9 Surprising Ways to Spend Less on Groceries

| August 5, 2013

couponpic3Especially if you have growing kids, you understand how expensive it is to keep everyone’s tummy full. That’s why you need a few surprising ways to save money on groceries.

Check Store Flyers

They advertise the week’s sale items. Plan your menu around what’s on sale, and you’ll feed your family for less. Most circulars can also be found online so you don’t have to go to the store twice that week. Most shoppers consider WalMart the cheaper store but when you take advantage of store sales on the circular, especially the buy one get one free, you’ll be saving a lot more money.

Cook From Scratch

Processed foods, including canned soups, TV dinners and deli meats add expense to your grocery bill. Plan to cook every meal from scratch. You’ll be amazed at how much money you save and how much healthier you eat.

Write a List

Have you ever wandered up and down the grocery store aisles while tossing stuff that looked tasty into your cart? If so, you end up with tons of stuff you may or may not use, and your grocery bill will be through the roof. Always take a list, and follow it precisely. That discipline helps you control your food budget and ensures you have all the ingredients you need for filling meals.

Clip Coupons

You don’t have to be an extreme couponer to save money on groceries. Just look for inserts in your newspaper, check product boxes and look online. Clip the coupons for products you use, and remember to use them before they expire. Likewise, you save double when you use a coupon to buy items that are on sale. There are even multiple phone apps that offer convenient ways to find coupons for the food you buy.

Stock Up On Sale Items

Every four weeks, grocery stores place the same items on sale. So, stock up on four weeks’ worth of sale items once a month.

Appreciate Generic

Generic brand groceries now offer the same excellent taste and quality as their branded rivals. Always look for the more affordable generic brands on low and high shelves. You’ll also find generic or uncommon brands in discount stores like Ollies and Aldi.

Take Advantage of Rain Checks

Advertised sale items sometimes sell out quickly. Ask customer service for a rain check, and pick up the items for the sale price the next time you’re in the store.

Buy Bulk

What foods does your family love? Most stores sell rice, grains, coffee, meats, candy and nuts in bulk. You pay per pound, so buy as little or as much as you want. You’ll only save money, though, if you’ll actually eat the bulk foods you buy.

In addition to bulk bins, save money on multipacks. Everything from ketchup to candy is sold in large packages that are often more affordable than single packs.

Skip Junk Food

Not only are chips and sweets expensive, but they’re also unhealthy. Stop buying junk foods to lower your grocery bill.

Never bust your budget at the grocery store again. With these nine tips, you’re set to feed your family and save money every week.

BIO: Alicia is a content coordinator for a tech company that helps sell Mustang parts. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking healthy meals, and blogging about health, tech and communication.

 

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Category: Budget, Coupons, Saving Money, Shopping

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