How to save money on groceries

When we got married, we carried a large amount of student loan debt. This debt felt like a crushing burden, so we decided to make major lifestyle modifications that would allow us to reduce our living expenses. Food is a large, recurring expense for every couple, so one of our first priorities was figuring out a strategy that would allow us to save money on groceries.

All that to say, we don’t have the cheapest diet. We eat delicious and nutritious whole foods that can otherwise be expensive. And still, using the grocery shopping strategy we created, we are able to maintain our diet without breaking the bank.

All of the tips you see below are proven methods that we have used to find significant grocery savings, and we hope that the remainder of this article will help you save money while feeding your family healthful foods.

Shop Around to Save Money on Groceries

There is very little reason in our modern economy to shop at a single grocery store. Most of the time, it’s possible to realize significant savings by shopping around. The section below provides a brief discussion of the various local and online retailers that we have explored over the last five years.

Focus on the weekly ads

Part of our grocery shopping strategy can be boiled down to intentional, opportunistic shopping around the weekly ads. We collect the ads, create a basic grocery list that focuses on the weekly sale items, and then we create meals using those sale items. Although it’s rather simple, this strategy produces significant financial savings when compared to traditional meal planning advice (design meals, then shop for ingredients).

The reason it’s so effective is that different grocery stores offer different weekly sale items. By focusing on these rotating sales, you can eat a variety of healthful foods at significantly discounted prices. For example, about once per month, a local grocery chain offers USDA choice beef roast on sale for $2.99/lb, along with various discounts on vegetables. That week, we eat a roast and vegetables as the main staple. Another week, chicken breasts and other vegetables will be on sale. When there are outstanding deals, we purchase in bulk and freeze for later use.

Shop online

Most of our fresh staples – produce, meats, cheeses, etc. – are purchased locally. However, a significant part of our diet does not need refrigerated or frozen, which means these items can be purchased online and delivered to our door. In fact, many of the less common health foods are actually cheaper online.

For example, organic cooking oils, raw honey, and raw beans are far too expensive at our local health food store. Instead of paying the local premium, we compare prices online at Askmeoffers & CouponsABC, where we have been able to find great deals on staples like organic coconut oil, organic brown rice, and all-natural peanut butter.

Use grocery cash back apps

In addition to rewards from your credit card, you can also utilize several grocery cash back apps which allow you to receive cash back after purchasing select food items or brands and submitting a picture of your grocery receipt. Each cash back app operates independently, so it’s possible to recycle the same receipt to collect cash back on the same item, multiple times.

Explore your local farmer’s market

Check your area for a local farmer’s market. In some parts of the country, these local markets offer extremely competitive pricing on fantastic foods that are sourced in the area. But we’ve also visited local markets where vendors are trying to charge 5x the going rate on Amazon. Pricing largely depends on the size of the market, the size of your town, and the number of supplying vendors.

Some of the best foods that we’ve purchased from a local farmer’s market include fresh produce, raw honey, raw nut butter, and hormone-free meats. It’s important to know the average price of groceries in your area before going to the farmer’s market, so you’ll know a good price when you see it. You can also search Craigslist (or ask around) to barter with a local farmer in your area. There are a lot of farmers who will provide discounted prices if you buy from them on a regular basis.

How to Save Money on Groceries at the Store

After you’ve compared online prices and identified the best grocery stores in your area, it’s time to shop. Many of the tips in the next section are designed to help you make the best possible decisions when you are inside of the store shopping. Keep in mind, not every tip will apply to both online and physical store locations.

Create a list

It’s important to shop with a plan. When you browse local grocery store ads, be sure to make a list of the best deals and where they come from. Usually, items go on sale based on availability and demand. This is why you see cherries, watermelon, and avocados on sale during the summer and squash and pumpkins on sale in the fall and winter.

Creating a list of sale items is imperative. Not only will it help you avoid impulse purchases, it will also help you get in and out of the grocery store faster so you can get on with the rest of your day.

Shop alone

Shopping alone is not only the quickest way to grocery shop but also the most efficient. Bringing along children or a spouse can be distracting, increasing the chance you’ll forget an item on your grocery list. Shopping alone will help to reduce the amount of time in the grocery store and will help you stick to your predetermined grocery list.

Don’t shop hungry

I know you’ve heard this rule before, but it is true. If you shop hungry, you will have less patience and less self-control, which will increase the likelihood of making impulse purchase decisions. Do yourself a financial favor and eat before you shop.

Use a smaller cart

Similar to eating from a smaller plate, a smaller grocery cart will limit the amount that you purchase, therefore eliminating food and financial waste. Many grocery stores now offer multiple grocery cart sizes. By choosing a smaller one, you’ll be forced to determine if you really need an item before placing it in your cart.

Consider generic brands

Generic groceries can provide more value than a name brand. The only way to evaluate each option is by reading the labels to compare the ingredients and product weight. In many situations, it is the exact same product in a different package.

Shop after-holiday sales

Take advantage of the discounted prices on holiday food by shopping the day after a major holiday when expensive items like turkey, ham, lamb, pecans, and cheese go on sale. Many stores overstock their shelves for the holidays to ensure they don’t sell out before the holiday is over. However, after the holiday they must sell the leftover inventory. It may not be convenient to grocery shop when you’re still recovering from a major holiday, but the chance to stock up on pricier items can be worth it.

Know when to buy organic

While we’d prefer to buy everything organic in order to reduce our exposure to pesticides and to support environmentally friendly farming practices, it’s not always affordable to do so.

Use coupons strategically

Coupons can be great when you are looking for a deal on nonperishable or hygiene items. However, they can also encourage you to purchase unhealthy, prepackaged foods that you otherwise wouldn’t eat.

Sign up for rewards

Many grocery stores now offer a rewards program to encourage customer loyalty. These stores will ask for your name and phone number during checkout. If you create a free account, you’ll earn reward points that can be redeemed for grocery discounts, gift cards, or gas discounts.

Ask for a rain check

If the store runs out of an advertised special, request a rain check. A rain check will allow you buy the item at the advertised sale price when the item has been restocked, even though it is no longer on sale. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date on the rain check to avoid missing the deal altogether.