How to save money on groceries - it’s easier than you think

Saving money when doing groceries is easier than you think – and it does not need to involve the collection of coupons or having to buy toilet paper and tampons in bulk!

The average cost on food per month ranges between $150 and $300 for one person – of course this depends on the ages of the people in the household; and this figure depends on where you live and the quality of the food that is purchased.

Having a monthly food budget ensures that you and your family have what you need and helps you to not overspend.

Here are 8 ways to save big on groceries and manage your budget.

 To help you maximize your grocery budget the next time you hit the grocery store, we’ve compiled a list of the 8 ways you can save big on groceries and manage your budget.

1. Don’t shop at eye level

   Brands pay retailers to secure the best place on the shelves for their products. Shelves at eye level and the end caps (the racks at the top and bottom of the aisle) are the most seen and this is where you find more expensive items — or items that attract kids.

   In fact, next time you are at the grocery store, check out the lower shelves, and you will see snacks and sugary foods, these are strategically placed there to attract the eye of kids.

2. Don’t shop hungry

   We’ve all been there, after a long day, you go to the grocery store to get dinner, and come back with way more than what you went to buy. This is not by mistake, studies show that if shop hungry, you are more likely to shop with your stomachs and grab more things to your cart. This impulsive shopping often leads to ready-to-eat purchases that’ll linger in your fridge and will most likely go bad before you have time to eat them.

3. Check your pantry before you go shopping

   Before you go on your next grocery run, take a good look at what you already have in your pantry, fridge and freezer. I’ve been known to buy items that I already had at home and that is clearly a waste of money.

   So now, before I head out to my local Whole Foods, IGA, Aldi, Costco, I take a look at my pantry and see what can I make with the items that I currently have. Often I can whip together a healthy meal and push the grocery store run out by a couple days.

4.   Skip the pre-cut produce

   OK, I admit it is tempting to buy the pre-cut mushrooms, carrots or lettuce, but these items costs a lot more than buying the produce that is not already sliced and diced. Do the cutting yourself and save a few bucks. Here is a pro-shopper tip: pre-cut items are often do not stay fresh nearly as long.

5. Skip meat one day a week

   When I went shopping this at weekend, I have had sticker shock when I looked price of meat and chicken. According to the USDA over the past few months, the price of beef and veal has increased 17.6%, and pork has gone up 12.7% . As the holidays approach, these increased prices can put a dent in the meals planned for these celebrations. Due to the increase price of in beef, many are following the Meatless Monday movement. Just giving it up once a week can help you save money. Check out these meatless meal recipes for your next Monday meal.

6. Buy generic/store brands instead of name brands

   You can save between 10% and 25% on your groceries if you buy store brand items instead of name brands. If you can substitute these brands for brand names, you can save money and still make a good meal. These items are not inferior than the brand names items, as often the brands also make the generic brand items.

7. Shop at discount grocery stores

   Shopping at a discount grocery store like Aldi, HEB in the US and Maxi, Super C and No Frills in Canada can help to stretch your budget.  One reason for shopping at these stores is that they often have special offers such as buy-one-get-one free , loyalty points programs where you can redeem our points for free products, or get a rebate on your shopping cart.   On average, families can save at least 10% on groceries by shopping at discount grocery stores.

8. Use cash when shopping

   Research shows that people who shop with a credit card spend 12% - 18%  more than those who shop with cash. Psychology Today found that  people overspend when they pay with a credit card. Additionally, study participants showed that they were willing to spend $175 to throw a Thanksgiving party when using a credit card to buy the food, but only $145 when using cash.

   If you only shop with cash, you can only spend what you have in your wallet. If you really want to use your credit card to collect points, then make sure you stick to your grocery or shopping list, and pay the bill in full when it arrives and you can come out ahead.

Extra tip:

According to the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,  1.3 billion tonnes of food gets thrown into the trash every year, which is actually 1/3 of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally. In the US, Americas discard more food than any other country, nearly 40 million tonnes ($160B)[1] in food a year. and Canadians throw out 6 million tonnes ($31billion of wasted food) this equates to $28 a week or  $1,456 a year. When you multiply this number by the typical 18 years that a child usually lives at home, people can easily  pay for a year’s worth the of college tuition. Check out how you can reduce your food waste.

The bottom line

When you go shopping be sure to bring a grocery list and use a few of the tips listed above and you will see that you will be able to save money and still be able to make rich and satisfying meals.