Ways To Help Seniors Save On Their Food Budget

One way for seniors to manage their budget is by being mindful with what and where they spend their money on. This is especially the case when it comes to shopping for groceries. Shopping for groceries is one of the easiest areas to save money on and can be done with a little strategizing.

The following are some helpful ways to shave a few dollars off your weekly grocery bills. Most of the methods only require minimal planning and can really pay dividends in the long haul:

• Couponing – By combining coupons, you can save a few dollars with each trip to the grocery store. That may not sound like much, but the difference over a month really does add up. Seniors can cut and clip coupons from their weekly ads or go online to print coupons. The latter is also a great way to encourage seniors to get accustomed to using the Web if they are not familiar with using the Internet.
• Stock on Discount Items – Sometimes, there are special sales where a particular item is below its normal retail cost. Take advantage of these deals by stockpiling on nonperishable items that are on sale.
• Buy From a Wholesaler – Costco is a great example of a wholesale store where you can buy items in bulk quantity at a lower cost. In addition to saving money, this also reduces the number of trips you have to make to the store. While a membership card is required, the fee is well worth it if you plan on shopping at the wholesaler on a regular basis.
• Make Food From Scratch – Items like yogurt, cheese, chicken stock, fruit jam and peanut butter can be made from scratch and is also cheaper than if you were to buy the prepackaged ones from the store.
• Plan Your Meals – By planning your meals in advance and coming up with a grocery list, you will know what you need and don"t need. This prevents buying food on impulse.

Seniors living on a slim budget can experiment with many ways in which they can slash their grocery bill and spend far less than they would if they simply made a trip to the grocery store without a plan and bought whatever they want. By being mindful with what they spend their money on, seniors can learn simple yet effective methods for spending less while enjoying the same quality food.