10+ Grocery Shopping Tips to help Save Money

We all wish we had more money. We all have to eat. We all have mouths to feed. As a mom to three, my little ones go through food like crazy, so much so that I am dreading when they are older and eat us out of our home. I honestly don't know how my mom did it with seven of us.  

I have always tried to get the best bang for the buck but I honestly never really thought about trying to save money at the grocery store until I had a family of my own. Grocery trips add up fast, especially when you just buy buy buy - buy your favorite brands, buy what looks good, buy the first item you see. At the end of the month you look back at your budget and are stumped at the amount you spent at the grocery store - $500, $700, maybe even $900. What are you buying that is so expensive? Are you cabinets and freezer full of food no-one eats? Did you really need that candy bar?

When you are on a tight budget, one of the first things you need to do is look at how much you are spending at the grocery store and try to cut down your total cost. Here are some tips on how my family cuts down on our grocery budget. After all, a penny can become a dollar over time.

DO NOT shop when you are hungry
The number one rule is do not go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Why you may ask? When you are hungry you will shop with your eyes. Everything that looks good to you will end up in your cart and you will end up spending extra money on snacks you don't really need. Wait until after you eat to go shopping or eat a quick snack before hand.

Make a Grocery List and stick to it
This may seem like a no brainer but you'd be surprised at how many people don't make a grocery list and over buy or forget items they actually need. By making a grocery list you know exactly what you need to buy. Make sure you stick to your list to avoid buying items you already have or don't need. If you organize your list based on the store's aisles, you can cut back on time spent in the grocery store as well.

Plan your Meals

I personally do not do this but I have looked into it and may start when my kids are older. Meal planning also allows you to know what meal you are going to have for dinner each night which helps cut back on the added cost of eating out. Meal planning can take some time but it helps you build your grocery list, buy in bulk and eliminate on wasted food since you can add leftover nights in your meal planning. If you need help on meal planning I suggest searching Pinterest (follow me if you'd like) for meal planning help and ideas. 

Buy in Bulk

As I mentioned in meal planning, buying in bulk can help you cut back on cost. Stores such as Costco and Sam's Club are good stores for buying in bulk but unfortunately I believe you need a membership for both, don't hold me to it. When buying in bulk you need to make sure it is something that you actually need and that you will be able to use the item before it expires to avoid wasting food. Condiments, canned fruit and non perishables are a good place to start. Also make sure the bulk price is cheaper. You would think that it would be, but not always. I have noticed on several occasions the bulk packages are sometimes more expensive per item thus making it cheaper to buy the normal size product.

Buy Store Brand Products

Occasionally coupons and sales can make name brand products cheaper but not usually. If you compare prices, the majority of the time store brands are cheaper than name brand products. I have tried several store brand products and in my experience, the majority of them taste the same if not better so why not save a few cents and buy store brand products. 

Compare Prices

Just because it is in a bigger package, store brand or on sale doesn't mean it is cheaper. Make sure to compare prices to other prices. At Walmart the great value nutri-grain bars strawberry 16 pack is cheaper than buying the 8 pack but the apple 16 pack is about a dollar more thus making it more expensive. I don't know why the bulk packages sometimes are actually priced higher but they are so when grocery shopping, don't forget to compare prices.. 

Don't be afraid to use the calculator on your phone to compare prices. Total price ÷ total ounces = price er ounce. 

Shop Sales 

Pay attention to what items are on sale. Don't just grab an item off the shelf because that is what you always get. Take time to look at the prices of other items as they may be on sale or rollback thus making them cheaper. 

Don't forget to check out the clearance aisle as well. You may find bread or backed goods that are about to expire that you can buy. Remember to only buy the sale items if they are on your list.

Compare Store Ads

Every store has different prices for their items. I once walked out of Kroger because I needed syrup and wasn't going to pay $6 for it when I knew the same brand was $3 at Walmart. Make sure to check your local store ads and see what stores are having sales that week. Either go to the store that has the best deals on the majority of your list or if you are able to, shop at all the stores for the best deals. Some stores participate in price matching so bring the ads with you next time and see if they will price match. It never hurts to ask.

Don't rule out stores like the Dollar Tree, Save-A-Lot and Aldi. Aldi recently came to our town and Walmart dropped their prices to compete. I checked Aldi out and the majority of their prices were a lot lower - .98 cents for milk vs they typical $3; .25 cents for bananas vs .55 cents. 

Use Coupons

Always look for coupons before you go shopping but only print/add coupons for products on your grocery list. The number one rule when using coupons is: 

Just because you have a coupon doesn't mean you have to use it. 

Coupons are a way for companies to advertise - if they give you a coupon you are more likely to buy that product. Don't fall for their marketing scheme. If you don't need the product, don't buy it. If the product isn't cheaper than the store brand product after the coupon is applied, don't buy it. Just leave the coupon on the shelf by the product for the next person who comes along.

Most stores have their own store apps that have different ways to save when shopping at their store. You can check out my blog, Best Store Coupon Apps and Websites for a list of several store apps to help you save money. You can also check out my blog, Best Cash Back Apps and Websites for a list of apps that give you cash back on everyday products. Both of these blog post will help you save money when shopping.

Only Buy what you Need

This goes with making a grocery list and sticking to it along with using coupons and shopping sales. Like I said before, just because you have a coupon or it's on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. By sticking to your grocery list and only buying what you need, you are saving money. Yes it may be a great deal but do you really need it? BOGO or Five off Five is only a good deal if you are planning on using all the products before they expire. If there is a chance they will sit in your cabinet and go bad, just buy one.

Avoid Processed & Bagged Food
By buying your food fresh and freezing it instead of buying processed/bagged food, it will taste better and save you money in the long run. This is sometimes hard to do and time consuming but it is worth it. Some examples are buying chicken breast, cutting and separating them and freezing them to make dinners and/or chicken strips instead of buying already frozen chicken breast and strips.  Buy a head of lettuce and shred it for salads instead of buying bagged lettuce. It will last longer and is cheaper.

Avoid the Candy Aisle

If at all possible, avoid they candy aisle. Candy is not healthy and it is way overpriced. Unless you absolutely need candy for a dessert or event, skip this aisle. If you like having a candy stash then stock up when it goes on sale. After each holiday, the holiday candy will be half off. This is the best time to buy candy.

DO NOT buy snacks at check out

The check out lane sets you up for failure. They place magazines, gum, candy bars, chips, beverages right in front of your face with jacked up prices in hopes of catching your eyes. If you fall for there trap, you add at minimum, $2 -$3 to your receipt. That may not sound like a lot but if you buy a snack at check out every time, it adds up fast. If you really have to buy a snack, go to the snack aisle and find something. Yes it may be more expensive overall but you are actually getting more for the price thus making it cheaper. 

These are my top tips to help save money when grocery shopping. If I had to narrow it down, my top three tips to save money when grocery shopping are comparing prices, cash back apps and making a grocery list and sticking to it. I hope you find these tips helpful and are able to cut back on your grocery budget. Feel free to share you favorite grocery shopping tips and tricks below in the comments!