A Basic Guide to Saving Money on Groceries

It’s all about saving money on groceries today! If you’re like most families, your grocery shopping experience has probably evolved over the last several years. That’s because prices keep increasing, and quite frankly, we want more money left in our pockets after our grocery shopping trip.

Grocery stores know this and have become very competitive in earning loyalty by offering fantastic ways to save money. If your grocery shopping hasn’t changed over the years, you might miss out on huge savings from your grocery expenses.

Look at our essential guide for saving money on groceries while you’re at the grocery store.

How to Save Money on Groceries 

Browse Store Flyers

Today’s shoppers are less loyal to one store than 20 years ago. Customers have learned to be more frugal with their money by going where the deals are.

This might mean multiple stops during your grocery trip and a little extra cherry-picking. Browse the store flyers and jot down the best deals you want to take advantage of on a pad, and plan your stops accordingly. 

Just yesterday, we received flyers from Smiths, the local store brand from Kroger’s, and from Costco. We use the coupons from Smiths all the time, and often save $8.00 – $10.00 on the costs of food on each shopping purchase.  

Get Set up on Customer Loyalty Programs/Apps

Sign up or download the store’s app to create even more savings opportunities. After you scan your rewards card or enter your customer number, you can watch the savings add up and see your bill go down.

Smiths often have specials related to the clip coupons, but also have deeper discounts using digital coupons. It may seem like a hassle to sign up for both loyalty programs, but it can save money within your grocery budget when you take advantage of exclusive discounts. 

Snag the Freebies

Many grocery stores promote a free item of the week just by being signed up with their loyalty programs. That’s free food! Just have your loyalty card or app on hand when approaching the checkout counter to get your free items. Mark likes orange juice, and often there is a free 52 oz bottle included with each coupon batch, and those generally cost close to $5.00.

Pharmacy Prescriptions

Another perk of shopping at certain local grocery stores in your area is that they have a pharmacy in their store. Because of your loyalty to that grocery store, you can get prescription refills for a fraction of the price.

I highly recommend looking at GoodRX because it shows you the cheapest place to buy prescriptions. I can pay cash at certain stores, and the cost is lower than the co-pay through my insurance.

Mark has a 30 day prescription we generally run through our insurance for a 30 day supply at a cost of $20.30 at Costco. He recently requested the doctor write the prescription for a 90 day supply. The cost through insurance was $59.60, but the counter clerk took a minute to check on the Costco discount. The cost for the 90 day supply ended up being $29.00 without running it through our insurance plan. That’s a significant savings!

Bring a Calculator

Another way to stay on budget during your grocery shopping experience is to bring a calculator. This keeps you from zero surprises when you reach the checkout area. Check out the total cost if you use the multiple-item expense instead of buying smaller amounts at a higher cost.

I also like to compare various brands and package sizes based on the cost per oz which is usually posted next to the unit price.

Get Groceries Based Off Your Pantry

Before you head to the grocery store, take a gander at the stock in your pantry. Is there anything with just one or two ingredients that can be transformed into an entire meal?

You would be surprised what you can make with the food you have stocked away. This also helps you avoid buying food that you already have in your inventory.  

Stick to Meal Plans

Do you ever wander while grocery shopping and put miscellaneous items that look good at the time into your grocery cart? Most of us have. Some of us have habits we need to change so our visits to the grocery aisles are planned and not random.

Have a game plan before you even set foot in the grocery store by putting together a shopping list. Write down several meal plans based on your favorite recipes so you can choose the right items for your cart. Again, shop smart by looking at the ad flyers before you leave for the stores to you take advantage of savings based on what’s shown on your grocery list.  

Avoid Impulse Items

This is a biggie! Avoid putting impulse buys in your grocery cart to help save even more money on your grocery bill. This might mean leaving your husband and kids at home since they often throw extra “goodies” into the cart while you’re not looking.

Steer clear of the candy bars and small bottles of refrigerated pop in the coolers by the check-out lanes since those impulse purchases can really add up. 

Never Pay Full Retail

Avoid paying full retail on anything during your visit. Now, I know that sometimes that isn’t possible, but you can likely find that item on sale for much cheaper at another store location. Watch for my monthly “What To Stock Up On” series to save big bucks on needed items.

You do have to consider the cost in time and gas money visiting multiple stores. So, planning ahead and checking out where the deepest savings are makes sense.

Buy the Generic Store Brand

You might not believe this, but buying certain generic brands is just as good as buying the leading national brands. No joke. Here’s a little secret for someone who worked retail for several years. Brand-name products tend to cost more, believe me.

Many of the generic foods you find in your local grocery store are actually the same foods as the leading brands, simply under a different label. Once in a while, you might pick up a generic-brand food that doesn’t meet your standards, but I doubt you’ll find that is the case very often.  

Don’t Fall for Eye-Level Products

Have you ever noticed that most of the products on the store shelves are more expensive at eye level? Grocery stores are smart and have strategically set up their shelves this way. Be sure to scan from top to bottom the sections you’re hunting for the best deals.  

There will also be items on the shelves that are discounted and not reflected in the store flyer. Take some time to review what has a discounted tag you weren’t aware of. If it’s on your grocery list, you hit pay dirt.

Check Unit Pricing 

Checking the unit pricing can also save you a lot of money. Most grocery stores include unit pricing on their shelf tags to help you compare which container or package is the better value. 

Buy in Bulk

Buying bulk items is also another great way to save money during your grocery visit. For instance, you might pay more upfront for a large bag of dried beans than for a small can of beans, but over time, you will pay more while getting less if you rely on the smaller packages. 

Mark texted me from Smiths yesterday and mentioned they had a case sale going on. Many of the Campbell soups were on sale for $.99 per can if you bought them by the case.

Often stores will have special sale items in highlighted bins that are prominently positioned in the store so that foot traffic will pass by. Keep your eyes open as you travel throughout the store, just in case.

Freeze Meats That are Great Deals

When you see a hot deal on meat, please don’t pass it up. When you get home, you can freeze the meat. Recently, we purchased a few packages of pork that were on sale based on the “buy one, get one free” pricing.

This way, you can stock up on meat and not have to buy it at a higher price on your next visit. Thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to use it. 

Look for Markdowns

Grocery stores hate throwing out perishable foods when they expire. Typically, a few days before an item is thrown out, stores mark it down to blow it out. Keep your eyes peeled.

This can lead to huge savings on meat, dairy, bakery goods, and produce. Just be sure to use them in a reasonable time, so they don’t spoil.  

Pay With Cash

I’m not sure why this works, but it’s proven. Using cash will help you spend less money than putting it on a debit/credit card.

Experts have found that we find it more painful to hand cash over the counter and are more prone to spend less than if we swipe a piece of plastic. Plus, you can’t go over your budget once that cash is gone. 

Rain Checks

Is there a sale item the grocery store has run out of stock? Be sure to request a rain check, if that’s the store’s policy, so you can get that deal when it is back in stock. Some retail stores even give money back if they are out of stock on certain ad items. Talk about a win-win! But you have to ask.

Don’t Assume the Big Store Chains Have the Best Prices

Many of us assume that stores like Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, and others have the lowest prices. We’ve noticed that the local Trader Joe’s has some great deals on many items. We’ve started buying many fresh produce items there.

Also, consider having some of your groceries delivered. Yes, there may be a delivery fee, but if the store is making regular deliveries to your neighborhood, it could be cheaper than driving both ways to the store.

Final Word

This is an essential guide to saving money for future grocery store visits. If you’re a careful grocery spender, what other ways have you found to save money? If we know we save money on groceries every time we shop, we can reduce our budget. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Pink Pig with Keyboard Depositphotos_58330293_XL By Serggn, Piggy Bank with Cash Depositphotos_22663189_S By Melpomene