I believe that being a good steward of the money the Lord has given to us extends beyond tithing, giving and saving, but also in spending. That is why with almost everything I purchase, I try to find the best price, the best value and hopefully a good quality. I love to see a dollar stretch as far as possible. As for grocery shopping, I really enjoy it. I like to cook and eat good food, so going to the grocery store is a part of that. Groceries can really add up, so here are a few ways I try to save.
1. Plan ahead
Plan meals for 1-3 weeks. Make a list of everything you need for those meals and staples. Stick to the list. Never go grocery shopping without a list. Also, organize the list by areas of the store. It makes it faster and cheaper because you will be less tempted to just grab things up. Have a budget for the month for groceries.
2. Where to shop
There are lots of options. Even in my small town there are 4+ places to buy groceries. Find the store that overall has the best prices and products (including store brands, coupons, sales, etc.).
3. What to buy
I buy the store brand whenever possible (most things that are made with a store brand are basically the same thing). I buy the discounted meat and freeze it.
4. Coupons, but be careful
I do use coupons, but only for things I normally buy anyways. Also, I check prices on name-brand coupons vs. the store brand, because sometimes using the coupon ends up costing more.
5. Walmart savings catcher
Since I shop at Walmart for most things, I started using their app for Walmart Savings Catcher. I've gotten back over $40 in just 4 months... for doing nothing but scanning my receipt... that's $10 a month.... every dollar counts! That could be a free grocery trip every year.
If anyone else have tips, leave them in the comments, I'm always interested in learning ways to spend wisely!
Thanks for the tip about the Walmart Savings Catcher. I shop there occasionally but most often at Kroger's. Every few months they send me coupons; some for free products. I recently got a free bottle of Windex and a free carton of eggs.
ReplyDeleteI organize my list by products rather than store aisles. Frozen, Pet, Dairy, etc.
Buy one get one free is great but (for us) only for non-perishable items. There's no point in getting a free jar of something if we won't use it before the expiration date.
I shop for groceries once a week; never on the way home from work because that's when I'm likely to be tired and hungry.
I save restaurant coupons in an envelope for when we decide to splurge and eat out. We recently saved money at Ruby Tuesdays by using a B1G1 free coupon.
Your tips are great and I've enjoyed your meal ideas.