"Many of us are making do with less due to job loss, reduced hours and stagnant wages while the cost of everything rises. One way to give yourself a raise is to reduce what you spend on food--that means everything, groceries, snacks, coffee drinks on the way to work. Every day this month I'll share a strategy, recipe or idea to crush your food costs. Remember, the less you spend on food, the more you'll have to spend at Sephora or the liquor store to save for retirement."

My number one tip?

Stop reading and buying food magazines.

This might sound like an odd tip for a food blogger to dispense. But, if you really want to save money, putting down the recipe magazines, is a good start. At least stop until December when the holiday cookie/candy issues hit newsstands :).

I find that most food magazine recipes call for lots of ingredients, which means a higher grocery bill. (I’m looking at you Rachel Ray and Cooking Light).

Plus, food magazines have a lot of competition these days what with Pinterest and a food blogger on every corner. This means their content has to dazzle so they create recipes with exotic ingredients to wow you. Exotic generally equals higher costs, especially if the exotic ingredient (s) ends up being a flavor you don't like or won't use up before it expires.

Plus, the more ingredients a recipe has, the longer it’s going to take you to cook. Ain't nobody want to work longer hours in the kitchen. Right, serfettes?

Don’t get me wrong, I like to spend the occasional Sunday lingering in the kitchen with glass of wine in hand, chopping and mincing and grating and sauteing to whip up an amazing dinner. But, it gets expensive.

Plus, if you stop reading food magazines, you'll likely stop buying food magazines, further boosting your bank account. I think the most inexpensive magazines cost around $4 or $5 each. Most are in the $6 to $10 range.

If you like to look for new recipes to try, follow a few blogs focused on frugal meals. Brandy, the frugal voice behind The Prudent Homemaker website has many to try. So does Lina at Hip2Save.

I have a few money saving recipes here at Kitchen Serf as well. In fact, my family's favorite meal is one of the most economical: Garlic Lime Chicken. That recipes makes enough for three people to eat two meals each for a total cost of $3.50. I can't do math so I don't know what the cost per serving is but if you figure it out, please let me know so I can be proud of myself. 🙂

What do you think? How many food magazines do you read a month? What's the most you've ever spent buying ingredients for one recipe? How did the dish turn out? Or did you buy all the ingredients and not make the recipe? Been there, got the tee-shirt.

xo,

Jennifer

Come back tomorrow for Day Two, which is all wet.