Since there is not much more I can offer in money saving tips, I'll leave this last little bit.
Sometimes, you have to spend the money for what works for you. With a child with allergies, I buy certain products because I know they are safe for him. I also buy certain things because I know they work well for us. If buying name brand but you still want to save, look for coupons, but if searching online, be sure that what you're getting can be used. Some coupons are only applicable in the U.S.
When buying meat, can you get the most out of what you are buying? Can the meat provide leftovers? Are you able to make multiple meals out of it, with some to freeze? The cost of buying meats can be enough to break a budget, so sometimes, you have to buy sale items, value packs or reduced items.
I've also decided to try and include 1 vegetarian meal a week. There are a lot of great recipes out there and it helps to make sure there is always 1 really healthy meal my family gets. Plus, depending on how good it is, they may not even notice that the meat is missing.
In my own experiment, my goal was to spend $100 a week on groceries, with $100 a month on just meat. I've had to readjust on some weeks, and haven't always met my goal. I've had good weeks, where I've gotten my bill below $100 , but those have been lean weeks where I'm only picking up the absolute essentials, and sometimes you need to stock up or have a bit of wiggle room. I've also started potty training son which should help to get some of my overall costs down in the long run. Even with me not always able to meet my goals, there has been noticeable improvement. I tend to spend between $50-$75 less per grocery bill, then I was in the past, and that's still a win in my books.
I'll be posting other topics, but if I find a good deal, I'll be sure to post here.
Happy saving!
