10 Ways to Save on Groceries
Published December 29th, 2007Next to expenses directly related to your shelter, food can be your number two expense. This year, when we decided to make some big changes in our lifestyle, cutting back on our monthly food expenses was one of the first places we started, and the one area we had room to cut back on.
First of all, track your expenses each month. Under the food category, goes eating out and groceries. The goal of the list below is to help to significantly cut down on the expensive and fattening eating out part, and even make progress in the grocery section. The list below are all things that have worked for me. The single biggest thing I do to save money is to dedicate time to planning ahead. This will take some practice in the beginning, but like everything else you do in your life, you’ll get the hang of it!
Here goes….
1) Make a plan for your 21 weekly meals based on what is on sale in the flyers that week, and what is in your cupboards and fridge–rather than based on what you feel like.
2) Based on your meal plan, make a detailed list of items that you’ll need to buy, and from which store ( I don’t shop at more than two or three of the stores each week, and I do this just once, all in one day). I list the food groups together, as they are usually together in the store. Go to the store with your list, and do your best to stick with it–this will save you a lot of money and time.
3) Clip coupons. They can be found with your newspaper inserts, on your food boxes, online, and in the mail. In the U.S. they have grocery stores that will double or triple the value of coupons, but sadly, to my knowledge, can’t do this in Canada. At least you can usually use a coupon even if the item is on sale. I don’t have one yet, but there are coupon organizers out there.
4) Keep a running list of condiments, paper, and hygiene products that you use regularly, and buy when one sale. The sales cycle, so usually what you need will go on sale at some point. If you are in a bind, and don’t already do this, pay close attention to the house brands. House brands are sometimes exactly the same product, and made in the same factory as the brand name, but have a different package. Things to look for include: Size in millilitres or ounces, ingredients, appearance, or for paper products also number of rolls, sheets and sheet size.
5) Try not to buy pre-prepared meals–unless on deep discount. Start by going through your cookbooks one Sunday for ideas or online. Pick one or two days/nights a week to make large stews/chili/soups that you can make a double batch and freeze for the future. I try to have a few lunch sized-portions and at least one dinner in the freezer so I have a bit of a head start on the week. Don’t want to stand in front of the stove for hours? Invest about $40 in a slow cooker–set it, and go on with your day. I use mine at least once a week.
6) Use cash–you really do spend less. I was very skeptical, but I tried for a couple of months, and now am a believer.
7) Invest in various sizes of plastic storage containers. You are helping your pocketbook and the environment since they are re-usable. You also use less plastic wrap and Ziploc bags. My personal favourite is the cupcake-sized containers! Also, you can buy and make food in bulk and divide it up into smaller portions. You’ll feel proud that less individual serving packages are going to landfills.
8) Bake your own cookies and muffins and freeze–just pull them out when you’re ready for school, work, or a snack.
9) Treat yourself to prevent overindulging later. I try to treat us to one or two sweet or salty treats a week with the groceries (that I can’t make easily at home).
10) Try to have ingredients on hand to make simple take-out or comfort food at home. For example, pita bread for quick pizzas, tortillas and salsa for fajitas or quesadillas, or burgers and buns in the freezer.
I know some of you are thinking where will I find the time to do this? The answer is to start small. Even if you buy 2 big frozen lasagnas on sale, cook them at the same time, and divide one into smaller portions, you’ve still saved money on bought lunches. Try even one or two of these things at a time, and hopefully the saving will make you feel so good, you’ll want to try more.
