Food storage plans aren’t just for emergencies. They’re also a great way to save money on foods you buy regularly. Every increasing food prices create challenges for households living on a frugal budget. Home food storage allows you to use resources you already have to stretch out your funds during hard financial times. With the right planning, you can have enough food to feed your entire family for weeks, even months if you’re ever in a crisis. Here are five tips for using your food storage plan to save money.

1) Buy only what you’ll eat

When buying foods for your food storage, you should remember that it is always better when you can enjoy it. In an emergency situation, many people believe that “beggars can’t be choosy.” But, if your storage consists of foods you and your family actually eat, you can ensure that your emergency situation is as stress-free as possible. If no one in your family likes peas, why store them? There are many other vegetables that you can buy that have long shelf lives and the flavors you’ll all enjoy.

2) Buy Sale Items to Store

Everyone enjoys eating expensive foods sometimes. But, food storage doesn’t have to be expensive. You can add to your storage supply by adding foods you catch on sale at your local supermarket. This helps you to save money, while providing the stability you’ll need in an emergency or during a financial crisis. If your favorite tuna goes on sale, instead of buying the usual 4 cans that week, buy 12 cans. That way, you can still enjoy the 4 you’re used to eating weekly, while adding 8 to your food storage. This also ensures that your storage contains the type of tuna you like most.

3) Use Coupon Strategies

One of the best ways to stockpile your food on a budget is to have a couponing strategy. When you find coupons online or in your local newspaper or magazines for foods you usually buy, clip them. If possible, buy the maximum amount allowed for that particular coupon. By clipping coupons for your storage plan, you ensure that you save yourself a little extra cash so that you don’t have to sacrifice when it comes to buying foods you need now. Remember, every penny counts when you’re on a frugal budget.

4) Grow Your Own Foods

Growing foods is an aged-old way of saving money on groceries. You can grow a small indoor herbal garden or a larger outdoor garden. Either way, as long as you grow foods that you actually eat, you’ll save money. With indoor herbal gardens, you can grow your own thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, cilantro and many other herbs you use to add flavor to your foods. Outdoor gardens are great for growing all kinds of fruits and vegetables including potatoes, tomatoes, corn, watermelons, strawberries, cherries, grapes, lettuce, cabbage and greens. You name it, you can grow it. And, if you have a large yard, plant yourself some fruit trees to grow your own lemons, apples, oranges, avocados, peaches and plums. You’d be amazed how much money you can save by growing your own vegetables and fruits.

5) Invest in Freeze Dried Foods

If you grow your own fresh vegetables and fruits, you can easily can them to preserve their freshness for long periods of time. A great way to preserve them for years is to dehydrate of freeze dry foods. The entire process is fairly easy and inexpensive. When you’re ready to use them, all you have to do is add a little water to rehydrate them. Their flavors will be preserved, allowing them to taste the same way they did before you dehydrated them.

If you don’t have a garden of your own, another good idea for saving money with preserved food is to buy freeze dried foods. A freeze dried food item can have a shelf life that can last for many years in some cases. This is not only good for emergencies; it allows you to enjoy the foods you enjoy most for longer periods of time. In today’s economic times, saving money on food costs is very important to families living on a tight budget.

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