Always find yourself overspending at the grocery store? looking for a way to save money on groceries? well, you’ve come to the right place. Furthermore finding ways to save money on groceries is one of the best ways to save money. In this post, we will be sharing with you 16 smart ways to save money on groceries which will really cut down on that household spending.
There are many studies that show the average amount of money spent on groceries and the average amount of food wasted. Furthermore according to the United States Department of Agriculture families of 4 spend between $700 to $1,000 a month of grocery shopping alone. In addition, this can amount to a lot of money especially considering the average family of 4 also waste around 40% of food a month.
If you spend $700 on groceries a month and waste on average 40% you will be throwing away $300 worth of food. This does seem a lot but this is the average spend for many American families. In addition to cutting down the amount of food wasted each month, there are many ways in which you can keep the cost down at the grocery store with our 16 smart ways to save money on groceries.
You may be thinking that saving money on groceries will compromise the quality of the food you purchase. However, you can still eat well on an affordable grocery budget.
Below we will be showing you 16 smart ways to save money on groceries on your next trip to the grocery store.
How to save money on groceries:
Planning your trip to the grocery store before you go is essential. By planning you’ll not only save time but money. You’ll be able to look for deals, sales and even shop for exactly what you need.
We’ve come up with a list of things you should plan which we will talk about 16 smart ways to save money on groceries in more depth further on in the post.
- Shop using a grocery list every time you shop.
- Plan your weekly meals.
- Check if any of your items are on sale.
- Take all the coupons you need.
- Know your grocery stores so you can get the best deals.
- And many more!
Meal plan to save money on groceries
Planning meals has enabled us to eat healthier, save money and time and even have less food waste.
Many of us work long hours and may not have time to plan meals at home. Fear not if your having trouble planning meals why not try the $5 Meal Plan. This is a great way to save time and money as they send meal plans directly to your email and has become one of our favorite plans.
The plan works by sending meal plans directly to your email alongside the exact grocery list you’ll need to construct your meals. It costs $5 a month and they even give you the first 2weeks free what a bargain! In addition, if you break down the cost each meal only costs $2 per person. If you feel like this is the plan for you click here to join.
Shop using a grocery list
There are many advantages to using a shopping list, it enables you to know what you need, how much you need. If you shop without a grocery list you may end up buying items you don’t need and will end up throwing away. Many households throw food away as they have spoilt and are normally purchased when not needed.
Many grocery stores rely on shoppers to browse down every aisle entice them to purchase unwanted goods. If you shop with a grocery list you’ll go down the aisle you need to and only purchase the goods on your list.
Check if any of your items are on sale
You can check in newspapers, online and in the mail for great deals and discounts available in your local grocery stores. Grocery stores tend to have sales on a regular bases and you can really bag yourself some bargains. In addition don’t just buy items because there on sale think smart and stick to a list.
Knowing the items that are on sale is a great way to plan your meals and stock up on items you use regularly.
A good example is chicken or lamb maybe on offer so you can plan your meals for the week around these proteins. Other items such as fruit can be purchases and frozen so it can be used at a later date.
Use all the coupons you need
This may seem like a simple way to save money, but many of us tend to skip this step. If you have a coupon for an item on your grocery list don’t forget to use it. The main reason for losing out on coupons is forgetfulness or even laziness but these little spinets can really save you money.
There are many places in which you can find coupons such as:
- Newspapers and magazines
- Online store weekly ads
- online
- In grocery store magazines
- On cell phone apps
- And many more
You may think saving a little amount such on groceries is not work carrying or even searching for coupons but they can really add up. Sometimes they coupons when used can cut a big percentage off your overall grocery bill.
Some of us can go the other way and become coupon happy. Don’t just buy items or list them on your grocery bill because you have a coupon for it as this can lead to wastage of food and money. Also, don’t overbuy on item to get the most out of your coupon as this can lead to an oversupply of items.
Know the different grocery stores
The are many different grocery stores in which you can do your weekly shop in. Different stores will have different prices, sales and even shopper experiences. Looking for offers within different stores will enable you to plan your shopping around these stores and save extra money.
Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry
Shopping for groceries when your hungry can really play a big part on overspending. When your hungry everything can look appetizing and you may find your self spending on items you wouldn’t orderly buy.
Purchase a water filter
Many Americans tend to spend hundreds on bottled water each year. Purchasing a water filter will give you the same quality of water straight from your home. You can purchase a water filter here.
There are many studies such as The Water Project that suggest the average person in the U.S spends $100 a year on bottled water.
There are some towns in which the water is not safe to drink however on average many of us can use a water filter.
Compare prices on items
Depending on the offers available non branded products can sometimes be more expensive then the branded competitors. Before deciding on an item to buy you may want to check the price comparison so you know the exact brand to purchase and save money. Always compare quality and size as some items maybe smaller.
There are many items you’ll be able to buy the non branded version of as the taste difference is not noticed. These items include Sugar, Rice, Cereal, and canned products.
Complete an inventory check
When was the last time you did a good inventory check ? You may have items berried in your fridge, pantry or freezer that you’ve forgotten about. Try to plan your meals around the items you already have.
Look for items on the top and bottom shelves
Normally many grocery stores stock the most expensive items on the middle shelves. This is typically because our eyes tend to look there first.
When your shopping scan every shelf to make sure your getting the best deals and not missing out.
Avoid Pre-made and pre-cut items
Pre-cut fruits and seasoned meats are significantly marked up in price. By purchasing these pre-packed items you end up wasting a lot of plastic as well as money.
In a supermarket i recently visited there were peeled oranges being sold in a plastic container. Oranges are easy to peel and take no time to prepare why would you want them peeled for you for double the price?
Watch your items being scanned
Having worked in retail for a number of years I know that some items don’t always ring up correctly or twice even. This is why its wise to watch your items being scanned as it can help avoid paying the incorrect price.
If you watch your items being scanned its a lot easier to spot price errors and rectify them Immediately.
Look for the clearance rack
Grocery stores tend to have clearance racks or even a whole aisle dedicated to discounts as they cannot sell them in time.
You can find items such as meats, breads and many more for a fraction of the cost. I managed to get a 5kg bag of dog crumbs for half the price which is amazing!
Sign up for the grocery store’s loyalty card
Many grocery stores have a loyalty card that you can sign up to which enables you to save up to 10% on your groceries. Some loyalty cards send out coupons in the post for you to use on your next purchase.
It’s easy to sign up for a loyalty card and can be activated in seconds. It may be worth signing up even if its not your regular grocery store as the saving can be significant. You may also find items cheaper in other grocery stores each time you shop and you’ll already have your loyalty card ready.
Go shopping with cash
The best way to shop in my option is with cash.
By shopping with cash you can purchase the items on your shopping list and will watch what you buy. If you take a certain amount of cash you’ll make sure you stick to that amount .
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