16 Simple and Effortless Tricks To Save Money On Groceries

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Are you spending too much on food and wondering how to save money on groceries? Did you know that you can cut your grocery budget by up to 50%? The average American household spends $520 on groceries per month. By following these tips, you could save, on average, $260 a month (or $3,120 a year)!

1. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach

When you go shopping on an empty stomach, you tend to make more impulse purchases to feed your hunger. This means that you’re more willing to pay extra on premium products that you normally wouldn’t buy!

Whenever I go shopping on an empty stomach, I end up buying a ton of overpriced junk food that I REALLY regret later.

The best way to avoid this is by EATING before going grocery shopping. Going to the grocery store on weekends after a big meal is my strategy!

2. Make a grocery list

Make a grocery list and stick to it to avoid any unexpected surprises! I used to grocery shop by just picking out anything that “looked like it might be useful.” The result? I usually ended up overbuying and wasting most of the food.

On the other hand, I would also forget essential items that I ACTUALLY needed which resulted in my having to return to the grocery store one more time (and thus, buying even more useless items that I didn’t need)! Do yourself a favour and make a grocery list before leaving the house! And stick to it!

I love to plan my grocery list around seasonal items and the store sales that are going on.

3. Plan your meals

Planning your meals and knowing exactly how much of each ingredient you need can help you to save time, money, and avoid wasted food. Not to mention, cooking in batches also saves you both time and money!

The $5 Meal Plan offers quick and easy recipes with the perfect grocery list to go along with it!

4. Buy seasonal

Products that are in-season will be priced lower than out-of-season products. This applies to fresh produce like vegetables, fruits, and meat. Learn which products are in season and avoid buying out-of-season products!

I love eating fruit. Instead of overpaying for cherries in the winter, I wait until the summer when they are in season.

5. Check flyers for deals

Check the weekly flyers for the best deals. Sometimes, the premium grocery store offers sales on items that make it actually cheaper than buying from the discount store! Always do your homework before going shopping and shop around!

6. Use coupons

You can also save on your grocery bill by checking for coupons and weekly deals in the flyers. The best place to look for coupons is on coupons.com. 

7. Get cashback

Ibotta is a great app that you can use to save money on groceries. The app lets you know which items are eligible for cash back. All you need to do is buy the item and then take a photo of the receipt for proof of purchase!

8. Shop the clearance section wisely

I love diving through the clearance section of the grocery store for some additional savings.

However, pay very close attention to the expiration dates! Don’t buy a product just because it’s on sale if you know you won’t be able to eat it in time! That’s just extra food (and money) wasted!

9. Stock up during sales

For non-perishable items like canned goods or rice, I will stock up on the product when it goes on sale. I will buy enough to last me until the next time the product goes on sale again.

My mom is really good at watching sales and she stocks up on a year’s worth of toilet paper.

10. Eat less meat

Meat is the most expensive item on your grocery list. I stopped eating meat in order to cut my grocery bill in half. The only time I buy meat these days is when it’s on clearance (which is almost never)!

11. Buy in bulk

Stop wasting money on plastic packaging.

Whenever possible, I opt to buy products in bulk. Why? So I get to choose the quantity I want and avoid paying extra for packaging (and therefore produce less garbage).

12. Buy generic

Skip the brand names and go generic. The generic brands are just as good as the brand name at a fraction of the cost.

13. Eat leftovers

Don’t throw away your leftovers! Pack them for the next day for work or school!

After living on my own, I’ve learned to love leftovers because that meant one less meal to cook!

14. Bring out your calculator

Don’t buy products based on the final price. Rather, pay attention to the cost per unit!

Most grocery stores will list the $/kg or $/lb on the price tag. However, if that information is not available, then you will have to calculator the cost per unit yourself. If math is not your forte, there is no shame in bringing out your calculator or smart phone to compute the cost per unit. It’s worth saving a few extra dollars 🙂

15. Leave the toiletries for the drug store

Although it might be convenient to pick up toiletries along with your weekly groceries, it is actually costing you more money! The grocery store prices toiletries higher than at the drug store because they know that it is saving you a trip to the drug store.

Unless it’s urgent, wait until the next time you head to the drug store to pick up toiletries.

16. Avoid pre-made food

I know I’m a sucker for buying pre-made food. It just looks so yummy and makes my life so much easier. However, if you want to save money, then walk away from the pre-made food!

You can just as easily buy the ingredients separately at a fraction of the cost.

Also, avoid anything that involves human labour, or it’s going to cost you. This includes: pre-washed salads, pre-cut fruit, pre-made salads, grated cheese, microwavable meals! Is it really worth paying a few extra dollars just for someone else to wash your salad for you or grate your cheese? Not when you’re trying to save money on groceries!

Key take-aways

This list includes all the tricks and tips that I use to save money on groceries. If you follow all of these tips, you could very well cut your grocery bill in half!

How much money do you spend on groceries per month?

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