The rising costs of food, rent, gas, and, well, everything must have you looking for ways you can save on groceries. Saving small every time you shop can actually add up to a lot of money saved over time. Here are a few ways you could save on your groceries!
Make a List
Before you go out shopping for groceries, make a list and stick to it! Plan your grocery list around what you and your family like to eat and look at what is on sale that week. Only buy what you need, and you can save up a lot by not wasting on junk and snacks!
Grocery Store Loyalty Cards
Many grocery stores have loyalty cards or apps. If you usually shop at the same few shops, try and ask if they run a loyalty program, then join it. Loyalty apps are great for saving as they are automatically applied at checkout when you make your purchase. Grocery stores often market their loyalty cards and apps in the store to get you to sign up for them and increase their sales.
Avoid Shopping When You’re Hungry
Shopping while being hungry will lead you to spend on food and junk you may not actually want to buy. When you’re hungry, you might go for low nutritional value foods that aren’t really worth the money you spend on them.
Stock Up On What You Can
Basic items like rice, pasta, beans, and some vegetables can be bought and stored in your home for long periods without going bad. If you see items that can be stocked and stored on sale, and you have enough space to store them, go for them!
Shop Farmers’ Markets Before Closing
Shopping late at farmers’ markets can be a surprisingly good time to score a few good deals. Farmers usually don’t like bringing produce back to their homes after a long day, and they often sell their produce at very low prices when the markets are nearing closing.
Buy in Season
Fruits and vegetables that are in season are cheaper. Plan out your meals keeping in mind what vegetables or fruits are in season. A good tip for buying veggies and fruits is buying them in different stages of ripeness. Buy some that are ready to eat and some that will take a few days to ripen completely. This way, you increase the time you have to finish your purchases and minimize any waste.
Buy Store Brand
Buying store-brand products instead of name brands can result in huge savings. You might think store brand products are of lower quality than name brands, but you’d be surprised.
Buy in Bulk
If you have a large family and enough space for storage, buy in bulk! You can even get a few neighbors to join up and buy together with you. Buying in bulk from wholesale markets is one of the best ways you can save on groceries. Buying a whole sack of rice is much cheaper if you look at the price per gram rather than buying a small bag of rice for yourself.
