Stretching your budget

With grocery prices skyrocketing in light of local and global events, we need to have a strategy that will enable us to get a little extra from our money and keep our kitchens well stocked. Pinching Pennies consulted the Consumer Affairs Commission, among other sources, to find ideas that will help you stretch your food budget just a little further. Here goes.

1 Cook at home more often.

2 When you do eat out, opt for breakfast or lunch as it is cheaper than dinner. And make it a special occasion to go out to eat rather than a routine event.

3 Cook more vegetables than meat. Meat is more expensive per pound than vegetables. While meat is a good source of protein it’s expensive. And try to think of meat as a side dish rather than the main course. If this is too difficult, try cutting portion sizes of meats and adding more side dishes to compensate. There is always a way to cut down on meat consumption! Cheese, poultry, eggs, beans, and some fish are less expensive and excellent sources of protein.

4 Replace rice with yam or banana or what ever food is in season.

5 Stock up on sale items, but be sure not to bust your budget doing so. Stockpile, Stockpile, Stockpile! If a product you use is on sale, buy as much as you can afford and store to last you until the next sale. This is a BIG money-saver!

6 Join with friends to take advantage of bulk purchases if you don’t have a large family to warrant such purchases.

7 Watch portions. This is also good for health and you will consume less.

8 Use left overs for other meals. For example, if you bake chicken then use the wings, fat and any vegetables to make soup the next day.

9 Check your kitchen to see what you already have. Don’t spend money on things you don’t need. So check your kitchen first before going to the store.

10 Prepare your menu for the week around what you already have, and what’s on sale.

11 Shop for items BEFORE you run out of them. If you run out of an item you’ll have to pay whatever the store is charging that week.

12 Due to volume discounts, larger stores are generally cheaper than smaller ones.

13 Avoid trips to the “corner store”, as their prices are more expensive.

14 Make a grocery list during the week. Take it with you when you shop. Stick to it.

15 If you go to the market early in the morning (before 9am) you have a better chance of getting the freshest produce at the best prices.

16 Shop alone – this will save lots of money and frustration.

17 Most bargains are found on the higher and lower shelves. Most expensive brands are at eye level (to get your attention).

18 Pretty packaging costs you money. You are not only paying for the product, but for the packaging (and advertising) as well.

19 Buy and use in-season veggies and fruit.

20 Convenience foods are more expensive, you are trading money for time. Slice, season, mix, and cook it yourself.

21 Shop at bakery outlets. Breads and rolls freeze very well.

22 Remember that no particular store has the lowest price on all items.

23 Take drinks with you -if you are working and spend money on coffee, buy a thermos and take your own. Take along water or tea in a big jug on outings. This will help you resist the temptation of buying soda.

24 Maintain a healthy weight — once you begin eating better and dropping some pounds, you will notice you tend to eat less. This saves money and your health!!

25 Substitute (or eliminate) expensive ingredients for cheaper ones- Does the recipe have to be made with the expensive item? Can a cheaper version be found and taste just as good? Can you eliminate the ingredient all together?

26 Can’t substitute ? Then cut down on expensive ingredients — If you just can’t live without that certain something in your recipe, try cutting the amount in half and see how it tastes. Keep cutting down the amount until the recipe starts to suffer, then add a little back in, until it tastes the way you like. You may be surprised at how little you actually need!

27 Grow it yourself — Still want to use bundles of fresh herbs in your famous pasta sauce but hate the price? Plant some! Herbs are so easy to grow and so useful. Many are perennial: sage, oregano, lavender (yes you can use it in cooking), mint, lemon balm, chives, the list is extensive!

28 Gardening — Growing a few herbs may give you the courage to grow a full-fledged vegetable garden.

29 And don’t shop for groceries on an empty stomach as you will buy more because hunger will make everything more attractive.