5 tips for reducing your grocery bill
It's no secret that inflation has caused grocery prices to skyrocket, and that has many families struggling to put quality, nutritious food on their tables while also being able to pay their other bills.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can save a lot of money and feed your family well. It takes practice, but if you will follow these great tips, you will be on your way to saving a ton of money each week:
1 - Plan ahead
Planning ahead is crucial to saving money on your grocery bill. At the beginning of the week, sit down and plan out a week's worth of meals, so that you know what your family will be eating for the entire week. Some people like to do this planning for month at a time.
If you have the funds and the ability, this can save you even more money, but many find that doing the weekly menu is much easier for their busy lives.
It helps to get together your family's favorite recipes and make a master list of all of the meals your family enjoys. Each week, you will just choose seven of those meals and you will be ready to make your grocery list quickly and easily.
2 - Make effective use of coupons
Shopping with coupons is a great way to save a lot of money. You can find coupons in your local paper and online. These coupons are great ways to save, especially when you pair them with discounted rates in your local stores.
Some people make the mistake of using their coupons right away, but it is best to hold off using the coupons until your store offers a sale. You can often get these items for very little, if you wait for the perfect timing.
Some stores even offer double coupons, and this can help you rack up the savings even more.
3 - Buy meats in bulk
One of the best ways to save on your grocery bill is to buy your meats in bulk. If you buy the large family packs, you can then separate the meats into smaller packages by placing them in freezer bags. This can help save a bunch on meat.
Another great hint is to visit your store early in the morning. The meat managers will often mark the meat down that is about to go out of date. This meat is perfectly safe if you plan to either cook it that day or freeze it. This will help you load up your freezer in a very frugal manner.
4 - Give store brands a try
Do you always buy name brand items without giving comparable store brands a try? If so, you might well be wasting money while deriving no real benefit from the decision.
I'll be the first to admit that some store branded items simply don't taste as good as their name brand counterparts, but many of them do. And in some cases the store brands taste even better.
What's more, if you're a label-reader (and you should be), you might find that the store brand variety of your favorite food item is actually healthier (less sodium, lower fat content, etc.).
The bottom line here is it pays to experiment a bit by trying out a few store branded items to see if you like them. If not, simply chalk it up to experience and go back to buying the name brand. Who knows, you just might end up being pleasantly surprised.
5 - Take advantage of your store's "Senior Days" if you qualify
Growing older comes with a few challenges, but it also comes with a few benefits. One of the greatest benefits I know of is qualifying for senior discounts.
Many grocery stores advertise "Senior Days" on which senior citizens can purchase their groceries at a discount. For example, my local Kroger store offers seniors a 10% discount on their purchases every Tuesday.
Even better, match up your senior discounts with coupons and regular sales and you can really save a bundle.
And now, to finish up...
There are many great websites that can teach you the art of saving on your grocery bills and there really is a lot to learn.
Each month will get easier and easier, and you will soon become an expert and won't be as stressed when it comes time to pay those bills. Since our grocery bills are such a big part of our budget each month, it is truly important to save all that we can.
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