When Grocery Coupons Won't Work
by Gary Foreman

When Grocery Coupons Won't Work
The Dollar Stretcher
By Gary Foreman
Copyright 2006

I am frustrated! I always read about people who have many options in saving money. My husband and I have 3 children plus child support for his two. I work part time at various jobs. Our combined net income is $2500 per month after his child support. I am currently working on a degree in secondary education with two years left. We do not live in a town that offers double coupons or co-ops for food. There are only 2 grocery stores. The price of gas lately doesn't even make it efficient for us to go to Costco 180 miles away. Please offer some insight for people who have situations similar to this. - Kay


Kay has a point. Not everyone has the same tools available to them. Let's see if we can't find some ways to reduce grocery bills for folks who don't live in the big city.

We'll begin with an obvious tool that many of us overlook in our busy lives. Don't waste the food that you buy. Timothy Jones at the University of Arizona estimates that 14% of all the food we buy is wasted or about $590 per year per family. Two tools will help you to avoid food waste. First, don't buy perishables that aren't in your menu plan. Second, have a plan for your leftovers. Don't let them spoil in the refrigerator.

Many families have gotten in the habit of freezing meal-sized portions of their leftovers immediately after a meal. Each portion is marked and dated so it's easy for snackers to find what they want. Some even go so far as to keep a running inventory posted on the freezer door listing what's inside. That's especially useful for busy families where not everyone gets to eat at the same time.

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