It’s no longer shocking to see that the prices of groceries have gone out of control. A recent study has shown that since 2020, more than 80% of grocery shoppers are complaining about a significant surge in the prices of groceries.
At this point, you might wonder if it’s still possible to save money on groceries despite the inflated prices. However, there are still smart ways to save money on groceries even if it’s just a few bucks.
The moment you know how to save money on groceries, you won’t be found in the category of shoppers who constantly complain about how expensive groceries are.
There are numerous tips on how to save money on groceries that you can start learning right now to make your purchases at the grocery store less expensive. This post has revealed 10 different ways to save money while purchasing groceries as of 2024 at your favorite store.
How Can I Save A Lot Of Money On Groceries?
You can save a lot of money on groceries by being clear about your budget. Undoubtedly, grocery prices are ridiculously high, but that shouldn’t compel you to burst your budget without thinking twice. When you prepare a defined budget for your grocery purchases, you will be cautious about your spending habits.
For example, if you realize a tin of tomatoes is quite expensive at your favorite store, you might want to check a different store to see if the item can be purchased for less to stay within your budget.
What Grocery Store Saves You The Most Money?
Several grocery stores make it slightly easy for you to learn how to save money on groceries, yet the most common store known for its cost-cutting strategies is Aldi. This store is famous for selling grocery items that are much cheaper than most American grocery stores.
Although Aldi is originally from Germany, the company expanded its business into the United States years ago, helping countless Americans save money on groceries daily.
Does Spending Less On Groceries Help Your Finances?
Spending less on groceries has a significant impact on your finances. If we are to be honest, groceries are essential items we consume and use daily, which means we need to constantly purchase them to survive. Imagine saving money on items you frequently purchase; it would do your finances a lot of good, especially when you are on a quest to reduce your expenses drastically.
Usually, you would be able to reduce or avoid credit card debts when you spend less money on groceries. Your budget, on the other hand, won’t be tossed out the window.
How Much Should Be Budgeted For Grocery Shopping In A Month?
Ideally, there’s no specific amount of money that should be budgeted for groceries every month. You should create your budget based on how much you earn each month.
Nevertheless, the Dave Ramsey Budget, a popular budgeting strategy by American financial advisor, Dave Ramsey, suggests that 5% – 15% of your monthly take-home pay should be budgeted for food and home supplies. As long as you keep your grocery purchases within this percentage, you’d do just fine.
How To Spend Less On Groceries
If you want to drastically reduce the amount of money you spend whenever you visit the grocery store, here are some of the smart grocery shopping tips you can employ:
1. Redefine Dinner
A lot of people picture dinner to be an elaborate homemade meal. But the truth is, you don’t always have to get a nice cut of meat, a large warm load of French bread, and two steaming sides of fresh veggies before you can have a nice dinner with your family.
Give yourself a break and resort to something much simpler and more affordable. In fact, you can do breakfast for dinner, especially when you live alone.
This means you won’t have to purchase many grocery items for dinner. If you are married or living with your partner, you both should discuss it and come to a mutual understanding of why you need to learn how to spend less on groceries by making your dinner moderate.
Moreover, you will save time by not preparing a three-course meal every night. You can prepare a delicious egg salad sandwich for dinner in less than thirty minutes, and this will save you money and time.
2. Think Before You Buy In Bulk
Although buying groceries in bulk is actually one of the ways to save on groceries, these big purchases must be made at the right stores. Some grocery stores offer their loyal customers reasonable discounts when purchasing groceries.
Notwithstanding, this doesn’t mean you must constantly buy groceries in bulk, especially when you don’t really need them. Most people who have learned how to save money on groceries don’t consider bulk purchases a brilliant idea.
Moreover, some groceries such as vegetables and fruits can go bad if they are not properly preserved or consumed in time. Hence, before buying in bulk, think clearly – don’t buy so many groceries that would get spoiled. That would be a waste of money, which contradicts your goal of saving money on groceries.
3. Shop At The Right Time
Timing is crucial when it comes to getting a good deal. Many experts have suggested that shopping for groceries on Wednesdays is cheaper. This is because most grocery stores restock their shelves midweek while marking down the items they were unable to sell the previous week.
This means you might be offered a different (lesser) price. But if you visit the grocery store during weekends, you will spend more money because the crowd gets bigger, which inflates the prices of groceries.
Also, the time of the day you go shopping is very important. For instance, going to the bakery right before closing time might help you get a favorable deal since the bakery counters are trying to sell off what’s remaining quickly. Shopping at the right time can help you master how to save on groceries.
4. Freeze And Store Meals Now
If you are still figuring out how to save money on groceries, you must start embracing freezer meals. There are numerous freezer meal recipes online that can help you get started.
For example, you can choose a Saturday to prepare various freezer meals which you can store and enjoy later. Aside from saving money, this method will help you save a lot of time, especially if you are a working-class individual who doesn’t intend to eat out.
Also, you won’t be in a situation where you have to eat the same meal every day, getting scared that your ingredients may go bad.
5. Pay With Cash
While trying to learn how to save money on groceries, one of the biggest mistakes you can ever make is shopping for groceries with your credit card or even your debit card. Since you are looking forward to reducing expenses, purchasing groceries using only cash is advisable.
Shopping with cash is a well-known strategy that helps you spend less money, and it helps you to avoid impulse buying and save money, whether you are buying groceries or not.
6. Make A List
This is one of the common ways to save money on groceries. Create a grocery list and meal plan before visiting the store. You must also ensure you stick to the list you have created. You may be tempted to spend uncontrollably, but don’t be quick to forget about your goal of spending less.
Shopping with your spouse or kids is a good strategy to help you stick to your grocery list. This means that you must have created the list together with them so when it’s time to shop, you can all make a unanimous decision on the listed items that should be bought.
7. Shop In Season
When shopping for groceries on a budget, it’s important to consider the season you’re in. For example, when you purchase pomegranates in mid-July, they are more expensive because they are not in season.
Moreover, they won’t taste great, depriving you of enough value for your money. During the year, it’s important only to purchase veggies and fruits in season. You can buy them in bulk if you want but make sure you aren’t spending more money than you’ve budgeted.
8. Try Different Grocery Stores
If you are interested in learning how to save money on groceries with coupons, you must be familiar with different stores.
In your city, various grocery stores can offer you value for your money and still provide coupon codes that can be used to save extra cash. This means you have to be willing to take your time to accumulate the coupon codes while purchasing groceries at different stores.
Another reason you should try different grocery stores is to find the best place to get discounted groceries. Most times, we prefer to shop at a convenient grocery store, perhaps because the store is close to our home.
However, we might not be getting the best prices at that store. As a result, it would make sense to try a different store to see if it’s possible to get groceries at affordable prices.
In the United States, some of the cheapest grocery stores are Aldi, Costco, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Food 4 Less. These stores can help you master how to save money on groceries.
9. Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry
If you want to really learn how to save money on groceries, don’t ever go grocery shopping when you are hungry.
Whenever people are hungry, they tend to do some silly things. Hunger can make you say what you don’t mean, think weird stuff, and eat what you aren’t supposed to eat.
Remember that due to your health, you must understand how to save money on groceries and still eat healthy. Don’t be desperate to spend your money on many processed foods that may not be nutritious. You may be tempted to do this since you are hungry and too lazy to cook.
Moreover, shopping while you are hungry might compel you to buy more than you need, thereby overspending. But if you visit the grocery store with a full stomach, you won’t be desperate to pick up every food item you come across.
10. Buy Only What You Need
Getting a good deal is important, but if a good deal compels you to buy what you don’t need, you probably didn’t spend your hard-earned money on a good deal after all. Ideally, you are meant to buy something because you really need it, not because a good deal is enticing you.
Some grocery stores usually try to boost sales during weekends by creating special offers. Sometimes, the grocery items in these special offers may not be on your prepared list. However, you may be tempted to buy the items when they seem very affordable.
Knowing that you always have to buy only what you need is one of the smart grocery shopping tips you need to caution your spending.
Final Thoughts On How To Save Money On Groceries
Now that you know how to save money on groceries, you can see that it’s not so difficult.
Try implementing these simple strategies during your next trip to the grocery store. By the end of the month, you might be surprised by how much extra money you have saved. This can enable you to reserve extra cash for paying down debt, saving, or investing for the future.
If you want to learn more about how to reduce expenses and save money, quickly check out this guide that reveals some of the best frugal living tips that will help you save a ton of money.
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