24 Grocery- Saving Tips
Do you want to cut down on food costs? Does the cost of feeding you and your family give you headaches? Do you cringe at seeing the checkout tab?
Here are some great tips for you. Cutting food costs is doable and can even be a fun challenge.
1. Make a list and stick to it
Having a list helps you to set limits and focus on grocery needs. Great money saver!
2. Use a calculator to keep you on track
Great tracking tool for staying within the budget and excellent for doing those tricky calculations with scales and unit prices.
3. Stock up on sale items (non-perishable)
Of course, stock up on items you will be using in the future, not just because they are on sale.
4. Check out the “reduced items” section
Lots of great finds here if you “peel away the layers”. so to speak. Think soups and casseroles.
5. Don’t grocery shop when you are hungry
Watch out!! Our hunger will get the best of us and our money too! Items will show up in our cart that we actually don’t need and the grocery bill will reflect it.
6 Price Match
Some stores offer to match the lowest price of other stores. Read the policy of the stores beforehand.
7. Buy no-name (generic) products
Really, the only difference between no-name and brand name products is the absence of marketing costs and fancy packaging. The quality is generally the same.
8. Buy (fruits and veggies) in season
Fruits and veggies are generally cheaper when bought in season (and fresher, having traveled less). This is the time to buy them and freeze them for later use. the other alternative is to buy frozen when out of season or freeze seasonal foods for later.
9. Shop according to your reward points
Many grocery stores offer some kind of rewards system through points. These points are sometimes linked to foods bought in that particular store. You can build your list around these products to get extra savings.
10. Use coupons
Some use them and some don’t. But sometimes it is possible to team coupons up with store sales. It is also possible to get rain checks on coupons.
11. Buy frozen rather than pre-cooked
Frozen foods are often a better deal, price-wise. then buying the pre-cooked version.
12. Check unit prices when evaluating a sale
Compare sizes and quantities when evaluating prices to see if there is a reasonable saving. Sometimes the price by the unit is cheaper and there may be less waste in the long run.
13. Start shopping in the middle aisles versus the fruits and veggies section
By starting here, you can shorten your time spent in the grocery store. Starting in the fruits and veggies aisle, the many colors tend to keep us into this section for longer than we need to be there and we tend to forget about the other items we need to buy.
14. Don’t buy on impulse
Impulse buying feels good at the moment, but your grocery bill will not feel so good as a result of buying on impulse. These little “fun” purchases can add up quickly and make an unwanted and unexpected hit in your grocery budget.
15. Avoid the snacks and soft drinks aisle
Honestly, we don’t need them. Sure, they are great for parties and get-togethers, but for regular grocery shopping, it is better to stay focused on what we need.
16. Don’t buy from the middle shelves
The middle shelves are where the most expensive and most advertised products are- at eye level. Stay away to save.
17. Avoid pre-cut fruits and veggies
Pre-cut fruits and veggies, as well as the fruit and veggie trays, are always more expensive. it is better to do the cutting up and prepping at home and save the money.
18. Don’t buy bottled water
It is totally unnecessary to buy bottled water. It is not any healthier than tap water and the plastic bottles are a drain on the environment. Just all around, a waste of money.
19. Stay away from individually packaged items
These are usually far more expensive than bigger packages and it is easy to divide the big package into smaller partitions at home.
20. Pay attention to the cash register as items are rung up
Mistakes happen. Items on sale sometimes don’t show up as a sale. Cashiers sometimes miscount items. Be a vigilant shopper.
21.. Do an inventory and use what you have at home first
Have a look at what you already have on hand. There may be some meal ideas there. It is more economical to use what you already have than to buy more new food.
22. Make use of farmers markets
If you go at the right time of the day (end) and use good negotiating skills, you can find some good bargains at the farmer’s markets. Try going on a rainy day and you may get better bargains. Plus the food at the farmer’s market is fresher (than in grocery stores) and will likely last longer.
23. Do meal planning
Plan meals around the sales and frugal ingredients. Having a plan will help you stay away from the temptation of eating out. Be creative and flexible.
24. Reuse
Old food? Food that you don’t know what to do with? Find a new use for it. Can it be used in a soup or a casserole?
What ideas do you have for saving money at the grocery store? I Would love to hear from you.
Diana’s passions are family, travel, self-improvement, living a debt-free/financially free life. She loves hanging out with family, friends and being with her dog, Skye. You can connect with her through livingandstuff.ca
