6 Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

It seems like the hardest place to try and save money is the grocery store.  Prices keep going up and as your family grows up, they tend to eat more.  What’s a mom to do?   And how about the person who is on a limited budget?  As many of you know, I am a wedding officiant, and believe me...  I do have a budget to stay within!  Here are 6 ways to save money at the grocery store that don’t require too much effort on your part.

1)  Buy less.  You may have heard that buying in bulk saves you money, but that is only if you are buying non-perishable items that you use often. This wedding officiant always buys corn and beans in bulk!  Purchasing too much of one food usually guarantees that most of it will go into the trash.  Only buy in bulk if you know you will use that ingredient within the expiration date or if you have room to freeze it all.

2)  Make a budget book.  Keep track of the groceries you buy often.  Make a list of things like bread, butter, milk and all the other usual suspects, and write the prices down for each after your shopping trips.  Buy doing this, you can see how the prices fluctuate from week to week, and you can also compare between grocery stores.  Keeping a budget book is also a good way to match savings with coupons and flyers using the average cost of these items, to see if you are really getting a deal.

3)  Buy meat wisely.  The meat department is where the bulk of your budget goes.  Try making a few meatless meals to save money.  If your family isn’t going to go for that idea, then buy cheaper cuts and make lots of stews and casseroles.  You can sometimes get a good deal at the butcher shop for a side of beef, but keep in mind you need a big freezer for this purchase.

4)  Do your own processing.  It costs more money to buy products that save you time.  Sorry, but in order to save, you may have to put a little elbow grease into your meals.  Buy your produce in tact and cut it up when you get home.  Buy chickens whole and cut them up yourself.  For a few weeks, use your budget book to keep track of the regular purchases, then buy your items whole and process them yourself.  You will be quite surprised at the price difference.

5)  Buy store brands.  Store brands save you money.  Even if you have a coupon for a name brand product, the off brand will more than likely be cheaper.  Compare the ingredients and you will see that there really isn’t that much of a difference between name brand and store brand.  On the other hand, if your family absolutely hates the store brand, then you aren’t saving money if you have to throw the food away.

6)  Always shop with a list. Walking into the grocery store unprepared is a sure way to wind up with lots of food you have no use for, and not enough of anything to make a complete meal.

There are numerous ways to save money at the grocery store.  The six ways mentioned here are easy to implement and should show immediate savings.