Saving money on groceries seems like a challenging thing. After all, you can’t change the prices of staples like milk and bread.
Or can you?
In this article, I’ll show you how to:
- Save money on everyday essentials you buy for your family
- Get groceries for cheap – or sometimes for free
- Use coupons wisely, without stressing yourself out!
Groceries are a necessary part of your budget. But if you follow a few tips and tricks to cut costs, you could be spending much less on food and other essentials than you ever did before. Ready to start saving? Here’s what you need to know about saving money on groceries.
1. Always plan your meals ahead.
At first glance, this may seem like quite a daunting suggestion. Trust me, though, after a while it’ll become second nature to you to plan your meals for the week ahead of time. The easiest way to do this is just to get your hands on your grocery store’s circular. See? You’re already saving money on groceries!
Look through the circular and make note of what’s on sale. Using the items that are on special, think of two or three meals you could create with each item. For example, pork chops could be served grilled, then the leftovers could be cut into strips and mixed with veggies for stir fry.
Sitting down on a Saturday or Sunday and thinking through the week will allow you to create a grocery list of only the items you need. Post the menu on your fridge, bring your list to the grocery store and stick to your plans!
2. Prepare food ahead of time.
Again, this may be something you don’t feel you have time for. But if you get into the swing of things, you’ll be multitasking, saving you time while you save money on groceries!
There are many foods which will keep in the fridge for a few days, and many more will last quite nicely in the freezer. Breads, rice, beans, eggs and even some pasta will freeze well. Simply portion food out into meal-sized containers and stash them in the freezer to pull out later in the week.
You don’t have to do it all at once, either. For instance, let’s say you cooked a whole roaster chicken on Friday. When the chicken cools, just shred it into manageable pieces and put the meat in the refrigerator. Then, make some chicken broth using the carcass.
The next day, take your chicken meat from the fridge. Portion it into three parts. One for crock pot chili, one for chicken salad and one for chicken lasagna! You can literally prepare all three recipes at the same time, creating three to five meals to pull out later in the week. It’s really that easy.
3. Don’t buy more single items than you need.
Let’s say you go to the grocery store and they’re having a sale – you can buy four boxes of cereal for $10. But think about it before you make that purchase. Do you need four boxes of cereal? Or could you get by with just the one.
At some grocery stores, when an item is on sale you’ll get the same discounted price for one item as you do for buying all four. So one box of cereal – one that you’ll eat – is only $2.50. Stick with the one if you can help it.
Keeping this in mind, there are some things it’s okay to buy in bulk when you find a good deal. Most canned goods will last for ages in your pantry. Staples like dry beans and rice will last a while when stored properly. Of course, there are always essentials like toilet paper that you just can’t do without! Don’t hesitate to buy all the toilet tissue you want when you find a great deal!
4. Meatless Monday.
Going meatless for at least one meal each week can help you save money on groceries! Think about it – what’s cheaper, a pound of ground beef or a couple cans of beans? There are oodles of “vegetarian” meals you can make, even for suppers. Consider these options for your Meatless Meals:
- Quiche (add extras like cheese, mushrooms or spinach)
- Breakfast for supper (cheesy eggs with pancakes)
- Veggie chili (add beans, mushrooms, half a green pepper, corn and onion)
- Corn-stuffed zucchini
- Salad greens with cheese and diced hard boiled eggs
- Tomato soup and grilled cheese (a classic)
If you like, go ahead and grab a vegetarian cookbook! While some of the ingredients may be pricier than the meat you’re trying to avoid in the first place, you’ll get many great ideas for meatless meals to help you save on groceries.
5. Don’t bring your partner to the grocery store.
Okay, you know the type. Maybe your husband is very particular about his brand of orange juice. Or maybe your wife is an impulse shopper, falling in love instantly with the “new” bacon horseradish dip in the dairy aisle.
Leave the budget-breakers at home. Make yourself a grocery list, then tell the family you’ll be back in an hour. Go to the grocery store yourself and take your time comparing prices, all the while sticking to your grocery list. Leaving your spouse or partner at home may be the best thing you’ve ever done for your budget.
6. Use coupons, and stack them!
There are tons of ways you can take advantage of coupons. There are also many websites that will help you find ways to stack coupons.
Not familiar with stacking? Basically it’s when you use, say, a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon and an online coupon. The savings can be incredible if you do it right. Here are a few different types of coupons you can stack.
- Double coupon days at your grocery store
- Manufacturers coupons you find in the newspaper
- Coupons you print from online sites
- Store coupons that are digitally added to your account
- Store coupons from the scanner machine at the storefront
- Coupons you find on the product itself
- Cash back offers from mobile and web apps
As you prepare your grocery list for the week, keep coupons in the back of your mind. Once you’ve created your menu, see if you can find matching coupons at any of the places listed above.
7. Please don’t overdo the coupons.
You want to save money on groceries. But there’s no need to tear your hair out trying to become a professional couponer.
You’ve seen them. They’re on television and online, claiming that they “work the coupon system” to get items for free, simply by stacking coupon upon coupon until they do so. However, there’s something you might have noticed about these people. Couponers featured online and on television have rack upon rack in their garages and pantries of useless stuff. Laundry soap, bars of soap, toothpaste and even pet food.
There is no way in heaven these people are going to use all this stuff. So why get it? Why stock your shelves with 32 tubes of toothpaste that you’ll never use, and that will expire before you even realize you can donate it to a homeless shelter?
Don’t go crazy with coupons. If you have a spare Saturday with nothing more to do, sure – go for it. Otherwise it’s not worth the time, time that would be better spent preparing your meals in advance or spending time with your family at the park.
8. Visit farmer’s markets.
Farmer’s markets are no longer just people selling their produce. At farmer’s markets you’ll find hundreds of other things, from birdhouses and local honey to handmade soap and even antiques. Of course, that means there are a lot of unintentional places you could spend your money. But, done right, the farmer’s market is a great way to save money on groceries.
People who sell goods at farmer’s markets aren’t just farmers. They’re local gardeners, florists and other people who just want to make a few bucks off their excess bounty. Take advantage of that! Many farmers and gardeners will haggle with you on a price – instead of 50 cents for a tomato, offer 75 cents for two. You get the idea.
During the holidays, farmer’s markets often become more like craft fairs. Local artisans will be eager not only to sell their winter (or summer, if you live in the southern hemisphere) produce, but also handmade, unique and inexpensive crafts.
9. Don’t make a big deal of supper.
Think about what you eat for breakfast. Now, think about what you consider a satisfying lunch.
It’s time to rethink dinner. Supper doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal. There’s nothing saying you have to have a meat, two veggies and a bread or starch. No way!
Instead of going all out, why not just keep supper simple? A chicken strip wrap with some pickles on the side is awesome on a hot summer night. In the winter, try some French bread with melted cheese and some steamed veggies. You get the picture!
Redefining the concept of dinner won’t just save money on groceries. You may also begin to notice some improvements in your health, too!
10. Look up and down at the grocery store.
Grocery stores employ some great merchandisers to ensure that all the expensive stuff is right at eye level. The name brand items that cost much more than the generic brands, for instance, will be right in your line of vision as you shop.
As you shop for the items on your list, be sure to check the top shelves and the bottom shelves. Hidden on those shelves are the great store brands, off brands (you may have never even heard of some) and other super discounts just waiting for you!
11. Bring cash to the grocery store.
Once you’ve set your weekly grocery budget, withdraw cash from the ATM (fee free, of course) and bring only that amount to the store with you. That way, you have absolutely no choice but to stay within your budget.
I mean it. Don’t even bring your credit card with you. If you’ve brought $100 and your bill totals $102, then you’ll be forced to rethink whether you really need those honey mustard pretzels. Guaranteed.
12. Use cash back apps.
Cash back apps come in all sorts of flavors. Some are linked directly to your grocery store, via a loyalty card. Others offer you a percent or two back when you pay at checkout with a credit card (your debit can be run as credit). Still others offer incentives for purchasing particular brands. For instance, buying a jar of your favorite salsa may net you 75 cents cash back.
Take advantage of these apps when it’s smart to do so. If all you have to do is link your debit card to your account, it’s probably okay. (Just be sure you ensure the company is legit.) If you simply have to use your grocery store loyalty card, awesome.
Exercise caution, though, with the brand-sponsored incentives. In most cases, it’s cheaper to just buy the store brand than to opt for name brands. Don’t buy something simply because you’ll get cash back – do the math and buy the brand that’s ultimately the cheapest.
13. Get out and about to score free food.
Admittedly, this one’s not for everyone. But you can take advantage of many, many places that give away free food – you can even make a meal of it if that’s your goal.
Whether you’re a professional, a college student or just want to save money on groceries, there are plenty of ways to eat for free. Here are a few ideas; it’s up to you whether you think it’s socially acceptable.
- Real estate open houses
- Business networking events
- College job fairs
- Supermarket openings
- Wholesale clubs (they offer samples throughout the store)
- University film screenings
- Apartment community get-togethers
- Downtown music festivals (be sure there’s free admission)
While some people may be too shy to take advantage of these opportunities, others of you may find that you can get quite a bit of free food just by getting out and about!
14. Open a free email account.
Okay, let me explain.
Go ahead and open a free email account. It doesn’t matter what platform you use, just be sure you’ll remember the username and password for the long-term. Now, spend an evening messing around on the internet, visiting your favorite retailers’ websites.
Many restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and other establishments offer some great “gifts” on your birthday. Be honest about your birthday, of course, but go ahead and use your free email account to sign up for those loyalty programs. Then, when your birthday rolls around, go to town!
Most retailers know that they’ll have a lot of competition on your actual birthday. So, let’s say your birthday is February 18. Beginning as early as mid-January, these restaurants and stores will begin to send you promotional emails, offering you free food. In your inbox, you’ll find:
- Free birthday desserts
- Free full meals at restaurants
- Significant savings at grocery stores
- Free donuts
- Free specialty coffee drinks
- And much, much more.
Don’t overlook the retailers you wouldn’t ordinarily think of either. Even gas stations offer initiatives. For instance, I once received .15 off per gallon for my entire birthday month!
15. Grow a garden.
You knew that gardening would make the list! But, in truth, gardening is one of the easiest ways to save money on groceries. Past the cost of the initial plant, everything you harvest from your own garden is free food.
You don’t need to have a huge garden to save money on groceries. There are many plants that can be grown indoors in all types of climates. Even some fruit trees make great indoor plants! You can also grow tomatoes, strawberries and even lettuce in indoor pots. Basically, if it doesn’t grow on a vine, you can grow it in your home.
If you really feel that you don’t have the space (or the desire) for a garden, why not simply start an herb garden? You can grow herbs like mint, thyme, basic and more in little pots on your kitchen counter.
16. Don’t skip the dollar or pound store.
Most nations have some version of a “dollar store” where everything is the same price. In this case, we’re talking about stores which offer everything for just one dollar.
Now, the items in these stores are probably smaller than those in your local grocery store. In that case, you’re not getting a great value for your money. That said, though, there are things you can buy at these stores that will help you save on groceries. Spices, for example, are sold for about a quarter or less at dollar stores than you’ll buy them for at the grocery.
When you shop the dollar stores, keep two things in mind:
- Although it’s a dollar, it may be as much as 25% lower at your local grocery. Be sure you check before you buy.
- Keep an eye on the expirations. Many times items at pound or dollar stores are so cheap because they’re close to the “sell by” or “use by” date.
Summary
Much of saving money on groceries is preparation. I promise – you’ll be amazed at how much your grocery budget decreases when you simply plan your meals for the week ahead of time!
However, coupons, knowing where to shop, and taking advantage of free food are also guaranteed ways to save money on groceries. Be a smart shopper and check before you buy and you’ll find you’re spending much less money on food each week!
