Save on Groceries with These 5 Tips
It's easy to rack up an expensive bill each time you run to the grocery store nowadays. We're all for any easy tips and tricks that will save money without relying on ramen and sacrificing delicious meals. Check out these 5 Easy Ways to Avoid Sticker Shock the next time you visit the grocery store!
1. Shop your fridge, pantry, and freezer first.
Before you plan your meals for the week, do a full sweep through your fridge, pantry, and freezer. Make a list with three columns and list what you have in each of the three areas. Once you're done listing out the food you have on hand, get creative and see if you have any ingredients that would make some of your favorite soups, pasta, or sheet-pan bakes!
2. Make a meal plan.
You've heard it so many times before, but making a meal plan actually does help you save money. Being wise about what meals you plan to make and when will avoid impulse buys and also ease the stress when it comes to dinner time prep. Better yet? Check the sales ad before shopping and plan a few meals around what produce and meat happens to be on sale that week!
3. Overlap those ingredients.
So, you've shopped your pantry and you've meal planned... now take it to the next level by overlapping the ingredients you're using week to week! Need tomatoes for a Tex-Mex recipe on Tuesday? Use the leftover tomatoes for a BLT on Wednesday! By being aware of what ingredients you're purchasing already for a certain recipe and tailoring the rest of your week accordingly, you can save time, space, and money. We call that a triple-win.
4. Choose your grocery store wisely.
Which grocery store will save you the most money? We often tend to shop at the stores that are closest to us, but sometimes driving a few extra minutes can save you quite a bit of money when the final bill comes. Take a few minutes to check out your weekly ads each week and be thoughtful about what grocery store you drive to when it's time for the grocery haul each week. A little bit of effort will pay dividends (or... dollars!) in the end.
5. Don't buy individually packaged foods.
When buying individually packaged foods, you're going to pay a premium for less food. Instead, try to buy large bags of your favorite snacks and divvy up your own portions each week.
Lastly, here's a bonus tip: don't shop hungry. Easier said than done, but it helps! What trick will you try this week?
