A trip to the grocery store can become very expensive if we don’t make an effort or take some necessary actions to make our trip a little cheaper. Here are 6 simple tips that will help you save money on groceries.
If you have a big family, you, more than anybody else, know what I’m talking about here… After spending excessive money on food for several years, we decided to set aside a grocery budget.
We also found some great resources to help us save money on food and I will list them below as we go through all the tips.
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.
Let’s take a look at 6 simple ways you can save money on groceries
1. Always bring your grocery list with you
I always make our grocery list and I always bring it with me!
I know, I know… What if you forget it at home? Then, you won’t go grocery shopping even if you drive by the store? You’re kidding. Right?
Well, let me share a great solution for this problem with you: For years and years, I would write our grocery list on a piece of paper.
But here’s what happened… The piece of paper wasn’t always with me so I couldn’t add items to it as they popped into my head. And I also forgot to take it with me to the store.
Then, I found the AnyList app (there’s a free version and a more advanced, paid version), which keeps your grocery list organized by category.
You can also favorite the items you buy most, so it’s easier to find them later.
What’s great about this app is that it’s on your phone and I bet your phone never leaves your pocket or purse.
So, this is an easy and convenient way to have all the items in hand so when you’re at the store, you’ll stick to your needs and won’t spend extra money on what you already have at home.
2. Set aside a grocery budget
We used to buy everything we needed and wanted with no clue of how much it was gonna cost and how it would affect our total household monthly budget.
Can you imagine how much we spent when we went grocery shopping hungry?
I don’t even wanna remember. We bought all the items with the most buttery, juicy and delicious packaging. Do you do that too? Finally, we realized this wasn’t working in our favor.
We decided to set aside a monthly grocery budget. And it has been working perfectly ever since. Sometimes we go a little over, sometimes we’re able to follow it 100%!
The first month was the hardest for us to adapt to this new habit. Then, it became easier and easier. This decision allowed us to know exactly how much we will spend on food every month and it doesn’t blow our bills at the end of the month.
3. Plan your meals so you know what to get
I remember going multiple times a week to the grocery store and buying all the food that was in my list and a few extra “I just happened to stumble upon”.
My husband had the awesome idea of going only once a week no matter what. Creating a meal plan helped us know exactly what we needed and made it a lot easier for us to add things that really make sense to our grocery list.
If you like planning on paper, you can grab our FREE Meal Planning Kit right here to help you plan that:
4. Go grocery shopping on sale days:
We recently discovered that the Yoke’s Fresh Market in our neighborhood has a huge sale on fresh items such as produce and meats on random Fridays.
Every time they announce the sale is on, that’s where I will go for these items and I’m sure we were able to save around 15 dollars or even more every week by purchasing our items there.
Keep an eye out for the sales in your neighborhood markets. Each of them offers different sales.
5. Get cash back every time you shop:
A friend told me about the Ibotta app, which offers cash back on almost any type of purchase you make. From supermarkets to restaurants and clothing stores.
They have excellent deals on snacks, frozen items, personal care… basically anything on your grocery list. In my first month using the app, I was able to redeem almost $30.
That’s huge savings right there. Also, you get a $10 bonus just for signing up (when you redeem your first cash-back offer).
All you need to do is unlock the deals first, purchase the items, and scan your receipt! Cashback will be on its way to you and you can transfer it via PayPal.
Does it get any easier than that?
That’s one of the best ways we save money on groceries.
6. Get grocery coupons:
Most grocery stores have their own coupon booklets at the door or they offer some on their website. If not, you can find retailer coupons in the RetailMeNot app or in the Coupons app.
These apps have coupons for all kinds of products on your grocery list and will help you save tons of money on food!
These are my tips for saving BIG money on your groceries! I hope you like these tips and put them to good use!
Please share with us in the comments what you do to save on your purchases! I would love to know!
You can never save too much on food. It might allow you to go on an awesome family trip at the end of the year. Don’t ever underestimate the power of saving!
Don’t forget to win your $10.00 and get unlimited cash back.
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