52 Money Save Ways: Week 41: Make Substitutions

52 Money Save Ways: Week 41: Make Substitutions

Welcome to week 41 of the Money Save Ways Tips series. Can you believe we are this far? By now, you know that we need to add $41 to the 52 Week Money Challenge Jar or $16 if you have been doing the challenge in reverse. This week, we look for even more ways for you to save and since the grocery budget is one area most people want to shrink, here is a new tip to help you do so; Make substitutions.

52 Money Save Ways: Week 41: Make Substitutions

Any well-seasoned cook knows that you will often need to make substitutions in recipes for allergies or just for budget. There are lots of great ways to stretch meat, make switches in recipes and not sacrifice nutrition and taste to save money in your grocery bill. Here are some lower cost options for making switches.

Beans– Stretch meat (especially beef) by adding beans to your favorite dishes. This works especially well with west-Mex meals that often have meat and beans in them anyway.

Go vegetarian– some things don’t even need to have meat in them to taste just as good. Marinara (spaghetti) sauce is a perfect example. Doing this alone can save you literally a hundred dollars or more each year.

Week 29: Reduce Your Meat Budget

Cabbage– Recently, we have been using cabbage in place of lettuce when we make tacos, gyros, salads and other dishes that usually have lettuce in them. We not only like the fact that cabbage is usually lower priced, but it also stays crispy and adds a great flavor to the meals as well.

Plain yogurt- You can use this in place of sour cream in many dishes and a big tub of it is usually 1/2 the price of the same size tub of sour cream.

Ground turkey- If you haven’t tried this, you really should. It tastes very similar to ground beef and is usually at least a dollar per pound cheaper. Your family may never even know you made the switch since the texture is pretty much the same and it has the added benefit of being healthier as well.

Better Homes & Garden has a list of Emergency Ingredient Substitutions list that’s worth checking out. Here’s a few highlights:

Allspice: cinnamon; dash nutmeg; or dash cloves

Aniseed: fennel seed or a few drops anise extract

Apple pie spice: for 1 teaspoon, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice, and dash ground cloves or ginger

Basil: oregano or thyme

Cardamom: ginger

Chervil: tarragon or parsley

Chili powder: dash bottled hot pepper sauce plus a combination of oregano and cumin

Chives: green onions; onion; or leek

Cilantro: parsley

Cinnamon: nutmeg or allspice (use only 1/4 of the amount)

Cloves: allspice; cinnamon; or nutmeg

Cumin: chili powder

Ginger: allspice; cinnamon; mace; or nutmeg

Italian seasoning: blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper

Mace: allspice; cinnamon; ginger; or nutmeg

Marjoram: basil; thyme; or savory

Mint: basil; marjoram; or rosemary

Nutmeg: cinnamon; ginger; or mace

Oregano: thyme or basil

Parsley: chervil or cilantro

Poultry seasoning: for 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning, substitute 3/4 teaspoon sage plus a 1/4 teaspoon blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary

See the rest of the list HERE

What are some of the substitutions that you make when it comes to staying within your budget? I would love to hear your tips in the comments!

For more ideas on low cost foods to buy as part of your weekly grocery shop, check out tips for foods to buy on a tight budget.

Did you miss previous weeks’ tips? Click on the links below to hear more money save ways tips!

• Week 40: Gas Rewards Programs
• Week 39: Freezer Cooking
• Week 38: Re-use Everything
• Week 37: A Sale Does Not Equal a Need
• Week 36: Eat out the Smart Way
• Week 35: Carefully Shop the Dollar Store
• Week 34: Take a Second Look
• Week 33: Use Less
• Week 32: Get Amazon Prime
• Week 31: Consider Renting
• Week 30: Skip Disposable
• Week 29: Reduce Your Meat Budget
• Week 28: Borrow Everything
• Week 27: Store Food Properly
• Week 26: Cloth Diapering
• Week 25: Buy Generic Medication
• Week 24: Shop at Farmer’s Markets
• Week 23: Don’t Call in the Experts
• Week 22: Learn to Rebate
• Week 21: Seal up Those Leaks
• Week 20: Always Compare Prices
• Week 19: Watch Your Food Waste
• Week 18: Use Vinegar to Clean
• Week 17: Buy the Smaller Package
• Week 16: Teach Your Kids About Money
• Week 15: Splurge When it Matters
• Week 14: Wash Your Car At Home
• Week 13: Meat Free Mondays
• Week 12: Create  A Price Book
• Week 11: Avoid Fees
• Week 10: Cut Your Own Hair
• Week 9: Watch Your Electricity
• Week 8: Turn off The TV
• Week 7: Drink More Water
• Week 6: Maintain Your Car
• Week 5: Reap the Rewards
• Week 4: Practice the Waiting Game
• Week 3: Buy Seasonings in Bulk
• Week 2: Buy Your Clothes Used
• Week 1: Make Lists
• 52 Week Money Challenge
• 52 Week Tracker