advice for grocery shopping

[ilovemyaj]

Dont bash me please...Anyways i get foodstamps being single mom of 1. It is realy hard. they only give me 120 something dollars a month..By the last week of the month i run out of food and dont have any food for my son or i...So forced to go to grandmas for dinner last week. So im just asking how do you ladies do your shopping list and get cheapest foods

[MsDean]

First off either buy or make a coupon organizer. I got mine at the 99 cent only store and it is so small it fits in my purse. Second, meal plan. Third, make a list of the stuff you need so you dont wind up buying what you actually wont use.

[ladyvamp5489]

 I make up a monthly menu and stick to it.  I dont waiver off the menu, i buy in bulk and make sure you buy enough meat for the month you can always find something to put with it. I also get food boxes every month. Good luck.

[HungarianQueen]

I use to think this was stupid but it actually works.. figure out what you want every night for dinner and what it takes to make it and what you want for snacks and get ONLY whats on your list (And of course make a guesstimation of what its all going to cost so you know before you go). That way you are not going to throw random things into your cart. Use coupons, buy on sale items.

[momoftwins_3]

plan your meals out, check for the best sales, use coupons. i'm a single mom to four and i had to learn how to budget when i lost my job. feel free to pm me if you have any questions. 

[tashamomof3grls]

i have a  family of five.  we eat alot of hamburger helper and tuna helper.  also i feed the kids spaghettios and stuff from aldis.  i also always look for deals.  most of the time around foodstamp time krogers has 10 for 10.  i love that.  i am not ashamed to say i get stamps.  and yes we have ran out of food before and had to go to pantrys or to my family for money.  i am so sorry that you and your son have to go thru this.

[MikeysMom51108]

If you have an Aldi or something similar--shop there for as much as possible.

Don't go to the store hungry, and avoid taking your son shopping with you--it will only make you buy more stuff that you don't really need.

Make a menu and use the menu to decide what you'll need to buy. Make a list and try to stick with it as much as possible.

Eat leftovers.

[zoiezmom]

i wish i could help, we are a family of 3 and we only get 200..so i have the same issue.

[MissiHampt]

I clip coupons and try to use them at stores that double coupons.  Also, buy things when they're on sale, even if you don't need it quite yet.  Especially for canned goods, paper towels and tp, and frozen.  Watch for buy one get one free items and just stash the extra for later.  Try to make meals that have leftovers.  Like, don't buy the smaller box of spaghetti noodles and the small jar of sauce....get the bigger ones, because in the long run it's more cost effective.  Either eat the spaghetti lunch and dinner for a few days, or freeze leftovers.  When you can, avoid prepackaged stuff and make your own fresh...it's cheaper and healthier.  Go to a discount grocery store for all dry goods, if you have one.  We have an Aldi's, but I never trust them for meats, fresh fruits or veggies, or dairy.  But they're fine for cereal, cans, and paper goods. 

[HungarianQueen]

Also, if you have Hardings, they have 10 for $10 sales on great food items... I call it the $1 sale bc you don't have to buy 10 of that item to get the discount...only 1 for $1 or 2 for $2 etc...

[sweetktn]

I run into the same prob, I'm disabled so can't work and the man and I are separated I don't get child support for our baby and I'm pregnant. Best advice I can give is stock up on pastas on sale and discount stores like ALDI are awesome. Watch the weekly ads for your local stores and get stuff on sale. Hotdishes are cheaper than anything. Pasta, hamburger and sauce. (whether its cream of mushroom soup, spaghetti sauce or just a lil butter and milk with salt and pepper) I remember times when I was a kid we just had buttered egg noodles. It's bland but it's cheap and can be filling. Once in awhile won't hurt your or lil ones diet. Also at Wal Mart you can get a 10 lb bag of chicken quarters (leg and thigh attached) for about 6 bucks. Get some Ziplock freezer bags and you're good to go. If you find meat on sale stock up. If you find dry/canned goods on sale then stock up. Even if you don't need it this month you might next month. If I get down to less than 5-10 meals in the cupboards I panic but I ran out of food a couple times when my first son was little, it's hell to listen to them cry in pain cuz they're hungry.