Regardless of how many people you have to buy groceries for each month, the grocery bill is always a consistently huge household expense. Follow these the suggestions below and you will be able to spend less on groceries on a regular basis.
How to Save Money on Groceries
7 Simple Steps To Saving Money On Groceries
- Make a grocery budget and stick to it.
80% of your grocery lists should be the same. You will most likely buy the same cereals, the same milk, chocolate etc.
- Plan a 2 Weeks Menu
Discuss and establish a menu that lasts two weeks with the entire family. This will help you to use the same menu items more than once will maintaining a variety in meals. At the same time you will be wasting less time and still keeping everyone in the family satisfied.
- Use the Recipes to Develop your Grocery List
Be sure to check your pantry, fridge and freezer first so you don't buy too much of an item. It can be helpful to put the grocery list in the order that you will find the items in the store (bakery, deli, dairy, freezer, and meat). Jot down your estimate for the cost and total it up. If you don't come in under budget, you may have to do some adjusting or cutting.
- Look for Coupons
Go through the paper or search the internet for any coupons that might be available for the items you need. You can ask your friends and family to save coupons for you as well. Match your coupons to the list (and note on the list that you have a coupon and what it is for two for one, off of three, or whatever the discount may be).
- Buy Online
Buying grocery online is great fun. You can create an account with a few vendors, add in the items (your items will be in your list forever) and compare who has the best price. Chances are you will be able to buy from both vendors and have them deliver to you free of charge.
A word of caution though. Be careful with fresh food items. They may not be as fresh as compared to getting them yourself at the supermarket. These are some real examples;
Fresh milk - tend to have a shorter livespan
Eggs - tend to break & not very fresh
Yogurt - short livespan
Fresh fruits e.g Apples - tend to have some rotten ones inside
Fresh Tomatoes - you may get those with worms
Thankfully, all the online vendors have a free return policy for spoilt items or they will refund you the money for the spoilt goods. But it is still a pain to take photos of each spoilt items and email them for a replacement. Otherwise, online grocery shopping is super great fun.
- Buy in Bulk
When it saves you money and is possible, buy in bulk. Make sure to compare prices before buying, since bulk purchases do not always work out to be cheaper. Non-perishable items are the best choices, like paper products and cleaning supplies that you can use any time. If you opt to buy meat in bulk quantities, make sure you repackage it individually before you store them.
These seven tips on how to save money on groceries. They will help you reduce the money you spend on groceries, letting you put it to good use in some other way.
