How You Can Start Saving Money at the Grocery Store

Shopping at the grocery store for meals to eat at home is one of the best ways to save money on a tight budget.  Going out to eat is not only more expensive per person, but it puts the wallet at the mercy of the flashy ads and marketing ploys.  But there are ways to save even more while spending money!  Here are a few ways to start spending less at the grocery store. 

Know the Budget 

This is almost always the first step when it comes to any financial matter.  There needs to be a set limit for how much can be spent at the grocery store.  Do this before any purchases have been made.  It will help to limit those extra purchases and keep the grocery bill from bleeding over into other categories.  This may need to be adjusted monthly to accommodate big purchases like meat or dog food. 

Take a List  

The next step is to plan out meals.  This might be done in tandem with the budget.  While planning for a month might seem a little extreme, knowing what will be made between shopping trips is a good target.  Make a list of what ingredients need to be bought, take it to the store, and do not deviate from it. 

Clean Out the Kitchen First 

Before buying anything new, it is imperative to finish what has already been bought.  Old boxes of cereal and tortilla chips can clutter up the pantry, and ingredients only needed for that one meal weeks ago will sit until they spoil.  Get creative, search online for other exciting recipes that use that one ingredient or invent a new one.  Only buy what is needed and do your best to use everything that you buy. 

Use Store Pickup 

Once the shopper goes into the store, the game begins.  Store owners are smart and have set up the grocery market to wring out every possible penny from each patron.  Advertisements are in key spots and big-ticket items are right at eye level.  Avoid all this by shopping online and using the store pickup service.  This way, nothing that is not on the list gets purchased, and there is no temptation to pick up a box of cookies as a reward. 

Buy Generic Brands 

When picking out the items for the house, purchase the generic store brands rather than the names.  Marketing has succeeded in convincing most folks that the extra two dollars for the fancy label is worth it – it is not.  Most of them use the same providers for their ingredients, and no one will know the difference.  If there is a certain brand of pastry or beverage that everyone just can’t live without, pick that one up especially, but avoid the rest.  Those nickels and dimes will add up – especially over weeks and months!