Money Jar Budget Advice
Saving Money On Groceries: Planning Essentials
When you spend a lot of money on groceries but find you haven’t got enough to feed the family for two weeks it can be frustrating. This happens with lack of planning. Spending thirty minutes a week planning meals, making a shopping list and clipping coupons can do more than save you money, it can save you time and frustration as well.
Not only does a weekly shopping tip save you money on food but it’ll save money on gas as well.
Tips for minimizing shopping hassle while saving money:
-Gather grocery store flyers, scissors and an envelope for coupons
-Make note of how much is available in your money jar for groceries
-Peruse the flyers for sales items to help you plan your menu
-Plan your menu for a specified number of days that coincides with your budget amount
-Figure out how much you’re saving with coupon use. (Read the linked post to find out what to do with those savings!)
Not only will you save time and stick to your money jar budget but you’ll enjoy it during the week. It’s nice to have less stress by making some double duty meals as well. (You might even consider ordering an e-book with 100 days of meal planning)
Learning Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s Money Jar System
The road to getting debt free for me started with watching Gail Vaz – Oxlade’s Till Debt Do Us Part. Gail has a common sense approach to dollars and cents and her show takes couples and teaches them how to live on a cash budget and get out of debt fast. Watching her show gives you an easy formula to follow for your own debts.
Living below your means, spending with cash, watching your spending and putting away money for the future are things most people don’t do. Starting a money jar budget system taught me to really watch how our money is being spent and it’s not constricting; instead it’s actually liberating to see how easy it is to get by with our new method of thinking and spending.
Thanks, Gail!
PS: Buy one of Gail’s books!
Budgeting Tweaks – Does It Really Have To Be Heinz?
If you want to get debt-free you have to make some sacrifices. Those sacrifices might not be as bad as you think! Changing to generic or nameless brands in the grocery store can save you HUGE money every week.
Some people think they need specific brand names to be satisfied. If you’re determined that your Ketchup has to be Heinz, maybe it’s time to try out an alternate brand. Perhaps Heinz really can’t be beat but maybe it’s time to shop more at your local dollar store for staples that are the same recipe regardless of the logo and save some money.
Did you know you can find pregnancy tests at dollar stores? This can save you up to $20 for something that’s guaranteed as accurate. Things like cleaning supplies, coffee filters and dry spices can be bought at discount dollar stores and save you a lot on your monthly grocery bill. For instance, those little magnetic dusting cloths are a dollar at the discount store but over $5 in your grocery store. Just think of all the money you can save every month by switching to generic pain relievers and toilet tissue!
Money jar or envelope budgeting allows for money each week for staples and when you save money on your grocery bill, consider counting it out and putting it into a savings jar and seeing how much money you can save each and every month to pay down a debt or treat yourself to something with cash instead of credit.