Everything is going up these days! Have you said this or heard it from a friend lately? It is true. According to Forbes magazine, inflation has risen over the last 12 months.
So, when saving money, what do we tackle first? Research says American households’ top three budget busters are housing, transportation, and (drum roll, please) food. Yes, food. I know this does not come as a surprise to you because we face this reality on a daily basis. We can’t avoid it.
Let’s focus on the expense of food. I have noticed that some families eat out most of the time, but some still like a good home-cooked meal. Generally, cooking at home saves on calories because you can control the level of sodium and sugar in your food, but more importantly, you can save money. Here are 10 steps to saving more money on your grocery bill:
- Commit to saving more money.
- Share this goal with someone in your household who will hold you accountable.
- Before you go to the store, make a list of the things you need, take it with you, and stick to it no matter what.
- Check your list to see if you already have the items in your kitchen.
- Check to see if you have received coupons, emails, or the store’s website for sales. Ask a couponing friend for help.
- If you are hungry, grab a bite so your hunger will not tempt you to buy more than you planned.
- Buy only what you need today. Tomorrow’s needs may already be taken care of.
- If you have an account at CVS, split your order and use the coupons from the first order for the second one.
- Consider purchasing the store brand of the product instead of the name brand. It’s often just as good.
- Before leaving the store, add any items you wanted to your “tomorrow” list for the next trip to the grocery store.
This list is not an exhaustive list of how you can save money in the grocery store. You can order online and pick it up where stores do not charge you for this service, so you are not tempted to buy an item from tomorrow’s list. There are more ways to save. Please feel free to share your grocery store savings strategy in the comments so we can collaborate and help one another.
