A big part of your weekly or monthly budget goes to grocery shopping. Therefore, it is not a bad idea to see how you can save money on your grocery bill. Frugal grocery shopping at its best!

Be prepared

Prior to hitting the grocery store,  do some homework. Make a quick inventory of the fridge, freezer and kitchen cabinets. This will prevent you from buying food you have stocked and will allow you to plan ahead your weekly menu around food you have in stock and items that are on sale.

For items on sale check the store’s ad flyer, their website and your local newspaper. The food section often has store and manufacturer coupons.

Next, it’s time to make your shopping list. Make sure you don’t forget any items, as an extra trip to the corner store will hurt your pocketbook.

Finally, have a decent meal. When your stomach is rumbling, you are much more vulnerable to marketing tricks like free samples, dump bins, non-sale advertised specials or candy at the checkout line.

The frugal shopping experience

When you’re leaving for grocery shopping, always take cash money and leave your kids and credit card at home. This will force you to stay within the limits of your budget. It’s easy to set a budget, the hard part is to stick to it and avoid impulse buying. That’s why your shopping list is your best friend.

But what can you do once you’re in the store? A lot actually! In the first place, always check the top and lower shelves. They are filled with the cheaper products and store brands that are often of equal quality as well-known brands.

To find out which product gives you the most bang for your buck, try to check the unit price (per pound or ounce) instead of the package price.

Also buy in bulk whenever there is a good deal. This is a great piece of advice for food like meat and veggies that keep well in the freezer or actually any product with long shelf life.

Last but not least, don’t forget to ask for the store’s specials like e.g. discount cards, personalized deals, double coupon days etc. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

Home sweet home

Saving on your groceries doesn’t stop when you’re at home. The frugal shopping superstar keeps her receipts and enters information into a spreadsheet. This will give you better insight in your spending pattern and it’s a good tool for comparing one store to the other.

Take a moment to reflect on your grocery shopping for a while. How was your shopping list? Did you forget anything? Do you have anything with you that was not on the list? If so, look for ways to make things work better next time.

Then it’s time to get cooking. Prepare some meals ahead yourself and keep them in the freezer.  It’s much cheaper than ready-made frozen dinners in aluminum trays. Probably healthier too, because many pre-packed meals contain high levels of saturated fat and salt.

By the way, why not see this as a chance to improve your cooking skills? It’s the right time to get creative and explore different cuisines. Indian cooking, for instance, will open up a world of new tastes and ingredients as it uses a lot of beans and lentils instead of meat. This is good for your budget too, as those alternative protein sources are much cheaper than meat.

To wrap things up, don’t forget to store leftovers on the top shelf of your fridge so they are in sight and you don’t forget about them. They will make a great sandwich for next day’s lunch!

What are your best tips for saving money on groceries?

Norah