10 Easy Ways to Save Money

The little things really do add up. Saving an extra dollar here or $2 there can add up faster than you think. When you start looking at $20 and $30 differences it adds up much quicker still!

1. Check discounted food places. Many areas have a "canned food store", "salvage store" or other place where dented cans, discontinued brands and such are deeply discounted. This can add up to big savings even on name brand items. A recent trip to a local place gleaned 10 bread and cake mixes at 59 cents each - this is a savings of $10 or so on it's own. Potato mixes, pancake mixes and other things can be bought on sale. Usually it's cheaper to measure and make things from scratch but when you can get a mix of nut bread for 59 cents that includes the nuts it's hard to beat it! Mix in a couple handfuls of oatmeal and a little cinnamon for a yummy, easy quick bread that is very inexpensive. Sometimes muffin mixes can be found 10/$1. The small Jiffy biscuit and cornbread mixes for 10 cents, often with the box dented but still sealed.

2. Check the meat case for dated items - you can often find meats for $1-2 per pound. It might be pork chops one time, ground meat another and steak another. We seldom eat steak because of the cost - but when three meals worth is $4 it's just too good to turn down! I've found ground burger for about $1 per pound both in one pound and 3-4 pound amounts. Take a pound of that $1 burger, a 69 cent jar of salsa, a 10cent box of Jiffy corn bread and a little barbeque sauce or 10cent pack of chili mix and a little cheese - for less than $3 you have a tasty, quick meal - simply mix it all together or top the cornbread with browned burger, salsa and cheese. This makes plenty for four people - for two we normally have two lunches leftover (and it reheats well!). You'll need to get these discounted meats home and in the freezer, and use them right away when thawing - but between these two places you can save a lot of money on your food budget!