Tips to Help Save Money on Grocery Shopping

Buying food for your family doesn’t have to break the bank. Even with rising prices, there are ways to save money on groceries without sacrificing quality or living on ramen noodles Tips to Help Save Money on Grocery Shopping.

Start by mineing those coupon inserts tucked into your Sunday paper. Next, consider going for store brands over brand-name items.

Build a baseline grocery budget

Creating a grocery budget is a great way to understand how much you’re spending on food. It’s also a good tool to help you save money on groceries and free up dollars for other areas that need it, like debt repayment or your emergency savings fund.

There are many resources online and in apps that can help you create a baseline figure for what your grocery spending should be each month. There are also university-produced calculators that can give you a rough idea of what your food budget should be based on the cost of different items and family size.

Having a set number for how much you want to spend each week or month will help you stick to your shopping list and avoid buying items that you end up throwing away or eating too often. And don’t forget to take a look at what you have in your pantry and fridge before making your shopping list — this could save you money too! You might have perfectly good chicken thighs hiding in the back of your freezer or a couple unopened cans of beans in your pantry.

Become a meal planner on weekends

As a money expert says, grocery prices are “sky high” and “it’s hard to avoid impulse buys.” To help you stay on track with your spending, it can be helpful to meal plan at home on the weekends. You’ll be more mindful when purchasing items and less likely to waste food (or money!).

Make your plan based on recipes that include a mix of healthy options as well as ones to satisfy comfort cravings. Don’t forget to factor in the ingredients you already have in your pantry and fridge.

It’s also wise to check your credit cards to see if you have any rewards programs that can be used to pay for groceries. Using the right card can save you 1% to 6% on your grocery bill, which can add up over time!

Shop for most foods once a week

Feeding a family is expensive enough without having to spend your entire paycheck on groceries. Thankfully, there are some easy steps you can take to save money when shopping for food.

First, always shop with a list. This will help you curb impulse buys and make sure that your shopping trip is efficient. You can even make a master grocery list that you edit every week before you go to the store. This saves you time from zigzagging around the market, retracing your steps and ultimately wasting your hard-earned cash.

Also, if you live near multiple grocery stores, shop at several and compare prices on your favorite items. This helps you find the best deals and may even help you cut your total spending in half.

Don’t forget to scour the weekly store flyers for coupons and sales. If paper coupon cutting isn’t your thing, try downloading your grocery store’s app or using a web browser add-on that will scan and automatically apply online coupons to your purchases.

Lean on store brands

With rising food prices, it’s no secret that trips to the grocery store can become pricey. But with smart shopping habits, you can keep your pantry, fridge and freezer full without breaking the bank.

One of the easiest ways to cut your grocery bill is by leaning on store brands. You can often find just as many quality foods for a fraction of the cost, especially for things like cereal, canned goods, cleaning products, condiments and baking staples.

Don’t be afraid to use coupons, either in newspaper circulars or in the store apps for your favorite grocery stores. However, be wary of buying something simply because it’s on sale, unless you have a specific plan for it in your meal plan that week.

Finally, try to avoid impulse buying, especially when you’re in the crowds at the grocery store. Shoppers who purchase items on a whim are much more likely to overspend. If you’re shopping with children or a partner, consider splitting up the list so that you can better control your budget.

Study those shelf labels

A little planning and restraint can go a long way in keeping your grocery budget under control. Try these tips the next time you hit the store and see how much money you can save!

Buying items in bulk is almost always cheaper than buying them individually. Plus, you can avoid wasting food by only purchasing what you need. Look for products like canned tuna, beans and rice in the bulk aisles.

Check your local grocery store’s website for sales and promotions. Most stores run weekly specials that include 2-for-1 deals on items you purchase regularly. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of your credit card’s cash back feature if you have one.

Use a calculator while shopping to keep track of your total costs. This will help you avoid any surprises at the checkout counter. Also, remember to factor in sales tax when estimating your totals. Lastly, consider using an app to compare prices from store to store. This is especially useful for items that tend to fluctuate in price, such as produce or dairy.

Learn to love the cheap cuts

As the cost of groceries rise, it can be tough to keep food in your pantry, fridge and cupboards without going over budget. But if you’re willing to be intentional and stick to a few tried-and-true tips, you can fill carts, pantries and stomachs with food that still respects your budget.

Start with a grocery list that’s based on your meal plan, and then go only to buy what’s on it. This will help you avoid impulse purchases and waste.

Shop for store-brand products rather than name brands, Consumer Reports says. They’re usually about 20-25% cheaper, and they’re often of comparable quality.

Don’t fall for grocery stores’ “eye-level” tactics, where the most expensive items are placed at eye level so you’re more likely to splurge. Keep your eyes peeled for more affordable options on higher or lower shelves.

Consider using a cash back credit card for your grocery shopping, if you have one. You’ll need to pay close attention to spending caps, possible annual fees and rotating categories, but a card that pays 1%-8% back on all your grocery expenses can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in savings.

Shop your local international stores

When you’re traveling, the grocery store isn’t just a place to pick up snacks. It’s a window into another world where ingredients can evoke powerful and sometimes sentimental connections to identity.

That means that if you’re planning to travel in the near future, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the local store chains of your destination country. This will help you make the most of your travel budget by enabling you to find stores that offer a variety of products that are still within your budget.

In addition, it’s also a good idea to research the payment options and credit card requirements of your destination country ahead of time. It’s important to know if the local store accepts Visa or Mastercard and whether or not they charge foreign transaction fees.

In order to stand out from the competition, international grocery stores must identify and define their niche. This involves deep research into the specific cultures of a particular region and developing a unique selling proposition to attract a loyal customer base.

Conclusion

Aside from your mortgage or rent, the food you eat is probably the biggest check that you write every month. Fortunately, you don’t need to reconcile yourself to a diet of $0.99 cups of petrified noodles to keep your grocery budget in the green.

Using couponing strategies and smart shopping habits can help you save big on groceries and other everyday essentials. These tips can help you cut down on your grocery bill and open up more of your income for other things.

Many supermarkets also offer loyalty programs to attract and retain customers. These can include free or discounted items and cash back. You can find these deals by browsing the weekly grocery flyers on a mobile app like Flipp, which consolidates weekly ads from all stores in one place. Another tip is to compare prices at different grocery chains to find the cheapest options for specific items. This could save you an extra $20 or more per shopping trip. Finally, be on the lookout for manager markdowns. These are additional discounts that can be applied to your total purchase at the cashier.