Saving money on groceries seems like a challenging thing. After all, you can\u2019t change the prices of staples like milk and bread.<\/p>\n
Or can you?<\/p>\n
In this article, I\u2019ll show you how to:<\/p>\n
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\u2019s what you need to know about saving money on groceries.<\/p>\n
At first glance, this may seem like quite a daunting suggestion. Trust me, though, after a while it\u2019ll 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\u2019s circular. See? You\u2019re already saving money on groceries!<\/p>\n
Look through the circular and make note of what\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Sitting down on a Saturday or Sunday and thinking through the week will allow you to create a grocery list of only<\/em> the items you need. Post the menu on your fridge, bring your list to the grocery store and stick to your plans!<\/p>\n Again, this may be something you don\u2019t feel you have time for. But if you get into the swing of things, you\u2019ll be multitasking, saving you time while you save money on groceries!<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to do it all at once, either. For instance, let\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s really that easy.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you go to the grocery store and they\u2019re having a sale \u2013 you can buy four boxes of cereal for $10. But think about it before you make that purchase. Do you need<\/em> four boxes of cereal? Or could you get by with just the one.<\/p>\n At some grocery stores, when an item is on sale you\u2019ll get the same discounted price for one item as you do for buying all four. So one box of cereal \u2013 one that you\u2019ll eat \u2013 is only $2.50. Stick with the one if you can help it.<\/p>\n Keeping this in mind, there are some things it\u2019s 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\u2019t do without! Don\u2019t hesitate to buy all the toilet tissue you want when you find a great deal!<\/p>\n Going meatless for at least one meal each week can help you save money on groceries! Think about it \u2013 what\u2019s cheaper, a pound of ground beef or a couple cans of beans? There are oodles of \u201cvegetarian\u201d meals you can make, even for suppers. Consider these options for your Meatless Meals:<\/p>\n If you like, go ahead and grab a vegetarian cookbook! While some of the ingredients may be pricier than the meat you\u2019re trying to avoid in the first place, you\u2019ll get many great ideas for meatless meals to help you save on groceries.<\/p>\n 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 \u201cnew\u201d bacon horseradish dip in the dairy aisle.<\/p>\n Leave the budget-breakers at home. Make yourself a grocery list, then tell the family you\u2019ll 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\u2019ve ever done for your budget.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Not familiar with stacking? Basically it\u2019s when you use, say, a store coupon with<\/em> a manufacturer\u2019s coupon and<\/em> an online coupon. The savings can be incredible if you do it right. Here are a few different types of coupons you can stack.<\/p>\n As you prepare your grocery list for the week, keep coupons in the back of your mind. Once you\u2019ve created your menu, see if you can find matching coupons at any of the places listed above.<\/p>\n You want to save money on groceries. But there\u2019s no need to tear your hair out trying to become a professional couponer.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve seen them. They\u2019re on television and online, claiming that they \u201cwork the coupon system\u201d to get items for free, simply by stacking coupon upon coupon until they do so. However, there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll never use, and that will expire before you even realize you can donate it to a homeless shelter?<\/p>\n Don\u2019t go crazy with coupons. If you have a spare Saturday with nothing more to do, sure \u2013 go for it. Otherwise it\u2019s not worth the time, time that would be better spent preparing your meals in advance or spending time with your family at the park.<\/p>\n Farmer\u2019s markets are no longer just people selling their produce. At farmer\u2019s markets you\u2019ll 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\u2019s market is a great way to save money on groceries.<\/p>\n People who sell goods at farmer\u2019s markets aren\u2019t just farmers. They\u2019re 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 \u2013 instead of 50 cents for a tomato, offer 75 cents for two. You get the idea.<\/p>\n During the holidays, farmer\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Think about what you eat for breakfast. Now, think about what you consider a satisfying lunch.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to rethink dinner. Supper doesn\u2019t have to be a huge ordeal. There\u2019s nothing saying you have<\/em> to have a meat, two veggies and a bread or starch. No way!<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Redefining the concept of dinner won\u2019t just save money on groceries. You may also begin to notice some improvements in your health, too!<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve set your weekly grocery budget, withdraw cash from the ATM (fee free, of course) and bring only<\/em> that amount to the store with you. That way, you have absolutely no choice but to stay within your budget.<\/p>\n I mean it. Don\u2019t even bring your credit card with you. If you\u2019ve brought $100 and your bill totals $102, then you\u2019ll be forced to rethink whether you really<\/em> need those honey mustard pretzels. Guaranteed.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Take advantage of these apps when it\u2019s smart to do so. If all you have to do is link your debit card to your account, it\u2019s probably okay. (Just be sure you ensure the company is legit.) If you simply have to use your grocery store loyalty card, awesome.<\/p>\n Exercise caution, though, with the brand-sponsored incentives. In most cases, it\u2019s cheaper to just buy the store brand than to opt for name brands. Don\u2019t buy something simply because you\u2019ll get cash back \u2013 do the math and buy the brand that\u2019s ultimately the cheapest.<\/p>\n Admittedly, this one\u2019s not for everyone. But you can take advantage of many, many<\/em> places that give away free food \u2013 you can even make a meal of it if that\u2019s your goal.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re 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\u2019s up to you whether you think it\u2019s socially acceptable.<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Okay, let me explain.<\/p>\n Go ahead and open a free email account. It doesn\u2019t matter what platform you use, just be sure you\u2019ll remember the username and password for the long-term. Now, spend an evening messing around on the internet, visiting your favorite retailers\u2019 websites.<\/p>\n Many restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and other establishments offer some great \u201cgifts\u201d 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!<\/p>\n Most retailers know that they\u2019ll have a lot of competition on your actual birthday. So, let\u2019s 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\u2019ll find:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t overlook the retailers you wouldn\u2019t ordinarily think of either. Even gas stations offer initiatives. For instance, I once received .15 off per gallon for my entire birthday month!<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t 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\u2019t grow on a vine, you can grow it in your home.<\/p>\n If you really feel that you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Most nations have some version of a \u201cdollar store\u201d where everything is the same price. In this case, we\u2019re talking about stores which offer everything for just one dollar.<\/p>\n Now, the items in these stores are probably smaller than those in your local grocery store. In that case, you\u2019re 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\u2019ll buy them for at the grocery.<\/p>\n When you shop the dollar stores, keep two things in mind:<\/p>\n Much of saving money on groceries is preparation. I promise \u2013 you\u2019ll be amazed at how much your grocery budget decreases when you simply plan your meals for the week ahead of time!<\/p>\n 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\u2019ll find you\u2019re spending much less money on food each week!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Saving money on groceries seems like a challenging thing. After all, you can\u2019t change the prices of staples like milk and bread. Or can you? In this article, I\u2019ll show you how to: Save money on everyday essentials you buy for your family Get groceries for cheap \u2013 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\u2019s <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-savings"],"yoast_head":"\n2. Prepare food ahead of time.<\/h2>\n
3. Don\u2019t buy more single items than you need.<\/h2>\n
4. Meatless Monday.<\/h2>\n
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5. Don\u2019t bring your partner to the grocery store.<\/h2>\n
6. Use coupons, and stack them!<\/h2>\n
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7. Please don\u2019t overdo the coupons.<\/h2>\n
8. Visit farmer\u2019s markets.<\/h2>\n
9. Don\u2019t make a big deal of supper.<\/h2>\n
10. Look up and down at the grocery store.<\/h2>\n
11. Bring cash to the grocery store.<\/h2>\n
12. Use cash back apps.<\/h2>\n
13. Get out and about to score free food.<\/h2>\n
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14. \u00a0Open a free email account.<\/h2>\n
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15. Grow a garden.<\/h2>\n
16. Don\u2019t skip the dollar or pound store.<\/h2>\n
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Summary<\/h2>\n