Let's Talk Grocery Shopping...No I'm Not Kidding

We all have to eat, so how do we save on food? Don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest Ramen every night. Although that would save you a lot of money, it would probably be pretty terrible for your overall health. If you just go to the store and buy what you want, when you want, you’re probably spending a lot more on food than you need to. Today we will go over ways to save on grocery shopping! I know it’s not a thrilling topic, but it is one that could easily save you a few hundred dollars per year, if not more.

Let’s get to it. A lot of money can be saved on groceries by simply being a ‘smart shopper.’ It’s easy to become a smarter shopper and save on groceries. Here are a few easy ways to save while shopping without buying less food, just spending less on it:

Plan out your trip
Yes, make a list when you go food shopping, and STICK TO IT! If you tend to buy a bunch of items you don’t normally get or need at the store, then this may be one for you. If you stick to your list, you won’t spend money on extra items you don’t need. And it is fine to go off your list once in a while, but it should be to try new items or the occasional thing you left off your list that you do need, not the soda or candy bar in the checkout aisle.
Picking out and buying produce
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to be taught how to pick out produce, but this is still a skill anyone can learn at any time! By picking out better produce, your produce should last a little longer and you shouldn’t be throwing out as much. Take a look at this list of YouTube videos for picking out produce.
Added tip!!! If your bananas get a little over ripe, you can peel them and freeze them. I put two bananas, broken in half, into a resealable sandwich bag to freeze. Use the frozen bananas to make smoothies or defrost them to bake with. For the banana bread, I usually add shredded coconut and chocolate chips, about half a cup of each.

Ripe bananas and the bag they will be frozen in.

Peeled bananas in a plastic bag ready to be frozen.
Stock up on your regular items when on sale
Do you have kids? Do they have favorite snacks? Do you have favorite foods or snacks? So why not buy those foods when they are on sale? As long as you can afford to buy some extra and have the space to store it at home, getting a few extra boxes, jars, or cans of different items when they are on sale may make sense. I usually get a bunch of pasta sauces, pasta, canned goods, and boxes of kid snacks to tuck away when they are on sale.
Compare Prices
There are some items that many of us buy at least weekly, or sometimes even more than once per week, like fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, yogurt, and meats. Knowing which grocer sells those staples for the lowest prices can save you quite a bit of money over the course of a year. One example for us is milk – with two little kids, we go through about two gallons of whole milk per week. Among the main grocery stores I shop at, a gallon of whole milk is $3.89 at one and $3.29 at the other. So over the course of a year, I can save over $60 just by buying milk at one grocer over the other, and that is for only ONE item.
Coupons
If you are a regular shopper, you probably have at least a couple of store discount cards for grocery stores. Most companies have shifted their coupons to being digital, so you’ll need their app to find the coupons you want/need. I also use Ibotta, which is a coupon and discount app. You can use it for groceries and lots of online shopping and other types of retailers as well. Just for signing up and using the app for a rebate, you get $20. If you use my referral code, I can get some extra money too! My referral code is: bsstpwl
Don’t Shop When You Are Hungry
You’ve likely heard that you shouldn’t shop on an empty stomach. Research has shown that you are more likely to buy more food and more unhealthy food than if you shop when you aren’t hungry.