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Save some money, skip a week at the grocery store.

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I know you are going to think this is insane but could you actually make it without going to the grocery store for a week? After reviewing our budget a few weeks ago I realized we spend almost $600 per month in groceries! I know that might sound insane for some people but we are at a strange stage in our life right now. We have two little girls, one four and one 9 months old. The 9 month old eats baby food, still needs formula as well as diapers and wipes. This can make for some costly trips to the grocery store. I know there are some thing you just absolutely have to have from the grocery store but for the most part I bet most of us could go a week without a trip to the grocery store.

How does one go about skipping a week from the grocery store? First, start by taking a look through the pantry at things you purchased months ago but never got around to fixing. I’m sure you will find some canned food and boxed items to fix a few nights for dinner. Next, move to the freezer where you will probably find some frozen vegetables, pizzas, or other convenient foods that can be fixed for dinner or lunch.

You’re probably going to need some drinks for the week but remember you really only need water to drink. Actually, depending on several factors you can live without eating any food and only drinking water for up to 4 to 6 weeks. I don’t really recommend this but it’s been done. All that information to tell you it doesn’t constitute and emergency trip to the grocery store if you run out of soda.

After you search through all your food supply sit down and make a menu for the week. You may have to get a little creative but remember you can live on water alone and it’s not necessary to have meat at every meal.

You may even experience a few added bonuses from this experience. For example not eating meat at every meal may help you lose a few extra pounds. Using some of the food you haven’t seen in months will help you clean out the fridge, freezer and pantry.

Taking on this challenge may reward you with over $100 in savings. Keep a little of the money as a reward and pay off some debt or save the rest!

Saving on generic foods and groceries adds up quick!

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Buying generic groceries and other products can add up to some major savings. As the economy continues to worse we are looking for more and more ways to save money. For most of us coupon clipping isn’t as easy as it may sound. Many families including mine clip and keep the coupons but usually forget to take them to the store and actually use them. Others may clip coupons for items they normally don’t use which may be more expensive than the normal brand. So how can you still save some money at the grocery store? Buy generic foods and other products!

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