Grocery shopping is a necessary expense for most households, but it can quickly add up and take a significant chunk out of your budget.
While traditional money-saving tips like buying in bulk can help, there are other surprising ways that you may have not considered to save money on groceries.
So let’s discuss a few of those.
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How to Save Money on Grocery Shopping
shop with a Rewards Card
If you have access to a credit card that offers rewards, you can use that card when grocery shopping to rack up those rewards. Just make sure you pay off the balance by the due date to avoid also racking up interest.
Scan Your Receipts
I am a huge fan of using apps that reward you for scanning your receipts such as Fetch Rewards and MaxRebates. Many of us end up with a ton of receipts in our wallets and handbags, and you might as well put them to work. I actually use more than one rewards apps that follow this concept so I can earn as many rewards and cashback as possible.
Shop on the outer edges of the store (avoid pre-packaged)
You may have heard that shopping on the outer edges of the store is the best way to achieve a more nutritious diet. But this same method can also help you save some shmoney!
Pre-packaged foods are often more expensive (paying a premium for the added convenience I suppose). And if you buy and chop up your own fruits and veggies and prep your own meals from scratch, you may be able to increase the serving size and avoid the extra costs associated with pre-packaged foods.
Use a Shopping List
This tip is major! Whatever you do, DO NOT go grocery shopping without a shopping list!
Sticking to a grocery list will help you stick to a budget. Without a list, there’s no telling what will end up in your cart as you aimlessly browse the aisles.
Buy Store/Generic Brands
As I’m sure you may have noticed, popular name brands are usually more expensive than the store brand of those same items. So whenever you can, buy the store brands. Usually, these generic brand items are just as good (if not better) than the pricier name brands.
Clip coupons
Many retailer apps now make it super easy to clip coupons directly from their app. And I highly recommend taking advantage of this feature whenever possible. But you should also seek out coupons and special offers outside of the store app. You can check out my beginner’s guide to couponing for even more tips on this subject.
Use cashback apps
Even after you clip your coupons and score all types of savings in-store using the tips in this article, make sure you use your cashback apps to put even more cash back in your pockets. Here are a few to checkout.
If you shop at the same grocery store week after week, check to see if they have a loyalty program. You can earn reward points, extra savings, and more just by proving your loyalty to a particular retailer.
Take advantage of sales
Check out the weekly sales paper for the store you plan to shop at. You can build out your shopping list based on current deals to maximize savings. Another way to score great deals is to keep an eye out for “manager’s specials” and increased markdowns for goods that are close to their expiration date.
Chop Your Own Produce
I touched on this concept very briefly when discussing pre-packaged foods. However, I felt it was worth revisiting.
Bypass the pre-cut and pre-packaged fruits and veggies to avoid the extra costs. Instead, buy your fresh fruits and veggies then wash and chop them yourself.
Compare Prices at Other stores
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to be loyal to a single store — especially when you’re trying to save money on grocery. You should regularly compare prices at other stores to see if you can catch a better deal. We do this often in our own household. We typically shop at Kroger but will sometimes find ourselves at Meijer or Walmart if we learn of better deals on items on our list.
Consider making more meatless dishes
It’s no secret that meats are expensive. And if you’re in a household that regularly eats meat, I do recommend trying a meatless dinner recipe at least once or twice a week to cut back your spending. You may even choose to do something like a “Meatless Monday” where none of your meals contain meat.
Not only will this get you to explore new recipes and possibly discover new favorites, but it will also be more budget-friendly.
What are some of your favorite hacks to save money on grocery shopping? Please feel free to share in the comments!
Briana Marie is a mental health and financial literacy advocate, and founder of Major League Mommy. In her spare time, Briana enjoys yoga, travel, and spending time with her Husband and two daughters.
