Strategy: Clean Out That Refrigerator Before You Shop

One of the best tips that I have learned is to clean out the refrigerator before grocery shopping. It reminds me of the things that I need to use up so I don't buy extra vegetables if I already have 4 of them in the frig waiting to be cooked. I try to incorporate these into my week's meal plan (which we'll discuss shortly). It also helps me to be certain that I have enough butter, sour cream, milk, eggs, etc. This eliminates extra shopping trips for things that I don't have when I need them. That always costs me more. I've never been able to just go into the store for one or two items. There's always something else that gets added to the cart.