As a caregiver, a large part of your monthly budget is probably taken up by food. It’s an area where it’s important not to skimp on quality, but there are ways to chip away at your budget and not compromise on the things you enjoy. It just takes some discipline and some more time digging around for deals.

Centers Choice Home Care has a look at five ways to cut your food spending budget and still get the most out of your grocery store and restaurant experiences.

  1. Stick to Your List

Many people make a grocery list, but few stick to it. If you grab a few things here and there that catch your eye, it can really add up on the credit card. This is one benefit of doing you grocery shopping online and picking it up. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it eliminates impulse buys, so you’re likely to save time and money.

  1. Shop the Store Brand

The store brand (or generic) version of most products is generally of the same quality as name-brand ones. They may even be manufactured by the same company. For example, one grocery store’s brand of orange juice is the same as Florida’s Natural, but the store brand is far cheaper.

  1. Look for Deals

Even if you don’t subscribe to the newspaper, most stores have their coupons available in the front of the store or online. In addition, several stores have loyalty programs that you can either sign-up for in person or download an app to reap the benefits of.

  1. Search Restaurant Deals Too

Search your area for restaurant discounts. Some will have senior discounts on certain days or times (arriving before 5 p.m., for example), while others may have discounts on regular items on other nights.

  1. Order Appetizers or Split an Entrée

There are plenty of ways to cut down on restaurant spending: you can order water to drink, order 2-3 appetizers to share instead of an entrée, or you can split an entrée or just eat half of it and take the other half home to enjoy another meal at home the next day without any additional cost.

To learn more about Centers Choice Home Care and all the services they offer, visit CentersChoice.com.