Twenty One Gun Salute

Is usually used as a salute for Presidents, heads of state, and special occasions. So, paying down debt is not exactly a reason for that kind of respect, it is deserving of at least notation. We are at day twenty-one (I had to think of something catchy for the title) and the running total now stands at $112.63. While that may be chump change to a lot of people, it isn't exactly that for someone who has spent the last quarter of a century living paycheck to paycheck. These techniques I share with you will hopefully help you in your quest to become free of credit card debt, or prevent you from getting in those dire straights to begin with. A question often arises when the discussion about saving money on food.

Do we have to sacrifice quality and taste when we save money on food? That depends. Store brands of food items are often made by the same manufacturer as the name brand foods. Take for example Frosted Flakes. I have been a fan of cereal for most of my life. There is a slight difference in the Kellogg brand and the store bran, but that is really a minute change. When shopping at the grocery store, you will notice a big difference in the price of the two. Why?

Advertising costs. As a child, I would spend many of my afternoons and most of my Saturday mornings watching cartoons. Looking back, there were tons of cereal commercials on, particularly from Post or Kellogg. I don't recall a single commercial for the store brand of those foods. Since stores don't have to pay for the advertising, they can basically get the same thing for a fraction of the cost. In fact, the store may make a higher margin of profit on these items so we, as consumers, win by having a fine quality food for a fraction of the cost of a box of cereal.

As an ingredient, one can rarely tell the difference between the store brand and the national brand. It is when you eat them as a solo item that you may be able to tell a marked difference. You should try the low-cost alternatives...at least try them to see how much more food you get for your money. You can always use that saving to pay off debt.

Have a great day!