How To Save On Groceries

Putting food on the table is an expense that you can’t get around.  Everyone has to eat!  Additionally, with our increasingly busy lifestyles, many of us find we’re eating out more often or grabbing take out on the way home…that or buying pre-made meals from the grocery store, which is both far more costly and far less nutritious than a well-planned meal at home.  While there is no way to eliminate the cost of groceries from your budget completely, there are a number of methods that help you pay less for them.

Meal Planning

The key to sticking to a grocery budget is developing a meal plan before you go to the store.  When you take half an hour to plan what meals you will eat throughout the week, you can create a grocery list based on only what you need to make those meals.  Get a blank calendar and plan out your family’s meals, look to see what you already have in your cabinets and refrigerator, then make a list of anything you need to buy to fill out your meal plan.

One way to save when planning out a week’s worth of meals is to use the grocery store sales ad to see what items are on sale.  Base your meals around what items are on sale and what items you may have coupons for to get the most value.  Hopefully there will be something good on sale.

Once at the store – do not buy anything that isn’t on your grocery list.  The number one reason people stray from a grocery budget is because they buy items spontaneously as they walk through the grocery store. Stick to the list, and you’ll stay on track.

Meal planning also ensures that you don’t waste food.  How many times have you come home with fresh vegetables and fruit only to throw them out the following week because you didn’t use them all (I do this pretty much every week)?  Planning how you will use all of your groceries eliminates wasted food and saves money.

Coupons

Many people argue that saving 20 cents off an item isn’t worth the hassle of cutting the coupon out and handing it to the cashier.  The trick to using coupons, however, is to use them in combination with store sales or store coupons.  (You can usually use a manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon on the same item, increasing your discounts).  If your store has any buy-one-get-one-free offers, look for coupons on those items, too!  You’ll get two for less than the cost of one with this technique.

Never buy an item just because you found a coupon for it.  This defeats the purpose and will not save you money.  Only used coupons for the products you would normally buy anyway.

Buy in Bulk

Some items cost less when you purchase them in larger quantities.  Stocking up on dry and canned goods that will not expire before you use them is a good way to save money on the price per item.  Just remember you have the items and incorporate them into your meal planning.

Grow Your Own

If you can, growing your own fruits, vegetables and/or herbs can be very cost effective.  Not only can the produce save money on your summer grocery bills, but if you can or freeze the produce you can make good use of them through the fall and winter months, too.