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Menu planning is the first step to good eating on a budget. Before you shop, check your local newspaper for special sales. Also, do a refrigerator, pantry and freezer "audit" for items to use up. Plan your meals around these foods.
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Clip and use coupons only for items you need. Before using a coupon, ask yourself, "Would I buy this item if I did not have a coupon?" Coupons can be great money savers but only if you need or will use the item.
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Make a grocery list before you shop. Group items such as fresh produce, canned foods, frozen foods, breads and cereals, spices, meat, dairy and non-food items. It will help you streamline your trip through the store so you don't have to go back several aisles for an item. Time is money!!
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Don't grocery shop when you are hungry. You are more likely to buy unnecessary items, and impulse shopping adds to your grocery bill.
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Try not to shop when the store is crowded.
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Take advantage of unit pricing if your store offers it. The unit price is the price per pound, ounce, quart or other packaging unit. Most supermarkets have unit price labels on the display shelves above or below canned and packaged foods.
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If the larger package costs the least per serving, consider buying the larger package only if you can use it up, store it for later use, or divide it with a friend.
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Read the label. Take a magnifying glass if neccesary. Look for the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in order from largest to smallest amounts. A can of beef stew that lists "beef, water, tomatoes.." is a better buy than one that lists "water, beef, tomatoes..." because it contains more beef.
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If a claim is made on the package, such as "high in vitamin C" or "fortified with vitamins and minerals", you will find a nutrition label on the package. It also can help you compare the nutrional contents of products. Note the serving size on the nutrition label so you can compare the same amounts between packages.
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Look for "no-brand" or generic foods. They usually have the same nutrients as brand name foods, but usually cost less.
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