With the rising cost of groceries putting a strain on household budgets, people are thinking smartly about how they shop. To help you out, we take a look at 15 creative ways to help you save money on your groceries:
Meal Prep
Grocery budgets can change weekly; sometimes, we must be more frugal than others. By planning your week, you can designate a daily budget and plan your shop around the food you have decided will fit best. With a grocery list written down, you are less likely to impulse buy when you get to the store, so you can be confident that you will spend your money wisely.
Embrace Leftovers
Part of your meal planning can include leftovers so that no food or money is wasted. You don’t want to waste the effort you have put into making delicious food by throwing leftovers in the trash. Repurposing leftovers can allow you to create new dishes, save time on cooking lunch, and save money.
Utilize Your Pantry
Before heading to the store, take stock of your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what ingredients you need. By duplicating items, you can save money and plan your meals around what you have.
Check Out Discount Bins
Many stores offer discounted produce that’s perfectly edible but may not look the best. You can embrace wonky vegetables and smashed cans with missing labels and save a small amount of money each week. Stores will also discount items about to go out of date and generally put them out at certain times so you can time your shop to grab a bargain.
Ditch Brands
Popular food brands often are more expensive than generic “own brand” items. The more expensive brands often offer the same quality as name brands at a fraction of the cost, so you can save money by switching.
Frozen Options
Frozen fruits and vegetables are flash-frozen at peak ripeness, locking in nutrients and keeping food fresh. Frozen foods are often considerably cheaper than fresh ones and will last longer in your freezer, minimizing waste.
Canned Good
Like frozen foods, canned goods like beans, lentils, and tomatoes are budget-friendly staples with long shelf lives. You can stock up on cans when offered, as they will only go off for a few months or even years.
Hit the Farmers Market
While food from farmers’ markets is often expensive, the quality is excellent. Your support for local farmers is often recognized, as suppliers often offer great deals for seasonal produce when it’s in abundance.
Bulk Buy
If you have the storage space and a membership card, warehouse clubs like Costco can offer significant savings on bulk purchases of pantry staples. If you need help with storage or the upfront cost of bulk buying, you can team up with family members or neighbors and split your purchases.
Embrace Ethnic Groceries
Walk down the world food aisle or visit dedicated ethnic grocery stores for spices, grains, and other staples. The cost in specialized stores is much lower than in traditional supermarkets, as these stores buy in bulk, knowing they have a target audience to sell to in large quantities.
Shop with a Full Stomach
Grocery shopping on an empty stomach is a recipe for impulse buys. Eating beforehand will avoid those hunger-induced cravings, so you can say goodbye to buying piles of chips and donuts you don’t need.
Beware of Marketing Tricks
Supermarkets are designed to make you spend more money, and they employ various tactics to achieve that goal. Be mindful of eye-level placement and “sale” tactics such as buy one, get one free, as they are often not the bargain they make out to be. It would be best always to compare unit prices to ensure you get the best deal. For example, how many dollars per ml does your usual oil cost compared to a different brand?
Write Lists
Always list what you need from the store and stick to it. Throughout the stores, temptation will be in your way, but keep pulling out your list and remembering your planned budget.
Consider Apps and Rewards
Many grocery stores offer apps with coupons, loyalty rewards, and digital receipts to track spending. Please remember only to use the offers that will benefit you. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean you need to buy it, and just because something has a dollar off doesn’t mean it’s a bargain.
Embrace Meatless Meals
One of the best ways to save money on groceries is to reduce meat consumption. Meat can be expensive, so plan vegetarian meals a few times a week to save money and explore a healthier diet.
15 Cheap Drugstore Makeup That’s Better Than Department Store
