18 Tips for Saving Money on Groceries

Grocery shopping is one of the most frustrating experiences in life. We have to have food, it’s a necessity, but grocery store prices are skyrocketing.

Ladies, I know you want to save money and spend less on groceries, but budgeting is one of the most important aspects of grocery shopping. You could easily overspend if you don’t know how much money you have to spend on groceries.

And, with grocery bills getting higher and higher these days, having a grocery budget is more critical than ever.

It’s not impossible to save money at the grocery store. So, whether you’re looking to save a little money or a lot of money, read on for 18 great tips! 

Ways to Save Money on Groceries

 

1) Create Your Grocery Budget

You should already have a budget for all of your spending by now. However, if you don’t, it’s time to create one. An easy one to follow if you’re new to budgeting is the 50/30/20 method. 

Within this method, 50% of your monthly net income is spent on necessities, including your house payment, car payment, insurance, and groceries. 30% is for things you want but don’t need. And, 20% goes to saving and debt repayment.

To create a grocery budget, subtract 50% from your net income, then subtract needs from that number, not including groceries. What’s left is your grocery budget. If you don’t have enough left to spend on groceries, you’ll have to take it from the wants category.

2) Plan Your Meals Before You Shop

Second, to only budgeting, meal planning is one of the best ways to save money on groceries. 

Plan your meals for the entire week. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, and make your grocery list around the meal plan. When you go to the grocery store, stick to your shopping list and don’t let budget-busting surprises sneak into your cart. 

3) Eat Before You Shop

Hunger makes people do silly things like aimlessly wandering the grocery store aisles as if they were zombies. And everything that looks good will end up in your cart.

To ensure you stick to your budget, make sure you eat before you shop. Your wallet will thank you!

4) Plan Shopping Around What’s in Your Pantry

While you’re planning out your meals for the week, shop your pantry first. Chances are, you already have items that can be used for meals, which means you don’t need to buy more. 

There’s no sense in spending more at the store on items you already have. 

5) Compare Stores and Prices

Browse through store flyers to find the best deals for items you need. Some flyers list specials, while others allow you to clip coupons digitally with your phone. You can go online or download apps that let you see what’s on sale at stores like Aldi, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. 

Also, learn the sales cycles of all your local grocery stores. Different stores change sales on different days.

6) Shop at Different Stores

Why do you shop at your particular grocery store? Is it because it’s the closest to home or most convenient to your commute? If they don’t have great sales or are overpriced, it’s probably time to break up with them.

Sales are not limited to one store. Each store is unique and has different prices. Take advantage of this by shopping around for the best deals and plan your grocery trip accordingly.

7) Buy Generic Brands

Did you know that the less expensive brands are just as good as the name brands? Don’t be fooled by the label. Generic and store brands are just as good and cost a fraction of the price. You can save a lot of money by buying products that are not brand names.

8) Use Cashback Apps

When it comes to saving money on groceries, you should never forget about cashback apps. Ibotta, Receipt Hog, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards are a few of the great apps that can help you save. They’re different than coupons because they don’t provide an immediate discount – instead, the savings accumulate in the long run. The great thing about these apps is you can use them all together.

9) Avoid Buying Convenience Foods

Convenience foods are packaged prepared food like TV dinners or premade packaged lasagna. This also includes premade deli foods.

Convenience foods are expensive, and they are not always healthy. Instead, try to cook from scratch. It may take a bit longer, but it will save you money in the long run.

10) Cut Back on Meat

Meat is a costly grocery item. If you can get by without eating meat every day, you will save a great deal of money. Many delicious recipes do not include meat. If you experiment with these recipes, you will be surprised at how tasty they are.

Even if you only skip meat once or twice a week, you can save a good bit of money each month.

11) Shop in Bulk

Obviously, you shouldn’t buy some things in bulk, like produce and meat. But certain nonperishable items, like paper towels, toilet paper, and dry goods like pasta, dried beans, and rice, are worth stocking up on. These items are so shelf-stable that you can store them for a long time.

When these items are on sale, stock up on them to use later.

12) Shop at Discount Stores

Going to discount grocery stores will save you a lot of money. They offer great prices on food, household items, and other products, but the real savings come from canned and boxed items. Most cities, towns, and communities have stores that offer discount groceries. 

13) Use Store Rewards Cards

Joining grocery store loyalty programs is an easy way to earn discounts on your grocery bill without having to do much work. You can join a loyalty program that gives you access to exclusive deals and promotions. These loyalty programs are free and only take a couple of minutes to join. Some grocery chains offer discounts on gas at the co-branded gas station when you scan your loyalty card at checkout.

14) Use Curbside Pickup

Most grocery stores are now offering curbside pickup. You can go to the store’s website, do all your shopping, pay for your order, and pick it up without ever setting foot in the store. They bring your order right to your car.

Using curbside pickup drastically reduces the chances of impulse buying and overspending.

15) Pay With Cash

People often spend more money when using credit and debit cards. If your grocery budget is $150 for the week, then take that much in cash with you when you shop and leave your debit and credit cards at home. 

Since all you’ll have to spend is $150, it will be impossible to overspend, and you’ll be able to stay on target. If your bill is higher, you’ll have to put some things back.

16) Shop for Produce at the Farmers Market

Instead of buying produce at your local grocery store, buy it at the farmers’ market. Not only will it be cheaper, but there will also be more varieties, and it will be fresher.

17) Use Coupons

Coupons are your friend. Clip coupons from the newspaper or online, and use them when you go grocery shopping. Coupons can typically be combined with store sales and cash back apps, bringing significant savings.

18) Only Shop Once a Week

Only allow yourself one trip to the grocery store per week. The more frequently you go to the grocery store, the more opportunities you have to buy unneeded items.

Just set up a list and buy everything you need on one trip. Otherwise, you waste gas, money, and time driving to the store for one item you forgot. Not to mention, you could be tempted to spend on something you don’t need. 

 Final Thoughts

Saving money on groceries doesn’t have to be complicated and is a great way to save money overall. Following these easy steps, each week can significantly reduce your grocery bill along with cutting down on waste.