10 Tips to Help You Save Money at the Grocery Store
Your monthly grocery bill can make or break your budget depending on your shopping habits. If you run to the store every time you need something, you’re probably spending more than if you intentionally planned your shopping trips.
Practicing simple habits like checking flyers, writing lists and stocking up when things are on sale can help you save thousands of dollars on groceries over the course of a year.
Every dollar you save is a dollar more in your bank account, and those dollars add up. Over time your savings could equal a new vehicle, a family vacation or some extra padding on your emergency savings fund.
I have personally tried and tested all of the following money-saving methods and I am amazed how much money I save while still eating (and feeding my family) incredibly well and never feeling deprived.
The best part is that all of the actions on this list are things you can start doing right away. The only investment is a little of your time. So dust off your piggy bank and start saving those hard-earned dollars. And remember to treat yourself when that bank is full!
1. Check flyers
This is so important. Take some time to flip through your local flyers before you hit the grocery store. Check your list and then check flyers to see if anything you need is on sale. Circle items that are a good deal and write down the price and store name beside the corresponding item on your shopping list.
If you see something on sale that you know you will need soon (like toilet paper) but it is not on your list, circle it anyway and if you’ve got any wiggle room in your budget, stock up while it’s on sale.
You can also check flyers online if you think it’s too much of a hassle to spread all the paper flyers out and do this the old-fashioned way. You can go to each store’s website to check their weekly flyer, or check out flipp.com.
2. Check your receipt!
Cashiers are human too, and they make mistakes! But the onus is on you to check your receipt and make sure you were charged correctly.
Always check your receipt, but as an added “safety measure,” make a mental note of (approximately) how much each item costs as you put it in your cart. Or go one step further and write down the price on your shopping list as you go. Doing this will give you a pretty good idea of what your total will be so you’ll know if there’s a discrepancy when you go to pay.
If your total cost sounds off, make sure to check your receipt. But even if it sounds right, it doesn’t hurt to give it a once over.
If you notice a mistake, take your receipt to customer service and get your money back. I am not kidding when I say that I notice mistakes all the time. Although it takes a few minutes to correct, it’s well worth the savings. As an added bonus, some stores even credit you extra cash for your troubles. It really does pay to be vigilant!
3. Use loyalty points
I know, collecting points can be a slow process and wallets just aren’t made with enough pockets to hold all those membership cards, but collecting loyalty points really can pay off.
When my husband lost his job right before Christmas a few weeks ago, I decided to save some money by redeeming over $200 worth of points at the grocery store. I only had to pay another $13 and our entire Christmas
Many points programs at major retailers are also getting easier to use. Nowadays you can usually download an app with a barcode matching your account so all you need to do is scan your phone at checkout.
There are also lots of ways to accumulate points quicker. Just like checking flyers, it pays to check for any special points offers at the stores you frequent. Buying certain products or spending a certain amount in one trip may also earn you extra points. Sometimes, though, you need to load the points onto your card by clicking a link online or through an app. As soon as I figured this out I started earning points WAY quicker. So check your loyalty points programs to see if there are added ways to earn.
Now for the warning: Don’t buy things (or shop at a certain location) JUST to earn points. You will end up spending more money this way, which is what stores bank on. You still need to do your homework and figure out where you are going to get the best deal. Something may be worth points at one store, but may be on sale for a great price at another. You will need to calculate the savings.
If the sale price will save you more money than the points are worth, forgo the points. If, however, the points are worth more in future savings than the current sale price, you may want to spend more up front and earn points for later if your budget allows it.
Also, don’t buy something you don’t need just because it’s worth lots of points. If it’s something you need, want and will actually use now or in the future, then go for it. If it’s something you only want but don’t need and/or if it doesn’t fit into your budget, put it back and save your money now. There will be another deal on something worthwhile in the future.
4. Use coupons
Much the same as using points, check for coupons for products on your shopping list. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge coupon collector. This is simply because I rarely seem to find coupons for things I actually want or need. It’s still worth it to check for coupons though because when you do find one it’s like finding free money!
You can check newspapers, flyers, the entrances and aisles of grocery stores or even just ask the cashier! You can also check online. When I am shopping online I will almost always google “Coupon Code for (name of product or website I am shopping on)” and see if I can find a discount code.
I will also check directly with company websites to see if I can get a manufacturer’s coupon for certain products. For example, the last time I bought Advil I went to Advil’s website and found a section called Offers and Coupons. Lo and behold, I scored a $1.00 off coupon for a product that I was going to buy anyway.
The great thing about manufacturers’ coupons is they typically can be doubled up. So if the item is on sale or if the store is offering extra points or a store coupon for the product, you can throw down a manufacturer’s coupon and get the store savings as well.
5. Know your unit prices
If you really want to be a savvy shopper, you’ve gotta know your unit prices. You have to understand how to do this if you are going to accurately compare prices.
Let’s say you’re buying orange juice: You can get a 59 fl oz carton (or for Canadians, a 1.5 litre carton) for $5.99 or you can get a 32 fl oz carton (900 ml) for $3.99. Which is the better deal? In some cases the price per unit will be marked on the sale tag, but most times it is up to you to figure out. Here is where you need to know some basic math.
- Take the price of the first item and divide it by the amount of units the product is being measured in (in this case fluid ounces): So 5.99 / 59 = .1015… So the cost per unit is just over 10 cents per fl oz.
- Do the same thing with the second item: 3.99 / 32 = .12468… So the cost per unit is just over 12 cents per fl oz.
- Now that you have the cost per fluid oz for each item, you can accurately compare them: 10 cents per fl oz for product #1 vs. 12 cents per fl oz for product #2. Product #1 (the larger carton) is the better deal.
Use the calculator on your cell phone or carry one with you when you shop. You can even do simple calculations in your head. The more you make this a habit, the quicker and easier it will become.
You will benefit from knowing a few basic conversions (such as grams to ounces) and also how many of each unit are in a larger unit (such as how many millilitres are in a litre, or how many ounces in a pound). But while you may memorize some of these, you can always just Google these conversions on your phone. There are also some great, free apps available that will do the same thing.
6. Stock up on sale items
One of the biggest mistakes that people make is buying things at full price as they need them. You can and should stock up on non-perishable essentials like toothpaste or toilet paper when they’re on sale.
If you decide to stock up, however, stick to stocking only what you and your family will actually use. If you don’t like oatmeal, don’t buy up the store when it’s on sale. Remember, a deal is only a deal on things we actually want and will use. Otherwise you’ll just waste money and clutter your house with stuff that will take up space until it eventually gets tossed.
Check flyers regularly to know when the things you use are on sale. Check stores for sales, especially after holidays and at the end of the season. Seasonal items always go on clearance, and you can get all sorts of great deals on everything from cookie cutters and paper plates to chocolate and candy. Plus, you can stock up on things you can use next time that holiday rolls around, like decorations and gifts!
7. Buy in season (and grow your own)
When you buy fruits and vegetables in season you’re buying when they’re most abundant. Since the supply is high and the products are perishable, the prices for produce in peak season are usually significantly lower.
I am also a strong advocate for eating local and supporting your local farmers. Buying in season means you can buy from local farms that grow organic food and leave a smaller carbon footprint.
When you buy out of season, the produce you eat has to be shipped in from somewhere it is growing. That means it’s more likely to be genetically modified and/or sprayed with pesticides to keep it in pristine condition until it finally reaches your plate. In the end, buying in season means you’re saving money, supporting your local community and getting healthier food.
Of course, you’ll save even more money if you grow your own fruits and veggies. But if you’re just starting out or don’t have the space to grow enough food to feed your family for the year, buying local food in season is a nice way to supplement your food supply.
Now, I know that there are certain fruits and veggies that don’t grow in your zone, but I still recommend buying them in season from the closest possible source. Since I’m in the Pacific Northwest, things like lemons, oranges and pineapples don’t grow here, so I buy them when they’re in season in the closest places that they do grow: California and Hawaii. I’ll stock up on these items in late winter -when they are in season in their respective climates- and preserve them for enjoyment all year round.
Only stock up on a bunch of fresh produce if you are ready to preserve it though. Otherwise just buy as much as you will be able to eat fresh so it doesn’t spoil and cost you money. And again, only buy produce that you and your family will eat. There’s no point in buying 10 lbs of green beans to put up if no one in your family eats green beans. It will only cost you money and time preserving it all if it never makes it to your dinner plate.
If you do end up with extra produce that you won’t eat or can’t preserve, consider sharing with neighbours, friends and family or donating to your local food bank. Someone may as well get to enjoy it, and feeding others is never a waste of money.
8. Eat before you shop
Shopping on an empty stomach is a bad idea. When you’re hungry you’re more likely to buy junk food and to deviate from your shopping list. In fact, you may even be more likely to buy non-food items!
According to a study from the University of Minnesota, hunger makes us more tempted to acquire things in general, so we tend to impulse shop and overbuy.
The solution to this problem is a simple one, but you need to make it a conscious habit to fill up before you hit the supermarket and stick to your shopping list while you’re there. Having a quick bite before grocery shopping might also save you calories on all those sample foods! (Although who’s gonna pass up free food?)
9. Make a list
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wandered the grocery store aimlessly wondering what to buy. In fact, this happens every time I go without some sort of list. I also find that I usually end up buying more processed foods instead of buying raw ingredients to make something from scratch.
Even keeping a mental list is better than no list at all. But writing a proper list on paper will definitely increase your chances of staying on budget. Of course, you will need to stick to the list, but you are 100% more likely to stick to a list that you’ve written than a list that doesn’t exist!
As an added bonus, when you sit down and intentionally make a list ahead of time, you can stick to a meal plan and do some pre-planning by checking flyers for the best deals on the things you need. You’re also more likely to make healthier choices.
When I make my lists I also write the flyer price down beside each item so I have a good idea of how much my grocery trip will cost. This will also help you catch any discrepancies at checkout if you are accidentally charged the wrong price for something.
10. Use cash
Spending on credit cards makes you more likely impulse buy and to spend more money. In fact, according to one popular study, consumers who shop with credit cards spend an average of 12-18% more than their cash-carrying counterparts. Using cash is a physical reminder of the value of money. It can make us think twice about trading it for things we don’t really need or want.
If you decide to forgo the plastic, you may want to consider using the envelope system. This is where you make envelopes for all of your major spending categories (ie. groceries, transportation, entertainment, etc.) and allot a certain amount of cash to each envelope for the month.
The trickiest part is sticking to only spending cash from the envelopes. If you can commit to this system though, it’s a surefire way to keep you on budget! To learn more about how the envelope system works, check out this post on money-guru Dave Ramsey’s site.
While using cash is often recommended to help you stay on budget, it might not be the best option for you. My husband and I have tried it multiple times but we actually find it easier to spend from our joint bank account. This way we don’t have to worry about saving all our receipts and we can both access our account to keep track of spending.
There are also some great apps like Mint and EveryDollar to help you keep track of spending with credit and debit. I would recommend trying both systems and doing what works best for you. Then stick to only cash or only cards. Mixing the two is a surefire way to lose track of spending.
Planning and Preparation is the Key to Saving Money
When it comes to saving money, planning and preparing for a shopping trip or big expenditure can be well worth it’s weight in gold.
Planning helps to avoid money-spending pitfalls like impulse buying and overspending. When you’re intentional about how you spend your money you’re more likely to keep more of it. You’re also more likely to only spend on items that truly benefit you and enhance your life.
Stocking up on things while they’re on sale is another awesome strategy for saving money in the long run. But becoming too focused on taking advantage of sales can cost you in the end if you’re not careful. You may end up impulse buying a bunch of stuff you don’t need just because it was on sale.
I’ve said it already, but I can’t stress this point enough. A deal is not a deal if it’s on something you don’t like, won’t use or never knew you needed until you stumbled upon it. If you are serious about saving money, your purchases need to be intentional.
So by all means, stock up on 500 rolls of toilet paper. You will use toilet paper and the rolls won’t go bad before you can get to them all. But don’t waste your money on anything that will just clutter your space and eventually go to waste. At that point you may as well just throw your money away. Always remember that spending money is spending money. You are only saving money on sale items if you planned to spend that money on those items in the first place.
Be intentional, invest a bit of time up front, know a real deal when you see it and be prepared to stock up when the getting is good. And remember to create a budget and keep track of your spending! I guarantee if you follow these steps you will save money, and shave hundreds or even thousands off your grocery bill each year.
So start dreaming about what you will use all that extra money for! Just remember to spend it wisely.
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For Angi Schneider of @schneiderpeeps, the answer is pressure canning, hands-down.
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If you're interested in learning how to make your own all-natural soy candles with essential oils at home, I'm currently offering my DIY Scented Soy Candles Masterclass for FREE as part of the Handmade Holiday Giveaway, hosted by my friend and fellow Vancouver Islander Diana Bouchard of @wanderinghoofranch
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Click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead to check out everything that's included in the Handmade Holiday Giveaway.
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Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!
#givethanks #staypresent #familyiseverything
Drop a ❤️ below 👇 if you can relate!
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Catch the full interview in the Fall issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine. Subscribe for free to read your first issue free or become a member to get this issue plus access to our entire library of past issues for just $7.99/year!
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to www.modernhomesteadingmagazine.com
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Which of these tools do you already have?
Which ones are next on your list to invest in??
What are your go-to tools to use around your house and homestead??? (Duct tape totally counts 😉)
Let me know in the comments below! 👇
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For me, it’s this guy right here.
He was only away for two weeks, but that’s all the time it took for me to realize how much he brings to the table, and how valuable it is to have a live-in handyman on a homestead!
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When we were getting chickens, he built our chicken coop. When I wanted to put in new garden beds, he built them. Deck? Done! Firewood? Chopped! Bathroom? Remodelled! Car broken down? Fixed! (Did I mention he’s a trained mechanic too?)
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It’s super easy to make and will put pumpkin spice macaroni squarely in its place (and keep it there!)
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to grab the recipe or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/homemade-pumpkin-spice-syrup/
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With everything that’s going on in the world right now, I know I’m not the only one feeling pulled toward hearth and home. This is a heavy time for all of us. No one person is meant to bear the weight of the world on their shoulders, but I've heard from so many people lately who say that's exactly how they've been feeling.
If you read my post from a few days ago, you know I’ve been feeling like that too, but luckily, I've learned how to soothe my soul in difficult times.
And so that's what I've been doing lately...
I've been focusing on the tangible things that I can control, like cooking meals and preserving food.
I've been lingering a little longer in the morning, taking time to sit by the river or sip my coffee in front of the wood stove before hurrying on with my day.
And I've been making a conscious effort to turn off the noise of the outside world and give my family and my own emotional health my full attention.
If you've also been feeling that pull to turn off all of the noise and immerse yourself in more nourishing, productive activities, I want to tell you about a collection of resources that will help you do just that.
The Simple Living Collective’s Autumn Issue includes seasonal guides, tutorials, e-books, recipes and more to help you slow down and reconnect with what matters this season.
* Learn how to forage for healing herbs and how to make your own natural medicine
* Find new ways to celebrate old traditions, and create new seasonal traditions with your family
* Discover new seasonal recipes and crafts to do on your own or with your kids
And much more.
If this sounds like it’s exactly what you're in need of right now, check out the Simple Living Collective and get the Autumn Issue for just $25. But this issue is only available until tomorrow, so don't wait…
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to grab it now before it disappears 🍁
If you’ve ever grown peppers, you know they take FOREVER and a day to grow from seed.
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Our jalapeño plants are about as prolific as our tomato or zucchini plants, so all of the waiting for these pepper plants to mature and produce is totally worth it. But as with all high yield plants, the problem becomes what to do with them all!
While I do use a fair amount of jalapeños to make homemade salsa, I’m always left with more than I need. And personally, I don’t like fresh jalapeños. I prefer them pickled. And if I’m going to pickle them, I may as well ferment them and make them both tastier AND healthier while preserving them to eat throughout the year,
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As for how to use them, try adding fermented #jalapeños to homemade nachos, tacos, chilli, pizza, salads, burgers and anything else you can think of that could benefit from a little spicy heat (and a healthy dose of probiotics;)
Or, if you really like heat, just grab a fork and eat some straight out of the jar! (Maybe keep a glass of milk on hand to cool your mouth down… just in case;)
If you don’t have ay jalapeños but have other hot peppers (or any type of peppers), just sub them for the jalapeños. This recipe can be used to #ferment any type of peppers:)
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Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/fermented-jalapenos/ for the recipe!
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I laid in bed the other night and couldn’t sleep.
I know that probably doesn’t sound out of the ordinary, especially considering the collective stress we’ve all been through over the past year and a half. But if I’m being totally honest, I’ve done a pretty good job of not letting it get to me.
I used to have really bad anxiety, and I made a conscious effort to learn how to manage it in (mostly) healthy, natural ways. I practice a lot of gratitude every day, and overall I’ve learned to deal with stress, anxiety and negative thoughts pretty well.
Lately though, I’ve been feeling the weight of it all. Aside from dealing with personal issues like our ongoing infertility/pregnancy loss journey and the every day stresses we all face, the bigger things have been feeling bigger and heavier lately; The mandates, the politics, the pushback, the arguments and attacks online, the divisiveness, and the seemingly never-ending pandemic that every single one of us is still dealing with in some capacity.
I’ve been seeing more and more calls to “choose a side.” I’ve witnessed my own close friends on both sides of the debate hurling insults at each other, defending their ground, and refusing to listen to each other’s valid points and concerns.
I’ve even witnessed a widening crack in the homesteading community, despite the fact that so many of our core values and beliefs align and are unique to us.
Despite the division, I would still argue that ALL of us have much more in common than not, and to see the divide continuing to deepen has started to get under my skin lately.
(Continued in comments…)
🍁 There's something almost magical about the changing of the seasons, and especially the transition from summer to fall.
For us homesteaders, summers are often chaotic and offer lots of projects and distractions to keep us busy, but fall beckons us to slow down and focus on what we want out of this life and what sort of changes and transitions we need to make to get to where we ultimately want to be.
This latest issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine reflects this spirit of change and honours the many transitions that this season brings.
From transitioning our homes and gardens for the fall and winter to transitioning our kids back to school, we're covering a wide range of topics to help you to make the most of this season before we transition to the next.
And speaking of changes and transitions, I'm very excited to announce a brand new format and vision for Modern Homesteading Magazine.
As we celebrate two years in publication and 24 monthly issues on topics ranging from organic gardening to herbal medicine to raising livestock to fermentation and just about everything in between, the time has come for the magazine to expand, diversify and transition from a monthly publication to a seasonal one.
This will also be the last issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine that we're offering for free.
If you're already a paid member, nothing will change and you'll continue to enjoy full access to our entire library of past, present and future issues.
If you're not a member yet but you'd like to continue to receive each new issue and get full access to our entire library of past issues, you can still do so for the super low introductory rate of just $7.99/year.
A huge thanks to @planttherapy for sponsoring yet another issue!
Plant Therapy's fall collection is out now, along with their vast selection of essential oils, home and body care products, CBD oils and more! Shop now and get 10% off site-wide when you use code HOMESTEAD at checkout.
I hope you enjoy everything that this issue has to offer, and that it inspires you to make the most of the season.
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to become a member or subscribe and read your first issue for free!
Fun fact: The word “ferment” comes from the Latin word “fervere,” which means “to boil.”
During fermentation, wild yeasts and bacteria feed off of the sugars in food and produce carbon dioxide, which is what makes the signature bubbles in fermented foods.
It’s thought that this bubbling action -which looks similar to the bubbles produced during boiling- is what gave fermentation its name.
But fermentation itself dates back even further than that. The earliest known evidence of humans fermenting foods on purpose comes from Neolithic China.
Fermentation is also incredibly widespread. In fact, practically every culture on Earth includes some sort of fermented foods and/or beverages as part of their culture and traditional foods.
The three recipes in the latest issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine are a good example of this diversity as they come from three different parts of the world.
First up is a traditional sauerkraut recipe, which hails from Eastern Europe. Then there’s my personal favourite Kimchi, which is South Korea’s national dish. And finally there’s Curtido, which is basically like sauerkraut with a delicious twist that comes from El Salvador.
Get all of these recipes and learn all about the wonderful world of fermentation while you still can by subscribing to Modern Homesteading Magazine. Right now you can subscribe for free and you’ll still get the weekend to read through this issue before the Fall issue drops next Monday.
Or, if you want unlimited access to this issue, along with every other issue of the magazine, you can still become a member for the super low introductory rate of just $7.99/year!
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead to subscribe for free or become a member and get unlimited access to our entire library of issues packed with helpful information, resources and exclusive recipes!
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #fermenting #fermentedfoods #fermentation #sauerkraut #kimchi
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