Saving money on groceries is a bit of an obsession for some people as seen on TLC. For the rest of us, it’s nice as long as it doesn’t require hours of clipping, researching, categorizing and strategizing. Here are 13 tips to save money on your next trip to the super market.
#1. Eat in season. Fruits and veggies that are in season are cheaper and taste better. Right now, look for broccoli, eggplant and tomatoes for my fellow Bostonians. For everyone else, check what is locally in season here.
#2. Print out coupons from sites like RedPlum.com or Coupons.com. You can go to your favorite brand’s Facebook page to look for coupons there.
#3. Make a meal plan for the week and then create your shopping list. Make meals using similar ingredients so that you do not waste fresh ingredients.
#4. Don’t go grocery shopping when you are hungry! If you go when you are hungry, you will inevitably be tempted to buy more than one item you would not have purchased if you were not starving. I promise. Instead, you can spend it on the more important stuff, like life or car insurance. Doing so could save your life. click for more info
#5. Buy generic brands. Many generic brands are made at the same factory/plant as your favorite brands but sold under a private label. You will not be sacrificing quality or taste.
#6. Shop around. Don’t do all your shopping at the same store. I shop at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Aldi’s, Stop and Shop and Shaws. Get your staples from the cheaper places and your meats from the nicer stores that may have a sale that week.
#7. Use you iPhone like Grocery Pal to see what store has certain items on sale near you! Watch the video above to see how this app works. It also works on Android phones.
#8. Buy in bulk especially if they are on sale. Meat is great for this. The more you buy, the cheaper food usually is. Freeze or can extras.
#9. Buy meats with bone in or seafood with shell on. Chicken with the bone in is cheaper than boneless. Yes you are paying for bones you will not eat, but per serving, you will be saving money. Buying the entire chicken is the most affordable. Same with shrimp. Take the shells off yourself to save a buck or two.
#10. Eat vegetarian a few meals a week. Use beans as your source of protein because meat gets expensive!
#11. Avoid pre sliced produce. You get charged for their dirty work.
#12. Use a credit card that rewards your spending at various grocery stores.
#13. Make bigger grocery shopping trips to avoid mid week small trips. The more mini trips you make, the more impulse buys and the more you spend overall throughout the week!
Do you have a tip or trick that I left out? Share it below.
