Do you want to learn how to save money on groceries? Keep reading, and I’ll show you some creative ways to feed your family without breaking the bank.
I love food, That’s right, I love to eat.
The only problem is grocery bills are the easiest way to go over your budget.
However, I was able to identify and take control of it on time using these tips while still enjoying delicious and healthy meals.
So, these tips undoubtedly work.
Unfortunately, groceries can get really expensive, and sometimes it feels like the prices keep changing each time I go to the store.
But not to worry, it’s easier to save on groceries than you think, and these tips will help you save so much money on groceries.
So let’s get down to it.
How To Save Money On Groceries
1. Make a Meal Plan
As a mom, meal planning, and freezer meals can very easily be your best friend.
It has saved me time, money and certainly a massive reduction in food waste.
Planning my meals means that I only buy what I need for the meals on my meal plan, So every single item I buy from the grocery store is planned for.
‘Meal planning is a good idea for more than one reason.
Here’s the point
In addition to reducing the possibility of a “spontaneous shopping binge” or an unnecessary trip to the store to pick up that one missing ingredient, it also makes it much easier to plan healthier meals.
Meal planning is also helpful if you find yourself making the same uninteresting meals week after week.
Take out 30 minutes or so to check out your favorite cookbook and plan meals around it.
Chances are, you’ll find at least one new recipe to try.
My go-to easy and quick meals are crockpots and instant pot meals: these two items plus meal planning = absolute lifesavers.
If you are new to meal planning, THIS is a great place to start.
Meal planning is an excellent way to plan healthy meals for your family and easily stick to your family budget.
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2. Know When to Shop
Picking the best time to shop will save you a great deal on groceries.
Did you know that prices could be different at different times and days of the week?
For example in the mornings, you can get access to more clearance items and also later in the day.
I avoid shopping on Saturdays because it’s the busiest shopping day of the week, and I find that I settle for what’s available and miss out on the best price deals.
Another important point here is to shop less often because the truth is if you step into the store, you will find something to buy.
And chances are; they are things you dont need.
What you could do is plan to shop once a week.
The best part is if you made a meal plan, you would have all you need for your meals for the week.
This will save you both time and money.
3. Coupons May Be Making You Spend More.
Have you ever wondered how to save money on groceries without coupons
Well, the good thing is this recommendation is here to tell you to stay clear from coupons now and then.
Dont get me wrong, coupons are great when the sale items are groceries you actually need and will use.
But the truth is coupons tend to make us go over our budget when trying to buy as much as we can to take advantage of the discount.
The best thing to do is to focus on promotions that occur weekly.
4. Don’t Go Shopping Hungry
I can tell you out of my own experience that you will buy more foods than you need if you go shopping when hungry.
Why is this so?
It’s simple; the thought of having a meal at the time of grocery shopping will drive your purchases.
It simply won’t matter if you have a list.
Chances are you will still end up with snacks items you dont need.
So, plan your food shopping after having a meal, so you dont end up overspending on groceries.
It’s pretty obvious when you think about it.
5. Plan Meals Around Your Pantry Before Grocery Shopping
Seriously, you could be leaving money on the table by grocery shopping without looking through your pantry first.
Make it a habit to go through your pantry, plan meals around items you already have in there before you go grocery shopping.
We’ve all have items in our pantries that we never got to, and they ended up bad.
That’s throwing money in the trash can, literally.
Going through your pantry and planning meals around the items will help you save a lot on groceries.
This applies to your fridge too.
To get the best out of your grocery budget and save money, make it a habit to plan meals around leftovers in your fridge.
The aim should be to consume or plan meals around your leftovers; this way, you can save some money the next time you go to the store.
Possibly, you may not need to buy the usual full week’s groceries if you can make a few meals from leftovers in your fridge.
6. Buy Generic or Store Brands
There’s certainly nothing wrong with buying generic brands.
They are cheaper and i honestly think they taste good too.
The truth is the brands you know and love are mostly just generic brands in different packaging.
Of course, it all comes down to a matter of taste.
However, many consumers will be the first to tell you that they actually prefer a generic brand over the comparable name brand.
So what you can do is try out the generic brand to see if you like it and if you do, simply go for it.
Still not sure?
You can stick to buying only specific items in generic brands, for example, Frozen foods, canned foods like beans, cereals, sugar, etc.
A trick is to check out the ingredients before buying the item.
To be honest, I feel that’s really all that matters and not the name on the fancy packaging.
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7)Shop Low To The Ground And High Up On The Shelves
Since I discovered this tip, it has seriously saved me a lot of money on groceries.
Did you know that stores put the most expensive and popular brands at eye level?
So the trick is to pay attention to the items on the shelves at the lower levels ( close to the floor), and you will be racking in some great savings.
Take your time when at the grocery, sure, and ensure you look around.
Explore the top and bottom shelves, and you’ll be surprised how much you could save by doing this.
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8. Buy Local and in Season
Buying local and in the season not only saves you money, but it also supports local farmers.
Besides, fruits and vegetables are at their best when they are in season.
And more importantly, they are less expensive too.
So buying in season will save you money on groceries.
you could also purchase extras to freeze or can them so you can enjoy them all year round.
I love shopping at the local produce stand, and I find the locally grown produce to be fresher and better priced, especially when in season.
You’ll also typically save money on certain items purchased at your local dollar store.
This includes spices, cleaning supplies, personal items (like toothpaste and deodorant), and even cookware and tableware.
9. Buy Selected Items In Bulk
A rule of thumb is to buy items in bulk because it is cheaper when you buy in bulk.
But I would say stick to selected items, preferably dry foods and pantry foods that you use regularly and can be stored for a long time.
It is certainly not a great idea to buy perishable foods in bulk, which brings us back to meal planning.
If your meal plan for the weak requires certain food items repeatedly, it may be a good idea to buy that in bulk.
Other than that, stick to buying just foods with longer shelf life in bulk, its undoubtedly cheaper to buy in bulk.
10. Frozen Fruits & Veggies Are Your Friends
Do you know that frozen foods can sometimes be more nutritious and healthier than fresh foods?
Can this really be true? Yes, it’s true.
And most of all, buying frozen fruits and veggies saves you money because you won’t have to throw away vegetables that got bad just because you couldn’t get around to using them.
Admittedly I always had my reservations about frozen foods, and I preferred fresh.
But believe it or not, I’ve been able to stick to my grocery budget since switching to frozen.
Think about it this way, your frozen fruits and vegetable stays in your freezer instead of going in your trash can because it got bad.
Also, on the week that you dont get to use your fruits or vegetables, you can always use them the following week instead of throwing them away.
I still buy fresh produce in smaller quantities, especially when in season, but my regular go- to is frozen vegetables.
11.Dont Buy It Just Because Its on Sale
First of all, if you regularly shop for groceries, you may already know when some periodic sales occur.
Dont get me wrong, we all love a good sale but buy things just because it is on sale will make you spend a whole lot than you set out to.
What you can do is plan your meals around the frequent sales; that way, you still take advantage of the sales without going over your grocery budget.
This sounds like a win-win to me.
12. Make A List And Stick To It
Sticking to your grocery budget and saving money on groceries begins with making a list.
And it’s not just enough to make a list, you’ll have to stick to it.
FIrst off, make a meal plan, then make a list around that meal plan.
Shopping with a list always is a great way to stick to your budget and avoid buying things you dont need, which you may eventually waste.
This will undoubtedly save you thousands on groceries.
13.Shop Online
Shopping online is an awesome way to save money on groceries, and it is oh so convenient.
I absolutely love shopping online because I can compare prices, add and remove items from the cart, and it’s pretty easy to stick to my budget.
Thankfully, many grocery delivery services are available, such as Instacart, Amazon fresh delivery, Wholefoods delivery, and lots more.
You can also order pantry items from your local store without paying a delivery fee if you meet the minimum order for free shipping.
There are also options for curbside pick up. This way, you can take your time to shop online, stick to your budget, and then pick it up from your local store.
This is a good option if you want to avoid delivery fees.
I love INSTACART because I dont have to shop from just one store.
I have the option of shopping from my favorite stores around me covered by instacart delivery services.
>>>Join instacart HERE and receive $10 with your first purchase<<<
Shopping online helps you avoid impulse purchases. You are not tempted to reach for items when waiting in line to pay, and you are also not tempted to toss things into your cart just because they caught your attention.
In addition to that, this saves you time in your already busy day.
Getting your groceries delivered to you can very easily give you an extra 45mins to 2 hours in your day to do other things.
That is more than enough time for a good self – care routine.
Amazon Fresh is an awesome online grocery option to skip delivery fees and get good deals, especially with an amazon prime subscription.
>>>Try Amazon Prime Free For 30 Days HERE<<
14. Eat Less Meat
Perhaps unsurprisingly, You can easily save a lot on groceries simply by eating less meat.
The good idea is to make plans to have meat-free days within the week.
This way, you can still enjoy your favorite meals with meat and still save on groceries.
Besides if you ask me, eating less meat is a win–win situation because it is also good for your health.
Meat can be really expensive and can very easily take a large chunk of your grocery bill each week.
I love my steak, so I honestly won’t be giving you the recommendation to get rid of meats completely (if you are not vegan).
But what you could do is try out recipes that are not meat-heavy.
This way, you won’t be needing as much meat each week, therefore saving money on groceries.
Apps to Save Money On Groceries
These tips on saving money on groceries will go a long way to help you stick to your budget and save tons on groceries.
Another Important tip is to consider shopping at different stores and comparing prices.
We all have our favorite or preferred stores, but you could be leaving money on the table by not considering other stores and not checking out budget stores.
That said, there are lots of rebate apps available that can help you save money on groceries.
Using a rebate app is an awesome way to get cashback on your groceries and other essentials you use every day.
Do you know that you can easily get up to 10% cashback on your grocery shopping when you use these apps?
Think about it, getting 10% back on your total grocery budget for the year, that’s awesome.
My Favorite Cash Back Apps For Grocery Shopping
IBOTTA: with ibotta, you get cashback by taking a picture of your receipt and uploading it to the app, and you receive about $0.25 or more per receipt.
Even better, you also get a $10 sign up bonus when you join. You can join HERE.
>>>Join Ibotta <<<
RAKUTEN: With Rakuten, you’ll need to download the app and sign up then all you need to do is shop and earn cashback.
The best part is you’ll be shopping from stores and buying things you would buy anyway.
You earn 10% cashback on your purchases, and there is also a $10 sign-up bonus for you when you sign up.
So go ahead and sign up, so you are not leaving money on the table.
Besides, there are many stores to shop from, so you can also get cash back on other purchases that are not groceries.
>>> Join Rakuten<<<
Wrapping Up; How to Save Money On Groceries
With these incredible tips, you’ll easily save tons on groceries without trying too hard,
And also, dont forget to make a budget because when you plan how much you want to spend, it’s easier to stick to it.
It is easier than you think.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try these tips.
Can you really afford not to?
I’ll also like to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
