15 Budgeting Hacks to Save Money on Grocery Shopping
Weekly or monthly grocery shopping is one of the fun activities. However, it is not uncommon for us to be tempted to buy a lot of things when we are at the supermarket. Our intention might be only to buy kitchen necessities, but then the basket was full of snacks and discounted items that we didn't need.
- 1 How to Save Money on Groceries
- 1.1 Calculate The Money You Need to Spend
- 1.2 Know When to Shop
- 1.3 Clean Up Your Pantry
- 1.4 Think Before You Buy in Bulk
- 1.5 Start Storing Your Meals
- 1.6 Consider Paying With Cash
- 1.7 Order A Curbside Pickup
- 1.8 Try Different Grocery Stores
- 1.9 Buy Meat Only When It's on Sale
- 1.10 Use The Items That You Buy
- 1.11 Negotiate Everything
- 1.12 Skip The Packaging
- 1.13 Don't Be Afraid to Return The Items
- 1.14 Shop at The Farmers Market
- 1.15 Grow Your Own Food
In order that your expenses are not too excessive, it is important to plan and calculate your monthly grocery budget. Sure, grocery prices can be hitting ridiculous prices, but you don't have to spend a lot of money on it.
How to Save Money on Groceries
Here are a few easy ways on how to save money on groceries:
1. Calculate The Money You Need to Spend
You can make a meal plan and grocery list before you leave your house. When you get to the grocery shop, stick to the list. Don't give yourself any room for buying things you don't really need. If you go shopping with your family, you can let your kids help to plan the meals and find the items.
2. Know When to Shop
When it comes to getting a good deal, timing is a key. Some experts say it's cheaper to do your food shopping on Wednesdays. That is because grocery stores restock their shelves in midweek and mark down what they didn't sell from the week before.
You can also try to avoid shopping on the weekends, because the bigger crowds equal fewer deals.
3. Clean Up Your Pantry
You can look through your pantry or fridge, and see what kinds of meals and drinks you can throw together with the ingredients you already have. You might still need to buy a few items, but you'll save a lot of money by using food you already have.
4. Think Before You Buy in Bulk
The big bulks with a discount at the stores are not always automatically the cheaper option. When you're grocery shopping on a budget, make sure to stop and compare the price per unit for the item that you're buying so you can save money for groceries. Don't buy items more than you really need.
5. Start Storing Your Meals
You can start to make a bunch of freezer meals and then reap the benefits later. Not only will you save money but you will also save time.
6. Consider Paying With Cash
The best way to make sure you'll end up with a lower budget is to stick to your grocery budget plan and pay it with cash. When you go to the store with cash in hand, you will know exactly how much you can spend, because once the cash runs out, you will have enough.
In this way, you can save money for groceries and you'll have a better picture of how much you can actually afford on every grocery shopping.
7. Order A Curbside Pickup
Shopping online can be an easy way to compare brand prices, see what's on the sale, and watch the total prices add up in real time without the calculator.
When you order your groceries for curbside pickup, it's a lot easier to avoid the temptation to buy more items when you can type everything you need into the search bar.
8. Try Different Grocery Stores
If you want to save money on meals, be sure to check the weekly ads in your closest area for what's on sale at competing grocery stores. You may find out that shopping at the store down the street is costing extra money in the long run.
9. Buy Meat Only When It's on Sale
You can look for cuts of meat that are cheaper alternatives to what you usually buy. Instead of buying chicken breasts, choose chicken thighs. Also skip the sirloin and grab a ground chuck.
10. Use The Items That You Buy
Try your best to actually use the items that you buy at the grocery store. Put a list of meals inventory on the front of your refrigerator to help jog your memory. Just don't let your food go to waste.
11. Negotiate Everything
The first key to getting a big bargain is to negotiate everything to save money on grocery, even at the grocery store. The sticker price is the starting point, not the final price. You just have to ask to negotiate.
This doesn't mean you should stand at the checkout counter and shout about the new prices at the cashier for each item they scan. But if you notice that the fruit you're about to buy only has two days before it expires, ask for a discount.
12. Skip The Packaging
You can go for the unpackaged fruits and veggies whenever you can. They're much cheaper and usually healthier too. You will have to spend a little extra time chopping and prepping for it, it's more money back in your wallet.
13. Don't Be Afraid to Return The Items
There are times after we go shopping, we feel the items that we purchased are not in accordance with what is needed. If the grocery shop allows the buyers to return their groceries as long as the product is still sealed, then don't be afraid to return it. Otherwise, you will end up wasting money on something useless.
14. Shop at The Farmers Market
Although not everything at a farmers market is going to be cheaper, by the end of the day, most farmers don't want to take their food home with them. You can walk around your local farmers market at closing time and see what kind of deals you can get.
Make a reasonable offer for the box of items they have left. Chances are, you'll get a great deal of such delicious fresh fruits and veggies.
15. Grow Your Own Food
Growing your own food is a great way to eat healthy on a budget. You can grow your own fruits or veggies in your garden and you won't have to buy any at the store. You can just grab them from your garden.
However, if you don't have a garden yard, there are plenty of indoor garden kits out there. You can start small by planting herbs like parsley, cilantro or rosemary right there in your kitchen window. If you can't use your harvest right away, you can just puree and pour it into ice cube trays to freeze.
Grocery budgeting can help you lower your monthly grocery bill as long as you can stick to your budget plan. That way, you can invest for the future or save it for something fun. Now that you know how to easily save money on groceries, try one of these budget tips on your next trip to the grocery store.