How To Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half
Let’s face it, groceries are EXPENSIVE! Regardless of whether you’re feeding ONE mouth or SIX, grocery expenses can be steep! Food bills rank as one of the top THREE monthly expenses for the average American. This accounts for 10% of the average person’s paycheck! When I did the math on what I use to pay in groceries, IT ADDS UP!
After my fiance took a job last year that provided free lunch and dinner, I realized that I needed to do something QUICK in order to save on my grocery bill! It didn’t feel as bad when I had someone to split the cost with. But now I was left in this “cold cruel grocery line” ALONE. Many of you may be college students, single parents, millenniums facing the same PROBLEM
AND…if 75% of American’s are living paycheck to paycheck, saving on groceries bills can help combat this!
No! You don’t have to go on a diet to save either! Here I’ll share steps I took IMMEDIATELY to reduce my food bill.
Shop the Sales!
Seems pretty obviously but most WON’T do it! WHY? Because it sounds tedious and time consuming. Just pick up the local sales paper and see which stores have sales on the items that you use the most! Items that range from 30-50% off of the regular price is worthy to be stocked up on. Most items will go on sale every 6 to 8 weeks. If it’s a non-perishable, GREAT! If not, freezing can be an option.
Try to buy enough of the item until you find it on sale again. Whether your family has a vegan, whole food or gluten free diet, there is bound to be a sale on some of the most used food items in your house.
Just because you’re shopping at places like Walmart doesn’t mean that you’re getting the absolute lowers price. Many stores and even stores tagged as “expensive” have weekly sales that can out beat Walmart’s every day low price. However, you can take that AD with you to Walmart and they will price match it! Various stores offer price matching. Just call your local grocery store and ask!
Save On Groceries Without Clipping a Coupon
One thing that was ESSENTIAL to me cutting my grocery store bill in half was FREE MONEY APPS! YES! There are apps out there that will give you money back for buying things that you were going to buy ANYWAY!
You can sign up for most with just an email and then you are on your way to SAVINGS! I get EXCITED every time there’s an item I’m getting cash back towards!
Some apps that I use and recommend are:
Checkout 51 App
I would deliver FREE HUGS to the person that created this app. This app is something I use EVERY….SINGLE…..TRIP! Right before I leave for the grocery store, I browse the app to see if there are any cash back options available for me. When I come back home after shopping, I scan the receipt and the items!
Ibotta App!
There’s nothing better than doubling up on savings. Ibotta offers numerous cash back options each week. If you sign up today you can probably catch a few savings from groceries that you already purchased THIS WEEK! Scan in your recent receipt and Ibotta takes only 24 hours to credit your account!
Making a Grocery List
This one definitely sounds a bit obvious but I bet most of you don’t make a list. Why? Because like myself, you like relying on memory!
The same memory that told me that I needed a carton of eggs when I already had a carton at home. Not only do I end up buying things I already have, I buy stuff I DON’T NEED!
When you have a list and a plan, it helps you focus on buying the things that you need and avoid impulse buys! Like those potato chips you didn’t think I knew about! It’s not always perfect! Last week I had an impulse buy and purchased some Keto Dark Chocolate cups (GROSS!). I ate one and threw the rest out! WASTEFUL! So…if it’s not on the list, avoid it.
Meal Planning
Planning your weekly meals can literally save you THOUSANDS of dollars each year! Meal planning is essential when it comes to savings because it helps you stick to your grocery list and helps you only buy the things you need.
There are a TON of ways to go about meal planning. You can start by searching Pinterest for meal planning ideas. If you have the time to put together some of these tasty meals, than you are one step closer to additional cost savings!
However, some of us just don’t have the time to scour over recipes and think about how to budget for those recipes.
For those who would rather have BUDGET FRIENDLY meals laid out for you, then the $5 meal plan has your back! This is a weekly meal plan that helps make your life easier! This meal plan service SAVES you TIME and MONEY! For ONLY $5 a month, you get a complete plan that averages $2 a meal!
Couponing for the Millennials
When you think of couponing, what probably comes to mind is Extreme Couponing, the show that use to air on TLC! There you’ll find couponers digging through trash all for the sake of a coupon! Many couponers on that show mentioned that they treated couponing as as a full-time job and spent upwards of 40 hours a week clipping coupons!
Well….I have a confession! I use to be couponer! I went on store hauls and cleared shelves of products (that I am not proud of 😔). I use to be the person that held up the line waiting for coupons to be scanned. I’m no stranger to having store managers come and verify the accuracy of coupons. I did all this for the sake of a buck! I resold what I didn’t use on Amazon (a great side hustle!) and I spent most of 2013 and 2014 as a “Millennial Couponer”. A term that describes one that uses online websites and social media to find the deals!
My favorite is INSTAGRAM! This platform had me one HASHTAG away from a good savings! Onetime, I even found a deal on iPad Mini’s that yielded me a $55 profit on each iPad! My Facebook post about it can be found below!
To find some good savings on INSTAGRAM, search hashtags such as #couponcommunity #couponers #extremecouponers #couponer. I’ve even purchased bundles of newspaper coupon inserts from following these hashtags.
Buying In Season Fruits
Buying fruits when their in season can save you some money. Not only are the fruit more fresh, they can be significantly cheaper in comparison. When looking at ways to cost cut, a simple google search for this months in season fruits can be beneficial. Below you can find a color coded chart that I found very useful.
Shop Expiry/Clearance Offers
Okay, I know some of you probably cringe when you think of shopping clearance and expiry food items. Let me explain…
Stores put perfectly good items on sale because of dings and scratches. Some items that you find on clearance are no where near expiring but because of its packaging flaws, the item may end up on the clearance shelf.
When it comes to expiry non-perishable items, stores are required to pull any expired item from their inventory. Many stores will start 3-4 months in advance and place these items on clearance for as much as 75% off! If you plan to use these items before they expire, you can find some great deals on food and household items!
Now if any item you see on clearance looks questionable, never put you or your family health at risk for the sake of a good sale!
Sticking to Your Budget
Now if you followed some of my other posts such at this one, then you’ve heard me mention budgets a few times. That’s because their important! Sticking to your budget is going to be essential to cutting cost for your groceries and in other expenses.
Before you start grocery shopping, you should already have a plan! This plan should be about what you are going to spend and buy. A good plan starts long before the day of your grocery trip. This plan should be included in your monthly budget. Each month, I try to make a goal to spend less than my budget!
Eat Before You Leave
Maybe this one is laughable but it really does hold weight. Have you ever been hungry and grocery shopped? Maybe some of you are thinking, “I’m hungry, that’s why I’m grocery shopping!” Well try to avoid it!
Hunger pains create more impulse buys while you’re shopping for food. This is a small trick that can help you cut costs and help you stick to buying groceries from your list.
