The One Trick You Need to Start Saving Money On Groceries

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Saving Money on Groceries

The trick to saving money on groceries is to take the time to prepare before your next shopping trip. By knowing what you already have, what you would like to eat in the near future, and what ingredients you need to buy in order to make that happen, you can save money the next time you buy groceries.

Does your blood pressure rise with each successive beep in the checkout lane? Do you feel your palms begin to sweat as you realize just how many items you still have left in your cart? Do you hold your breath just before the grand total is revealed, hoping the number hasn’t climbed as high as you think it has?

Who would have thought saving money on groceries could eliminate so much stress?

If you’ve ever been on a tight budget before, or you’re just naturally frugal like me, you definitely know what I’m talking about. Grocery shopping can be your biggest budget killer every month, and it can cause a lot of undue anxiety for anyone trying to stretch a dollar.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can buy exactly what you need to feed your family. And you don’t have to make the difficult choice between blowing your monthly budget or asking the cashier to remove items from your bill.

Why does that always have to happen when you have an impatient customer right behind you? Like the embarrassment isn’t enough already. The good news is, you don’t have to go through that ever again. You can eat well and do it very inexpensively if you put your mind to it.

Once you learn the art of saving money on groceries, each trip to the store becomes that much easier. And I’m here to help. It really is that simple.

Preparation goes a long way toward eliminating all the little costs that add up when you buy groceries at the store or online.

Just think of the last time you ran to the store after work when you were already tired and hungry. You’re driving home, and all of a sudden, you realize you bought a lot of expensive convenience foods you really didn’t need in the first place. Or, you’re just starting to put away the groceries, and you put a brand new tub of sour cream next to the brand new, unopened tub of sour cream you bought last week. And you let a curse word fly.

Even worse, you’ve been craving tacos all day only to get home and realize you bought everything except the meat. And now you have to head back to the store where you’ll probably pick up at least one more impulse purchase along the way.

That is why preparation is the one trick you need to start saving money on groceries today.

When you don’t have to take yet another trip to the store this week or jump back online, and you still have money in your bank account at the end of the month, you’ll thank me. Feel free to leave a beautifully-worded, message of praise at the end of this post.

All joking aside, let’s get started with these helpful affirmations.

Tips For Saving Money on Groceries

You’re already an expert at saving money on car expenses and utilities, and now it’s time to discover how to save money on groceries so even more of your hard-earned money stays in the bank.

These 30 tips for saving money on groceries will have you banking extra cash in no time:

1. Take Inventory

Taking inventory of what you already have in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry can lead to huge savings on groceries. Not only does it prevent you from buying duplicate items, but it also helps you use up the groceries you’ve already purchased and make a list of the remaining ingredients you need to complete a meal.

2. Plan Ahead

There are many ways to save money on groceries by planning your trip ahead of time. Knowing the best time to shop based on your personal schedule, which days your local store gets shipments, and when weekly sales ads change are all ways to make the most out of your shopping trips.

3. Make a List

Making a list takes time at home, but it saves you time while you’re at the store. With a good list, you no longer have to walk around aimlessly trying to decide what to eat all week. Plus, you’re less likely to pick up impulse buys because you have a already plan.

4. Find Coupons Online

Know which brands you love? Check their websites and follow them on social media before you shop and find out which coupons they are currently offering.

5. Go During Slow Hours

Another great tip for saving money on groceries is to go during the store’s slow hours. Not only is it a lot less stressful there without the crowds, you’ll also be less likely to forget items or to make rash decisions because you’re rushing to get out of there.

6. Never Go Hungry

Going grocery shopping while you’re hungry is a guarantee that you’ll buy too many groceries, that you’ll splurge on more junk food, and that you’ll spend more money doing so. So only go shopping when you’re not famished.

7. Shop When You’re Rested

Just like shopping while you’re hungry, shopping while you’re tired will also cause you to spend more money. When you’re barely dragging yourself along, you’re far more likely to buy costlier items like pre-packed foods. Plus, you’ll probably buy the expensive items conveniently kept near the register simply because you don’t want to go to the back of the store where the exact same products are found cheaper.

8. Avoid Bringing the Kids

When at all possible, leave the kids at home. Kids are awesome at helping you spend extra money at the grocery store and they’re really not to blame. They see lots of unhealthy snacks, sugary cereals, and candy marketed directly to them dancing before their eyes, and they can’t help but whine for all of them.

9. Go to Different Departments

Believe it or not, you can save a ton of money by going to different departments in the store. That same cleaning supply you find in the grocery aisle is likely to cost less in the housewares aisle. And liquid hand soap is often cheaper near the pharmacy than it is by laundry detergent.

10. Visit Different Stores

Driving from store to store every week to save pennies is a waste of both time and gas. But knowing which stores you should visit occasionally to stock up on certain items is a sure way to keep more money in your wallet.

11. Utilize Local Farmer’s Markets

Big chain grocery stores are not your only option when it comes to buying produce. You can find great deals through your local farmer’s markets, especially near the end of the day when they don’t want to pack up all of their leftover produce. Many local farmers also allow you to pre-pay for produce on a card to use throughout the summer or to join traditional Community-Supported Agriculture Programs (CSAs) and get a weekly box delivered to you.

12. Avoid Most Subscription Services

There are tons of food subscription services these days but most of them cost way more than buying the same ingredients and cooking the meals yourself. Are they super convenient? Sure. But do they help you actually save you money? I think you know the answer to this one.

13. Don’t Overbuy

Even if you stick to your list every single time, you can still waste a ton of money by throwing away food you didn’t get to in time. Think logically about how much food you actually need in the next week or two, and get your overbuying tendencies in check.

14. Choose a Smaller Cart

Do you still find yourself overbuying groceries every week? Many stores have different-sized carts to choose from so grab the smallest cart, and you’ll have a lot less room to fill up. Better yet, grab a basket.

15. Focus on Whole Foods

Healthy foods get a bad rap when it comes to being more expensive, and it’s simply not true. Whole foods are affordable, healthier for your body, better for the environment, and they don’t come with a long list of harmful ingredients.

16. Choose Alternate Proteins

Meat is crazy expensive and buying fewer animal products is one of the most popular tips for saving money on groceries. There are tons of other foods that are loaded with protein such as quinoa, peanut butter, beans, lentils, and spinach and they have a much lower price point.

17. Don’t Be a Brand Snob

Many store brands not only have the same ingredients as more popular brands but they’re actually made in the same factory. So be open-minded and try not to always be a brand snob.

18. Skip the Convenience Packaging

Want to start saving money on groceries fast? Skip any items with convenience packaging. Anything that’s been sliced, chopped, husked, or portioned for you is going to cost more than buying the same product and prepping it yourself.

19. Shop In Season

The most cost-effective way to buy produce is to stick to buying what’s in season. The farther produce has to travel in the off-season, the higher the price climbs. So stock up on items like berries in summer, celery in fall, turnips in winter, and asparagus in spring.

20. Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk has a greater upfront cost, but it saves you money per item which results in long-term savings. Just remember to only buy food items in bulk that have a longer shelf life such as oats, rice, dried beans, and canned goods. And don’t forget to buy household and personal care items in bulk such as toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, feminine products, and deodorant to ramp up your savings even more.

21. Stock Up on Sale Items

Planning your weekly meals around the sales ad is a great way to stretch your budget. And when you find a great deal on something you use often, stock up for further savings. Just make sure that you can easily use these items before the expiration date or don’t bother buying them.

22. Read the Labels

No matter how big and brightly colored the signs are, sales items are not always the best deal. Look carefully at the labels underneath the sale sign and compare the unit prices of the sales items to the non-sales items around it.

23. Use a Calculator

Using a simple calculator can help you determine which products are the least expensive by weight. Just take the price and divide it by the number of ounces displayed on the packaging.

24. Use Apps

There are tons of apps out there today designed to help you make the most of your grocery trips. From creating a shopping list and checking it off as you go, to finding coupons, seeing local sales ads, and scanning your receipts to earn cash.

25. Check Your Cart For Impulse Buys

Before you head to the checkout lane, always check your cart for impulse buys. Whenever you see something you really don’t need, put it back and watch the savings add up.

26. Cook in Batches

Preparation doesn’t just save you money before you head to the grocery store. Cooking in big batches at home brings the cost per meal way down, and you can pack leftovers into single-meal containers for lunches.

27. Get Creative With Leftovers

Don’t waste the leftover food you already paid for. When you get creative with leftovers, you can eat them again and again without ever getting bored. Shred chicken breast leftover from dinner and make chicken noodle soup or put leftover grilled salmon on top of a salad.

28. Use Items Before They Go Bad

Nothing wastes money like throwing away groceries you never use. Know what items you have in the refrigerator and routinely move them around so you don’t end up chucking things that go bad before you ever have a chance to use them.

29. Purchase Items Online

You don’t have to drive to your local grocery store to find good deals on the items you use every day. There are many websites that have great deals online for food, paper products, and health and beauty items so don’t be afraid to search for deals from the comfort of your home.

30. Join Loyalty Programs

Most stores have loyalty programs nowadays and signing up for them can help you earn plenty of discounts and free products. Loyalty programs are simple to use and you can sign up for them at all your favorite stores.

With these 30 tips for saving money on groceries, your monthly budget is sure to stretch further. And who doesn’t love that?

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FAQs

1. How to save money on groceries with coupons?

While learning how to save money on groceries with coupons, the top 5 things you should do to get started are to sign up for loyalty programs at local retailers and online, clip and print coupons you will actually use, organize your coupons by category, take advantage of sales, and familiarize yourself with coupon policies at each grocer you frequent.

2. How to save the most money on groceries?

Preparing for your grocery trip before you hit the store or jump online is key when it comes to saving the most money on groceries. The more effort you put in beforehand, taking an inventory of what you already have, checking out the sales available, and meal planning, the more money you’ll be able to save each month.

3. What money-saving grocery hacks work at every store and online?

The money-saving grocery hacks that work at every store and online are buying only what you need, taking advantage of existing sales, buying whole foods in bulk, using apps, and joining loyalty programs.

Sources

• Science Direct: Buying Groceries Online: The Influences of Electronic Service Quality (eServQual) and Situational Factors
• The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Grocery Store Interventions to Change Food Purchasing Behaviors: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: Seasonal Produce Guide

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What’s your favorite way to save money on groceries? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.