When I entered my twenties, like any other person, I didn’t care how much I was spending on my groceries. Whenever I ran out of food, or the pantry became bare; I would drive to the grocery store, and pile up my cart with anything that looks appealing to my eyes or taste buds. As
When I entered my twenties, like any other person, I didn’t care how much I was spending on my groceries. Whenever I ran out of food, or the pantry became bare; I would drive to the grocery store, and pile up my cart with anything that looks appealing to my eyes or taste buds. As a working female, I didn’t have any time to cook meals, so ready-to-eat had been my savior. I didn’t pay much heed, until I moved out of my parent’s house, and had to manage money that I came to see my horrific ways of shopping.
The first thing I did was to draft a budget list for groceries; as grocery was the only thing which was out of control. I had no idea how to control or shop on a budget, nor did I know any tips or tactics to save money. Therefore, after extensive research and taking suggestions from people, I’ve found numerous money-saving tips on groceries to cut my expense.
There are several ways that anyone can implement and save big on groceries. Here are ten simple, money-saving tips on groceries I use, which cut my grocery bill in half!
1. Plan Ahead & Save Big
So, to save money on groceries; you must plan, not after setting foot into the grocery store. Make a list of essential items, and jot down the budget you can spend on those items. Invest your time on this list, think it through – it’ll pay off greatly.
2. Buy Raw, Whole & Bulk
Raw items are cheaper because they aren’t processed. So, naturally, they cost less than precooked or ready-to-eat. Buying in bulk will help you save big time, and the items will last longer. Look for breakfast cereals, or packs of detergents, which don’t put a dent in your pocket.
3. Make a Menu
It sounds like a tedious job, but when you’re on a mission of saving money on groceries; this tip will help you a lot. Make a menu for what you or your family want to eat in the coming week, and then go shopping. The list will ensure you’ve all the ingredients to prepare healthy dinner, instead of take-away or pizza orders.
4. Set a Realistic Grocery Budget
Setting a realistic approach towards the grocery list is critical to saving money. If you were spending like $1000 on grocery, it wouldn’t get on $200 overnight. It’ll take time, and you’ll have to know what essentials to buy and whatnot. – The saving will be slow, but steady.
5. Checkout Sales or Discounts on Items
On every Wednesday, there’s a weekly sale on every grocery store. They also post online promo codes and leave various pamphlets of discounted items on your threshold. Grab every sales opportunity you get and utilize it to put together the list.
6. Purchase Season’s Produces
In every season, there’re certain foods; that’ll be cheaper. Buy in bulk – you’ll get them on wholesale rates, and if you end up with large quantity; freeze them till you need it. Stick to seasonal fruits and vegetables for the best quality.
7. Coupons and Discount Codes
Coupons are of great value for your grocery shopping. Though the savings are small, they do put a significant effect on the total bill. You should use coupons frequently, and they’ll help you to maintain your grocery budget.
8. Buy Big Meat and Freeze It
Another tip for saving money on your groceries is to buy meat in bigger cuts. This way, it will last longer than you had anticipated.
For instance: buy a whole chicken, use the breasts and thighs for meals, utilize wings and extras for sandwiches, and boil up the remaining to use as stocks for soups.
9. Grow Your Vegetables and Fruits
You can plant various vegetable and fruits in your garden – it’ll help you in following ways:
1: You’ll have fresh, organic, flavour vegetables and fruits in your garden.
2: You’ll save a lot of money.
3: You can plant lettuces, tomatoes, green chillies, carrots, etc.
10. Select a budget-Friendly Store
The best way to shop, if you don’t have time to clip coupons, is to focus on stores that save you money with their generally cheaper rates. If this is the way you save money; avoid expensive grocery stores, period!
For Instance: Walmart is known to offer 20% lower prices than any other grocery store, or Aldi and Traders offer daily basis low prices.
In simple words:
The main money-saving tip of all is: buy only what you need. This is the crucial tactic of all, and the most difficult one. If you buy impulsively; chances are your grocery list will be increased by 20 – 30%. Therefore, follow all the money-saving tips on groceries mentioned above to save more money.
