You’re not alone in searching for how to save money groceries these days. Even with the price of everything increasing, we’ll show you 10 grocery shopping hacks that will have you back in budget!
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Prior to the madness of 2020, our grocery bill for food only was around $100 a week. Over the past two years, I saw this number slowly creeping up and implemented some new shopping habits among old one that I stopped doing.
These money saving hacks are simple and easy to do, however if you’re hoping to learn how to extreme coupon, this isn’t the article for you.
How to Save Money on Groceries
Okay, a few of these money saving hacks might seem like common sense, it still requires us to put them into practice to be an effective money saving strategy.
1. Make a Plan
Plan out the meals you want to cook for the week. There can be some wiggle room here however if you know ahead of time you normally cook 5 dinners and prep 5 lunches a week, pick out those meals ahead of time. Look at the recipes and make a list of exactly what you will need then remove the items you already have on hand.
2. Go Alone + Eat Before You Shop
Have you ever walked into the grocery store hungry only to walk out with junk food and a completely blown grocery budget? Yup, we’ve been there too. If you have children or a spouse tagging along, your planned grocery trip can easily deviate from the essentials to ‘ohh can we get these, please’ at least once down every aisle.
3. Stock Up During Sales
If you’ve been cooking at home, especially during these last few years, you probably have a good idea by now what you are buying on a regular basis. Take advantage of store sales for these items – just make sure to check the expiration date to make sure it will get used in time!
4. Avoid MOST Prepared Foods
While those items at the deli might be tempting, they are only costing you. If there is a particular prepared food you are buying a lot of, try making it yourself; you might be surprised at just how easy and inexpensive it really is! [There are a couple exceptions to this rule, one being Warehouse Club rotisserie chickens. For under $5 you can get a fully cooked chicken – that’s one amazing deal.]
5. Switch Brands or Stores
You may be hesitant to give up your brand for it’s generic cousin, however some of these swaps can save you big bucks on your grocery bill. If you feel like you are still spending too much money on groceries, try a different store. I’ve saved the most spitting my shopping trip between several different stores, but that’s not feasible for everyone. There are grocery store like Aldi, where shopping is simplified and affordable.
6. Give Meatless Monday a Try
Trading a meat entree or two a week for plant based option will save you in the long run. Animal proteins are typically the highest priced items you are picking up at the grocery store.
7. Buy in Bulk
Single serving sized anything may seem like a convenient option, however do yourself a favor a buy the bulk option. Some of these items are yogurts, fruit cups, snack items, and steaks even [cut them yourself]. Investing in a good set of reusable food storage containers will save you money by allowing you to portion out exactly what you need while preserving the rest.
8. Frozen is Your Friend
Don’t let them fool you, frozen fruit and vegetables are just as healthy as their fresh counterparts. Frozen foods are picked and packed at the peek of freshness. The biggest reason we love frozen food is for the shelf life. Plus – it helps that you take out only what you need from their packages while saving the rest.
9. Skip Pre-cut Produce
Taking the time to cut up your own veggie sticks and fruit chunks will reward you big time. Those little cups of neatly arranged vegetables and fruits are quick however they are pricing and often the culprit of some nasty stomach viruses.
10. Use Digital Coupons
There’s nothing wrong with clipping paper coupons or even opting to print them off, but do yourself a favor and sign up for those store savings at the checkout. Some groceries stores like Publix, Kroger, and even Target have their own apps that contain store and manufacture coupons. Those are a great start! To compound your savings, give Ibotta a try; it allows you to receive cash back on select store items not just in groceries store but online too. It’s helped be get over $1,500 in cash back already.
There are so many strategies out there for how to save money on groceries that these just scratched the surface. These 10 grocery shopping hacks are a good starting point and refresher for a veteran saver, like myself. What new money saving strategy are you going to use the next time you go grocery shopping?
