You can save money on groceries and with a few easy to follow tips. One of the biggest expenses in my budget is food, and it really adds up, sometimes when I want to go to the mall, I head for the grocery store to get my shopping fix. For the most part, it's usually pretty easy to save $10 or $20 a week with a little planning. Saving just $20 a week adds up to over $1000 a year, enough for a vacation if you can use reward points for airfare and hotel costs. If not, it is still enough for a weekend getaway.
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31 Ways to Save Money on Groceries
- Know your grocery prices and how often items go on sale
- Use coupons, electronic and paper
- Check the weekly ads and flyers
- Sign up for cash back and rebate grocery apps
- Develop and follow a grocery budget
- Plan meals for the week based on what’s on sale
- Shop with a list and stick to it
- Shop at discount grocery stores like Trader Joe's or similar stores where prices are generally cheaper than chain grocery stores
- Spend a Saturday afternoon cooking in bulk and freeze for later
- Shop at Dollar Stores for pantry staples
- Learn to cook from scratch
- Buy generic products
- Don’t buy convenience and pre-cut fruits.
- Buy produce that’s in season
- Buy meat when on sale and freeze for later use. ( check out this vacuum sealer on Amazon)
- Make your own spice blends and marinades
- Brown bag your lunch for work
- Shop more often and only purchase what you need for a couple of days to avoid food waste.
- One night a week go through the fridge and have leftovers for dinner.
- Don’t buy individually packaged foods. Buy larger and portion out into baggies.
- An oldie but rings true - Don’t shop hungry
- Check out your local salvage grocery store and outlet bakeries. Search for an outlet near you
- Shop the clearance aisles in the grocery store, especially good for desserts and bread
- Sign up for loyalty programs
- Grow your own herbs
- Have a no grocery shopping week or weekend and just cook what’s in your pantry and freezer
- Use lemon juice to preserve fruits and vegetables
- Stock up on pantry staples you commonly use
- Ask for Rainchecks on out of stock sale items
- Buy milk at the drugstore; it's usually cheaper than the grocery store
- Grocery shop alone
19 Ways to Save Money When Dining Out
- Order water instead of soft drinks
- Don’t buy alcohol unless it’s happy hour
- Sign up for emails alerts to get coupons
- Share an entrée
- Order takeout and add your own salads, drinks and have a picnic at the beach
- Use dining certificates, read the fine print before you buy
- Eat at buffets or Gourmet Food Trucks
- If vacationing in Las Vegas buy the 24-hour buffet pass
- Buy discounted gift cards from Gift Card Granny or AARP
- Eat early and take advantage of early bird specials
- Opt for the independently owned diners instead of chain restaurants
- Get free food on your birthday ( check out my freebies post)
- Skip desserts
- Skip delivery on takeout if there is a charge, and pick it up yourself
- Order an appetizer instead of an entree
- Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert and coffee afterward
- Take the survey at the bottom of your receipt to receive free food
- Use restaurant coupons and discounts from Groupon or Living Social
- Find the best Happy Hour in your area
Save your receipts for a month then review to see exactly how much and where you spend on groceries. Also, keep a lookout for discounted gift cards to save a few dollars