5 Ways to Save Money, Time and Managing Groceries

You forgot the eggs. You need them for a recipe you are making, and so you find yourself back in the store again. This time you see a few more things that you would like as well. Before you know it, you have just bought $20 worth of things that you didn't need. Oh, and you forgot the eggs again. Making extra trips to the store doesn't only cost you time but money as well; the more time people spend in grocery stores, the more money they tend to spend. So keep more money in your pocket and save yourself some time by reading these tips on avoiding extra grocery store trips.

1. Find a substitute. Many ingredients can be substituted with something else. Lemon juice or vinegar added to milk (1tbsp per cup of milk) can be used as a substitute for buttermilk. Ground turkey or pork can make a great substitute for ground beef in certain recipes. You may find that the missing ingredient isn't even all that important, such as a green onion garnish. You may be able to make a different recipe using the ingredients you have minus the ingredient you've forgotten to purchase. If you need to find recipe ideas based on the ingredients you have on hand, then you can use sites such as allrecipes.com which provide you with a way to search recipes by ingredients.

2. Make a list and remember it. Make up a list of the things you've run out of and things you need for your menu plan. To help you keep tabs on things you've run out of, keep a magnetic message board or notepad on the front of your fridge. Whenever you run out of something, write it down. Once you've made up your list, tape it to the back of your door at eye level, so that you will be sure to see it. This way you will remember to bring your list instead of leaving it at home. Check out here for more.

3. Special three-day sales. Our local grocery stores tend to have special three day only sales. These sales typically run between Friday and Sunday, or Thursday and Saturday. Wait to grocery shopping on those days if you plan on purchasing any items from the special sales. This way you only make one trip to the store that week, rather than two.

4. Ask your local grocery stores if they do price matching or if they will accept competitor's coupons. If a grocery store will do price matching or will accept competitor's coupons then you can get all or most of your shopping done at one store. This can save you from having to take a trip to another store.

5. Plan a weekly menu. If you know what you will be cooking for the week, then you can write a complete grocery list of all the items you will need. If you plan your meals daily instead, you may find yourself at the store picking up items you don't already have on hand.

By following these tips you can avoid extra trips to the grocery store which will ultimately save you money and time.