The Skinny on Saving Tons on Groceries (I spend $350 a month!)
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If you’ve poked around here on the blog for any length of time, you’ve most likely discovered that I’ve written a thing or two about saving money, living frugally, and spending smart. I’ve got some amazingly popular posts about how I feed my family for $250 a month. There is also the updated post about feeding my family for $350 a month since we’ve now grown. There is also a post called 15 frugal tips for feeding a large family that has been shared several thousands of times. But, sometimes you just want the short and sweet version. So, today I’m sharing what I feel are the six most bang-for-your-buck strategies for saving money on groceries.
In fact, you can think of this as the Cliffs Notes version for saving money on groceries. Before you think these things are easy, they aren’t, they will take work, discipline, and perhaps a bit more time than you are used to. However, if you’re saving thousands of dollars a year on feeding your family, isn’t it going to be worth it?!
Yep, I bet it will be.
So, here are the best tips I’ve got for saving tons on groceries.
(this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you)
Create and consult your price log
A price log is something you create that helps you track the good, better, and best prices of the groceries you buy. It is important to know when a sale is a good sale, when it is time to really stock up on the things you buy, and when a deal really isn’t much of a deal at all.
To create it, you just start writing down the amount you pay for the groceries you buy in addition to the sizes of the products so that you will always be comparing prices correctly.
Creating one really can be as simple as grabbing a notebook and writing these things down every time you come home with a grocery receipt. When you buy something for a second and third time, you will write the new prices next to the old ones.
Over time, you will start to see the good, better, and best prices of the products you buy. This is exactly the information you want to know so you can know when to buy, when to buy a lot, and when to wait for the price you want to pay to come around again.
Pay attention to the price per ounce
Bigger does not always better! The really great thing is that the stores have made this pretty easy by including the price per ounce right on the shelf tags in many cases. Back in the day, I had to figure this all out on my own, but these days it’s often done for you.
Be sure that in addition to price, you are writing down the sizes and quantities.
Be willing to shop at more than one store
Each week there are awesome deals to be found, but you will have to be willing to shop at more than one store. Even drugstores, food outlets, and Amazon can be great places to buy certain items. Again, this is why having a price log will help you.
Shopping at various stores doesn’t have to be complicated. I just make the rounds of certain stores on certain days, and then other stores I hit when I am in the area. That way I’m also not wasting a ton of gas to get to all these places.
Participate in programs that offer rebates
I love Ibotta, and it is a great way to earn cash back on the items you are already buying anyway. If you’ve got a phone, you can use this app. It is super easy as well as free to sign up. Just go HERE to sign up.
Essentially, you are clipping digital coupons using their app before you shop. Then, when you get home you take a picture of your receipt and a picture of the product bar code right in their app. It really is that easy.
Once they match up, you earn your rebate. You can then have your balance transferred to a PayPal account.
Walk the aisles
When you are at the store, take a few extra minutes to walk the aisles. Look high and look low, keeping an eye out for things that are on clearance or are having some sort of unadvertised special. Walking the aisles doesn’t really take that much extra time, but it can amount to big savings! Don’t forget about the end-caps and the bins within the aisles.
Learn how to coupon
Last but certainly not least is learning how to use coupons well. Combining coupons with sales and cash back programs are the best ways to save money on groceries. Learning to coupon effectively is an essential part of this saving money equation.
You can even read about using coupons in Couponing 101 Part One and Couponing 101 Part Two. Be sure to read those if you are looking for help with coupons.
Groceries is often the biggest expense that families have in their monthly budgets. But, there are things you can do to help reduce your grocery expenses. These are the best tips I’ve got for saving money on groceries.
