Trim Your Grocery Bill

Posted on by in Budgeting, Food & Drink, Saving Money & Finances

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Trim Your Grocery Bill – Learning how to trim your grocery bill is more important than you might think. Inflated prices, bad eating habits… the truth of the matter is that your food purchasing methods could be making you poor. More often than not we buy items at the grocery store without thinking or planning ahead. The food goes to waste, or is an impulse buy that looks appealing at that moment but is unnecessarily expensive.

That’s why it’s important that from time to time you review your grocery bills and shopping habits and perhaps change the way in which you stock your cupboards.

Trim Your Grocery Bill

So, what are the best ways in which you can trim your grocery bill most effectively?

#1 Make a shopping list.

You can budget ahead of time rather than aimlessly throwing expensive items into your cart. To do this in the most effect way possible, first plan out the meals you’d like to be stocked for throughout the week. Then write out what you’ll need and don’t buy beyond it. You’ll be amazed at how much money you can save with careful planning.

#2 Get back to the basics.

ADVERTISMENT: CONTENT CONTINUED BELOW

Rather than buying all sorts of junky snacks and processed foods, go back to the simplest food sources. Not only are they often more affordable but they’re usually more nutritious as well! You’ll be amazed at how loading up on fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, eggs and the like will not only take a little off your grocery bill but also help take some inches of your belt line.

#3 Start collecting coupons.

The truth is that you can actually save quite a bit of money using coupons over time— hundreds, possibly even thousands of dollars. If you’re a budget-conscious person who takes pride in living well, albeit frugally, then using coupons while shopping is crucial.

The coupon was introduced to shoppers in 1887 by Coca-Cola and is actually the innovative marketing tool used by the company to transform its product from a small-time tonic to a huge success. Coupons were sent to potential customers for a free Coca-Cola and meanwhile the company provided free supplies to soda shops. Over 8.5 million coupons were sent out in the next 30 years.

But don’t think of coupons as just a marketing tool for companies—think of them as your ticket to big savings. The list below includes some important tips you need to consider to save hundreds of dollars a year by using coupons:

1) Make the commitment to using coupons –  If you’re committed to using coupons you must always be on the lookout for good deals and attempt to use a coupon with nearly every purchase you make.  I promise it will add up.

2) Look in the right places – You won’t be able to accumulate big savings if you’re not finding any good coupons.  Look in newspapers daily, even some magazines also have coupons. Sometimes there are coupons on the actual products themselves—the back of cereal boxes, etc. Nowadays some of the best coupons can be found online on sites devoted to providing coupons for consumers.

3) Keep them organized - It might seem silly, but organizing your coupons is an important step in saving money with coupons. Get a binder and organize your coupons by expiration date and product.

4) Use them regularly - I mentioned before that in order to save lots of money with coupons you must make the commitment. Some devoted couponers won’t make a purchase if they don’t have a coupon for what they’re buying. This results in them saving hundreds of dollars a year.

By planning your meals and shopping list ahead, eating more simply and having several coupons ready for your weekly trip to the grocery store you’re sure to save hundreds– if not thousands– of dollars a year.

Related: How to Save $1,000

Trim Your Grocery Bill

Trim Your Grocery Bill

Trim Your Grocery Bill

GD Star Rating
loading...
Trim Your Grocery Bill, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Tags:

4 Responses to “Trim Your Grocery Bill”

  1. Canadianbudgetbinder

    03. Apr, 2012

    Great Post!
    I think coupons are making their way back into the family budget or should I say making a bigger appearance.
    Coupons are a great way to bring the grocery bill down and we take advantage whenever possible.

    I agree 100% with getting back to the basics. We have set a goal this year to do just that by posting our shops on our blog. We don’t want to buy convenience foods rather more grains,beans, veg and meats to chef up a great meal in the kitchen…

    Thanks I’ll share this with my Facebook Fans!
    Cheers,
    Mr.CBB

    GD Star Rating
    loading...
    Reply to this comment
    • Emily

      03. Apr, 2012

      I think you’re absolutely right! Thanks for your comment :)

      GD Star Rating
      loading...
      Reply to this comment
  2. Practical Parsimony

    03. Apr, 2012

    Actually, adhering to a shopping list can cost you money. By going to the store with an open mind, savings will be more. If you find an unadvertised special on meat, you can always make that the meat for the week and put some in the freezer. Unadvertised specials on fresh vegetables and fruits will round out the shopping and cost less than what may have been on the list. By purchasing unadvertiesed specials more money will be saved than if you adhere to a strict schedule of spending.

    One thing you did not mention is that by buying the specials in any dept in the store, soon all your groceries will be bought on sale and/or with coupons, so you can shop from your pantry for less money.

    The first thing I do now is look for coupons on sale items. Then, I decide if the sales items for which I don’t have coupons are worth buying.

    People can start slowly with this kind of savings and gradually have a food pantry that will sustain them through bad weather for a few days or even months of joblessness. Sales and coupons are how many people have food storage, all bought for less than retail. Each person will decide how long she or he wants the food to last in their pantry.

    1) Yes, it will add up and soon most groceries will be almost free.

    I love coupons. On March 31, I went to two grocery stores and used my coupons expiring that day. I now have enough pickles and mustard to last for the next five years if you count the end of my last mustard and pickle purchases that were bought with coupons. I use little of either, but in the last six years have never paid full price for mustard or pickles!

    GD Star Rating
    loading...
    Reply to this comment
  3. ShortRoadTo

    04. Apr, 2012

    I love coupons. I save 10% or more on my weekly grocery bill. The only thing I don’t like about them is it is rare to find a coupon that doesn’t require you to buy more than one item.
    ShortRoadTo recently posted..Need a Predictable Income Stream? Use a Bond LadderMy Profile

    GD Star Rating
    loading...
    Reply to this comment

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv badge