In the News - May 2008
Kill the impulse, save your budget
MALVERN, Ark. - The rising cost of food and gas are obvious drains on a
budget, but Cheryl Maxwell, Hot Spring County extension agent for the University
of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, says there's a sneaky - but equally
draining - way to kill a budget: impulse purchases.
Research has indicated that two-thirds of buying decisions are made in the
store, while 53 percent of those buys are done on impulse. Point of purchase
buys were valued at $20.8 billion in 2006 and a report from InfoTrend Inc.
indicates point of purchase buys will increase to more than $28.8 billion in
2011.
"It's easy to fall to the temptations of impulse purchasing," she said.
"However, it's almost as easy to prevent wasted money: Make a list and stick to
it."
The first step is to plan the family's meals and necessities for the week.
Plan meals around store specials and sales. Save grocery ads from the paper,
and use featured foods as the basics for your weekly meal plan.
"Look for coupons only for items you plan to buy," Maxwell said. "Take only
these coupons with you, to avoid impulse buying."
From the menus that have been planned, check the kitchen to see which
ingredients are on hand and add to the shopping list of needed.
"Another cost saving tip - make it yourself," she said. "We pay dearly for
the convenience of having someone else mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and
salt together. Making food from scratch is a real plus for the food budget."
The freezer can be a big money saver too, Maxwell said.
"If you have freezer space, consider making foods in large amounts and
storing the rest in freezer containers or freezer storage bags," she said. "Cook
these foods when you have time, maybe on weekends.
"This works especially well for soups, spaghetti sauce, beans, or bread
dough," Maxwell said. "Freeze immediately after cooking. Do this not just for
food safety, but to also remove the temptation to eat a second helping" of what
would be next week's dinner!"
Sound like too much work? Look for recipes that use only five to seven
ingredients. These are quick and easy. You can find menu planning tips and
tasty, economical recipes at
www.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle
To learn more about menu planning, contact the County Extension Office in
your county. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to
all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion,
gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally
protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
May 9, 2008
Media Contact: Lamar James
Extension Communications Specialist
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207
ljames@uaex.edu
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