If your average grocery bill leaves you with sticker shock, you’re not alone. After taking the time to add up all your expenses, you might be surprised to find that your grocery bill is your second most significant expense after a home mortgage.
And with prices only going higher (think eggs), a large family’s grocery bill could be more than some people’s mortgage.
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If you don’t have a home mortgage (congrats and a gold star if you have paid it off), then your average grocery bill is probably your single most significant expense.
With this kind of outlay, a focus on spending here could result in substantial savings. So it makes sense to look at your grocery spending and explore how you might get it under control.
Contents
- 1 10 Effective Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
- 1.1 Create A Budget for Your Groceries
- 1.2 Maintain A Grocery Price Book
- 1.3 Put Frugal Meals to Use
- 1.4 Meal Planning
- 1.5 Stick to a List
- 1.6 Don’t Go To The Grocery Store Hungry
- 1.7 Use Coupons and Cashback Apps
- 1.8 Buy in Bulk When It Makes Sense
- 1.9 Take Advantage of Store Brands
- 1.10 Consider Shopping at Discount Grocery Stores
10 Effective Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
Create A Budget for Your Groceries
First, start tracking how much you spend on groceries over a few weeks. Once you have that information, you can look at creating a grocery budget. The trick here is to count that as your high-water mark, so to speak, and not go over it.
Once you have your budget defined, start cutting it back. Try starting with something simple, like $20 a month. Keep doing this for a few months, increasing the deduction as you see fit.
See how low you can go without feeling like you are depriving anyone. You might be surprised how much money you can save by making small but consistent adjustments.
Maintain A Grocery Price Book
Start a list of the items you regularly buy along with their cost. You can use this list to check an advertised deal quickly, and you would be surprised how many times a deal isn’t really a deal.
You can also use your price book to help determine where to buy your kitchen staples best. A quick trip to explore a new store will tell you if you can save money on the things you tend to buy. You will probably find that no single store has the best deals, so you will need to determine if the expense and time of the extra trip are worth the savings.
A grocery price book is also a great tool to have handy when you browse weekly flyers. You can easily shop the offerings and determine where it is best to shop for needed staples this week.
What sounds like a great flyer sale might not be so great after you take into account the actual items you buy and their regular prices.
You can do a grocery price book one of three ways:
- Creating one in a notebook where you write everything down
- Digitally, using a spreadsheet, or
- Using a mobile app
Put Frugal Meals to Use
Not every meal needs to be a gourmet dining experience. You can find some that have limited required ingredients (and overall costs) but still taste great and provide nutritional value.
Consider incorporating more budget-friendly meals into your meal plan. Making meals that last can be a cost-saver as well. A crockpot full of soup or chili can be stretched into multiple meals, keeping food costs low while saving time and effort.
There are also plenty of recipes that make use of leftovers in creative ways. This is another method for stretching your grocery dollar by turning leftovers no one will eat into a new and original dish.
Eating frugally a few days of the month could have a significant impact on your monthly grocery bills.
Meal Planning
Planning meals ahead of time is a great way to save on your grocery bill. Meal planning saves money because you buy only what you need for the meals for the whole week and prepare meals in batches, reducing waste.
If you find yourself frequently throwing away food, meal planning can help you cut down on unnecessary purchases and ensure that everything you buy gets used before it expires.
Stick to a List
One great technique to avoid overspending at a grocery store is to make a list before you go and try to stick to it.
It’s easy to be tempted by extra items, such as fancy loaves of bread and bakery desserts, which can quickly add a considerable amount to your grocery bill. While indulging occasionally is fine, making impulse purchases a habit can derail your budget quickly.
One way to help in sticking to a list is to use a grocery pickup or delivery service. When you shop online, you’re less likely to be tempted by in-store displays and impulse buys.
Don’t Go To The Grocery Store Hungry
One of the best ways to save on your average grocery bill is also one of the simplest ones – don’t go grocery shopping hungry.
When you are full, you’ll find it much easier to stick to your shopping list. Suddenly, the baked goods section isn’t filled with treats that you feel you need immediately.
In fact, you may find that you save time while shopping since you aren’t as interested in browsing all the selections.
Use Coupons and Cashback Apps
Coupons and cashback apps can help you save a significant amount on groceries. Many stores offer digital coupons through their apps, making it easy to save without having to clip paper coupons.
Cashback apps like Ibotta, Rakuten, and Fetch Rewards offer rebates for certain grocery purchases. Simply scan your receipt, and you can earn cash back on items you were already planning to buy.
Buy in Bulk When It Makes Sense
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money, especially on non-perishable staples like rice, pasta, and canned goods. However, be mindful of purchasing perishable items in bulk unless you’re certain you can use them before they spoil.
Take Advantage of Store Brands
Name-brand products can be significantly more expensive than their store-brand counterparts. Many times, the quality difference is negligible. Try switching to store brands for staples like flour, sugar, and canned goods to see if you notice a difference.
Consider Shopping at Discount Grocery Stores
If you’ve never shopped at discount grocery stores like Aldi (one of my favorites), consider giving them a try. These stores often offer the same quality products as major supermarkets but at a fraction of the price.
Since groceries are one of your biggest expenses, it makes sense to keep the spending for them under control. The potential for savings can be substantial over a few months.
The good news is that money saved on grocery bills is directly available for other uses, such as getting out of debt, building an emergency fund, or saving for a big purchase.
A little planning and discipline can go a long way in helping you take control of your grocery spending and keep more money in your pocket.
Check out these other ways to keep a family budget.