To go along with Kristy’s great tips on committing to saving in this new year, our friends at Coupon Mountain have provided us with a great guest post. It is always good to have a reminder about these basics of saving on your grocery budget.
10 Tips to Save on Groceries
The average American spends nearly 13% of their annual income on food. Unfortunately, that’s one cost we can’t cut out of our budget, but we certainly can reduce it! Next time you go to the grocery store, keep these tips in mind to help you save on your food costs.
- Make a list. If you go to the grocery store without a list, you will inevitably buy things you don’t need. Without a list, you’ll be scanning the isles just looking for things that sound good rather than thinking precisely about what you need. You may even end up buying something you think that you are out of, which is a huge waste of money, especially with easily perishable foods.
- Plan meals ahead. Knowing what you will be cooking for the week will help you to make an accurate list of exactly what you need. You can save even more if you plan your meals around the weekly ad. Try to plan meals using only sale items and you can save tons!
- Don’t shop when you’re hungry. As tempting as it is to browse the grocery aisles when you’re hungry, avoid doing so at all costs. You’ll end up filling your cart with anything that looks remotely delicious, then when you get home you will regret buying so many items on impulse.
- Try purchasing store brands. Store brands are much cheaper than the big brand names, and most of the products taste exactly the same! If you are the kind of shopper who only buys brand names, give the store brands a try. Once you see how much money you’re saving, you may never go back to name brands again!
- Don’t throw away leftovers. Leftovers are a great way to help you save on your grocery bill. Save whatever you don’t eat and use it as a dinner a few days later, or pack it in your lunch and take your delicious homemade meal to work. When you plan to have leftovers, make sure it is a meal that reheats well like pasta or chili.
- Use everything you have. Don’t waste food by letting things sit around until they go bad. If you have a bunch of leftover ingredients, find a creative way to combine them into one meal. This will ensure that you get the most out of your groceries.
- Shop while the kids are at school. If you shop with your kids, they will constantly pester you to buy expensive and unhealthy junk foods. Shop while they’re occupied so you can not only shop in peace, but you can also make healthier food choices when your kids aren’t persistently nagging you to buy them sweets.
- Get rewards cards. Rewards cards really do help. You save every time you shop when you use the rewards card for the store. They’re usually free to sign up for, so get one on your next shopping trip!
- Avoid using paper goods. Washing dishes is no fun, but wasting money is even less fun. Paper plates, napkins, and utensils add up when you buy then often. Assign a different family member to wash the dishes every night so no one has to do it too often.
- Always use coupons. Coupons can save you a ton of money if you use them right. Look for them in your local paper, online, or even right on your mobile device. Be sure to check out the printable coupons section at Coupon Mountain and of course you can always find great printable right here on 4our2cents! (find them on the right sidebar or in our menu drop downs).
About the Author: Kiley Theiring is a film student at Chapman University who also loves to write. She writes about saving money and living frugally for Coupon Mountain and also maintains her own personal blog.
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