Welcome back to the grocery budget series I am in the middle of writing.  In this series, I will share the top 20 ways that I can think of that our large family uses to keep the grocery budget from getting out of line.  To learn more, visit our introduction.  Here is tip 12:

I cut out convenience. When it makes financial sense to do so, I buy things uncut, unshredded, or in any other way cut into convenient sizes for me if it saves money.  I don’t like to pay for the convenience of someone doing something I could do myself.

A few examples: If it makes more sense to grind meat myself, I buy whole roasts.  Piece the chicken out yourself vs. paying more for breasts (or, just bone out the thighs when thighs are on sale and cook with thigh meat in place of breasts – you get better taste and it’s tons cheaper).  Instead of buying tomatoes already canned, if I have a good harvest in my own garden I will can all of my own tomato products (this goes for all garden veggies).  I always buy dry beans in bulk and can them at home – it saves a lot of money than buying them already canned from the store.