Food stamps are a form of government assistance commonly used to aid families in need. When using food stamps to purchase food items for your family, it is essential to be smart in your budgeting in order to maximize the amount of food you can purchase. By making several adjustments to the way you shop, you can purchase more food using your food stamps.
Frequent Shopper Card
Most grocery store chains offer a frequent shopper card that works in a way similar to coupons. When the store has a sale, holders of frequent shopper cards can purchase the items at a discounted price. Having a frequent shopper card is an easy way to receive discounts on your food, allowing you to get more food with your food stamps.
Check the Clearance Aisle
Grocery stores will often set aside a certain area in the store for clearance items that are nearing expiration. Items like bread, meat and milk are typically marked down as their sell-by date draws closer. Purchasing items from the clearance section will allow you to spend less of your food stamp money on these kinds of necessities. However, be sure that you will be able to eat all of the food before it expires, especially if the food is only a few days away from going bad.
Avoid Prepackaged Foods
Purchasing foods that will take longer to prepare instead of convenient, prepackaged foods can maximize your food stamp money. For example, buying a pound of fresh carrots will cost less than buying a pack of pre-cut frozen carrots. This is true for most produce. Buying fresh is also a healthier choice to make, as fresh food does not contain additives or preservatives.
Buy Fewer Snacks
Snack items such as cookies, potato chips and crackers can be among the most expensive items in the grocery store. By not purchasing snacks, or purchasing fewer of them, you will have more money from your food stamp allowance to spend on food for meals.
Buy Generic
Many grocery stores offer their generic store brand for most major products. These include everything from breakfast cereal to cottage cheese and frozen entrees. Generic store brands cost less than major brands, allowing you to purchase more with your food stamp allowance.
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