13 Lucky Ways to Save on Groceries

Times are tough out there, so it’s no surprise that many people are trying to find ways to cut costs from their grocery bill. Here is my short list of 13 quick & easy ways you can do it too:

1. Generic brands – Don’t be scared of trying a store variety – usually, it’s the same product without the frills of pretty packaging.
2. Combine coupons – Get the Sunday paper and start filing your coupons. Then, combine them with a store sale to double your savings!
3. Buy bulk – Get items which go quickly in your house, like dairy products, or things that won’t go bad, like toilet paper, in bulk. It’ll save you a ton of money in the long run.
4. Go full or part-vegetarian – It may be a little extreme for you, but not eating meat so much saves quite a bit at the grocery store.
5. Buy in season – Don’t buy strawberries when the smallest package costs $7. You don’t want them that badly! Every fruit and vegetable has a season, and if you pay attention throughout the year, you’ll notice what’s cheapest when.
6. Plant at home – You can get delicious herbs or even fruits and vegetables using a small home harden. It won’t save a bundle, but it will give you a superior product, and at the peak of freshness!
7. Stock up on loss leaders that rotate – Everything on the first page of your store’s circular is known as a loss leader, which means that stores use it to get you in the door and spend money on something else. Strike back by buying as many things on sale as you can and stocking up!
8. Go with a list – You know that guy that wanders around all of the aisles, lost in what exactly he should be getting? He should have made a list. Do it – it will make you more focused and get you out faster.
9. Go after dinner, not before – I hate walking into the store and smelling donuts or fried chicken, or the latest sample they’re cooking up. It immediately makes me want to buy something I can eat at home right away. Not surprisingly, that’s usually more expensive.
10. Forget loyalty – I used to be addicted to Publix, party because their product is always consistent, but also because that’s “the” store in Florida. Since I switched to the Walmart Neighborhood Center, quality hasn’t suffered, and my wallet loves me.
11. Leave the kids at home – Mommy, mommy! Daddy, daddy! Cut your bill in half and stop bringing home junk food just by going shopping alone.
12. Prepare menus ahead of time – If you go shopping each night for dinner, you may get too much food, or get something you already have! Planning a weekly menu allows you to combine ingredients to get the most out of each shopping trip. Not to mention it saves gas!
13. Utilize your freezer – Most people’s freezer’s are grossly under-utilized. Other people are so good at this tip that they own separate freezers! Buy things you can freeze in bulk (like meats), and take out only what you need for that day.

Got your own tip you’d like to share? Leave a comment.