Grocery Shopping Tips to Save You Money

1/30/25

When prices are high, many consumers change their shopping habits, weaning off high-priced products for store brand items. Individuals and families, who pivot their shopping habits, beat the system. People beat the high grocery prices, by using some of the tips below.

Buy more than one week of groceries, at a time. If you can buy groceries once or twice a month, instead of every week, you will save money and time. On the other hand, if you are going to the store every other day, you are probably paying a fortune on groceries. When you earn extra money, like a bonus or tax refund, you want to change your grocery habits, to buy more non-perishable groceries at a time, to save on sales that require a quantity of an item and store promotions and incentives for when you buy over a certain dollar amount. Also, check your credit card perks, to see if any credit card gives you back cash or points for the total you spend at grocery stores. When you buy more though, you want to discipline yourself (and your family) into not eating more (larger portions or extra snacks), because that will defeat the purpose. So, you need to divide foods, freeze foods, and keep extra foods out of sight because it will become an enticement to eat extra.
Use a grocery list. When you are trying to save money, it is best to know what you want to buy before going to the grocery store. Save money by making a grocery list or use an app, so you don’t get sidetracked with items that derail your grocery budget. A list keeps you from going into a brain fog, when you see a 100 bread or cereal choices.
Use home delivery. If you buy once or twice a month, the cost of paying for home delivery may pay for itself, depending on your store. You essentially download the store app or go online to their website, and select items to put in your cart. Shopping online is good for saving money with digital coupons and comparing prices. You get to search whatever item you want and compare prices and check nutritional charts. You also get to check out the store’s circular for the week, to find sales items. You can put items in your online cart, anytime of day or night, at your convenience, which can help you save time going to the store.
Look for sales. Buy items according to what’s on sale or in season. Don’t rely on brands of foods that have gone up in price. The way you beat the high prices is to pivot to lower-priced brands. So, devise several go-to brands that you can alternate, depending on price.
Buy store brand. Don’t underestimate the quality and taste of store brands. They are generally cheaper in cost than brand names, and often taste just as good. Trying generic items, from time to time, can be a pleasant surprise and help you save money because, if it is an item you regularly buy, you will save a good amount, over time.
Try new items and give up your regular foods. Be flexible and don’t assume cheaper items are necessarily worst. If you are willing to give different items a try, you may find nice alternatives, and save money. Sometimes, the less advertised items taste just as good as more expensive brands that are excessively advertised.
Don’t buy individual servings of snacks or meals. While individual servings are enticing, it is rarely cost effective. You will likely save money, if you can take the time to prep your food. Buy less packaged, pre-cooked and processed foods. Instead of buying pricy ready-to-eat packages, eliminate packaged meals and snacks, and save money by preparing and cooking, yourself. Assemble lunches and prepare dinners yourself. Don’t get single-serving mixed salads; get your favorite lettuce or fresh spinach and other veggies to combine, yourself. Don’t buy snacks, make them! You can easily make your own granola, and even if you splurge on organic store-brand oats, it will likely be less than buying a brand-named granola. If your snack of choice is chips, buy store brand chips and create your own seasoning blends to sprinkle on them.
Don’t spend large sums of money on drinks. Drinks cost a fortune, whether it’s cold drinks or hot drinks. Find ways to make your own drinks, and save money by wiping out the majority of this category from your grocery list, except for milk, milk-alternatives and orange juice. Instead of soda, you can make your own beverages, such as water with ginger or lemon and honey. If you are a coffee lover, comparative shop for coffee, and make your own coffee from home.
Budget, budget, budget. Make sure you have a organized system to budget your groceries and all household expenses. Using a system, such as My Home Organizer, can be ideal for helping you keep your budget on track!