Weekly grocery bills can stack at as high of an average as $299 for a family of four or as high of an average as $178 for a two-adult household. Whether you are about to start shopping for school lunches or are just someone looking to save some extra money on groceries, these five ways to cut down on your weekly grocery bill can help you save money!
#1 Plan Ahead
Planning anything from weekly meals to the exact brands you will buy can help cut down on costs. Once you know which items you need for meals and other necessities, you can start looking into which brands are on sale and for any for which you may have coupons. It is also good to remember that you can use any leftover food for a second meal or lunch the next day. Additionally, going to the store with a specific set list can help you cut back on impulse buying and ensures nothing is forgotten, avoiding any mid-week last-minute stops to the convenience store for that overpriced item you forgot.
#2 Be Coupon Savvy
The coupon landscape has evolved, making grocery mobile apps by far the fastest and easiest way to clip coupons! There are now digital coupons that you can clip and add to your existing loyalty card within these apps. All you do once they are added, is give the cashier your member information and watch the discounts come off before you pay. In many cases, grocery providers aim to grow their app usage and will add exclusive coupons and deals that can only be found on that store’s mobile app. Some of these coupons are even personalized to your shopping habits, providing relevant coupons first and foremost.
You do not want to forget about those paper coupons in the Sunday paper or any found online via manufacturers and newsletters. Great options are the RedPlum flyer or Coupons.com, and in some cases, you can contact a manufacturer about wanting to try a new product, and they may send you a coupon for it. Once all coupons are collected, you can start saving because many stores will even let you double and triple up on coupons, getting you the “rock-bottom low price” on the items you want and need.
#3 Shop Generic Brands
Brand loyalty can be high when it comes to food products. However, most of the time, branded and store-brand food items only differ by the packaging but always vary in price, with store brands being the cheaper of the two. One of the easiest ways to spot whether these items are the same is to check the ingredients on the packaging, but other research can be done via online forums, etc. Not all branded foods have a store-brand counterpart either, as these are guaranteed to be found in staples such as condiments, canned foods, and other processed foods. Store-branded items are a must for those items you don’t have a particular taste for, such as buying store-brand eggs vs. buying that breakfast cereal you eat every day.
#4 Buy in Bulk
Some deals are just too great to pass up! If there is a storable item you repeatedly buy on sale, STOCK UP! This shopping method can save you big in the long run, especially on items such as meat, poultry, rice, pasta, and other staple food items as you buy them at their lowest possible price for dry or frozen storage. These items can also make meal planning that much easier by planning with ingredients you already have and have even saved money on at the time of purchase. This method of shopping holds true for most of the time, but it is crucial to keep an eye on the unit price to make sure you are getting the best possible deal, to justify buying in bulk. An example of this would be calculating/viewing the unit price of a family pack of steaks versus a single steak package, and you may find that the family pack is cheaper.
#5 Avoid Complete Store Loyalty
In few cases, there may be only one conveniently located grocery provider in your area. If not
you should consider shopping at different stores week after week. Every grocery provider is different, but just about all of them have sales! This tactic is one of the top ways that stores will try to get customers in the door.
Saving money doesn’t have to be complicated. Your family, your budget—and your wallet—will thank you in the long run! Contact us today to get started with products and services to help you reach your savings goals.
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