10 Simple and Easy Ways to Save Money on Groceries for Your Debt Settlement Program

Debt settlement, also known as debt negotiation, allows you to make one monthly payment, and to get out of debt much faster than by making the minimum monthly payments or by using debt consolidation. With a debt settlement program, negotiators communicate with creditor(s) on your behalf to settle your balances to reduced and "agreed-to" amounts. A debt settlement company takes its fees for the legal work and negotiation out of your monthly payments, and passes the remainder on to your creditors.

In previous articles, we have discussed "How Debt Settlement Saves You More Time and Money tha
Other Debt Relief Options" and "10 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Debt Settlement Company." Let's say that you have done all of your research and are now in a debt settlement program. While credit card debt can be very expensive and stressful, getting out of debt doesn't have to be.

How would you like to save $50 over the next week toward your next debt settlement payment? How about several hundred dollars over the next month, or even a couple thousand dollars over the next six months? Since all of us buy groceries and household supplies, we can all save a lots of money every week at the supermarket. This article, the second in a series of three, lists 10 simple and easy ways to save money on groceries and household supplies toward your debt settlement program.

1. The average American household wastes about $500 worth of food every year. Don't be part of this alarming statistic. Always check the expiration dates on perishable foods before you buy them. Even if the dates expire during home storage, perishable foods should be safe for several days or longer if they are stored properly in the refrigerator.

According to the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at The University of Arizona:

"A 'Sell-By-Date' tells the store how long to hold the food for sale. You should buy the food before the sell-by-date expires.
A 'Best-if-Used-By (or Before) -Date' is indicates best flavor or quality. It is not a safety date and does not indicate when a food should be purchased.
A 'Use-By-Date' is the last date recommended for peak quality. The date is determined by the manufacturer of the product.
'Closed or coded dates' are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer so if there is a problem with the food, it can be recalled."

2. Make a list before you go grocery shopping and stick to it once you are in the supermarket. Do not buy anything on impulse. We all know that impulse buying causes you to overspend.

3. If your supermarket is out of an advertised special, always get a rain check. Even if you have to wait for several minutes in the customer service line, you will feel better about doing it in the end.

4. Less expensive grocery and household supplies are sometimes found on the top or bottom shelves. Stretch a little and save a few dollars for you debt settlement program.

5. Always comparison shop. Consider reading two or more supermarket circulars before you go grocery shopping. You might want to do part of your shopping at one store and finish up at another.

6. This money-saving tip has already been mentioned in previous articles, but it is worth repeating once again. Always take advantage of "buy one, get one free" offers at your supermarket. You can save a lot of money.

Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle® recently had a "buy one, get one free" sale that was hard to beat. Here are some of the "buy one, get one free" offers that were featured: boneless center cut pork chops, roasting chickens, fresh broccoli and mushrooms, American and Italian-blend bagged salads, liquid laundry detergent, 24-pk AA batteries, disposable razors, solid and gel deodorant, body wash, thin crust pizza, country French bread from the bakery, sandwich buns, turkey franks, mustard, marinades, and long grain rice.

Just think of all the money you could have saved toward your next debt settlement payment.

7. We have all heard that "Success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort." Therefore, get to the supermarket as early in the day as possible. There will likely be a better selection of advertised specials, thus eliminating the need for rain checks. You might also spend less time in the checkout line. On the Saturday of Giant Eagle's® "buy one, get one free" sale mentioned above, we arrived at our favorite store at 7:30 AM. Although the store was already filled with customers, all of the advertised specials that we wanted were in stock.

8. Join a warehouse club like Costco. The membership fees pay for themselves. Plus, you can buy non-perishable groceries and household supplies in bulk.

9. Plan your meals a week in advance. Remember Ben Franklin's famous expression: "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

10. Use manufacturer's coupons only for the items that you would normally buy. If you can buy a 15 oz. bottle of brand-name shampoo for 99¢ when when it is on sale, don't use a $1.00 coupon for another brand that is selling for $3.99. You are not really saving any money.

So there you have it, 10 easy ways to save money on groceries and household supplies toward your debt settlement program. While credit card debt can be expensive and stressful, getting out of debt doesn't have to be. Make saving money a top priority, and you will attract more situations into your life to save even more. Always remember the 17th-century proverb: "It is as useful to save money that you already have as it is to earn more."