5 Ways to Save Money While Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping can be hazardous to your health…and wallet if you don’t follow these tips:
Mrs. O.G. is the usually the one who’s in charge of the shopping in our house, so when Joe asked me to write about how to save money, I had no choice but to rope her into this little soiree. So, sweetie pie, how exactly do we save money shopping?
Step 1: Make a list. The biggest mistake “rookie” shopper make is just wandering into a store, grocery or otherwise, without an action plan. In our house, we plan out our menu for the next couple weeks, take inventory of the necessary ingredients, and make a list of the remaining purchases. Nothing is more wasteful than coming home from the store with a fresh bundle of carrots, only to find the same amount in the refrigerator.
Step 2: When you’re buying fresh food, like produce, buy it during its harvest season. For example, it seems like strawberries are quite plentiful right now, while Honey Crisp apples seem to be running out. There’s plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables out there, just make sure you buy what’s in season.
Step 3: Generic usually tastes as good. I say usually because I abhor store-brand almonds, but absolutely adore Blue Emerald brand almonds. Don’t ask me why. But for things like black beans, pasta (which we’ll talk about in a second), tuna, etc., generic works just as good and it’s usually 30% less than brand name. In fact, some name-brand items will “private label” specific items for sale at certain stores – think the Kirkland brand at Costco. If you’re family is picky like mine, ease into it – buy some generic items and substitute them slowly; see if anyone notices. They probably won’t.
Step 4: Be smart with coupons and sales. We used to get the newspaper each day, but realized the only thing we needed and wanted it for was for the Sunday coupons. Take 30 minutes each sunday afternoon to breeze through the sunday paper looking for sales and coupons and file them away. We make it a family affair since our kids l.o.v.e. to cut things.
Step 5: Shop healthier, eat healthier be healthier. Eating processed foods that have artificial flavors, colors, and tons of sugar is bad for you. It’s also bad for your pocketbook. Many people think that eating “healthy” costs too much, or is too hard to do, but in you stay away from the interior aisles, you’ll save money and be healthier.
Five quick and simple ways to save money while shopping, according to Mrs. O.G. What ways do you use in your household to save money while grocery shopping? And how would you like $500? Would that make grocery shopping easier? Thanks to Rather-Be-Shopping.com for creating a fun giveaway of five fresh c-notes…they’re in the harvest season:
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Great tips! We pretty much do the same things that you do…shop sales, don’t buy caviar and crab legs, etc. We try to eat cheap most of the time and eat nicer meals a few times a week.
Holly@ClubThrifty recently posted..Extreme Hoarding: Pregnancy Edition…..and a Giveaway!
I make use of all these tips. Looks like great minds think alike
Making a list and sticking to it is important, and my wife is better at it than me. I will always see extra things I want to get, even though I know we should wait and check for sales and deals instead of buying on the spot.
DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted..$500 Cash Giveaway – Save Money with Coupon Codes
I normally buy generic whenever it is something that I don’t really care about the taste, but some generic items just aren’t as good – things like paper towels as an example.
Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted..The First Child: Opportunities for Savings
We use many, if not all, of these tips ourselves. We have a big master list we use when we shop and buy generic a lot of times. There’s only a few things we buy name brand because it’s just worth the extra money.
John S @ Frugal Rules recently posted..Giveaway: An Online Shopping Tool for Frugal Shoppers
We utilize all of these things at the grocery store. Generics are a good buy, but some things are not. Certain knockoff cereals just don’t taste the same.
Mackenzie recently posted..One Car Household? Gulp!
Our shopping trips are planned for us before we head out the door. We use eMeals, which shops all the “sales”, build a weekly meal plan and gives us the ingredients and a shopping list. Saves us a few hours a week, plus the stress of “what do you want? I dunno, what od you want?! JUST PICK SOMETHING!!!” conversations.
Jacob @ iHeartBudgets recently posted..Three Financial Tips for College Graduates
Nice tips. I think the list and buying generics are the most important. Those two save me the most money each and every week.
Grayson @ Debt Roundup recently posted..Be Money Savvy in 2013 – Use Your PPI Repayment to Get Your Finances in Order
Great tips. Probably the one thing that saves us the most is planning. By planning meals, making a list and going in and getting out is the best savings plan. If we ever go into a store to look around it takes alot of willpower to say NO!
Canadian Budget Binder recently posted..Shopping Tips We Use To Save Money
Good points! My wife and I put together a menu each week and my wife always shops with a list and coupons. We have altered our menu to include one or more vegetarian meals to save money and eat healthier.
krantcents recently posted..Rental Property Investing Tips
I admit I’m pretty bad with the whole shopping in season thing. I tend to stick with some basics that I like and know I’ll eat. That being said, I do try to avoid really expensive produce (like asparagus, my fave) when it’s not in season. And $500? yes please!
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Some of those stores have a coupon book upon entering the store. How would you know when fresh produce are in-season?
I have gradually reduced most processed foods to do it myself. Pizza takes a bit longer for example but is so much better and healthier. I like to control what is in my food now and it saves a lot of money too.
Pauline recently posted..Zero food waste challenge update: reuse and repurpose to avoid getting bored.
All of these are great tips. I’d add that in addition to paying attention to your local growing season, pay attention to what’s being grown in the opposite hemisphere, and you’ll get the second-best prices there.
Also, when we buy meat, it’s always in family packs that we break up into smaller amounts when we get home. Family packs always seem to go on deeper sale than smaller servign sizes.
Sara recently posted..Costs of our adoption; an update
We certainly agree with your points. Making a menu (which really is the precursor to the list) is key although I must admit that when Maria is away (as now), things for our son and me tend towards what we call ‘man food’…. However we do spend a lot less money!
John@MoneyPrinciple recently posted..My Father’s only investment
We recently found out that our no-no on generics is parmesan cheese. It was so gross. So gross. Great tips! We’ve gotta work on buying our veggies fresh, not frozen. Which really just means we’ve got to eat them when we buy them and not let them sit. I feel a new goal coming on…
femmefrugality recently posted..Because Super Cute Things Shouldn’t Break the Bank
I do them all but the coupons. I can’t get a coupon from my home to the store at the appropriate time. They end up on the refrigerator or in the car or worse, in my purse, neglected.
Barbara Friedberg recently posted..HOW TO MEASURE RISK & PROTECT AGAINST IT
Have you ever noticed how unfair it is that a bag of spinach costs $3.99 while a dozen donuts is $.99? It does take a bit of work, but you don’t have to go broke eating healthy, and we use all of your tips. If only I could get those dang Girl Scouts to quit selling cookies on the way out…..
Kim@Eyesonthedollar recently posted..Eyes on the Dollar 20/20 Roundup #25-Vote For Me!
These are very useful tips. Making a list is important. It is also practical to use coupons and avail of promotional offers as well. Retail outlets have a lot of these. The bottom line is to shop wisely.
Hey, you forgot to mention sliced fruit! What a ripoff!
Steve MoneyPlanSOS Stewart recently posted..Foreclosures like this make me sad
To me, saving on grocery shopping is often about motivation. For example, a great motivator for me to save money in general is the thought of growing old and needing money. Nobody wants to be old and broke!
Saving on groceries is similar, in the sense of not wanting to be unhealthy. Instead of buying junk, I’ll stick to what I need. Oh, I might spend a little more though on healthy food, if necessary.
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You may consider also to plant vegetables on your backyard or in a small pot. Small pots can save money for groceries by growing your favorite vegetables like tomatoes, bell pepper, onions, eggplants, leafy vegetable, etc.
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Great tips, MWD! …and they taste better, too! At least the ones my neighbor gives me every year do.