Guest Post: Frugal food shopping for a family of five

 

 

Having been forced to live frugally for the past ten years, since the arrival of my first daughter, I would like to think I have become a bit of an expert at it.

 

In todays economically challenging world, being able to live within your means has become a coveted art form, which seldom few achieve. Friends and family continually ask for my advice, to which my answer is ‘it aint rocket science’!

 

The secret is to shop smarter. I’ll share my top five smart shopping tips with you all now.

 

Avoid Taking the Children

 

If you have children of speaking age, these little darlings will ramp up your shopping bill quicker than you can say ‘credit card’.

 

They will have spotted every chocolate goody and breakfast cereal featuring a cheap plastic toy, within seconds of entering the store, and will beg you for them the entire way through your trip. You will, inevitably, give in to this tirade of tears and tantrums, thus adding several dollars to your already large shopping bill.

 

Of course, leaving the kids at home isn’t possible for everyone, and some moms have no choice but to tow along their toddler. If this is the case, I would seriously recommend internet shopping for your groceries. Not only will you avoid the temptation in the aisles, you can take advantage of the chance to earn whist you spend, by using a cash back site such as Rewardit Cashback..

 

This completely free innovation allows you to clock up cash back rewards every time you click through to a retailer from the cash back reward site. A percentage of any money you spend is put into your cash back account, which you can withdraw from, once you have reached a specified target.

 

Make it yourself

 

I can’t remember the last time I bought a ready prepared or microwave meal. Firstly, they’re just never big enough for my growing family, so I end up buying at least two of even the family sized meals. Secondly they’re full of additives and way more salt than you should really be giving your children. Thirdly (and most importantly) they are really expensive!

 

It is so cheap and easy to make your own food, and there are simple quick mealtime recipes for even the busiest of moms and most basic of cooks.

 

I can make a huge batch of delicious homemade meatballs in a matter of minutes, that my children adore. I serve them with pasta and the kids smother them in a simple homemade tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.

 

They’re filling, healthy and extremely cheap to make, using a mixture of minced beef and pork meat, a few herbs and spices, an onion and egg to bind.

 

There are literally thousands of simple, family-friendly recipes online, which can be found online alongside honest reviews from real moms and dads who’ve attempted them.

 

Plan Ahead

 

I like to plan my week with military precision and find this is one of the key methods for keeping the costs down.

 

Before even thinking about loading up my cart (or virtual shopping basket) I will have planned exactly what my family is going to eat for breakfast, lunch, tea, desert and even snacks.

 

This sounds a chore, and is relatively difficult to get used to, but once you’ve done it a few times it will feel like second nature. In fact, you’ll be lost without your weekly ‘menu’.

 

At the start of each week I write the menu on a chalkboard in front of the kitchen, so everyone knows what to expect. This prevents fridge picking by my girls, who are conscious that what they’re snacking on may be part of the next days dinner. It also helps to prevent faddy eating habits, as they’re all given whatever is on the menu that day – if they don’t like it, they go hungry! Of course, I try to stick to meals I’m pretty sure most of them enjoy anyway – I’m not that cruel.

 

This article was written by Kathryn Thompson. Kathryn is an experienced mom blogger with three daughters, who likes to earn whilst she shops by using Rewardit Cashback – The online reward and cash-back Site,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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