11 TIPS TO SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES
October 01, 2020
When it comes to our most expensive expenses housing and food are the top two. There are many creatives ways to save money on groceries, the ones I'm sharing today are the top ones I put into practice on a daily basis and have helped me save hundreds of dollars.
11 TIPS THAT HELP US SAVE MONEY ON GROCERIES
1. Find alternatives places to shop and/or brands
The main way you will save money on your groceries is by switching grocery stores and shopping in a store that offers more affordable options and will give you more for your money. If you don't have affordable stores around your area, think about buying the store brand instead of known brands. 90% of the time the store brands are cheaper than the known brands and for the most part, they taste the same.
Other things you can also do is do your shopping in two different grocery stores- if buying organic groceries or certain brands are the top priority you can continue doing so and doing the remaining of your shopping in a more affordable store.
Affordable Grocery Stores
- Aldi
- Market Basket- NH, MA, Maine
- WinCo Foods- Arizona, Nevada, California, Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington
- Trader Joe's- Pretty much everywhere
- Walmart- Pretty much everywhere
- Kroger- Texas, NY, NJ, PA, MD
- Price Rite- MA, NH, Maryland, NJ, NY, RH, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
- Shoprite - NY, NJ, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
2. Get Rid Of Boxes in Your Pantry or Cabinets
Getting rid of boxes give you a clear idea of how much you got left the minute you open the door, this will help you avoid overbuying and/or underbuying.
DO
- Write the expiration date AND instructions under the item.
- Organize items that expire sooner at the front
- Have items with short expiration life- like bread at eye side where you won't forget about them
3. Make A List Before Your Grocery Trip
Is not just about making a list before your grocery trip is also about sticking to the list you made and not buying items that are not on your list.
TIP: Start your list the min you start to run out of stuff. Have a running list on your phone under "notes" for easy access and use.
4. Organize Your Fridge
Just like organizing your pantry and getting rid of boxes will help you see at a glance everything you own, an organized fridge will also give you the same results.
DO
- Place the expiration date facing where you can see them the min you open the fridge
- Place the open items and the items that expire sooner at the front for easy grab
- Organize your fridge by category.
Example: Milk, Juice, Water at the top, etc.
5. Invest in Food Storage Containers
Food storage containers are great to help your fruits and veggies in the fridge last longer compared to their plastic containers where they usually come. Containers are also great for your pantry for cereal, Oats, Raisins, Nuts, Powder items, etc.
6. Get Creative with Your Menu
Before you give up on the food you have on your pantry when your favorites items are done, find creative ways to cook what you have left in your fridge and in your pantry before making the next trip to the grocery store. I call this cleaning out the fridge and the pantry.
7. Buy Alternatives/ Easy To Make Food
If we are all being honest- one of the main reasons we order out and/or go out to eat is because there are some days that we just don't feel like cooking a long meal. Here is where alternatives easy food comes to play.
DO
- Buy things that you like and are good for your health
- Buy items that will take under 5 minutes to make that can substitute a meal
- Buy snacks you and your partner like to avoid random grocery or corner store runs
These items can be anything from Hotpockets, Sandwiches, Noodles, Preprapred meals, etc.
8. Invest in a Water Filter
I'm a huge fan of water filters, they not only help you save money since you no longer have to buy water bottles but they also help you save the planet (win-win) right. Getting a water filter will remove another item from your grocery list which means it will essentially decrease your grocery bill.
9. Buy items that Last Longer
When you go grocery shopping it is extremely important to look at ALL of the expiration dates. Switch into items that last longer like Milk and Juices that expire 2 to 3 months out. Invest in clips for clips and food that come in plastic bags to help them from going stale.
Also, buy your fruits and veggies on a weekly to bi-weekly basis so food does not go to waste and you don't find yourself spending more money than you originally budget for.
10. Don't buy everything in bulk
Take an actual inventory of your pantry and the type of food you usually make and their ingredients. This will show you how much you really use and how often you eat certain foods, doing this will help you determine if you really need to buy in bulk or not.
11. Meal Prep/ Plan Your Meals
If I'm being honest, I don't personally meal prep or plan my meals ahead of time BUT at our home, we usually do eat the same thing or a version of it. Because of this, food shopping has become easier.I have heard amazing stories about how people save a lot of money by meal prepping, because if you know what you're going to make, then you know exactly what you need to buy and nothing else.
If you're like me, you probably love food which means if you get carried away your grocery bill can easily add up, applying any of these tips can help you reduce your bill and help you save money. The end goal is to save as much money to be able to achieve your other money goals while also having food at home that you like and will not go to waste.
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