Angel Shannon - 100 Desserts for $5 or Less

Now is the time to examine your food budget and develop savvy shopping and cooking skills that will benefit you and your whole family. This book is full of tips and advice on how to save money on foodone of the few areas of spending you can actually control. Besides providing you with budget-saving techniques, this book also offers 100 imaginative recipes made from low-cost ingredients that will please anyone who tries them. Let the saving begin!

The key to staying within your food budget is to have a plan. In the case of grocery shopping, your plan should include a grocery list. Once you have a list, stick to it! Check out the following suggestions for creating the perfect grocery-shopping list.

Do you know whats on sale? Local grocery stores typically send out fliers in the mail or newspaper each week. Take advantage of these fliers and use them to help make your weekly grocery list. Start your list by writing down the store, sale item, and price. After youve put your list together (including ingredients from the recipes you will be making), review it. Is there something you can eliminate? After a few weeks of smart shopping and thrifty cooking, youll start to see places on your grocery list where you can really cut back.

NOTE: Smart spenders know that the key to the greatest savings depends on purchasing the best sale items. Combined with coupons, the grocery items on sale can be purchased at greatly reduced prices.

Look ahead a week or two when making out your shopping list. This means planning out the recipes you intend to make ahead of time as well. In your planning, consider what you already have in your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer that could be used in combination with, or as a substitute for, ingredients in upcoming recipes you want to make. This method will prevent you from buying unnecessary groceries and will also help to use up any leftovers that might be looming in your kitchen.

Many ingredients are common in multiple recipes, so consider looking for recipes to make each week that share some of the same ingredients but are different enough to provide delicious variety for your family. Also, think about recipes that would be easy to double and freeze for later use.

Where is the best place to shop? Most people go to the supermarket or store that is the closest or most convenient for them. Since youve already made a grocery list of stores and sale items, try to stick to the list and shop at those places instead. However, keep in mind that it isnt worth spending a dollar in gas to save twenty-five cents on a single food item.

NOTE: Some grocery stores offer price matching for sale items. Just ask the customer service desk if they offer the service and what you will need to do to benefit from it.

Clipping coupons really does cut costs. In short, some people are meant to be coupon clippers and some are not. While some find it frustrating and time- consuming to clip coupons for everything, there are those who do it and love it. Just remember to clip coupons for things you normally buy; just because you have a coupon for something doesnt mean you have to buy it. If its something out of the ordinary, getting it at a reduced price still means youre spending outside of your budget to get it.

NOTE: Many stores have double-coupon days. This means the store matches the discount on the coupon and you save double the amount!

Even if you are armed with the best-ever shopping list, its tough to get in and out of the store as planned without a whole lot of will power. Things such as store layout, time of day, your state of mind, and really powerful marketing techniques are at work to get you to spend more money. For those who are new to food budgeting, this might all seem a bit overwhelming. However, with a few weeks of practice, youll find that youre planning meals and shopping like a pro. The following tips on shopping in general may help guide you in your quest to save money.

Try to choose a time when you can go to the store with the fewest distractions, whether that means leaving kids at home or avoiding crowds of other shoppers. Try going early in the morning or late at night. Generally, avoid the after-work rush and anytime after 11:00 a.m. on weekends.

Go to the grocery store as infrequently as you can. Try going once a week to coincide with the weekly fliers. The easiest way to blow your food budget is to go the store multiple times each week for a few items, because most likely youll leave the store with more than you intended. If you can make do with what you have at home, you will save money every month.

Dont shop when youre hungry or thirsty. If this cant be avoided, try drinking water before you go shopping to take the edge off your appetite.

When walking down the aisles, look low and high for the less expensive brands. Most stores place the brand-name products on eye-level shelves because shoppers tend to grab whatever is in front of them instead of looking for the best bargains.

Stay focused on the price of the item, not the packaging it comes in. Since bright colors and fancy packaging are attractive, shoppers tend to pick up these items first. House brands are generally less colorful but typically less expensive.

Remember to stick to your list to avoid impulse buying. When you pick up something that isnt on your list, ask yourself why you want it. Do you really need it or do you just want it? Too many impulse purchases can ruin your carefully planned food budget.

It is a huge advantage to know which fruits and vegetables are in season, as they will be part of some great sales. Not only are in-season produce items less expensive, theyre fresher. Its also wise to learn which vegetables and fruits are less expensive when fresh, and which ones are less expensive when frozen or canned.

NOTE: Beware of the conveniently packaged produce designed to save you time in preparation. Most of these convenience items cost twice as much.

Remember to check the weekly fliers for sales on your familys favorite snack foods. Everyone loves snacks, and its easy to spend a lot on salty and sugary items if they arent on sale.

The frozen food section is the home of some of the best grocery bargains, as well as some of the worst. Remember, convenience often comes with a price. On the flip side, there are some frozen foods that cost much less than fresh or canned, and they are often healthier because the vitamin content is preserved when they are flash frozen.

The following list includes the best budget-saving tips in a nutshell.

Use coupons. Though this doesnt really need explanation, clipping coupons is an excellent way to save. See if the grocer in your area has a double- or triple-coupon day for even greater savings.

Know your familys likes and dislikes. Stock up on favorites when they are on sale and skip sales of items your family doesnt like.