Not Made Of Money

Have you ever noticed that every article you read (including some I’ve written) says that you should cook from scratch to save money on food? While it is true that you can save a great deal of money by cooking your own food, that suggestion doesn’t really help you if you aren’t a great cook. What are you supposed to do if cooking isn’t your strongest skill?

I can certainly sympathize with people in that situation. Cooking does not come easily for me. I can handle all sorts of crafts projects, change the oil in my car, and even tackle some hefty home improvement projects, but cooking is a totally different experience. I really had to work hard to develop some cooking skills.

Looking back to my early cooking days, though, I realize that there were still some things that I did to keep food costs in check. Lest you think that all of my money-saving tips are only useful to cooking experts, I thought I’d share a few of those tricks with you.

Buy inexpensive components and build them up. I love this trick because I get to make something quickly and inexpensively and turn it into something more nutritious. For instance, I would buy Campbell’s chicken and noodle soup in bulk when it’s on sale. When I would prepare the soup, I’d add extra veggies to the pot and let them simmer for a long time. No one would ever know that it was canned soup, and it was super cheap.

Take advantage of coupons and sales. If cooking isn’t your strong suit, you will almost certainly find yourself purchasing more pre-prepared items. You can help offset some of the cost of these more expensive foods by layering coupons with sales promotions. Be sure to buy in large quantities when you’re favorites on sale, too.

Make like a rabbit. You don’t have to be a good cook to make a great salad. A head of lettuce or a clump of spinach will get your started. Then, add your favorite extras like hardboiled eggs, carrot shreds, nuts, and dressing. You can also save on salad ingredients by growing them in your own garden.

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