One of the things I’ve learned as a grownup is that buying groceries is expensive. Seriously, I waste so much money on food. So, if you want to save money on your groceries, I’ve come up with the following tips that have helped me over the years:
Make A Grocery List
One of the biggest mistakes you can do when grocery shopping (besides going while you’re hungry) is to head to the store without a grocery list. If you want to save on your groceries, make a list before you go.
Without a list, two things happen: you buy whatever looks good simply because you think you’ll eat it later on. And you end up with a bunch of different items that don’t make actual meals. Then you end up eating crap or eating out… neither of which is the ideal money-saving outcome.
So, before you even head to the store you can save on your groceries by doing up a list of the things you need to make the meals you want to eat during the week!
Buy Generic
With the exception of a few things (Kraft Macaroni and Cheese comes to mind), the generic and brand name items are pretty much the same thing. Only you pay significantly more, in comparison, on brand name items.
So where you can switch out your brand name products for discount products. There’s no need to cook with Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese if you’re making a dip, the no-name brand will do just fine—trust me, I make a ton of dips!
Skip the brand, go generic and save on your groceries annually!
Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
Not only will eating more fruits and vegetables help you save money, but it will help make sure you eat healthier.
On the scale of food costs, buying fruit and vegetables is actually quite inexpensive. Save for if you’re purchasing organic food (which I always like to recommend, but isn’t a great idea if you’re trying to save), stocking up with fruits and vegetables for the week can help you save on your groceries.
And not only are they healtier and cheaper, but you need to purchase less of them because they fill you up way better than a box of something crappy and pre-packaged!
Shop At Discount Stores
Finally, if you want to save on your groceries, hit up the discount stores. Everything from discount produce stores to dollar stores can help you save some serious bucks on your weekly grocery bill.
While there are a few things that I’m skeptical to purchase at discount stores, when it comes to food-based products, if you stick to the brand names at the dollar store (and ONLY at the dollar store) and check your fruits and vegetables before you buy them, you can actually save a lot!
How do you save on your groceries? Share your tips and tricks!
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Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!