8 Tips to Cut The Grocery Bill
Groceries are a necessity. Yet, if you’re anything like me, you hate spending so much on things that will be gone by the end of the week. A little about myself: I am a 21 year old college student, I live on my own, and I am on the “broke college student” budget until I graduate. Living this way has taught me how to be frugal with my food budget beyond coupons and deals.
Here are my tips and tricks to a cheaper grocery bill:
Meal plan
Meal planning can benefit you in so many ways, including time management and healthier eating. Decide what you’re making, make a list, and compare and shop the ads to find where the cheapest ingredients are found.
My suggestion: Try meal prep as well. Preparing your food in advance can help stop those urges to run and get fast food or go out to a restaurant (which adds up over time).
Don’t shop when you’re hungry
To me, this is the golden rule for grocery shopping. Whenever you’re hungry, you typically seem to grab everything that looks good and put it in your cart. Eat before you go so you won’t be tempted to buy things that you weren’t planning to buy.
Go generic
Buying the generic brands of food can reduce your grocery bill by a few dollars here and there, but over time it will add up!
Don’t get me wrong, there are some brands I have to have because they taste better to me– but try as hard as you can to not be too picky.
Eat your leftovers!
Eating your leftovers will save money in your budget as you are not paying for another meal. Many dishes such as casseroles and crockpot meals are even better the next day!
My suggestion: If you are struggling to find recipes, check Pinterest! This is what I use to find most of my meals.
Buy in bulk
Stores such as Sam’s or Costco sell products in bulk (which can save you money)! If you know you won’t eat the whole thing, see if someone would like to split the cost with you and you both get the perk of saving.
Grocery shop online
There are some stores, such a Walmart, that allow you to create your cart online and pick up your items without searching for them in store! This can save you money (and time) because you won’t be tempted to shop for other things as you would on the average grocery trip.
Start growing your own
If you have the space, start growing your own produce such as herbs and vegetables. This can not only be fun, but also rewarding.
Create a budget specifically for food
Based off of the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2017 a woman age 19-50 should spend $207.10 monthly for a low-cost plan. Determine your budget and tailor your needs from it. Having a set budget for food can help you to stop overspending.
My suggestion: Try using a credit card where you can earn cash back with your purchases or see if there are any purchase rewards for your Visa Debit card.
The Credit Union offers a budget tool and many other resources on the website! Use it to help create your budget.
Do you have any tips to a lower grocery bill? We’d love to hear in the comments below!
