Perhaps the most impactful piece of the current inflationary climate is the cost of food. Entertainment expenses can be reduced, vacations can be less frequent, but you have to eat!
In the past, a clear cost savings could be easily achieved by choosing to grocery shop over eating out. That cost advantage still exists today, but the gap has narrowed significantly with the rise in supermarket prices.
In this article we’ll explore tips for keeping your grocery bill manageable while still enjoying the foods you love.
Take Inventory of Your Pantry
We’ve all been guilty of going to the grocery store without a list and buying the items we’re used to getting on a regular basis. And, if you’ve done this, you’ve inevitably come home to realize you already have that box of cereal in your pantry with about 75% of the contents remaining.
Taking a proper inventory ahead of shopping prevents duplicate buying and the potential for food (and money) waste. Make a list of only the items you need, and if you already have something, put it off until next week.
Take Advantage of BOGOS and Coupons
This one seems obvious but you would be surprised how many consumers don’t take the 15 minutes to browse the coupons and sale items before they shop. It’s a bit inconvenient, but the savings can add up significantly if you’re consistent in this practice.
Consolidate Your Meals
If you have a family that includes children, you know how hard this can be. Nobody is ever on the same page with what they want to eat, resulting in pasta for one person and tacos for the others.
There’s nothing wrong with satisfying everyone’s taste buds, but doing so can lead to a more expensive grocery bill in the form of food waste unless leftovers are on the menu for the next day.
Speaking of Leftovers
Maximize your yield from each meal. That means if you cook a big crockpot of chicken and dumplings that can last for 3 days, make sure someone in your family is willing to have that dinner multiple times a week.
Again, this is a bit of an inconvenience, but doing so can guarantee that you got the most bang for your buck on each meal.
Avoid Online Shopping
Ahh, one of the modern luxuries – online grocery delivery. While it is certainly convenient, it can come with unexpected costs. According to NerdWallet, the costs can come in the form of substituted items. For example, you order a medium sized bag of chips but the store doesn’t have it and your shopper subs it out for the party size.
This happens all the time and can lead to a much higher bill than you anticipated. One way to avoid, if your shopping provider allows it, is to uncheck the box to allow substitutions. This can prevent unwanted items, but can also leave you without necessities.
Try Store Brands
Store brands are a great way to save money and many store brands have items that are very close to the same thing as the brand-name products. Often times the savings comes in the form of reduced overhead for the store brand, which doesn’t spend millions of dollars on advertising and fancy packaging.
However, it is true that store brands are not identical twins of the name-brands, so you will notice a difference. Experiment and find out which types of products work for you. If you can’t deal with the thinner paper towels, make a sacrifice on the hand soap. Surely you will find some store brand items that you can tolerate.
Don’t Shop Hungry
Everyone has heard this anecdote before but it rings true now more than ever. Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach is a sure-fire way to leave with a bunch of impulse purchases that drive up the bill.
And with today’s prices, the impact of those purchases can be staggering. So stick to the tried and true method of shopping on a full stomach and keep the impulse dessert buys to a minimum.
Conclusion
While it is not convenient to analyze every detail of your grocery purchases, it is a necessary evil we must deal with if we want to save money. But it’s not without its rewards. As you dread combing through the coupon booklets and writing up your grocery list, try to keep in mind the savings you’ll achieve and think about what you can do with the extra money.
Viewing your hard work as a step toward a nice dinner out with the family or a step closer to that new purse you’ve had in your Amazon cart for 3 months can make the task less tedious.
