Busy Mommy Media» Frugal Shopping Tips

#Couponing For Beginners: Do’s and Don’ts

Pamela — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:11:08 +0000

You do not have to pack your house with 900 rolls of toilet paper or 80 bottles of shampoo to make use of coupons. Forget what you have seen on television and take a step in the money saving direction.

Do:

Take your coupons with you on every shopping trip. You never know when an unadvertised sale item will be free with a coupon you happen to have. And your store might have marked down an item that you can get for near free when you add your coupons on top.
STACK, STACK, STACK. The basic idea of couponing is this – you combine the coupons you have on hand (manufacturer’s and in-store) with the in store sale price to knock the price down to next to nothing. Coupons usually show up two to three weeks before the items go on sale at major retailers. So it’s important to get your newspapers every week.
Double check your coupons and know the store’s policies before you enter to shop. Your shopping trips should be carefully planned as much as time permits. Make sure the coupon has not expired and that you can use more than one in a single transaction if that’s the plan.
Try new brands and flavors. The original purpose of coupons was to get people to try a product other than what they already use. So a lot of coupons will be for new products, flavors, or sizes. Make sure that the item you are getting matches the item(s) that coupon is for. The point is don’t be so brand specific that you are missing out.

Don’t:

Just Pay For It. If you have done your homework and calculated out your total prior to shopping (try to make your list with the regular price, sale price and the price you expect to pay), and then the register says something else, ask what happened. Stores have hundreds of sales going on at any given time and all of them are manually entered by a human (each store has to do it themselves based on the items that they actually carry) so mistakes are made. This is also why it’s good to have the sales ad handy.
Drive all over town trying to get a deal. You need to take into account your time and fuel expenses. For example, say a product is on sale at Safeway and after coupons it will be $0.48 and that same product is on sale at Albertson’s and after coupons it will be $0.38. If all of the other items on your list are a better deal at Safeway and you would only be going to Albertson’s for this one item, is it really worth the $0.10? Sometimes yes – sometimes no, just always think it through.
Buy 50 of something you will never use and just put it on your shelf. Even if it’s an amazing deal, money maker or free, if you will never in a million years use it in your home, leave it at the store. If you will truly and honestly take it to an appropriate place for donation – have at it!
Clear a shelf of all that they store has, it’s just bad etiquette. If it is the last two or three, don’t feel bad, but if you are taking all twenty items, reconsider. If you will be purchasing a large number of the same item in a single transaction, you can call ahead and ask the store manager to either pull it from the back stock or special order it for you.

Valentine’s Day on a Budget

Lorie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:04:21 +0000

Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest gift buying holidays. It has also become a time to tell the one we love how much we love them by showering them with gifts. I think the old saying, Money can’t buy love, should make you think twice about how much you need to spend to let the one you love know it. Some of the most popular gifts for Valentine’s Day are cards, a romantic dinner, candy/chocolate, flowers, and jewelry. I have a frugal option for all of those items that won’t break your budget and still show your loved one how much you care.

Valentine Cards

Premade Valentine cards in the store can cost you up to $6 (or more). Why buy those? You can easily make your own for a lot cheaper. Sit down and write a love letter to your loved one. These letters are more meaningful than a card someone else has written. You could also try to write a poem. These handmade cards and letters will become cherished keepsakes. You can also send your loved one an e-card. There are a lot of different places online to send free e-cards. I have also printed cards that I have made online. These are a lot more personal because you can write what you want on them. If you just really are not very crafty then Dollar stores offer cards for fifty cents, so you might try there.

Romantic Dinners

Going out for dinner is another popular way for couples to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It can also cost you over $100. One thing you could do to save money is go out to eat for lunch instead. Lunch will cost about half of what dinner would have and since my kids are in school, I do not even need a babysitter. Another option would be to go out for dessert only. If you have never gone out for dessert only then you have try this. I am always too full to order dessert and this way I do not have to worry about that. This also allows for more time talking since you are not eating as much. Lastly, you can make dinner at home. This can be really nice with candlelight and all. There are however some drawbacks . . . you will actually have to cook and cleanup. If you are willing to do that you could save money and still have a nice evening. There are a lot of nice restaurant copycat recipes online. One of my favorites is the Alice Springs Chicken from The Outback. I have made this several times. So there are several options to have a romantic meal and still save money.

Candy/Chocolates

Have you looked at the store and noticed how much chocolates are now? You can pay $20 or more for a nice box! There are a lot of easy recipes online that you can make yourself to give. Some of my favorites are chocolate covered strawberries, coconut balls, truffles, and even chocolate chip cookies. You can also make your own conversation hearts and write something on them that you want. Homemade foods are always a hit for Valentine’s Day.

Flowers

Flowers can cost you up to $100. If you really want to give flowers, think about buying a plant or even a rose bush. These will give your Valentine the gift of flowers for a long time and may be a better use of your money.

Jewelry

Jewelry is another item that men usually like to buy women for Valentine’s Day. This can be expensive. If you still really want to get something special for your loved one in the jewelry department you can try Free Jewelry.com. They have a great selection of jewelry for free or low cost. The only thing you have to do is pay $6.99 for shipping per piece. Believe it or not the quality of the jewelry is really nice. Just make sure if you order from there to note how long shipping will take.

Save Time and Money with Your Crock Pot

Lorie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:57:28 +0000

During the first few months of the year, my schedule gets really busy. I have one child who plays basketball for his school and two other kids who are on a dance team that performs during halftime for these and other games. So, by the time my kids get home from school and get ready to go to the games my family is left with little time to prepare a healthy, home cooked meal. Instead we are forced to buy junk at the concession stand or eat out at a fast food restaurant. This is not very healthy for my family nor is it very good on our budget. My secret weapon to surviving these nights has been my Crock Pot. My Crock Pot saves me time by having dinner pretty much ready to go and also saves me from spending more money than I would have on a regular home cooked meal. Here are a few ideas to let your Crock Pot be your secret weapon for saving time and money on busy family nights.

Buy Budget Cut Meats

Using the Crock Pot allows me to use budget cuts of meat. For example, I can buy a cheaper cut of steak that would probably be tough if cooked on the stove or grill, and it comes out tender in the Crock Pot. I can then use this steak in steak fajitas and not have much more work to do to prepare dinner. I can also buy bulk chicken that usually is a cheaper cut and also gets tough when cooking on the stove. This chicken taste great prepared in meals in my Crock Pot like Chicken Taco Soup. Buying these budget cuts and using your Crock Pot will save you money on quick, easy, and healthy meals for your family on busy nights.

Use Crock Pot Websites

One thing that is really important to having success with the Crock Pot is to find the right recipes. If you go browsing the web, you will find a large number of sites and blogs with information and recipes on using your Crock Pot. Many of these have tested the recipe, so you know they were edible for other families. This will prevent you from wasting money on trying a new recipe and ending up throwing it in the garbage. Here are a few of my favorite Crock Pot websites that I use to find new ideas and recipes.

The Crockin’ Girls

A Year of Slow Cooking

Get Crocked

Use Crock Pot Cookbooks

I have found some really great recipes by using recipe books that are filled with great Crock Pot recipes. Many of these types of recipe books are available at your local library, if the library does not have them then ask them about ordering them. This will save you money on buying the cookbook and then if you really like it you can spend the money on buying the book. Here are a few of my favorite Crock Pot cookbooks.

Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

The $7 a Meal Slow Cooker Cookbook: 301 Delicious, Nutritious Recipes the Whole Family Will Love!

Make It Fast, Make It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking

Fix-it And Forget-it 5-ingredient Favorites

Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: 600 Healthy Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Lorie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:56:42 +0000

One of the top New Year’s Resolutions made by people is to lose weight and/ or eat healthier. Many people give up after the first day of working on this goal. There are so many excuses people give as to why they cannot eat healthier, but one I hear a lot is that it cost too much money to eat healthy. There are a lot of ways you can spend less at the grocery store and still eat healthy. Being a good example of eating healthy will help encourage your children to eat healthier too. Here are a few ideas to help you save money while still buying healthier foods at the grocery.

Plan Meals and Snacks

If you want to succeed at eating healthier, it will be easier if you have a plan to follow. Make a weekly meal plan of what you and your family will eat. Include all meals and snacks you will eat for the week. There are a ton of great websites to help you find healthier recipes. A few of my favorite are Spark People, Weight Watchers, Skinny Taste, Eating Well, Cooking Light, and Skinny Crockpot. Once you have a plan make a grocery list and stick to it.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season

Fruits and Vegetables are really important in the diet if you are trying to eat healthier, but fruits and vegetables can cost more and be a little scary to add to your list. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season, you will find that these cost less. If you find a really good deal on them buy more and freeze for later use when they are more expensive. I have done this with strawberries, blueberries, and green peppers to name a few. A few fruits and vegetables that are in season in January include broccoli, cabbage, grapefruit, oranges, and lemons.

Buying fresh is best but also check prices for frozen and canned. These can often be better deals when they are not in season. Buying from farmers markets and cooperatives can also save you money. Also consider planting a garden. This will not only save you money on fruits and vegetables, but can also help you get more activity in your day. You can also preserve garden food by canning or freezing to use when they are not in season. Visit the Ball Canning and Preserving website for more information on canning and freezing.

Buy Generic Brands

Generic brand foods have come a long way, so don’t be afraid to add those to your buggy to save money. Many generic brands taste really good, have the same nutrition, and are usually significantly cheaper. Make sure to check the nutrition label on the product to compare nutrition facts between the brand and generic. Recently I was buying low fat cheese singles and decided one day to look at the generic brand to compare. Not only was it the same in fat and calories, but it was also at least $1.00 cheaper and included more slices per package. So don’t be afraid to include generic brand foods in your healthy eating plan.

Shop at Convenience Stores/Pharmacies

Most convenient stores, like gas stations, and pharmacies sell food at a much higher price. However you will find some deals there too. Many of these types of stores will have items they sell for cheaper to get customers in the store to buy other higher priced items. One item you will find this true for is milk. Some of these stores will have milk for the cheapest around as well as other items. So don’t leave these stores out because you think they are more expensive. There can be at least a few good deals in these stores.

Shop Outlet Stores

Outlet stores are a great way to save money at the grocery. My biggest piece of advice when shopping at these types of stores is to look for dates on products. Some of these stores will sell items with really bad sell by dates that might not make it a great deal after all. One of my favorite outlet stores is bread outlets. They have lots of bread choices that are healthy, including whole wheat, which you can often get for as little as one dollar per loaf. Just be sure to stay away from junk food in the bread outlets. There are several outlet stores across the country. The one I have closest to me is United Grocery Outlet.

Holiday Online Shopping Can Save You Time and Money

Lorie — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:08:41 +0000

Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday. This day gives retailers online a chance to make money and give great deals to online customers. I like shopping online instead of going out on Black Friday because I do not have to wait in a long line in the cold weather to get the deal I want and I can even stay in my pajamas while shopping. You can also save money shopping online. For starters, you can save on gas money that it cost to run to different stores looking for deals. Here are few ideas to consider when shopping online during the holiday season.

Search for Discounts

You will want to search for discounts before actually shopping online. There are several sites that will give you coupons or codes for discounts off, free shipping, and other great deals. Don’t pay for any codes and be careful about downloading files or clicking on suspicious links. It won’t be a great discount if you mess up your computer to get a 10% off coupon. One site I really like is Groupons. Also, make sure to sign up for e-newsletters from your favorite stores. Many times these will include coupons and special offers. They also will inform you about upcoming sales. Be on the lookout for online sales only. These will help you save the most money.

Comparative Shopping

Just like shopping offline, not all deals are really all that great of a deal. It will take some time to go from site to site to see if one store’s deal is really a deal, but that takes just minutes online compared to running back and forth from store to store, and many department stores have an online presence with prices so you can compare online without having to find and look through an ad. You can also find online sites that will help you compare prices. If you want to save money shopping online this comparative shopping step cannot be skipped.

Online Shipping Cost

The cost of shipping can really make the price of your item go up and not be much of a sale. I like to use the rule that I will not pay for shipping. Last year, I bought a lot of my Christmas gifts from Amazon. My husband was a student so we qualified for a special Amazon Prime account. This allowed us to get free shipping and free two day shipping. Amazon not only has special Amazon Prime services for students but also for moms. You can also buy the Amazon Prime yearly service for a fee. This might be worth it depending on how much you shop online from that site. Many sites also offer codes for free shipping as well as free shipping when you spend a certain amount of money. Make sure to think about shipping when shopping online, but you shouldn’t have a problem finding free shipping deals.

Online Shipping Time

If you are shopping for a gift and need it by a certain time, make sure you consider how long it will take to reach you. You don’t want to be without a gift on the big day. Many stores will offer faster shipping for a cost and this might not make it such a good deal if you need to pay extra for this service.

Online Shopping Safety

One big fear that people have with shopping online is that someone is going to get their bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc. If you are going to shop online use only secure sites. You know a site is secure if the website starts with https:// instead of http://. Secure sites also have a small lock icon on the lower right of your screen or in the address bar, depending on your browser. Another tip is to use credit cards instead of debit cards. Credit cards offer protection from identity theft and fraud that debit cards may not. You can also use a disposable card as these offer even more protection, but they usually have a fee. These are like gift cards that you can put a certain amount of money on at a time but can be used wherever Visa or MasterCard are accepted, depending on which type you buy. Safety is an important item to look at when shopping online. The BBB has an article about shopping online safely in which you can find some helpful tips on staying safe online.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Lorie — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:55:13 +0000

Thanksgiving is coming soon and that always gets me thinking about the Black Friday deals. There are some good deals to be found on Black Friday if you are looking to save money. Black Friday is one crazy day, though. It starts early and many wait in a line outside in the cold to get the deals they want. Here are a few tips to help you survive and get the most for your money.

Plan Early

Black Friday ads usually come out on Thanksgiving. This year several places had sneak peeks of the ads earlier and many places are having deals starting on Thursday evening. Take some time and sit down to make a plan of what items you will be going after. This will make your morning go a lot smoother.

Set a Budget Before Making Your List

Before making a list of the items you are going after, make a budget of what you plan to spend. This will help you stay within your means and not get tempted to buy other items just because they are on sale.

Compare Prices

Not all sales are created equal. Make sure you compare prices at other stores to make sure your deal really is the best deal you can find. For example, one department store is advertizing the Kindle Fire on the front of its Black Friday ad for $199. Why go and wait in line for an item you can buy online for the same price? That really is not much of a deal, unless you just want it right then.

Shop Only for Deals

When going out to find Black Friday deals, only shop for the deals. Don’t try to get all of your Christmas presents at once. You will get tired real fast and it will all become overwhelming. I have found that lots of stores will continue to have mark downs until Christmas and sometimes it is better to wait for an item, especially if you do not have the money on the day of Black Friday.

Take a Friend

Getting the best deals can be really hard if you go shopping alone. Take a friend and make a plan to help each other get what you both want. One Black Friday my husband stayed in electronics for some deals we wanted, while I stayed in the toy area. We were able to get all the items we wanted by shopping together.

Leave the Kids at Home

Black Friday can be a really wild time. You have to be fast to get the deals on the items you want. It is so hard to take the kids with you and get what you want. Black Friday also starts really early and most kids are too tired to be very happy. You will be dealing with a really cranky crew.

Limit Yourself to a Few Stores

Don’t try to hit everywhere. You will probably not get all the deals you want anyway. Plan to shop at only a few stores that day. Go to the store that has the deal you want most first. You might find yourself running all around and not getting any deals you really want if you do not limit yourself.

Shop Online

If you want to sleep in or stay at home in your pajamas, you can still get some deals online. There are some online deals on the actual Black Friday, but most wait until the first Monday after Thanksgiving to post deals. This day is known as Cyber Monday.

Foods You Can Make Yourself to Save Money

Lorie — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:29:58 +0000

The cost of food continues to rise and many people are looking for relief to make their money go further at the grocery store. One thing you can do is make it yourself. A lot of things that we buy for convenience at the grocery store can easily be made at home. It may take us a little longer to make these foods, but in the long run we will save money on our grocery bill, and sometimes this can be more than you might expect. I also think that a lot of what you make yourself even tastes better! Here are a few items that I make for our family that have saved us money on our grocery budget.

Breads

A loaf of bread at the store can easily be over $2.00 a loaf. Some people think making bread is just too hard to even try. There are several gadgets available that make bread making quicker and easier. My favorite gadget is the bread machine. This machine will basically make the bread itself and all you have to do is add in the ingredients. I have one recipe that I like to make for our sandwich bread. I measure out all the dry ingredients and place in zip lock baggies. This saves me time when I am ready to make the bread. With a little practice, bread making is not really that hard. Here are some breads I make for our family.

Hamburger/Hot dog buns

Pizza Dough

English Muffins

Mixes

I have several recipes that use mix packets like spaghetti and taco mix. Some of these mixes can easily be made at home with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. These mixes can end up costing pennies per serving. If you buy these at the store you could end up paying over $1.00 for each packet. This can be a great place to cut your grocery budget. You could make bulk quantities with these mixes which will save you time later. The mixes are easy to make and only take a few minutes. Here are a few mixes that I use for my family to help lower our grocery budget.

Instant Oatmeal Mixes

Condiments

Many of the condiments we use can easily be made from scratch. I think that finding the right recipe that your family will like makes all the difference. Here are a few that I have tried.

Frugal Prescription Glasses

Lorie — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:50:43 +0000

I started wearing glasses when I was in the 5^th grade. They have always been a huge expense for me. When I became a stay at home mom, I knew my family was going to have to give up a few things and buying new glasses for me became one of those. I waited three years before getting a new prescription this time and then still did not buy a new pair. I heard several friends talking about an online optical company called Zenni Optical. They told me that they got glasses for $8.00 plus shipping. I knew I had to go find out more and if possible get a new pair. It was not until my old pair of glasses broke that I finally broke down and decide to take a chance and order a pair online. Here are some tips for ordering your prescription glasses online.

Trying On Your Glasses

Being able to try your glasses on and see how they look on you is really important in finding the right glasses. This is one thing that is really hard to do when you order online. Zenni Optical has made this easier for you. They have a feature on the website called frame fit. This feature allows you to upload a head shot of yourself and then you are able to try on the glasses that you save in your favorite’s folder. This is a feature that I really liked and I found that many of the other online companies selling glasses did not have this feature. While this feature made it easier, it is still not the same as going in and being able to try them on in person. One thing you can do is go to the place you buy eyeglasses and check out similar glasses and see how you like them. There are thousands of frames online to choose from, so I’d suggest narrowing your search down to features you want in your glasses and then you will have fewer glasses to look at and the whole process will not seem so overwhelming.

Ordering Your Glasses

Ordering the glasses online is really easy. You will need your prescription from your eye doctor. If you don’t have this, call your eye doctor. If your prescription is up to date, they will have to give you this information. One other item you will need is your pupilary distance. This number is usually not on your prescription but eye doctors do measure it, so ask them for the number. If you don’t have the number, the website will walk you through measuring to figure out this number. Once I had this information ordering was really easy.

Price of Glasses

The glasses start at $8 a pair. It depends on which frame you pick out as to what the cost will be. The glasses come with anti-scratch coating, UV protection, a hard case, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. There are also lots of extras that you can add on to your glasses that will cost you more. Look around to see exactly what you will need. They also offer bifocal lenses which start at $25 and progressive lenses for $37. The shipping is $4.95 for each order.

Delivery of Glasses

The glasses usually come within 14 days, unless you have a difficult prescription. I got my glasses in one week.

My Review

When my glasses came in the mail I was so excited and could not wait to open them up. They came in a small bubble envelope. I was worried to death that they were broke. They were inside the hard case and wrapped with the cloth. So they were quite safe. I did have some problems with the glasses fitting me properly. I decided to take them to my eye doctor. They were able to fix them for free to fit me properly. I spent almost $200 on my last pair of glasses. These glasses only cost me $34 with the extras I had to order. I would definitely recommend ordering glasses online. I know I could not have found a better deal. So, if you really need some glasses check out online ordering options, it can save you a lot of money.

Saving Money on Back to School Supplies

Lorie — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:54:34 +0000

Back to school time is usually stressful on kids, but can also be stressful on the parents. Buying school supplies can leave many parents feeling stressed out about money. Here are a few tips to help you save money on those needed school supplies.

Shop at Home

Take the list your child’s teacher gives you and look around your house and see if you already have any of the items at home. I have a stockpile of school supplies that I purchased on clearance and these can be used now to save you money.

Stick to the List and Budget

You need to have a budget for the items you plan to buy. It is a good idea to even plan ahead. Start saving a few months before so you have the extra money to spend on back to school items for your child. Your child’s teacher will probably give you a list of needed items. If your child wants to add something to the list decide what it will be before going to the store and if there will be money in the budget for that item. Once you go shopping take your list with you and know your budget and stick to these. Having a list and a budget will give you less room for temptation when you go to the store and see all the trendy school items they have available.

Leave the Kids Home

Once you have a list and a budget you might be better off shopping without your child. The school supply aisles are packed with items to tempt your child and this will prevent your child from throwing a fit in the store when they don’t get all those trendy items.

Price Match

Many stores like Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Staples, and Office Max will price match a lower price from another store. Look at all the sale ads before going shopping to determine the best deals. Many times, you will be able to get the same price all at one store and this will save on gas money and time by shopping at one store to get the best deal. At most stores that price match, all you have to do is bring in the sales ad you want to price match.

Shop the Dollar Stores

Many Dollar Stores seem to carry items that easily break and are not worth the money. School supplies are usually pretty safe to buy though and you can usually get a great deal. Look for pencils, rulers, index cards, and notebook paper here. Sometimes you can find some great deals.

Play the Drugstore Game

Don’t forget to check out the drugstores, like Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid for back to school supplies. While school supplies are usually more expensive at drugstores, most of them have a reward card or rebate program to help you save. These stores also offer great sales during back to school time. You can even score a few free items if you play the game right. Check the drug store ads and see what kind of deals you can find. And don’t forget to shop the drug stores after school starts because they have lots of great clearance sales too.

Wait Awhile Before Shopping

Start out with the basics that your child will need for back to school. Many stores will have clearance markdowns on already low prices at the end of August. You may want to wait until then to get some of those items that your child will need later in the year. Also be on the lookout for back to school bashes. I have found that many of these events give out free school supplies and even back packs. So wait until after all of these events to see what you will still need.

Get Kids Involved in Recycling

Sometimes kids have items left over from the previous school year. Look at those items and see if they can be reused. An old notebook that the child only used a few times can be reused by tearing out the pages and decorating the cover with stickers. Get your child involved in the decorating to make the item even more special to them. School supplies like scissors, rulers and calculators can also be used for more than one year. When buying items like calculators, consider skipping the cheaper models and buy a more expensive one with more features that will last longer for your child. This may save you money if your child is responsible with their belongings. Many backpacks can be used for more than one year. Look for companies that sell backpack with a lifetime warranty, like L.L. Bean or Lands’ End. These companies will repair or replace back packs for life so you could save money by reusing it for more than one year.

Stock Up

When you find a great deal during back to school shopping, add a few extras of those items to your cart. These extra items are great for having on hand at home for kids to use to do homework. School supplies also make great stocking stuffers and Easter basket items and the price of school supplies will cost a lot more then, so plan ahead and pick up some extras while the prices are low.

Frugal Back to School Lunches

Lorie — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:10:18 +0000

It’s that time of year where many families start getting ready for their kids to go back to school. One thing every child will need everyday is a lunch. As a parent, you will have to figure out what you plan do about school lunches. You want to feed your child a well balanced meal but one that won’t put a big dent in your budget. Here are a few ideas to help you save money on those school lunches.

Compare Prices

Take a look at the school menus and decide if you feel it is a well balanced meal for your child. Also consider the price of the lunch and how much it would cost for you to bring food from home. It will depend on what school your child goes to and where you live to determine which one is the better value.

Free/Reduced Lunch Program

If your family is at a certain income level, your child may be eligible for free or reduced lunches. Every year, you will need to fill out a new eligibility form to see if your family qualifies. If you qualify you would be able to save money and not worry about school lunches altogether. So, take advantage of the school lunch program if your family qualifies.

Back to School Sales

If you decide to bring lunches form home, then you will want to stay on the lookout for items you will need. Grocery stores place a lot of lunch items on sale during the back to school buying time. This usually starts mid July through August. You will also find a lot of coupons for lunch items during this time. This is a great time to match coupons and stockpile on items your child enjoys for lunch.

Buy a Lunch Kit

During back to school time stores offer lunch kits (or boxes) at a great deal. Buying one now will save you money later. Many kits come with a thermos and plastic containers to store foods. Usually you can find one of these for under $10. You can also purchase extra plastic containers if needed. These will help you save money by preparing items on your own.

Buy in Bulk

Buying foods your child enjoys for lunch in bulk will help you save money. Some items that you should consider buying in bulk are puddings, yogurt, juice pouches, and canned fruits.

Use Leftovers

Buying your own lunch kits will allow you to save money by using leftovers. Leftovers can be heated in the morning and placed in a thermos to eat later for lunch. Leftovers will stretch your food budget for lunch.

Consider Making It Yourself

Cooking from scratch may take longer but it will save you money on school lunches. If you feel like you do not have the time to cook from scratch, consider making weekly snacks on one day, like Saturday, for the whole week. Making your own snack size portions from larger cans and bags will also get you more for your money than buying the premade individual servings sold at the grocery store. Here are a few items and recipes you can make for your child’s lunch to save money.

Air popped popcorn

Cut fruits and vegetables

Granola bars

Trail mix (I just use whatever I have on hand like cereal, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, candies like M&M’s and mix it up)

Cookies (Use your favorite recipe)

Pudding (Make a big box of instant pudding and then make individual serving size to pack in lunch)

Cakes (Leftover cakes work great in a separate plastic box with a fork)

Homemade Fake GoGurts (Freeze these and place in lunch box by lunch time they will be thawed out to eat)

Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/412013