Grocery Shopping Habits

At some point in our lives our grocery shopping habits change -- some by dieting, new additions to the family, becoming an empty-nester or just the desire to lead a healthier lifestyle. Regardless of what you are buying or for how many, there is considerable savings available to consumers on all sorts of products even what I call "healthy living foods."

Now that we are almost officially empty-nesters, I am already thinking about what to buy, how much to buy and how do I prepare meals for just two people. I am really going to have to make some adjustments. I know we are only a family of three but I have always prepared meals like we were a family of five or more so we would always have food for our daughter's friends and drop-ins. This is the way I grew up. My mother prepared for a family of five but on any given day we could handle three or four extra's at the table and those seats were often filled.

Except for the occasional visits from our daughter and the restocking of the pantry for the onslaught of kids she will be bringing home on breaks, we will no longer need the quantities of food that we have been accustomed to purchasing.

I must say, I will definitely miss arriving home to find a slew of kids gathered around the kitchen island with a smorgasbord of food spread out to satisfy even the finickiest eater. No longer will there be a need to purchase four and five boxes of cereal a week that only last three days in our house. In our home, cereal is consumed by a barrage of kids, coming and going at all hours, for breakfast, lunch and dinner and even a mid-night snack. The two gallons of milk purchased each week will be reduced to half a gallon and will probably still spoil.

Even though there will be some trial and error on what our needs will be in the perishable department, the one thing that won't change and the area where I find my biggest savings is our household non-perishable items such as laundry and dish detergent, cleaners, paper products, batteries, and a multitude of personal products. I will continue to purchase those at rock bottom prices and stockpile for us as well as our daughter. I think she will look forward to all of the care packages I plan on sending.

Whether you live alone, are about to be an empty-nester or your shopping habits have changed, there is still a lot of money to be saved. Don't forget to check out your favorite manufacturer websites for their offers. Print coupons direct from their site. You may also visit Coupon 101 where I offer tips on saving as well as an endless supply of coupon resources.

And last but not least, there is always Savings With Sadie where you can come back often to find links to the latest deals and match-ups.