5 Tips to Save Money on Groceries

How to Save Money on Grocery

If you feel like the prices of your groceries are getting out of control, you are not going crazy! According to The State of Personal Finance study by Ramsey Solutions, 84% of people have noticed higher grocery prices in stores in the past three months. And they are right! Going by the USDA report, the recent‘food-at-home’ (food bought from online grocery stores or supermarkets) Consumer Price Index (CPI) has jumped 12%! While some of this food shortage is because of panic buying and factory shutdowns, the price surge is still happening and is likely to continue till the first half of 2023 (thanks to inflation!). This can make figuring out how to have money for groceries almost impossible. 

But even in today’s challenging climate, there are crafty and clever ways to save money on your groceries. Follow along as we guide you with some essential tips on how to practice smart shopping strategies to stretch your grocery budget, for now, and in the future! The more you practice these strategies, the more likely they are to become habits. So - start today!

Did You Know?

According to data collected from location intelligence firm Esri, Americans spend an average of $5,174 a year on groceries, which is roughly $431 a month. Yikes!

 

Five Tips to Save your Money on Groceries

Smart budgeting, coupon-clipping, web searching, grocery apps, credit card point earning… there are tons of ways to cut down on that grocery bill. Pull up a chair! 

Redefine Dinner

We get it. It’s dinner time when the whole family sits together and enjoys a meal. But if dinner means a welcoming bowl of creamy chicken soup, a large piece of roasted meat, some fresh farm veggies on the sides, and chocolate pudding for desserts - chill out and give yourself a break! This isn’t the 1920s and your supper needn’t be that lavish every night. You can do BLTs for a few nights, have a big bowl of salads or pull out your cheese spread to fix quick sandwiches. 
Don’t be afraid to do breakfast for dinners or serve simple meals to stretch your groceries. Your kid might actually LOVE the idea of pancakes for dinner!

Raid your pantry first

 

Challenge yourself to look into your pantry or your fridge first and fix a meal with the ingredients you already have. Make use of your freezer and use stored frozen food whenever you can. Why stock up on more groceries when you have a couple of unopened cans of black beans and nacho chips and some salsa on your shelves? Thrown in together and voila! your yum-worthy nacho snack is ready for your backyard grill nights. 

Check out 📸@thrivingonplants for some awesome tips.

Think before you buy in bulk

Buying in bulk is good only if it saves you some money. But while buying groceries in bulk, consider checking their individual prices and comparing. And most importantly, don’t give away to temptations and bulk buy items which you might not even use. 
Even though bulk food sections help you produce less waste in a way, know that some of the food, like flour, coffee, fruits, and vegetables, can go bad, and can take up valuable space. Do I really need a giant box of nuts just because it has a bulk discount? Aw nuts, maybe not!

Number Crunching Before Shopping

How about some number crunching before you make your way to the grocery store? While dropping by the grocery store, keep a check on the amount of money in your cart to avoid unnecessary surprises at the checkout counter. This will definitely make you stop and think: Wait! Do I really need that fancy $52 Spinach Cream jar that isn’t on sale?

Thank goodness for the internet!

Smart shoppers start with smart searching. With a little planning, you can shop online for EVERYTHING your kitchen needs, and find the best deal out there by comparison shopping. It goes without saying that you can search google for “cheap groceries” or “how to save on groceries” or even search for your favorite brand with “deal” or “sale”. 
Websites like Martie.com are dedicated to getting you reliably amazing deals on things you shop for everyday at your grocery store or supermarket. By shopping with Martie, you always save 40-70% on your shelf-stable pantry goods, cooking essentials and household items. With over 500 items on the site and a constantly rotating inventory, you can save big on your favorite brands like Kettle, Annie’s, Clif, Bob’s Red Mill, Kellogg’s and hundreds more! Smartie Shoppers save on average $54 per order, or $600 a year. No subscriptions, no commitments, just easy ordering, fast shipping and big savings. Thousands of happy shoppers agree. Read the reviews, here. 

The bottom line is that on an individual level, not all these methods might protect you from food inflation. But small changes can add up over time. As inflation sadly continues to hit Americans, it depends on the amount of time you are willing to spend on budgeting and making the right decisions while grocery shopping. Besides, even when inflation gets more under control, saving money never goes out of style!


Did you find these tips useful? Share your thoughts with us on Instagram and Facebook.  

Like what you read? Head to our Circular Blog to learn more about our work, mission, and stories that make us unique. What to contribute towards saving good food? Shop from our store here.