Groceries can take up a large portion of your budget, especially if you have a big household and need to take frequent trips to the grocery store. Luckily, there are some measures you can take to hopefully lessen the strain and save some money on your groceries.
Below, we listed 5 tips on how you can save money on your groceries:
Create a shopping list
Take inventory of what you have and what you need to stock up on. Then create a shopping list and make sure to bring it with you on your next trip to the grocery store. This method can help you avoid buying duplicate items you may already have hiding in the back of your fridge or pantry at home. It can also help you solely stick to your list and avoid making any impulse purchases. Planning your weekly meals ahead of time and jotting down all the necessary ingredients you’d need to pick up is also a helpful way to create your shopping list.
Buy in bulk
Purchasing your non-perishable goods in bulk will save you a great deal of money. Though buying in bulk may cost you more money up front, you’ll get more bang for your buck and the pennies you save with each purchase will add up and will end up saving you more money in the long run. Retail stores often offer lower prices per unit when you buy in bulk, so this is a great option for buying food and household items you regularly use. You might also want to consider joining a warehouse club such as Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale, or Costco to take advantage of even greater deals.
Clip coupons
Spend a few minutes a week to comb through catalogs and clip store and manufacturer coupons before your next shopping trip. Most retail stores offer weekly deals and specials that can save you some money on items you were originally planning on buying anyway. You can find most coupons digitally on a store’s website or mobile app for your convenience. And on average, the typical family can save about $7 on their weekly groceries using coupons!
Use your freezer
Frozen foods will not only last longer, but they can also be cheaper than fresh food varieties. And depending on the fruit or vegetable, frozen foods may retain more nutrients than fresh foods since they’re generally picked at peak ripeness and then frozen. You can also store foods such as bread, roasted vegetables, or meats in your freezer to make them last longer and use them all up before they go bad.
Shop generic
Most of the time, generic items taste just as good as their name-brand counterparts. Certain generic and name-brand items can contain the exact same ingredients and may even be manufactured at the same location! So if you’re trying to save a little more money and aren’t loyal to a certain brand, opt for the generic or store-brand version of an item.
