Last updated: Jun 8, pm. Smart Ways to Save for Large Purchases. Research to get an accurate estimate of the costs involved. Be sure to account for inflation and possible price increases, particularly if your savings goal spans several years.

Pay Yourself First Before you spend on monthly expenses, debt repayments, or leisure activities, make it a priority to set aside a certain amount or percentage of your income towards your savings, or pay yourself first.

Automate your savings. Set up a direct deposit to your savings account from your paycheck, which removes the temptation to spend and ensures you consistently contribute to your savings.

Start small , if necessary. Even saving a small percentage of your income can add up over time, and you can increase the amount as your financial situation improves. Set Attainable SMART Goals SMART goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound can be a game-changer.

Review your goals periodically to check your progress and make any necessary adjustments. Open a High-Interest Savings Account Your savings account can also contribute to your savings goals. Be aware of any potential fees or requirements, like a minimum balance, that might be associated with the account.

Leverage Technology In our digital age, numerous apps and online platforms can aid your saving and budgeting endeavors. Use budgeting apps to track your spending and identify areas where you could cut back. Utilize financial apps that facilitate automatic savings, like those that round up your purchases to the nearest dollar and deposit the difference into a savings account.

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While you map out your dishes for the week, try to think of recipes that are easily repurposed, she added. For example, a pot of chili can later be used to fill burritos or as nacho toppings. More from Personal Finance: These scams may cost you this tax season Top outdoors vacation spots worldwide What it would take for the government to cancel federal student loans.

You can decide eating certain foods on repeat is sad or monotonous or — like so much else with life — you can choose to look at it more positively. Your grocery list probably won't prevent all your impulse buys, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use one. You can usually browse discounts on a supermarket's website or app, or find them listed at the retailer, experts say.

Take a look at your grocery list before you decide where to do your buying, said Erin Clarke, author of The Well Plated Cookbook.

Then, try to find the store that offers the best value on the particular items you're looking for. Billy Vasquez, who runs The 99 Cent Chef blog, said he picks up many of his non-perishable items, including mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, dried pasta, beans and tortilla chips, at his local dollar store.

Around St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day, you can find steep discounts on items like corned beef, carrots, cabbage, turkey, duck, roasts, ham, boxed stuffing, hamburgers and hot dogs, many of which can be stored in the freezer for long periods, Vasquez said.

Meanwhile, generic and store-brands tend to be the cheaper varieties, Brown said, adding that, "buying more canned and frozen vegetables when many aren't in season is another evergreen choice. Meat and dairy tend to be the more expensive items at the supermarket, and especially of late. In response, aim to make more meals that don't rely on them as the central ingredient, Brown said.

Consuming less meat also helps you to lower your environmental footprint, she added. Buying foods with a longer shelf life can cut your trips to the supermarket all together.

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I'm here to say that always cooking your own food is a suboptimal use of your time. Instead, use the time you would have spent cooking to make more money This shopping guide will help you with ideas to save more money and keep your grocery budget on track We generally plan our meals based on what's on sale at the supermarket rather than pick recipes and then shop for specific ingredients

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Steep Food Savings - 'Food at home' prices are up 13% from last year: Here are 4 ways to save on groceries · 1. Stock up on staples · 2. Shop I'm here to say that always cooking your own food is a suboptimal use of your time. Instead, use the time you would have spent cooking to make more money This shopping guide will help you with ideas to save more money and keep your grocery budget on track We generally plan our meals based on what's on sale at the supermarket rather than pick recipes and then shop for specific ingredients

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Matthew Lau: Don't tax grocers, shut government food ministries. The packaging usually means you'll get much less than if you bought it whole and they often cost more.

It may be a little more effort but preparing vegetables yourself will really help to save money on food. Top tip: Ingredients like swede and butternut squash are notoriously hard to chop - if you give them a quick 1-minute burst in the microwave they will soften up a little.

Avoid packaged fruit and vegetables Are you really going to use all 10 bananas? Do you need 20 onions? It's easy to just pick up a bag of fruit or vegetables without thinking how many you are actually going to use.

If you only think you will need 3 bananas, it's cheaper to buy them separately. Top tip: If you're a keen baker, having extra fruit is often an excuse to make a cake. Don't throw out over-ripe bananas, make our banana bread instead.

Understand best before and use-by dates It can be hard to know when food is going off and the supermarkets don't make it any easier with all their confusing labels.

The one you want to look out for is the use-by-date. Best before is about the quality of the food, not the safety, while display date is for the shops not for us.

Eggs are the only exception to the rule - you shouldn't eat eggs after their best before date. Top tip: You can freeze ingredients right up until their use-by date - so keep a note of things you think you may not use and when the use-by date is so you can still pop it in the freezer.

Look for the latest use-by-date When shops restock their shelves, they don't always put the latest use-by date at the front of the shelf.

With just a little rummaging you may find a later date at the back of the shelf - which means you've just earned your food a few more days worth of use. Does that need to be fresh?

It's a very simple question to ask yourself and one that could really help you to save money on food. The fresh section is often at the front of the store so you find yourself filling up on items that could easily be dried or frozen.

Fresh food doesn't have a long shelf-life so only buy it if there is no other option. Fresh pasta is a nice luxury for example, but with quick-cook dried pasta, there really is no excuse to use it on a regular basis. Buy frozen Frozen fruit, vegetables and fish are often cheaper than fresh and they last much longer.

People often think that frozen foods aren't as fresh but the vegetables and fruit are frozen as soon as they're picked so they're actually fresher. A bag of frozen peas can come in really handy when you don't have much in - they can be used as the main ingredient in risotto, soup or a frittata.

So for those wondering are frozen foods healthy - the answer is yes! Swap fresh lemon and limes for juice If you need lemon juice for a recipe - do you really need to buy whole lemons?

A bottle of lemon or lime juice in the cupboard is much cheaper than a bag of fresh fruit - and will last a whole lot longer. Mix with tap water or fizzy water and they also make a refreshing drink that's much cheaper than Spite with far less sugar. Lime juice is also a lovely addition to Mexican sauces such as salsa and guacamole.

Check your receipts We often grab the receipt, stick it in a bag and never think of it again. Receipts are the most accurate way of documenting what you actually buy and it's always good to have a proper look over what you spent. Some errors can occur, casting an eye over your receipt can help you avoid any extra costs or missed savings.

The wonder of tinned tomatoes If you have just one ingredient in your cupboards, it should be chopped tomatoes. Every chef we've asked about their store cupboard essentials has listed this wonder ingredient and we can see why.

Super cheap but oh-so-useful, chopped tomatoes can be turned into sauces, curries, dips and can be used for Italian, Mexican and pretty much most cuisines. See our list of tinned tomatoes recipes. You might also like our list of tinned chickpeas recipes, as well as our tinned tuna recipes and canned salmon recipes.

Pick up a pack for as little as 80p and just watch how many meals you can use it for. It adds flavour to sauces and if you only have rice in and one type of veg or mince - it turns it into risotto.

Top tip: Stock cubes can have quite high salt levels so check this before using. Stockpots are a little more expensive but have an extra intense flavour. Fill up on carbs You'll never go hungry when you have either pasta, rice or a grain like couscous in your cupboards.

Rice can be easily made into risotto. Pasta just needs a little cheese and couscous, some boiling water. They're very handy when it comes to using up leftovers as, generally, most things go with all three. You're missing out. Pulses such as broad beans, chickpeas and lentils are store cupboards saviours.

Often found in tins, they can be stored for months and are brilliant at bulking out meals when you haven't got much tin. Lentils and chickpeas can replace the meat in a meal to turn it into a cheap and healthy meal. Always have eggs in Not only are eggs good for you , they can be turned into so many different meals.

They really are an ingredient that is worth its cost. Got lots of leftovers but don't know what to make - crack and egg over them and fry to make a frittata or omelette.

Nothing for breakfast - eggs, flour and milk is all you need to whip up some pancakes. Point proven? Top tip: To test an egg's freshness, drop it into a glass of water.

If it sinks to the bottom and stays there, it's fresh. It starts to float the older it is, if none of the egg stays on the bottom of the glass, the egg is off. Stock up on condiments A well-stocked condiment cupboard is an essential tool for the home cook.

Mustard is also an easy way to inject some flavour into a dish. Condiments are often inexpensive and can last for a while as you never need to use too much.

Top tip : Combine a little white wine vinegar with lemon juice and chopped mint to make a quick and easy salad dressing - it's delicious with couscous. Know your herbs Fresh or dried, herbs can really transform a meal. It may cost a little to build up your collection, but once you have them, they can last for ages.

Knowing what herb works with what dish can really improve the flavour - it's particularly good to give flavour to leftovers you're throwing together.

A basil plant is reasonably cheap and easy to care for. We've had ours for about months now on the kitchen windowsill and it adds a ton of flavour to all sorts of dishes. Top tip: Fresh herbs can be frozen if you notice they're going off. You could even chop them up and combine them with olive oil in an ice tray - or, roll them up with butter and freeze - for some deliciously herb-infused fats.

Grow your own tomatoes It can be expensive to grow your own vegetables but if there's one particular item you constantly buy from the supermarket, it might be worth looking into.

Tomatoes for instance are cheap to grow - you just need to spend a little up front, then you'll be overrun with free tomatoes.

Top tip: You don't need to dig out a patch in your garden, some vegetables can be grown in pots or alongside your flowers. See our guide on how to grow your own. Pick your own strawberries Take the kids and turn fruit picking into a fun activity.

They'll love choosing their own fruits and may even want to get involved in the cooking too. See our guide to strawberry picking farms around the UK. You can then use your produce to make jams, sauces, desserts and freeze them. They will be there waiting for you when the season changes and prices go up.

Get fridge and freezer smart Make sure your fridge is always set to degrees, it ensures your chilled food lasts longer. Empty freezers are more expensive to run, so the fuller you keep it, the less energy it is using. Learn what you can freeze There are lots of things you can freeze that you probably didn't realise.

Cheese and rice can be stored in the freezer as can butter. A little research will show you the best way to store something if you are unsure.

The majority of things found in jars or tin such as baked beans, pasta sauces, and soups can be frozen - you just need to transfer them to sandwich bags. Pesto can be frozen too - do it in an ice tray so you have handy servings for when you're cooking. Butter also lasts longer in the freezer than in the fridge, when you need to use some you can just grate it off the frozen block.

Read our advice on:. Freeze spare bread straight away Bread is often the first thing to go bad. If you often find yourself throwing away the last few slices - it's worth popping it in the freezer. You can freeze a loaf whole or in portions and take it out to defrost when you need it.

You can also toast individual slices straight from frozen - so it's perfect for speedy breakfasts and a great way to save money on food. Top tip : If you know you'll be making a certain amount of sandwiches in one week, freeze the slices you need in a separate portion and defrost them on a Sunday night.

Smart store cupboard Don't just chuck things in a cupboard - a bit of order ensures you don't lose or forget about ingredients.

Have one shelf for rice and pasta, one for tins and one for condiments. If you open your cupboard and see clearly what you have, you'll be more likely to think of a meal to make out of it. If you're a keen baker, it's a good idea to have a separate space for baking products as they can take up quite a lot of space and aren't often useful when making meals.

Organise your fridge New products going into a fridge can often mask others at the back, meaning they'll probably be forgotten about. As items in the fridge usually have a short shelf-life, it's important to rotate ingredients to ensure you don't miss any use-by expiry dates.

Separate your shelves for old and new products. You can only move onto the new shelf once the old one is empty. Plan your lunches Dinners are always the first thing we think of when shopping but lunches are just as important. If you know you'll be out at lunchtime, make sure you plan ahead to stop yourself from buying expensive, packaged sandwiches and soups.

Top tip: Include packed lunches in your weekly meal planner - link them up to dinners so you can make the most of your leftovers. Watch out for bananas Did you know that one bad banana or apple can turn other fruits?

When off, they emit a gas that affects the fresh fruit around them so keep an eye on your fruit and remove any bad bananas and apples as soon as they start to turn.

Top tip : If you want to make a banana cake, you need over-ripe bananas so putting an off banana next to fresh ones will speed this process along. Food bag clips Some bags have a handy reusable seal which helps food stay fresher longer.

Once you open a product, it will automatically begin to go off as bacteria gets to the food. If you seal the packaging shut, you can slow down this process.

An elastic band will come in handy as will these food bag clips from Lakeland. Clip-lock boxes and Tupperware are also a good way to keep food fresher longer. Consider a recipe box Even the best recipe boxes might seem like an indulgence, but they can be really good value.

A Gousto box for two, offering four recipes each, usually totals around £35 per week. That's not bad for 8 meals. Not only does it reduce all food waste, but having your food delivered means you're less likely to go to the supermarkets and waste money on impulse buys.

You're also much less likely to order a takeaway. Cooking your food So you've shopped smartly, bought the right ingredients - now it's time to look at your cooking.

The way you use your food in the kitchen obviously impacts the amount of money you need to spend on food. Read through our easy tips for how to make your food go a little bit further Batch cook Buying a lot of ingredients when they're on offer, and then using them to batch cook meals and save in the freezer is a great way to save money on food- as well as time.

Ready-made portions of food in the freezer are also a godsend for days when you just don't have time to cook. Chilli, Bolognese, soups, and casseroles freeze well for up to four to six months, and once you unfreeze them you can simply bulk up the dish with pulses and extra veg if you want. This also adds extra nutrition to your meals.

Top tip: A big batch of mince could be used to create spaghetti Bolognese, lasagne, meatloaf the list goes on. Use all your food Chances are, you can make better use of the food you buy by eating every part of it.

For example, do you cut off cauliflower stems and leaves, even though the whole thing is entirely edible? And what about vegetable scraps? You might bin them, but they can be used to make vegetable stock, or put in soups. Learn to improvise Shopping recipe to recipe can really mount up the costs.

If you want to try a recipe but don't have all the ingredients, you don't necessarily need to head to the shops. A little research could provide an alternative you already have in or one you could whip up.

Buttermilk, for example, can be made by adding lemon juice to milk. Know your ingredients Understanding how to use your ingredients is the best way to ensure you make the most of your food shop.

Knowing how to cook each ingredient, how many dishes they can be used in, and how to store it fresh, will reduce food waste. Top tip: Learn what ingredients can be frozen straight from the shop and what leftovers can be frozen - you'll find your waste food will dramatically decrease.

Learn the classics Learning a few classic dishes will increase your confidence and your cookery skills. Once you know the basics, you'll be able to experiment and use your ingredients to create lots of different dishes You may even be able to make up recipes from scratch, which is so much cheaper than ready-meals.

We've rounded up the top 57 recipes everyone should know how to cook - how many can you tick off? You may be able to get more from a meal if you measure out the recommended sizes. For example, a serving portion of chicken should fit in the palm of your hand, and half a small cup of uncooked rice, or 50g of pasta, is enough per person.

Save on sauces One of the biggest cost-cutting skills to learn is how to make sauces. It's easy to reach for a ready-made sauce but once you know how to whip them up, you'll wonder why you ever bought them. Cheaper and much tastier, homemade sauces also mean fewer additives.

A much healthier way to save money on food. Make your own bread There are certain items that are much cheaper to make at home than buying ready-made.

Making your own bread will take a little effort but the results are normally much tastier. Bread is one of the cheapest things to make - all you need is some flour, yeast and a pinch of salt. Make your own cereal Cereal is a very expensive product to buy and, if you eat it every morning, it can be used up quite quickly.

It's easy to make up your own cereal and because it's homemade you can make sure it's a healthy start to the day. Muesli, granola and porridge are made using ingredients that are cheap to buy in bulk so you can stock up and make cereal for weeks. Top tip: Make batches for the family that feature their favourite ingredients - dried fruits and a little sweet twist can make muesli seem like a treat.

Stretch your roast A Sunday roast is a good excuse to go all out and cook lots of lovely side dishes and a nice big piece of meat. It's also one of the biggest jackpots when it comes to leftovers - nearly everything can be re-used for meals in the upcoming week. We know you're full after eating and may not want to think about it while clearing away, but a few minutes spent freezing the chicken, potatoes and veggies will result in far less waste.

Read our advice on how to use up Sunday roast leftovers. Top tip: You can always serve a mini roast on Monday night using the leftovers - who would complain about roast, two nights in a row! Keep the carcass It may not look like the most appetising thing in the world but meat carcasses from chicken, turkey and lamb are still full of flavour.

If you can't think what to do with them right away you can freeze them and use later. Carcasses make great bases for stock, soup and if you have a few, you can put them in the slow cooker to make a delicious casserole.

See our recipes for chicken stock and turkey stock. Top tip: Store a carass in box all on its own so you can keep any meat that falls away from the bone. Cut up meat before freezing Cooked meat lasts a few days in the fridge, if you don't think you are going to use it again in that time frame - freeze it!

Cutting chunks of meat into strips means you can grab a handful and add to meals like stir-fries or pasta. Top tip: Cut up fresh chicken breasts into strips before freezing, that way you only have to defrost what you want to use, rather than the whole lot. Make the most of your ice trays Hands up if you just use your ice tray for ice.

There's so much more it could be doing. The individual portions are a great way of separating out ingredients into smaller servings - which means you can easily use and defrost the amount you need.

Sauces, pesto, fruit, anything can be poured into an ice tray and popped out when you need it. Top tip: If you've got leftover dregs of wine, pour them into your ice cube tray and use to add to sauces. Know your portion sizes Most of us are guilty of cooking more food than we actually need.

If you know how to make the most of leftovers, it's not the end of the world but knowing the correct portion sizes will make your meal times more cost-efficient. Save leftovers with reusable bags It can be hard to find space for lots of plastic tubs in the fridge and freezer, which is why sandwich bags come in handy.

Liquid leftovers such as stock, soup or gravy can be poured into a bag and, as long as they're properly sealed, can be stacked up in the fridge.

Look for reusable sandwich bags to ensure no spillages. Create soups with leftovers Soup is the saviour of leftovers. Pretty much anything savoury can be blended down to make a soup.

All you need is a little stock and that's pretty much it. Boil all your ingredients together with the stock and blend with a stick blender if you want a smoother finish. Vegetables, meat, even lettuce can be added to the broth, so it's a great way to through all your leftovers together in one meal.

See our massive collection of healthy homemade soup recipes. Top tip: Make a big batch of chunky soups at the start of the week and freeze in individual portions. Whenever you need something for lunch or a light dinner, you will have a delicious option close to hand. Smooth leftovers If soup is the saviour of savoury leftovers, smoothies are equivalent to fruit.

Blend any leftover fruit with a little milk, frozen yogurt or even ice cream if you're feeling a little naughty and voila! A touch of honey will add a lovely sweet finish too.

Top tip: If your fruit is looking a little off, stick it in the freezer immediately. You can use frozen berries in smoothies and bananas just need a little time in the microwave to defrost. Make compotes and jam But leftover fruits aren't just for smoothies.

If you simmer them down with a little sugar you can easily turn them into a tangy compote or jam recipe. Compotes can be made and frozen and are delicious atop cereals, ice cream and even beneath a crumble topping for a speedy dessert.

Save old jam jars so you have lots of spaces to store your fruity creations. Use leftover gravy from roast dinners as the base for stews or casseroles - delicious! Gravy can be frozen in portions so if you're not planning of using it a few days after making, stick it in the freezer.

Make your own ice lollies Leftover juice, milk, yogurt and fruit can be turned into delicious ice lollies. All you need to do is blend the ingredients together and pour into some moulds with a lolly stick. It's always nice to have something sweet in the house and you won't have to worry about the additives in shop-bought ice lollies.

Top tip: If you don't have lolly sticks to hand, you can always freeze the mixture in small portions and serve with a spoon. Slice and freeze lemons and limes Do you have a favourite tipple on a Saturday night?

If you've got a few lemons and limes that are looking a little ropey, slice them up and stick them in the freezer. Frozen fruit makes a more flavoursome change to ice cubes - and you won't have to worry about the water diluting your drink! Homemade stock A good stock is the basis of lots of meals - it's also a good use of leftovers.

Chicken and lamb bones can be boiled with water to make a meaty stock. Vegetables can also be given the stock treatment.