We know that you can use a little extra cash. Whether it be for a nice vacation, a new car you’ve always wanted, or to pay off some bills early, cash always seems to be in short supply. For you and a lot of other people. it seems like there is never enough money around when you need it.

The things that you may have forgotten, however, are the simple things. Food expenses are usually considered to be the biggest drains on a person’s wallet, but most people don’t do anything about it thinking that they can’t change their spending habits. This could not be further from the truth as there are a lot of really simple ways to cut down the amount of money you spend on food. Using the following eight steps, you can significantly fatten up your wallet, and start saving money for the fun things in life:

1. Cook your own meals

This is the way that everyone knows about, and is the best and simplest way to save a lot of money on food. Eating out at restaurants is extremely expensive. Not just because you pay more for food, but you often end up buying more food than you need. This extra spending on more food has to be cut if you want to significantly reduce your food expenses. When you cook, you get exactly what you want at a much cheaper price, so try to cook as often as possible.

There is simply no reason why you shouldn’t try to cook as often as possible. Cooking is an excellent skill to know that is very beneficial in living a healthier more relaxed life. Many cooks say that cooking is one of the best relaxation methods you can do. After having a stressful day at work, come home and let the warm fire and intoxicating aroma of the stove put your mind in a more relaxed state. So, learn how to cook, not just for your wallet but also your health.

2. Don’t eat with a large group

We’re not suggesting that you don’t go out at all. It’s just that studies clearly show that people tend to eat more whenever they are around a big group of people like their friends. It makes sense because you spend longer eating and oftentimes get careless with what you order when you eat with other people. So, if you have to eat out due to time constraints or simply convenience, it’s essential that you avoid doing so with your friends around. When you do eat out, try to order something light and get out as quickly as possible. Don’t let your friends pressure you into ordering more food than you need.

3. Eat breakfast every morning

Everyone knows that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” After all, breakfast gives you the essential vitamins and nutrients that you need throughout the work day. More importantly to those of us who want to save money, studies have shown that eating breakfast in the morning makes you less hungry later on in the day. Less hungry means less food, and less food means more money saved. So, get those nutrients you need and save a lot of money doing it by remembering that “breakfast is REALLY the most important meal of the day!”

4. Make a grocery list

While it’s important that you buy the food you need, like vegetables, meat, and bread, it’s also important that you not buy the food you don’t need. We’ve all gone to the store and gotten a few impulse items and went a little overboard with our spending. For this reason, we recommend making a grocery list before going to the store, and buying only what’s on the list. Following a list allows you to quickly get your shopping done having bought only the essentials. Just remember to keep all of those non-essentials, like cookies and doughnuts, off the list!

5. Try alternative meals that are less expensive than your usual meals

Everybody’s got their favorite food. If you want to save money on food, it’s important to sometimes sacrifice your favorite meals for something that might be cheaper. We don’t mean cheap as in lower quality, just meals that can be made more cheaply than the ones you ordinarily make. For example, if you make steak every Wednesday for dinner, find out if it would be cheaper to buy some rice and make some vegetable fried rice. Use the ingredients that are on sale at your local grocer store to make a new meal.

Consider this the time to experiment with new foods. Try to make foods that you think you would like, but also try to branch out with foods that you wouldn’t normally try. Hopefully, you’ll come up with a new favorite meal at a much cheaper price.

6. Watch out for brand names

This is another key tip that a lot of people know about, but don’t really follow. Yes, we know that you love that crazy animal on your favorite brand of cereal, but, really, it’s all just the same kind of cereal. The same goes for thousands of other kinds of higher priced products. There is absolutely no reason why you should pay a higher price for a brand name product, when the store brand is exactly the same at a much cheaper price.

7. Save food – store it for use later

This is another tip that many people really don’t think about. When you have extra food, don’t throw it away – put it in a container and store it in the refrigerator. You have a refrigerator for a reason so use it! There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating leftovers, so try to save as much food as you can for later. The more food you save now is the less food you have to pay for later! Plus, when you come home from a hard day of work and are too tired to cook, you’ll be thankful you have leftovers already made.

8. Make simple meals

Another great way to save an unbelievable amount of money is to make simpler meals. The way to make simple meals is to cut down on many of the frills you are used to and stick to the basics. For example, instead of drinking orange juice or milk during dinner, drink water. Water is practically free, and most people don’t get anywhere near the recommended amount of servings per day. So you not only save money but you are living a healthier life too. Similarly, try adding vegetables and fruits to your meals instead of eating the usual side dishes like potato chips or fries. Rice and beans are also an extremely cheap staple dish that can be added to your meals and can help you save a lot of money. Be really creative with this idea, and try to add any cheap, readily available food to your meals. You may not only save lots of money but you might also fall in love with a new combination of food!

You have to remember to follow these steps as often as possible if you want to save a lot of money. While a couple of dollars a day may not seem like much, in the long run it ends up being a huge savings. For example, if you can save three dollars a day, that ends up being ninety dollars a month. Ninety dollars a month ends up being 1,080 dollars a year! We’re sure you could think of a lot to do with 1,080 dollars.

Lastly, it’s important that, while following the list, you remember to enjoy your meals every now and then. Don’t completely cut out on some of the fun things in life, like enjoying a night out with friends or enjoying a celebration cake. Just remember to moderate your enjoyment and try to think about how much money you want to save in the future. Hopefully, you’ll earn enough money to do something fun with your savings, like taking a nice vacation!