Save money on groceries

Posted on by in General, Opinion, Recipes & Food, Saving Money & Finances

save money on groceries

photo credit: dok1

So you want to save money on groceries? Well it’s not all that hard. Some things are just common sense and some things are just being in the know.

Hopefully the advice and tips within this article will set you on the right track and help you start saving today.

How to save money on groceries, our tips…

1. Find and use coupons

Coupons are awesome if used right, you don’t have to make any changes right away to your normal weekly/monthly shop. Just simply look for coupons in your local circular or just go straight online and grab what you need. Coupon Surfer offers an excellent selection and you can join simply by clicking on the banner below and filling in your details (banner is an affiliate link). You may also find our post on grocery coupons to print useful.

2. Write a shopping list

Before heading out to the store sit down and write a list of exactly what you need. Try hard to stick to this fairly rigidly and you will likely stop yourself from buying lots of pointless extras like extra cookies or potato chips. This tip always helps me save a lot of cash on my groceries! I will buy lots of pointless stuff and forget essentials without a good list! I also try and use this to estimate cost before I leave the house too.

3. Buy raw

Processed foods are often not cheaper than cooking the same thing from healthy fresh ingredients (in my experience anyway). Also you will have the added benefits that it’s much healthier and likely to fill you up more too. The fridge looks fantastic when it is overflowing with fresh colorful vegetables!

4. Go shopping on foot

Get some exercise, take the kids along (as bag carriers) and visit the supermarket on foot. I always shop on foot and it saves on gas or public transport which can actually be an expense that adds up in these days of high gas prices. Even shopping at a slightly more expensive local mart may be cheaper than driving out to a hyper mart.

5. Compare every price by weight

Most supermarkets will put the price per weight of their goods on the tag under the item. However if they don’t you can still just carry a calculator with you. Some people even keep a spreadsheet at home so they can work out what is cheapest where!

6. Create a route and schedule

To really maximize your budget grocery shopping you will find you have to visit different store for different items. Also with sales they may happen at different times of the month. Over the course of the next few months carefully plan a route. For example on the first saturday of the month you walk to the 3 local stores for month long dry goods. The 2nd Saturday of the month you go and buy your meat from a local farm store etc etc.

7. Buy In Season

Don’t just pick up fruit and veggies and throw them in your cart. Pay attention to their pricing. Certain crops fluctuate greatly throughout the year depending on what is in season. Strawberries in the winter just don’t taste right anyway!

8. Go on a diet!

This is debatable but if you are over eating then you would save a ton of cash simply by cutting down. Replace your over eating with healthy habits like drinking water, doing some DIY or going for a walk.

9. What ways to save money on groceries do you suggest?

These are just some quick ideas but there is much more that can be done. I would love to hear from you and find out how you save money on groceries or what you plan to do.

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18 Responses to “Save money on groceries”

  1. Nanaverm

    15. Jun, 2010

    A couple of other ways:

    Dumpster-dive out the back of the store, if it doesn’t have trash compactors. If it looks and smells good, it probably is.

    If your town/city has a Food Bank, offer to haul off those donations which can’t be given out (like rusty, expired, or dented cans). Much of the contents are fine – when in doubt, empty the contents into a bowl and check out the condition of the can. If not corroded, the contents are all the same color, and the can wasn’t bulging, the food inside is probably good.

    Look for meats marked down before their pull date. They can be tossed in the freezer if you can’t use them right away. Better yet, use the meat as flavoring if at all, and save the huge cost.

    Post a notice on FreeCycle or offer to pick up vegies from over-produced gardens.

    Really question the cost of processed food purchases like sauces, gravies, instant foods, salad dressings – You can make most at home far cheaper.

    Just a few ideas. For more info. on dumpster diving, join Dumpster Diver’s Paradise, a Yahoo group, for how-to ideas and camaraderie.

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    • Forest

      16. Jun, 2010

      Hey Nanaverm,

      Thanks so much. I am in Cairo right now so would not dumpster dive here but I am considering it back in USA or UK when I get back (who knows when).

      I was thinking of an idea that the government provide special bins to business for putting stuff that could be considered ok…. If the bins are clearly marked with a warning that the person has to take at their own risk then no one can be at fault if someone gets ill from the food and business can keep good wasted food separate without fear of repercussions… I know some business’s are now putting useful food waste in plastic bags at the top of their dumpsters for people to take.

      Would you be interested in writing a guest post about Dumpster Diving for this blog?

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  2. Norah @ Femita

    08. Sep, 2010

    Hi Forest,

    Dumpster diving is a bridge too far for me, but I like your other tips :) Maybe I can add one of my own tips: always check the unit price (per ounce, pound,…) instead of the package price if you want to compare two products. For more, feel free to check the article I just finished.
    Norah @ Femita recently posted..How To Save Money On Groceries Without Sacrificing Food Quality or TasteMy Profile

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    • Forest

      09. Sep, 2010

      Hey Nora, I have not dumpster dived yet myself but know plenty who have! I would never do it here in Cairo though.

      Great tip and something I always do :) . I find it sad when little packaged products beat bulk products in per ounce pricing. If it’s minimal I still buy the bulk to save packaging.

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  3. Suba @ Wealth Informatics

    09. Sep, 2010

    Buy bulk. Not for everything, but flour, rice, lentils… works great if I buy a whole 50 lb bag instead of buying small packs. And beans (kidney beans, chick peas, black beans..) works out very cheap if you buy dry all I have to do is remember to soak them overnight. I do have some cans for when I forget but mostly they are healthier and a lot cheaper to buy dry.
    Suba @ Wealth Informatics recently posted..Scent of a – The sense of scents to make centsMy Profile

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    • Forest

      12. Sep, 2010

      Absolutely Suba, one problem I have found with bulk is the possibility for infestations of different bugs (recently lost some bulk flour to flour beetles!)…. Proper storage and bulk saves a lot over time and leaves you well prepped for the end of the world ;)

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  4. Barb Friedberg

    09. Sep, 2010

    For those of you meat eaters out there-make a vegetarian meal once or twice a week; pasta & marinara is cheap and good. If you live near and ALDI-shop there. Super inexpensive.
    Barb Friedberg recently posted..A Sneak Peak Inside Barbara Friedberg’s Personal Portfolio-Part 2My Profile

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    • Forest

      12. Sep, 2010

      Absolutely Barb, ALDI can be amazingly cheap. Does make me want to see how they are getting those cheap deals though, could be screwing some poor farmers and suppliers over :(

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  5. Frugality tips

    10. Sep, 2010

    Many times people go shopping, with a vague idea of what they want, and get caught up buying much more. Or they go just for fun, as a form of entertainment. That ends up costing a lot.
    The tips you have suggested are very important and useful. They should be implemented if one wants to save while shopping grocery.

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    • Forest

      14. Sep, 2010

      Hey Frugality Tips, thanks for your comment :)

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  6. Printable Coupons

    15. Sep, 2010

    Great tips. I’ve been doing these as well.. and it works really well. With everything so expensive right now, we want to save as much as we can, right? especially with groceries, gas and clothing.. :)
    Printable Coupons recently posted..Save Up To 30 Off on LCD Monitors Free Shipping at BuycomMy Profile

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    • Forest

      16. Sep, 2010

      Hey Printable…. absolutely. Saving where you can is important.

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  7. rain@free groceries

    07. Feb, 2011

    hi there forest!well those were great tips already and something healthy (coz its like eat right and exercise) lol! for me, I just buy what I need and I don’t buy much since we are just 2 in the house. I hate it when some foods got spoiled or rotten. Its a waste, so I just buy enough for the two of us. And I don’t bring much money when I shop, I just bring what’s on the budget and let my grocery fits on it…Its safer for me, since I know myself that sometimes I am able to spend almost all money that I bring with me. huh!

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    • Forest

      10. Feb, 2011

      Thanks Rain, stopping waste is key to saving money.

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    • Charles @ CreditDonkey

      05. Mar, 2011

      FoodSaver is your answer, especially if you have a membership at a warehouse (e.g.: Costco, Sams). With the FoodSaver, I buy meat in bulk and just freeze what I can’t finish. In my freezer I have steak, chicken, fish, shrimp, pork ribs, etc. You can find foodsavers on slickdeals or fatwallet on sale occasionally. Just make sure you write the date you packed the meat on the package, because otherwise you can’t tell how old the meat is (since there’s no freezer burn).
      Charles @ CreditDonkey recently posted..Top 5 Ways to Save on GroceriesMy Profile

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Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Do You Know How To Save Money On Groceries? - May 4, 2010

    [...] while back I wrote a post about How To Save Money On Groceries and I looked at some of the ways to save, from coupons to walking to the supermarket and like I [...]
  2. HOW TO SAVE MORE MONEY WITH COUPONS - December 22, 2010

    [...] Grocery shopping is where coupons are used most often and also where you can actually end up losing money the easiest. Stores offer great offers on certain objects as they know you will come in and often pick up many other things you didn’t need. So you should always enter the store with a well thought out list and never deviate from that. Write your list first and then check the circulars for relevant coupons (don’t let other shiny coupons grab your attention). Also always checks store brands of the same items, you may find they are cheaper than branded items even after coupon discount. For more tips check out our article on how to save money on groceries. [...]

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