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Stretch That Grocery Budget
The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is devoted to helping you save money on groceries. Posts will be centered on budgeting, shopping sales, bulk shopping, coupons, Fare For All, and resources. Follow along each week for new ways to keep your dollars in your wallet. The Stretch That Grocery Budget series is written by EFN’s resident dietitian, Katie Wahl. You can contact her at kwahl@emergencyfoodshelf.org.

Stretch That Grocery Budget – Pay Cash
So your grocery budget is set, or at least you are on your way. But your grocery budget is only as good as your ability to stick to it and if you are using a debit or credit card, going over a little bit is not a big deal. One sure fire way to stick to your grocery budget is to use cash. If you budget $100 per week for groceries, and your total at check out is $104.34, if you only have cash you will have to put something back to stay within your budget. It may seem embarrassing at first, but really this is about being disciplined. In these trying financial times, I bet you will find less embarrassment and more respect for sticking to your budget. So try cash and see if it helps! Small changes over time will lead to big savings in the long run.