19 Money Saving Tips for Your Next Grocery Trip
Over the past year we have seen quite the increase in various expenses, including groceries. This can cause a lot of added stress on a family or individual. Here are some steps you can take to save money on your next grocery bill.
Check your freezer, refrigerator, and pantry for items that you already have that can be used to make a meal or part of a meal
Once you have checked what you have on hand, decide what additional items you may need to create a meal. It is helpful to write out each meal for your week so you know what items you need before making a trip to the store. Don’t forget you need to have items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
As you make a plan for your meals during the week, make sure to also consider your schedule. If you have nights that are busier think of quicker meals or ones that can be left in the crockpot to cook during the day. If you have less busy nights, save those nights for meals that take longer to prepare and cook.
Keep your meals simple with few ingredients. Not every dinner needs to be a 3 course meal. Do what works for you and your budget on how elaborate you make your meals.
Don’t forget about leftovers! You can make larger recipes or double your dinner so you have extras to use for lunch. Leftovers are also great for busy nights so all you need to do is heat and serve.
Make a list and check it twice. Go into the grocery store with a plan and list in hand to help prevent you from purchasing items that are unnecessary. You can also be efficient by organizing your list based on sections in the grocery store. It can be helpful to keep this list on your fridge throughout the week to add to as you run out of pantry staples. Go old fashioned with pen and paper or use your notes app if you have an iPhone.
Utilize fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable food. Having frozen and shelf-stable items will decrease food waste when you prioritize using fresh items first.
Checkout the weekly ads to figure out items that are on sale. To help save money you can work in sale items to your weekly meals.
Don’t go to the store hungry. This is a very easy way to impulse buy additional groceries. Head to the store after a meal so you’re not tempted by all the extras.
Consider ordering groceries online as another way to avoid impulse buys. Many grocery stores now have a pickup option for you that is fast and convenient.
Purchase produce that is in season, but don’t overbuy to avoid spoilage.
Consider some lower cost protein options like beans, peas, lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, canned tuna or salmon, and eggs. A family-sized package of meat may also be more cost effective. If you don’t need this amount of meat just freeze what you don’t use.
Try to buy in bulk whenever it is going to be more cost effective. For example, instead of buying individual yogurts you can buy 1 large yogurt and then split into servings on your own. When working to save money, it can take the convince out of certain things but just 1 extra help can add to money savings.
Be money smart with your drinks! Water is a free way to hydrate without being high in sugar like sodas, juice, and other beverages.
Compare product prices by looking at the unit price. The unit price tells you how much an item is per pound, ounce, quart, etc. Choosing the product with the lower unit price will get you more for less money, thus being more cost effective. Check for store brands over name brands as those will typically save you money.
If hosting a large crowd, consider hosting a potluck. This takes the pressure off the host to prepare all the sides and main dish. You can do this simply by having the host prepare the main dish and having guests bring side dishes to share.
Compare stores to see which area has cheaper options for the items you need.
Think about the bulk buys. Just because you buy in bulk, this does not mean you are saving money. This goes back to looking at the price per unit. You may also want to consider if you will really use the amount of food that comes in the bulk size because you don’t want food to go bad before you get the chance to eat it.
Download cash back apps like ibotta, Fetch Rewards, and Checkout 51. These typically work very simply by snapping a picture or your receipt then cashing in rewards for cash back.
In these tough times it's important to do what we can to ease our stressors. Working to cut back on your grocery bill doesn’t have to be complicated. Create a grocery budget and stick to it by using these tips to implement new spending habits and save money.
What tip did you find most helpful?