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Saving Money on Groceries


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts
July 23, 2015

food in clear plastic binsTo keep my groceries organized so I know what I have and don't have, I have been doing the following:

I placed my groceries into plastic containers that I can pull out like drawers to check so nothing gets forgotten on the shelves. It also helps me to keep rotating my stock.

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I designated certain rows or shelves in cabinets or even the freezer for distinct items, like the soup, vegetable, or canned fruit row, meat drawer in the freezer or the quick meal shelf.

I create a list of what potential meals I already have in the house and distinguish lunch or dinner meals so any of us can check it quickly know what's available and what we have to make a meal.

Example of list:
Lunch- peanut butter, tuna, soups, grilled cheese, ravioli, veggie burgers, ramen noodles, lunch meat/burritos.

Dinner- 6 hamburger patties, 8 drumsticks, 2 lbs. ground beef, turkey breast, pizza dough, and 2 lb. ham

This helps me to rotate my foods and not let something sit in the freezer while I continue to purchase meals.

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36 More Solutions

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July 15, 2009

Over the past few months I have stuck to a simple rule: Grocery shopping once a week. If you are not in the store, you cannot spend money, you can't fall prey to slick marketing and "buy more, save more" types of incentives.

Shop Once a Week

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August 9, 2010

I have been a very frugal person most of my adult life. I shop at the Dollar Tree, Grocery Outlet and the 99 cent Store. I buy produce and make the best garden salads from the 99 cent store.

 
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Silver Post Medal for All Time! 255 Posts
January 11, 2011

I tend to do my shopping in bulk, except for milk and fresh fruits. I feel I save more money this way. I make my list, attach the weekly ad and coupons to it and go.

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Recently I went shopping with a friend who shopped similar to how I shop, only she made 2 major mistakes.

 
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July 15, 2010

Shop alone. It cuts down on distractions and curbs impulse buying. Make a list and stick to it. Allow yourself only a certain amount of unplanned purchases.

 
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Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
March 14, 2013

I've recently learned to use Recipe-By-Ingredient websites, which help you cook something up with what you've already got in your kitchen or make good use of items on sale.

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August 8, 2008

I saved grocery receipts for 1 month, then created a spread sheet with the prices of the items I buy frequently. I continue to add to it each time I shop.

 
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September 20, 2010

I grow my own vegetables in the summer and freeze them, I cook from scratch, and I go every 2-3 weeks to buy groceries. I go to generic stores and stock up on meat.

 
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October 3, 2007

I usually have my grocery list and check off items as I put them in my basket. Instead of a calculator, I just put a slash mark on my grocery list, for the price of the item, rounded out to the dollar.

 
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Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 170 Posts
April 1, 2013

Good and easy ways to save money at the grocery store.

 
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July 8, 2011

At most supermarkets, using reusable bags can earn you 5 cents per bag. With 4 bags, that's a 20 cent savings each time you shop.

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If you shop once a week and use 4 bags, that works out to about $12 per year.

 
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Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 509 Feedbacks
March 8, 2011

Some of our grocery stores have a gourmet food section in their deli. This is a great place to pick up some things that you normally wouldn't be able to afford

 
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January 21, 2009

When shopping for groceries and household supplies, having a well organized list is one of the best money savers (and time savers) that we've tried.

 
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Patti McKenna
April 30, 2006

Through the years, I've read at least one hundred different articles with tips and tricks on how to cut your grocery bill. With a large family, I've followed most of the advice at one time or another.

 
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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 170 Feedbacks
November 23, 2022

Salads have become quite a bit less costly around my place these past few months. I've stopped buying lettuce and have replaced it with Napa cabbage which pairs beautifully with mung bean sprouts which I've learned to grow. Three tablespoons of dry beans makes enough for two good-sized salads.

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The cabbage lasts about a month without turning brown or wilting, and one large head is still less expensive than a head of iceberg. Fresh sprouts are crisp and significantly more nutritious than lettuce.

 
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January 21, 2014

If you are paid weekly, shop every 8 days instead of every 7. Every seventh week, you will have twice as much available to spend.

 

December 1, 2004

Remember to shop at grocery stores after the holidays. They will sell the seasonal foods for cheap. -- breads, cakes, cookies, meats, etc. (and of course seasonal candy.)

 
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February 21, 2000

Watch the store sales and take the time to cut your coupons. I usually save between $30-40 each trip to the grocery store. It is worth the time.

 
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January 23, 2005

Here in the Great White North life is not always easier. But one area that helps out is the scanner "code". When I go grocery shopping - I check every receipt - every time.

 
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January 30, 2008

The number one way I save money on my groceries is menu planning. I write out what we will have for dinner the whole week, make up the grocery list, and add to it any necessity items such as toilet paper, detergent, etc.

 
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November 1, 2004

Buy cranberries early in the season and put them straight into the freezer. The closer you get to the holidays the more expensive they get.

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Frozen cranberries can be used just like fresh in all recipes. By Linda

 
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February 23, 2012

Do not overlook the value of using stores that match their competitor's ads. This is seldom advertised so you have to ask. Because I live in a rural area it is not always practical nor do I have the time to do extreme couponing.

 
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September 8, 2010

I've found that when grocery shopping, it pays to check the price per ounce. Sometimes a sale item isn't the cheapest product. Kids love to help with grocery shopping. While shopping, asking them to compare prices and price(s) per ounce for various foods.

 
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April 7, 2009

Do your grocery shopping a day later each week, Monday one week, Tuesday the next etc. You save a week's grocery bill every seven weeks.

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Eat before you shop. If you are hungry, you will be tempted to buy items you don't need.

 
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Silver Post Medal for All Time! 277 Posts
October 4, 2007

Keep a small list of what you pay for items that you buy often. Then, when you're at another grocery/department store, you'll know if their special is really a special.

 
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January 5, 2010

This is a fun (and scary) experiment. Take your typical weekly sale paper for a grocery store or retail store. Choose one page and add up the $ cost for every item on ONE page (things on sale).

 
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October 8, 2007

Before heading out to shop, make a list. Put a list of items you want, plus the sale price and any coupons you have. Total the costs before leaving the house and only bring that much money.

 
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April 26, 2005

Check with your grocer from time to time to see about any greatly reduced meats or fruits that he'd be getting rid of. You could put those fruits to good use making batches of homemade jams, jellies, preserves ...

 
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October 13, 2004

Take advantage of a store's "loss leaders." These are sale items the store is selling at such a low cost they may even be losing money on them. These items are priced so low to get you into the store, with the hope that you will keep shopping for regularly priced items.

 
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Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

June 21, 2007

It seems like our grocery bill (family of 2) is growing out of control. We shop off a list and get only what is needed, generic mostly, and also split our time between the surplus store, farm market, discount stores and our regular grocery. We've also gotten into a great habit of eating our leftovers and not wasting. However, it all adds up at the check out line!



Do any of you have a suggestion for looking at this problem differently? Right now we look at the receipts and spend the time justifying why each item was needed. We need a way to take down the total costs, but need a flexible budget in case legitimate "needs" do pop up. Does anyone have a budget that works like this?

Kelly from NH

Answers

June 21, 20070 found this helpful

I love going to the grocery store, just wish someone else would want to pay for it!! Isn't it getting outrageous??
I, like you, go to surplus stores, Dollar General, Save-A-Lot, and the local flea market and farmer's market.
Used to be able to rough figure how much you would spend before you left the house, but not anymore.
Do you use coupon's at all? Our grocery store here, once in a while, will triple the mfg. coupons. We also have sometimes, a special in the meat dep't. where you get a big brown bag, and all of the meat that you put in it will be like 10-20% off at the register.
I generally buy a lot for like 2 weeks in a row, then I'm pretty well set for about the next month, with the exception of milk, bread, etc.
There are 4 of us here (soon to be 5) and just my husband works, but his work (factory) is very unsteady. I work private-duty caregiver just 2 days a week, 4 hrs. each day. Then my son and his girlfriend live with us and they are expecting in October.
Good Luck!

 
By Joyce (Guest Post)
June 22, 20070 found this helpful

I have a family of 5, and have learned a lot of strategies over the years. Probably the one that is most helpful in regard to groceries is making a lot of casseroles, and ground beef recipes. I also try to have eggs or omelets one night on the weekend. Not only is that easy to make and nutritious, but it's much less costly than meat. The added advantage of casseroles is that you can freeze the leftovers and have an easy supper ready some night in the future.

 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 267 Posts
June 22, 20070 found this helpful

Kelly, are you near a Trader Joe's in New Hampshire? I know that there are some in the Boston area. They have some very good deals, especially on produce. I also like to buy meats, cheese and canned goods at Costco and plan ahead. This is only a good deal if you get stuff you would buy anyways and avoid the frozen convenience foods and snacky stuff. I usually get home and prep meals: cut meat up for meals and freeze them, freeze cheese in usable packets (I get shredded as it is even cheaper than the big block), etc.

I also try to cut up and freeze any veggies that I get but don't have time to use them up before they go bad. I usually make up stir fry veggie packets and ones ready for soup. I also freeze leftovers if I don't think I can get the family to use them while they are still good.

There are a lot of great tips on this site as food and the grocery budget are a favorite discussion topic. Keep it up and good luck.

Jess

 

Silver Post Medal for All Time! 277 Posts
June 22, 20070 found this helpful

maybe several of you could go into together and buy from sams in bulk?
sometimes its cheaper there sometimes not
worth thinking about

 
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December 29, 2010

Since the New Year is only a couple of days away, I need help saving money and really becoming frugal, especially when it comes to food shopping. Any ideas? I am only shopping for one, but money is really tight!

By Lynda from Kearny, NJ

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January 4, 2010

Does anyone have suggestions for ways to save money these days? I am particularly interested regarding things like, food, pet products, lotions (dry skin in winter)?

By drew from Piedmont, AL

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