Sometimes, you just want something sweet to eat, but, it seems like the prices for baked goods are constantly increasing. In a family, goodies can be both a want and a necessity. Have you ever noticed how well a toddler behaves when he can bet on receiving a cookie as a reward? That being said, satisfying a sweet tooth is not as pleasing when it feels like it's a major purchase. So, what is a family to do to curtail the cost without cutting out the cookies and cakes? Try these few tips for ways that you may be able to save while still enjoying the sweet stuff:
Bake your own treats. Buying a cake from a grocer or baker can cost upwards of $20 and a box of overly processed cookies, while still enjoyable, could run you close to $5 per package. You can bake those same items at home at a much lower overall cost with just a little planning. First off, anyone that is going to endeavor to bake goodies for their household on a regular basis should buy basic items in larger quantities. The price of buying a 5-pound bag of sugar can cost almost $3, while a 10-pound bag of sugar will most likely max out at $4.50; and of course, you will need plenty of sugar. Also, buy eggs in larger quantities also as most cake mixes or recipes will call for a number of eggs. So, how do you save when you have to purchase more of these items? Well, to bake a large batch of sugar cookies, you may need a couple of cups of sugar, a few cups of flour, and some eggs, along with the other bits such as a tablespoon of flavoring and such. But, you may only use $1 worth of ingredients and you may be able to make 2 or 3 times as many cookies as you would have received in a package. Also, baking allows for more family time, as it can be a really interactive activity and that's priceless.
Snag a sale! Everything goes on sale and baked goods are no exception. Not only will you be able to find in-store mark downs on baked items that are near the "sell by" date or that the store has terribly overstocked, but you will also find "buy one, get one" specials and "crushed box" deals if you take the time to look on the shelves. When you do snag a good deal, keep in mind that some of the items can be frozen for your enjoyment at another time. Bakeries do it and so do stores. It's one way that they always make sure to have cakes for decorating on hand. Why not do it at home too?!
Make friends with coupons! It may take a little coordinating and a little effort, but the savings will be anything but little. For many coupons are equivalent to cash when it comes to buying snack foods for their families. With some retailers offering double coupons, which will take your 70c coupon up to $1.40 off of a product, how can people not afford to try these little paper wonders? There are almost always coupons available for baked items in the local Sunday newspaper and on packages of snacks. When you combine these coupons with in-store specials like "buy one, get one", you could end up with loads of FREE baked good! Yummy!!
Shop at your local bakery thrift store. Some companies that sell baked goods have their own "thrift stores" where they sell off products that are their close to their "sale by" date or are simply overstocks. If you are in a metropolitan area, chances are, you will most likely have a thrift store within driving distance. These stores are absolutely fabulous for supplying baked goods for large gatherings. They generally offer discounts of up to 70% off of the regular retail price. So, for large events, you could provide lots of goodies without paying lots of money. However, unless the store is close to you, consider the cost of gas before making any long trips to try to save on just a few items. That, also, is an important financial factor.
Just think...you can realize a saving, cost-cut, and still those scrumptious sweets by simply making these saving strategies work for you and your family! Life doesn't get much better than that!
Bake your own treats. Buying a cake from a grocer or baker can cost upwards of $20 and a box of overly processed cookies, while still enjoyable, could run you close to $5 per package. You can bake those same items at home at a much lower overall cost with just a little planning. First off, anyone that is going to endeavor to bake goodies for their household on a regular basis should buy basic items in larger quantities. The price of buying a 5-pound bag of sugar can cost almost $3, while a 10-pound bag of sugar will most likely max out at $4.50; and of course, you will need plenty of sugar. Also, buy eggs in larger quantities also as most cake mixes or recipes will call for a number of eggs. So, how do you save when you have to purchase more of these items? Well, to bake a large batch of sugar cookies, you may need a couple of cups of sugar, a few cups of flour, and some eggs, along with the other bits such as a tablespoon of flavoring and such. But, you may only use $1 worth of ingredients and you may be able to make 2 or 3 times as many cookies as you would have received in a package. Also, baking allows for more family time, as it can be a really interactive activity and that's priceless.
Snag a sale! Everything goes on sale and baked goods are no exception. Not only will you be able to find in-store mark downs on baked items that are near the "sell by" date or that the store has terribly overstocked, but you will also find "buy one, get one" specials and "crushed box" deals if you take the time to look on the shelves. When you do snag a good deal, keep in mind that some of the items can be frozen for your enjoyment at another time. Bakeries do it and so do stores. It's one way that they always make sure to have cakes for decorating on hand. Why not do it at home too?!
Make friends with coupons! It may take a little coordinating and a little effort, but the savings will be anything but little. For many coupons are equivalent to cash when it comes to buying snack foods for their families. With some retailers offering double coupons, which will take your 70c coupon up to $1.40 off of a product, how can people not afford to try these little paper wonders? There are almost always coupons available for baked items in the local Sunday newspaper and on packages of snacks. When you combine these coupons with in-store specials like "buy one, get one", you could end up with loads of FREE baked good! Yummy!!
Shop at your local bakery thrift store. Some companies that sell baked goods have their own "thrift stores" where they sell off products that are their close to their "sale by" date or are simply overstocks. If you are in a metropolitan area, chances are, you will most likely have a thrift store within driving distance. These stores are absolutely fabulous for supplying baked goods for large gatherings. They generally offer discounts of up to 70% off of the regular retail price. So, for large events, you could provide lots of goodies without paying lots of money. However, unless the store is close to you, consider the cost of gas before making any long trips to try to save on just a few items. That, also, is an important financial factor.
Just think...you can realize a saving, cost-cut, and still those scrumptious sweets by simply making these saving strategies work for you and your family! Life doesn't get much better than that!
About the Author:
As a renowned consultant on saving money in daily life, Alexandra Vrugt has written many articles on how to manage on less. You can get a free copy of her Ebook '15 Top Ways to Save Money' by going to her MakeEndsMeetOnline.com site.
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