John Cooke, a writer from the National Enquirer, contacted us from London in early November. We were skeptical about the type of story he would write about America’s Cheapest Family.
Would we be portrayed as some bizarre anomaly— Like: Extra-Terrestrials Invade Scottsdale Supermarkets and Carry Home Deals in their UFO.
But the story he wrote (and we proofed it) was truly a balanced view of how we save money at the supermarket. Hopefully, it will help you save too.
The headline is: Hey, Heidi Klum! Follow This Family’s Advice and Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half!
Here’s the text of the article and if you click here or on the image of the 2-page spread you can see all of the photos.
AMERICA’S CHEAPEST FAMILY REVEALS
HOW TO CUT YOUR GROCERY BILL IN HALF!
They’re America’s Cheapest Family—and they can save YOU a fortune. Annette and Steve Economides have spent years perfecting skinflint spending habits that have slashed their weekly grocery bill in half—and now they want to share their secrets with ENQUIRER readers.
“It’s not rocket science,” Annette told The ENQUIRER.
“And since everybody’s hurting in these tough economic times, it’s more important than ever to watch every cent.
“Anybody can do it with just a little planning, and it will free up cash for other household expenses.”
Surveys show the average family of four spends a whopping $800 a month on groceries—but Annette feeds her family of seven for only $350.
Here’s how you can slash your food bills:
- Buy produce in bags rather than loose. “If you buy a 1-pound bag of carrots, it’ll often weigh 25 percent more than a pound,” says Steve. “The same goes for apples, potatoes, citrus, and onions. They usually work out cheaper than loose.”
- Plan your meals around what’s on sale and go grocery shopping just once a week.
“After you see the sales ads, write a menu plan for five to six meals, and then shop—but do it just once a week,” advises Annette. Planning is the key to everything.
“The less you shop, the more you save—because you avoid all those impulse buys.”
“Look for sales on the fixings for spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni and cheese, tacos, barbecue chicken and soups. Add a salad or another side dish, and you have a complete meal . . . simple, nutritious—and inexpensive.“
One woman who took a shop-less challenge on the couple’s website—www.AmericasCheapestFamily.com—told them she was shopping two or three times a week and spending about $100 each trip. She got it down to just once a week and spent only $150.
- Cook at home from scratch more often. “Many people eat at restaurants three to four times a week or have something delivered,” notes Steve. “We’re not saying that you should never go out, but cutting that down to a couple of times can result in huge savings.”
- Buy in bulk and cook in bulk.
“We recently bought some top sirloin in 14-pound butcher cuts for only $1.50 per pound,” recalls Steve. “We bought 28 pounds of it and cut it up for steaks and roasts.”
The experts suggest purchasing a big freezer and organizing your pantry like a store. That will provide plenty of space for bulk purchases that you find on sale.
- Buy produce in season when it’s cheapest.
“Plan menus around the fruits and veggies that are the least expensive,” recommends Annette.
The budget-minded couple spells out all their tips in their new book, “Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family.”
Original Publication Date 12/10/2010