Frugal Tips for Families

Raising a family can be expensive-from diapers to school clothes to birthday and holiday gifts, the costs add up quickly. We manage to support our family of eight on one income (two if you count my income from AC, but the little bit I make here isn't enough to count as a second income) without sacrificing any of the big things. This isn't about turning off the cable, tossing the cell phones and keeping the heat set at 55 degrees; it's about a few things you can do that won't impact your family's lifestyle much and will reduce the cost of living.

Take another look at discount grocery stores

Groceries take up a huge chunk of most families' budgets, especially now when it seems the cost of everything has gone up. You can find great bargains at discount grocery stores. I used to be very leery of them, since the produce often looked old and some of the food seemed to be of inferior quality to that in a traditional grocery store. Not any more, though. The last time I bought fresh fruit at the local Go Grocery Outlet, it was better than the stuff I'd been buying at the high-end stores, and half the price. The same goes for the meat. At a store like Go Grocery Outlet that stocks mainly overstocks and discontinued groceries, you have to watch the expiration dates, but I haven't had any problem getting fresh, good quality groceries there.

Aldi has a good selection of grocery items at very reasonable prices. Most of what they sell is their own brand, but they sometimes get a quantity of name-brand items that they sell at a discount. The Aldi brand items have been as good as anything I've gotten at other stores, and I'm usually able to get most of what I need for the week there. It's a great place to buy bread ($ .59 for a loaf of white, $ .79 for potato or whole wheat, and $ .99 for a loaf of whole grain bread comparable to Pepperidge Farms); staples like sugar, flour and milk; cereals and meats. They also sell paper goods, frozen and canned goods, and get different specialty and seasonal items in frequently.