couple told us they could save 30% on food when they changed their store. “We used to go to the Rodnik store near the house,” says Irina, 40, Moscow. “But then food prices went up significantly and we decided to look for other grocery stores nearby. It turned out that Pyaterochka had just recently opened. Now we shop only there: the savings are substantial! For example, a five-liter bottle of water costs 30 rubles here, and 60 rubles in Rodnik! "

Besides "Pyaterochki", shops are traditionally considered inexpensive in Moscow "Magnet", "Dixie" and "Auchan"(however, it is not very convenient to get to the latter by public transport). Slightly higher in the price category - "Crossroads" and "Bill"... The most expensive are elite supermarkets such as "ABCs of taste" or one of a kind "Eliseevsky", where most go like a museum.

Of course, it is worth remembering that in the same Pyaterochka a bottle of water may turn out to be cheaper than in Rodnik, and another product may be more expensive. Well: all that remains is to remember where what and how much it costs. To understand where it is most profitable for you to go shopping, you have to buy the same set of products in several different stores a couple of times, and then compare the receipts.

... Or at least reduce their number. Semi-finished products are not only harmful to health, they are also quite expensive. Compare: how much ready-made pancakes cost and how much are the ingredients for them - flour, eggs and milk (or kefir)? Count how many pancakes you can make from a kilogram of flour, a dozen eggs and a liter of milk. It will turn out clearly more than 4 (usually there are just so many in a standard package). The same goes for many other finished products. It is clear that you are most likely at work and do not have the time to cook frequently. But how many times a week do you eat pancakes? Think about whether it would be more profitable for you to cook yourself (yourself) once a week than to constantly buy semi-finished products.

One pack of salt is enough for several months, why do you need ten of them at once? You can buy several packs of buckwheat, oatmeal and rice at once, but don't go overboard with their quantity. Do not forget that bugs love to wind up in cereals. You will spend more time and energy fighting nasty insects than going to the store!

Perishable food is also not worth buying in reserve. If you doubt that over the next week you will eat a kilogram of tomatoes and two kilograms of cucumbers, then buy them half as much. Otherwise, you risk removing rotten vegetables from the refrigerator one fine sunny morning.

The advice is directly related to the previous one. You still could not resist, and now your lockers and refrigerator are full of stocks of all kinds of food? Don't go to the store to buy new ones until you've eaten these. For example: if you find two packs of rice in your closet, then do not buy three more packs of buckwheat until the rice runs out.

And if you have butter, milk and other foods in your fridge that are about to expire, eat them first, and then buy something else.

Nowadays, cheeses, sausages and other delicacies are very expensive. Think: Do you really need them every day, or even every two days? We are not urging you to ditch cheeses and meats entirely: they are good for your health and, in the end, just delicious. But try to at least start eating them less often. For example, if you now buy slices every two days, try to start buying them every four days. Your life is unlikely to change from this, but the savings will turn out to be significant.

And other nasty things. It is true: sometimes we are so hungry that we are ready to put anything in our mouths, just to satisfy our hunger. But think about it: will a chocolate bar really serve you as a great snack? Try making yourself a sandwich early in the morning or the night before, or taking a piece of fruit with you to work or town. It will be more useful and cheaper than giving money every day for an unnecessary snack.

If you absolutely cannot imagine your life without "little nasty things", then set yourself a limit. For example: “„ Skikers ”- only on Mondays”.

Going to restaurants or cafes is such a joy in every person's life that it can be difficult to refuse. Therefore, we do not consider it necessary to completely delete catering from our lives. But try to make sure that he is not present every day, but several times a month: plan trips to the restaurant in advance. You can take lunches to work from home, and if you don't like this prospect at all, add the costs of the dining room to your home budget to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the month.

Yes, grandmothers with boiled eggs in second-class carriages make us smile. But eggs are not the only food that people take with them on the road. If you know that you have a long train journey or a multi-stop flight, take care of your food in advance. Make yourself at least a few sandwiches, take a banana or dried fruit with you. Food at airports is extremely expensive: do you need to pay almost a thousand rubles for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake? And in low-cost airlines, in general, all food is paid, so here sandwiches will be doubly useful to you.

In winter, during classes or travel, you really want to drink hot tea ... Meanwhile, a cup of tea in different establishments costs from 50 rubles - and to infinity. You can buy a good thermos for 700 rubles, but it will serve you for many years. In addition, a thermos is clearly not one cup of tea, but much more. If it seems to you that a thermos is unaesthetic, then you are mistaken: we live in the 21st century, and there are even pink and flowered thermos flasks.

You can eat a huge bowl of pasta in 3 minutes, but is this skill really worth using? You do not really have time to chew food, and therefore your body thinks that you have eaten too little. As a result, you buy yourself another portion, and then another dessert ... So it turns out that you spent twice as much money on food than you intended. If you eat slowly and chew food thoroughly, it will be absorbed better, and your stomach will get rid of overeating.

Surely we have not listed all the ways to wisely save on food. Well: how many people, so many opinions. It may turn out that we have forgotten about something. If you know other ways to save on food, be sure to share them in the comments!

The first thing that financial experts will say when trying to save on food is to stop eating in cafes and start preparing your own meals. But sometimes this is easier said than done. Not only does cooking take time, effort, and creativity, but making the menu. It's good for budgeting. Meal planning needs to be done before going to the grocery store to buy exactly what you need.

A meal planning strategy is an important way to help cut down on food costs. This method not only helps to save money, but it can also reduce kitchen waste from unused food or forgotten leftovers. Shopping from the supermarket is a significant expense for most families and households, but there are ways to make it more affordable.

Lots of loopholes, deals, coupon codes, new deals, and simple common sense exist for greater savings. Whether a person is in short-term financial instability or just wants to save for something big, there are many ways to save. If a person doesn't make a lot of money, or if the rising cost of gas and food is limiting their budget, they may look for ways to save money on groceries. It's important to really start to consider the difference between necessity and luxury. You can also rethink your spending habits just to get out of debt or save more. One of the easiest ways to save money on food is to reduce the amount you spend at the grocery store. When you find yourself in a situation where you need to save money, you can try certain ways to organize your diet sparingly.

Making a shopping plan

Saving money on food starts before you go to the store. Tips to consider before going grocery shopping:

• Write a shopping list. You can keep a notebook and pen or phone close at hand in the kitchen to write your grocery list. During the week, you need to add this list when thinking about the products that you need. Do not forget to take the list with you when you go shopping, so as not to forget anything. You only need to buy what is on the list - this will simplify your budget.
• Meal planning. Plan your meals in advance and add ingredients to your shopping list.
• Use the app. To get a sense of how much is actually spent on groceries, you can use a shopping tally app for several weeks to get a real picture of your food spending. Then you can try to cut your expenses and create a reasonable budget to stick to.
• Leave the kids at home. You can ask a friend to look after the children and go shopping without them. There will be more time to compare prices. Still, having kids in the supermarket from time to time can be a good way to teach them how to save money.
• Don't go hungry in the store. You need to eat food or snacks before going to the supermarket. When a person is hungry, he tends to buy more food.
• Make a budget and use only cash. You need to set a budget for your shopping trip, get the cash out of the ATM, and take only the money with you when you go shopping. You don't need to take any cash or cards with you so that you can only spend what you have. This old school budgeting method worked well for generations before they got access to credit cards.

Save money at the supermarket

Armed with a budget and a shopping list, it's time to maximize your income. Here are some ideas to save money at the checkout:

• Buy in bulk. Wholesale purchases should be made when things are cheaper. Purchase large portions of meat in small packages so that you only use what you need, and freeze the rest for later use. One of the easiest ways to save money on groceries is to buy products that are sold every week. If you know that a certain product is used quite often, then you need to stock up on it. You can freeze at least three more meat. Some foods have a much longer shelf life. You may need to carefully consider the amount of products that are being purchased.
• Use blanks. Prepare a large meal at the start of the week and freeze it for a quick and easy snack. This can help avoid the temptations of going out during the week. You need to stock up on your favorite foods when they go on sale.
• Add your meals to your meal plan so you don't forget what they are.
• Go to the store less often. If you usually go grocery shopping every week, you should try shopping once every two weeks. This will help you get in the habit of using all the items from the refrigerator before buying more.
• Purchase products made in your own country. The difference probably won't be significant, but the cost savings can be significant.

It is important to understand that many products from different manufacturers are manufactured and packaged in the same factories and plants.

• Check out alternatives. Before you get to a brand that has always been bought, you need to check if you can replace it with a cheaper alternative.
• Check expiration dates. Check the "use to" and "from time" dates on the packaging to avoid wasting money on short-lived products.
• Try a vegetarian meal. Meat can be expensive, so you can buy less meat and try to make more meals without using it. Lentils and chicken peas are healthy alternatives to fill up when you're craving a vegetarian meal.
• Reducing junk food. There is nothing wrong with casual pleasure, but putting chocolate, cookies, chips, and alcoholic beverages in a shopping cart every week will be detrimental to your wallet and waistline.
• Check all supermarket shelves. Supermarkets carefully plan where they place groceries around the store. Items that are more expensive are usually at eye level, so take the time to check the shelves above and below for any cheaper alternatives. It takes a little more work, but it can make a big difference in your personal account.
• Avoid impulse purchases. Some grocery stores have special impulse shopping aisles that a person will never think of unless they see. If you can't trust yourself to get out of the store without buying a few of them, you should completely avoid these counters so that you don't be tempted to buy unnecessary items. It must be remembered that just because they are cheap does not mean they are needed.
• A price book can help you save money on products by tracking sales patterns and the lowest possible price of an item so you know the best time to stock. In addition, sales are in a cycle, and you need to be aware of when to buy until the product goes on sale again. You can make your own price book. Write the product at the top of the piece of paper. Then write down the price. List price per serving instead of unit price. This will help determine how much to actually save. After you create a price book, you can review your notes each week and record the items that are on sale, and then the cost of each item. You can use this to see the lowest price of an item in any store.
• You can save a lot of money on goods if you have a shopping list. It's important to stick to the list and make sure everything is purchased. This will prevent impulse purchases and avoid return trips to the store. A trip to the store to pick up something that was not purchased usually means that a few items are being purchased that are not needed. The list can really save you money and time.

Just making a few simple changes is all it takes to save money on food.

Healthy eating at low wages

The phrase “Healthy food is expensive” has been said more than once. You can eat healthy food on a budget with a few tricks:

• Frozen berries. Fresh berries are often very expensive, especially when they are out of season. Frozen berries are much cheaper and just as healthy. Plus, with frozen berries, you don't have to worry about eating them until they go bad.
• Oatmeal. Quick-cook oatmeal is great for inexpensive meals, but buying a huge container of regular oats is a much more economical option. When comparing the unit price for two packs, it is much more profitable to buy standard oats. For the on-the-go option, take 1/2 cup of oats, place them in a container, and add hot water. Plus sachets of instant oatmeal are often filled with added sugar. It's best to sweeten your plate with more natural options like thawed frozen berries.
• Canned fish. Everyone understands that you need to eat more fish, since it is rich in omega-3s, but buying fresh fish is not always affordable. Instead, you can trade fresh salmon for canned salmon, which is much cheaper and can still provide those healthy omega-3s in the diet.

Canned salmon salad is a delicious option for an afternoon snack.

• Tofu as a protein option. Tofu sometimes gets a bad reputation for its soft texture and flavor, but choosing it over expensive animal protein can save you a lot of money. As a healthy source of protein, tofu is excellent at providing all the vitamins at a fraction of the cost.
• Nuts and dried fruits. Protein bars are a good snack, but buying them every week definitely comes at a budget. Instead, you can eat dried fruits like dates, prunes, nuts and save their bars for a special treat. Eating dried fruits and nuts makes a small snack very filling.

Before visiting the supermarket, you need to look at your calendar. You need to plan your meals for each evening and be sure to take into account dishes with a lot of leftovers, such as casseroles or homemade pizza.

Budget menu for the week

Sticking to a budget, planning meals and preparing meals at home can help save some serious money. The 7 Day Meal Plan uses cheap and readily available ingredients to create delicious meals at a fraction of the cost. You can combine this lunch plan with cheap breakfast and lunch recipes to save even more over the course of the week.

• Monday. Vegetarian spaghetti. Eating meat-free several times a week is good for your health, wallet, and the environment. With 18 grams of protein, this vegetarian spaghetti lasagna is a great budget recipe for consistent use.
• Tuesday. Light chicken fried rice. Fried rice with lots of vegetables and meats is an obvious choice when you want to make a quick and healthy dinner. If there is a little extra onion or half of the leftover zucchini to use, so much the better: just add any vegetarian items. Being versatile and using what you have can help you save money and minimize food waste.
• Wednesday. Bean lunch. Canned beans are an affordable, healthy and convenient ingredient and add protein and fiber to meals. Here, canned chickpeas act as a substitute for expensive chicken, yet deliver a satisfying flavor. By extinguishing the beans when they go on sale and using them in salads, soups, and more for healthy and cheap plant-based protein.
• Thursday. Vegetarian risotto. Canned black beans, pre-cooked rice are all it takes to create this quick and tasty snack.
• Friday. Creamy chicken, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms. Chicken is often marketed, so when it does, you can stock up and keep it in the freezer. Potted Pasta uses less expensive chicken thighs paired with veggies, dried herbs, and cheese for a delicious and creamy one-course lunch.
• Saturday. Beef stew. Tougher cuts of meats are affordable options that simply take longer to cook tender and juicy, making them ideal for slow cooking.
• Sunday. Tuna tomato dish. Budget-friendly canned fish like tuna and salmon are cheap and convenient options for a quick, healthy meal. You can get the same health benefits from canned foods. Frozen fish may be the best option as it is often cheaper and can be thawed when it needs to be cooked.

Strategy

Whether you're looking to make your life healthier or just want to save some money, here's how to use a simple meal planning strategy that works:

• Draw a two-column template that leaves room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day of the week on the left, and the grocery list on the right.
• Complete any items that have already been taken into account, such as lunch with a friend or free breakfasts.
• Get to know your refrigerator and pantry. Fill as many dishes as possible that can be made with ingredients already in the refrigerator, such as oatmeal for breakfast or pasta and sauce for dinner. If there are leftovers from the previous week, you also need to include them.
• Fill as many dishes as possible that can be created using products that are already there, plus one or two new ingredients. For example, if you have leftover chicken and a package of rice, you can add vegetables to your list and plan to cook the roast. Remember to keep track of any products you need in the right column.
• Complete your plan with any other tricks as needed.
• Buy ingredients that can be used for more than one meal.
• Be honest about how much you plan to cook.
• Follow the menu. If you are planning those vegetables so that they can be cooked as a coleslaw for lunch this week, then this week is the coleslaw for lunch - no exceptions.

TOP 10 Ways to Save More

Saving money on groceries starts before you go to the supermarket. It takes time before shopping to get ready for your trip - the time invested will really pay off.

1. Create a menu. While this may sound funny, especially if the person is the spontaneous type when it comes to dining, creating a menu for what you plan to eat in between purchases is one of the best ways to save money on groceries. Menu creation ensures that the right ingredients are in place to prepare a healthy meal at home instead of going out to eat or ordering pizza. In addition, creating a menu and creating a list of items you need in grocery stores will allow you to buy everything you need in one trip.
2. Create a standardized list. In addition to the items needed for lunch, you will have to buy items for breakfast, lunch, snacks and cleaning at the grocery store. Often a person is so focused on getting what they need to cook their food that important items are forgotten. If I don't follow the list, I can buy a lot more than I need. To avoid this problem, you need to make a standardized list of what you buy on a regular basis, such as a few boxes of grain, a loaf of bread, diapers, and laundry detergents. This is a great time saver as the product list will always be partially complete before you start purchasing.
3. Sales verification. Grocery stores place their weekly ad in the local newspaper office. They also post them on the Internet and leave a stack of ads at the front door. You can take an ad when it comes out and use it to build a grocery listing. Every week, you should go through grocery store circulars before creating your menus and take notes on what is on sale. If the chicken is on sale, you need to make a meal plan for the chicken dinner recipes. If it is pork, then you need to cook the pork. If none of the stock you're looking for is stock, you can focus your meals on rice and beans, which are an affordable alternative to meat. By looking at the circulars, you can also find out if there are any items to stock up on while the price is low. Products usually go on sale in 6-8 weekly cycles, so if a particular item is on sale this week, remember that it is unlikely to be on sale again for another two months.
4. Purchase of seasonal vegetables and fruits. One way to stay healthy is to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, fresh produce can be expensive. To keep food costs down, you need to try to stick to fruits and vegetables that are in season. For example, pears are less expensive in November and December than during the rest of the year. Thus, pears are more relevant as well as delicious.
5. Using coupons, auction discounts, etc. Regardless of whether the person is an avid adherent of discounts or a coupon user, they are of immense value to any shopper. While savings may be small, they do come into play. It is important, however, to exercise caution when using stocks. While they can save you money, it can also drive you spending on impulse purchases. Remember to make your shopping list before using coupons or promotions. This ensures that a person does not buy products just because they have a discount. These additional purchases add up quickly and may end up costing more than the savings.
6. Remember prices. If coupons and discounts are used, the goal should be to always buy each item at its lowest price. To do this, you need to remember the minimum price of the product after the sale and shares, and not just the reduced price. It may take some time to figure out the prices, so it is recommended that you write down what is planned until the prices are memorized. As soon as they remember what items can be purchased inexpensively, they will no longer want to pay more.
7. Know the rules of the store. Verifying that a store is doing promotions against the competition is just one aspect of knowing the store's policies.
8. Shop monthly. An alternative to combining promotions and savings is fewer visits to the supermarket. The more a person buys, the more they will succumb to impulse buying. To keep yourself out of the grocery store and spend less, you should try to shop only once a month and buy from only two stores. Although the use of stocks will be more difficult, you can still count them. The main focus of this method, however, is to simply avoid the shops.
9. Choose budget stores. If you feel like time is running out and you can't afford to spend it looking for stocks, you need to focus more on shopping in stores that will save money with their lower prices.
10. Planning shopping times. First of all, you should never buy food on an empty stomach. It is best to try to shop around 10 a.m. to avoid not only hunger but also the crowds in the afternoon. Alternatively, delis and bakery shops can be visited if they drop bread on a specific day of the week.

Some bad habits really get in the way of saving. Can be adjusted and following some rules.

1. Make a shopping list and strictly follow it

To do this, develop a menu for the week: breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Inspect kitchen cabinets and refrigerator and list ingredients that are missing to prepare your intended meals. Nothing extra!

Mobile applications will help you to maintain a shopping list.

2. Compare prices in different stores

It is convenient to buy everything in one supermarket. But sometimes, if you walk to the bakery around the corner, you can get more delicious and cheaper bread.

If there is no time for monitoring, try to shop once a week. “Today I’ll buy cottage cheese, and tomorrow I’ll come in and buy more eggs” is an approach that leads to unplanned expenses.

Well, use special applications.

3. Attend agricultural fairs

They usually take place in autumn and spring, and there you can very profitably buy farm products: potatoes, eggs and others.

4. Avoid impulse purchases

Do not buy products not from the list just because they are cheap or suddenly you want to: “Oh! Discount on Chinese cabbage! You have to take it, usually it is 10 rubles more expensive "(are you sure you will eat it?)," Mmm, cake! Want! Want!" (but what about the diet?).

Do not take children to the store: their "want" is more difficult to resist. Willpower alone won't save you.

5. Use discount cards

You may have to pay for its purchase, but this is a one-time expenditure, and discounts can be used every time you visit this store.

6. Shop in bulk

Flour, sugar, salt, pasta and spices are always needed. Plus they have a long shelf life. So, you can take it for future use. Moreover, prices in wholesale outlets are usually lower.

“Where am I going to? I have nowhere to store it, ”- typical objections of housewives to the advice to buy food in large quantities. The solution is simple: team up with your friends. By purchasing a package of rice and dividing it among yourself, you will quickly see the benefits of this approach.

According to the rules of merchandising, the most expensive goods are placed on the shelves at the level of the buyer's eyes, and the cheapest ones - on the lower racks. Do not be lazy to bend over and study the downstream assortment.

Also, don't go to the departments you don't need (divide the foods on the list by groups: meat, vegetables, and so on). And don't forget that you should visit the store well-fed.

8. Disable "autopilot"

We often wander around the store, thinking about our own and mechanically putting food in the basket. Remember how offensive it is when you find out at home that the apples are broken, and the cookies in the pack are broken. Choose your foods carefully.

9. Don't overpay for a name

Famous brand products are more expensive. But this is not always a guarantee of quality and taste. Take a closer look at less famous, but cheaper counterparts. For example, brands of chain stores. As a rule, the gustatory characteristics of popular goods (vegetable oil, groceries, etc.) do not differ from branded ones.

10. Don't overpay for packaging

Milk in a nondescript package can be tastier and cheaper than a drink in a bottle, and bulk products by weight are more profitable than packaged in colorful boxes.

11. Pay attention to weight and volume

Often the same product is on the shelves, but one is cheaper than the other, for example, by 5 rubles. Do not rush to grab what is cheaper. Compare the difference in weight or volume of these foods. It is more profitable to take a "full" kilogram than 940 grams.

12. Don't buy semi-finished products

They are a priori more expensive than self-prepared (from "A" to "Z") dishes. Don't let yourself be lazy: make your own dumplings, cabbage rolls and cutlets and store them in the freezer.

And further. Sliced ​​bread and sausage are always more expensive. Can't you chop the loaf yourself?

13. Do not be afraid of delays

The discount policy of chain grocery stores is a subject for a separate discussion. But when an item expires, salespeople are willing to be truly generous. As a rule, “timer” products are fine. The main thing is to use them as soon as possible.

The exception is fermented milk products. It's easy to get food poisoning with them, so it's best to buy only fresh ones.

Unfortunately, the cost of goods rarely gets lower. The trend shows that prices are going up, while the family budget remains unchanged. You have to become more frugal and look for ways to eat deliciously without big waste. This article will focus on a very relevant issue in 2019, namely, how to save on food without harming your health.

1. Planning is the main enemy of wasting money. Before you buy food, make a menu for the week and carefully inspect the refrigerator. After that, be sure to make a list with the food you need to buy.
2. You will be able to save money on food, even in a crisis, only if you learn not to deviate from the items on the list, while already in the store. No matter how profitable the promotion for oranges or how cheap the spaghetti is, if this food is not in the diet for a week, you cannot buy them.
3. Choose your products carefully. Often, when we go to the supermarket, we think about something different and we can take bad food. Study the expiration date, do not take spoiled fruits, vegetables and you can save a lot on food.
4. In order to save your family budget, be sure to purchase a discount card. Even if initially you have to pay for it, in the future all costs will be repaid.
5. Do not take small children with you to the store. Most likely, the child will start to be capricious and ask for everything that catches his eye. In many cases, mothers cannot resist the tears of the baby and all plans to save food are reduced to zero.
6. Be sure to compare prices in different stores to save without compromising. If you don’t remember, then write it down. For example, in one supermarket there may be cheaper bread, but in another it is much more profitable to buy eggs. Of course, it is more convenient to shop for a week in one large supermarket, but to save money it is better not to be lazy and visit several places.
7. In order to save on food, you should always go to the store after a big meal. This is a very effective advice that always works - whether it's shopping for food in the summer on vacation or for a family dinner.
8. There is no point in overpaying for a well-known brand, especially if you intend to save. The advertised name is not always an indicator of quality. Many products are made by supermarkets themselves and sold at very low prices.
9. The same can be said for packaging. We often overpay for a beautiful wrapper when the product itself can be purchased much cheaper by weight or in a nondescript container. This is a good way to save money on food, although few people know about it.
10. Buy only seasonal products. It is more profitable, healthier and tastier.
    
11. Never buy convenience foods if you want to save money. Ready-made pancakes, cabbage rolls or cutlets will always be more expensive than those prepared by you. Better to prepare large portions yourself and store them in the freezer.
12. To save on groceries, while in the supermarket, pay attention to the lower shelves. It is there that the cheapest goods are located, and the most expensive ones are at eye level. This is the law of marketing.
13. Feel free to use a variety of food coupons. It is very profitable and will help you save a lot. Also pay attention to ongoing promotions and special offers in supermarkets. However, do not forget about one of the main rules - we buy only products from the list made up for a week.
14. Maintaining a family budget in the form of a table will help to competently save not only on food, but also on household chemicals, clothing and cosmetics. This is especially true for a family of 3 or more.
15. Has anyone thought about how much we spend each month to purchase packages? About 70 rubles. It would seem such a trifle, but believe me, this money can be used more useful. Alternatively, we advise you to purchase eco-bags that you can always take with you.
    
16. To save money, it is better to buy cereals, potatoes, sugar, salt and flour at wholesale markets. These food items have a long shelf life and will be used up anyway. If you live alone, it is better to make collective purchases with friends.
17. In the supermarket, when choosing a cheaper product, pay attention to the mass. It is more profitable to buy 500 g of cottage cheese for 100 rubles than 250 g for 60 rubles. However, don't overdo it with this advice. You should not buy food in quantities you do not need.
18. To save on food and shop less frequently in supermarkets, take food from home to work. Without buying food every day in canteens and cafes, you can save a decent amount of money every month.
19. For the New Year, birthday or other holiday, you can save money if you cook delicious and varied dishes from inexpensive products. On the Internet, you can see many budget recipes for salads and main courses.
20. There are good tips on how to save money on the purchase of meat and poultry. For example, try to cook combined dishes (navy pasta, pilaf, roast, etc.), this is much more profitable. Also, to save money, it is better to buy the whole bird, and not in parts. So you can use it to prepare the first and second meals for your family.