Trying to spend less on groceries? Learn how frugal people grocery shop to get the best deals and save the most money and then try it yourself!
With food prices rising, it seems everyone is trying to figure out how to cut grocery costs.
As someone who has had a low grocery budget for years and has interacted a lot with other frugal shoppers, I thought it would be fun and helpful to share the things most frugal people pay attention to when grocery shopping.
You likely do some of them already, but hopefully, there will be a few new ideas that you can use to help lower your own grocery budget!
1. Know Your Prices
Keeping a list of prices for the items you regularly buy is one of the easiest ways to know if you are getting a good deal. This is especially useful when shopping at multiple grocery stores. But it’s also helpful when considering sale prices.
I frequently shop at Aldi. But other grocery stores sometimes price sale items cheaper than I typically pay at Aldi. Thanks to my price list, I can easily check to see if what I think is a bargain, actually is a bargain.
I used to keep a paper price book but now I find it more convenient to use the Notes app on my phone and organize the items by category.
2. Check the Stores Sales
Before heading to the store, it’s wise to look online at the store’s weekly sales and then plan your list accordingly.
Remember though, that just because an item is on sale doesn’t mean it’s a good deal! (This is where that price list can come in handy!)
3. Make the Most of Sales
To stretch your budget, plan your meals around the sales as much as possible.
For example, if ground beef is on sale, make recipes using it instead of chicken. If cabbage is cheap, have it as your vegetable several times the next week. Or use that as your cue to add a recipe that uses cabbage, like this Easy Vegetable Beef Soup, on your menu.
If an item you regularly use is on sale, buy extra if you have room in your budget. Recently our local grocery store had sausage on sale for half price. I bought 6 packs and froze 5 of them since it’s something that we will easily use in the next several weeks.
4. Take Full Advantage of Loyalty Card Benefits
Grocery store loyalty card benefits often go beyond just getting you the sale price on items.
Many loyalty card programs allow you to earn points you can turn into rewards. Or they’ll have special coupon offers tailored to your usual purchases that you can add directly to your loyalty card.
Familiarize yourself with the benefits your store offers and then use it to your advantage!
6. Watch the Unit Price
With so many brands and sizes of an item, it can feel tricky to know which one is actually the best price.
Thankfully, most stores list the unit price on the price tag, usually at the bottom in small print. It makes it quite easy to know which item is truly the cheapest.
7. Understand Sales Cycles
Grocery stores typically have a sales cycle that repeats every 6 to 8 weeks. Understanding this can help you know how much to buy ahead when an item is on sale.
Along the same line, stores have a yearly sales cycle too. For example, March is frozen food month and stores run lots of sales on related items. November and December are known to have sales on baking items, making it a good time to stock up on those supplies.
One year there was an incredible sale on chocolate chips in November. I had plenty of storage space and wiggle room in my grocery budget, so I took advantage and bought enough to last about 6 months!
Related: Learn more about grocery sale cycles
5. Use Rain Checks
It’s always disappointing when you plan to save money with a sale only to discover they are sold out.
Thankfully, most grocery store customer service counters will offer rain checks for advertised sale items that aren’t available due to being out of stock. You can then use the rain check to get the item at its sale price in future weeks.
9. Buy More Frozen Produce
Frozen fruit and vegetables are often cheaper than fresh and are just as nutritious. Plus you won’t have to worry about them spoiling!
10. Avoid Pre-Cut, Pre-Washed
Frugal shoppers know that anytime you buy anything pre-cut, pre-washed, or pre-prepped, you will pay more for the convenience! (Think sliced cheese, pre-cut carrots, washed lettuce etc.)
If convenience is what you are after, it might be worth it! But if you are trying to spend as little as possible, it’s wisest to pay less and do the work yourself.
11. Buy Store Brands
I’m a huge fan of store brands. Most times I can’t tell much of a difference in the quality or taste. The times I do, I still find it’s rarely enough to make it worth the extra cost.
12. Make the Most of Markdowns
Make it a habit to watch for reduced-price “yellow tag” items.
Usually, these items are significantly marked down because they are close to their sell-by date. Sometimes it is simply because the store decided to stop carrying the product. Either way, it’s a great way to save!
Remember: Many close-dated items can be frozen. This list of 40 Foods that You Can Freeze might be useful to reference.
13. Consider Grocery Store Pickup
With more stores, including Walmart, offering free grocery pickup, it’s worth considering this option since it can be a great way to save money!
Not only is it easier to avoid impulse buys, but it also makes it easier to stay within your budget since you can see your total cost as you add items to your online cart.
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