Grocery bills are often one of the highest expenses that families have. And there’s no avoiding it. Your family needs to eat nutritious food each day, and that comes at a cost.
According to a recent USDA study, a family of four can spend between $563 and $1,287 each month on grocery expenses – which adds up to $6,756 to $15,444 annually.
That’s a shopping cart full of cash!
We want to help you spend toward the lower end of the scale. Keep reading to learn the best ways to save on your grocery bill this week.
6 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Grocery Bill
1. Make a shopping list
The easiest way for your grocery bill to get out of hand is to aimlessly walk around the store and add items to your cart that look appetizing.
Smart shoppers never do this. They always go with a list in hand and they don’t deviate from that list. A shopping list ensures that you get exactly what you need, and nothing more.
2. Skip the organics
In a perfect world, every product would be organic and made by a local producer. Unfortunately, organic and locally produced food tends to cost much more.
So, if saving money is your goal, skip the organics and go with a quality non-organic option. By reducing the amount of organic food you buy, you can save yourself hundreds per month.
3. Buy in bulk
Shopping for groceries at wholesale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club are great ways to save money over the long term. However, a Costco grocery bill can easily cost a few hundred dollars, so you have to be very careful.
Make sure you bring your shopping list and avoid the many temptations like massive boxes of fruit snacks, or that 50 pack of lightbulbs that you’ll never use.
4. Plan meals ahead of time
Make a list of the meals you want to serve each day of the week.
By cooking large batches you’ll save money on ingredients and also reduce the time you spend cooking and cleaning. That’s because you can enjoy your leftovers from the large batch for one or two days, or maybe even more, depending on how much you make.
5. Stick to the basics
Going back to that ideal world scenario… it sure would be nice to eat sushi or surf and turf every day. But that’s a sure way to go broke.
Keep it simple. Purchase basic essentials like whole chickens, potatoes, rice, whole grains, and easily available veggies like broccoli and string beans. This way, you’ll ensure that your family is eating all of the essential food groups, and without spending a ton of cash.
6. Stay the course
As tempting as it might be to pick up the buy one get one Ben & Jerry’s deal, remember the following fact: Each dollar you save on your grocery bill can be stored away in your emergency fund.
The money you save can also be invested, or it can go to pay off your credit card bill, car loan, or even your mortgage. Once that credit card bill is paid off, you definitely won’t miss those times you skipped out on the dessert aisle.
Happy smart shopping!
