Lynchburg Living

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By Susan S. Davidson, CPA

The overabundance of food commercials directly relates to an undeniable reality of life–you must “eat to live.” However, considering Charles Kuralt’s observation that you could “find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars,” it may be more fitting to say that many of us “live to eat.” The fact that the average consumer spends nearly 14 percent of his or her monthly income on purchases of food supports this perception. Although food undoubtedly “consumes” a big portion of your monthly expenses, a few simple strategies should make it extremely easy to cut down on this expense. Whether eating out or dining in, planning your food purchases ahead of time could potentially cut your food budget by as much as 50 percent.

Grocery Shopping

More than likely, the use of coupons is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of ways to trim your grocery budget. While this money-saving technique is more than a century old, it remains one of the most effective means of reducing your monthly grocery bill. Coupons were first introduced in America during the late 19th century by Coca-Cola partner, Asa Griggs Candler. Although Candler’s idea of offering coupons to consumers for free soda seemed counterproductive at first, this never-before-tried advertising strategy helped to launch one of the most recognized brands in the world today. While other retailers would gradually follow in Candler’s footsteps, it wasn’t until the Depression Era that coupon clipping started to take off–and it is still going strong today.

According to an article in Time magazine, roughly 1.6 billion coupons were redeemed during the first 6 months of 2009–a 23 percent increase from 2008. What was surprising to learn from this article, however, was that consumers from low-income households were among the least likely to actually turn in coupons. In fact, the most “affluent” Americans make up the largest percentage of those who save and redeem coupons. Without a doubt, clipping coupons takes a great deal of organization, time and patience. Once you get into a routine, however, you may find that you are spending as little as 15 minutes per week on the process.

On a recent shopping trip, my 5-year-old daughter collected “tickets” from the little red dispensers randomly scattered throughout one of our local grocery stores and tucked them safely away in her pocket. Upon arriving at the checkout counter, she reached into her pocket and handed me the dozen or so wrinkled “tickets” that she had accumulated during our rushed trip through the store. I was surprised to find that she had actually managed to collect coupons for a few of the items I was purchasing that day. While my savings on that particular trip were a mere $2, I wondered how much more I could have saved if I had actually tried. Later that day, I began searching the newspaper and the internet for coupons on items that I buy during a typical shopping trip. I was amazed that in just 15 minutes, I was able to print coupons amounting to $15–that’s a dollar a minute and certainly well-worth my time and effort.

Dining Out

Once considered a luxury that only the wealthy could afford, dining out has become an affordable option for consumers of every class. While it will always be cheaper to prepare your own meals at home, most Americans like to keep a little room in their budget for dining out. The most important thing to do when eating in a restaurant is to exercise restraint. By simply skipping appetizers and pricey drinks, a dinner party of two could potentially shave $20 off of their total bill. Also, try to resist buying the most expensive entree on the menu. If you really have a craving for surf-and-turf, however, consider sharing your meal with someone else. For those with young children, look for restaurants offering free kid’s meals with the purchase of an adult meal. Finally, since prices are typically lower during the breakfast and lunch hours, you may want to consider dining out earlier in the day.

Buy Local

Another great way to trim your food budget while also supporting your local economy is to purchase produce directly from farmers located in your community. Every year in the United States, nearly one million acres of farmland are lost to the development of residential and commercial establishments. Purchasing produce directly from local farmers is not only cheaper for consumers, the produce is fresher, tastes better and, more importantly, it helps our farmers thrive economically so that they can afford to keep their farmlands intact.

If you are interested in buying from a local farm, but are unsure where to start, Lynchburg’s Community Market is a great place to discover what our area farmers have to offer. During the summer months, you won’t have to drive far to find temporary stands set up by one of our many farms nearby that offer their freshly-picked fruits and vegetables. For a comprehensive listing of farmers’ ‘markets in Virginia, visit www.local-farmers-markets.com/directory/Virginia.

Although we know that fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the best nutrients for our bodies, most of us still eat too much artificial, processed foods, sugary and fatty foods. Because of our demanding workloads and busy schedules, we are, in essence, sacrificing our health for the sake of convenience. Mad Magazine’s fictional mascot, Alfred E. Newman, once said, “We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” Now that certainly is real food for thought!