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Tips to Save on Your Grocery Bill

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     Everything seems to cost more these days, and your grocery bill more than likely reflects that. Though it may feel as costs are mostly out of your control, there are a few simple tweaks you can make that could help save you money.

Meal plan

If you aren’t meal planning, you are likely spending more at the store than you need to be. Based on what you see on sale at the stores, make a list of the meals you want to make for the week. Stacey Chik, Lenexa mom of seven, shares her approach: “One of the best habits I have for grocery shopping for a large family is menu planning. I sit down each week before I shop and plan our menu by working through a spreadsheet of meals my family likes. After planning the menu, I make a list of things I need to buy. Without a doubt, menu planning and shopping from a list are the two things that have helped keep our grocery costs manageable, even for a family of nine.” If meal planning seems a bit daunting at first, check out EMeals.com for a free two-week trial of a customized weekly meal plan based on your store’s sales!

Make a list and stick to it

Once you’ve decided what meals your family is having, you can make a list of what ingredients you will need for each meal and then cross check it with your fridge, freezer and pantry to see what items you already have. Melissa Lambert, Overland Park mom of three, says, “I send my husband to the store because he sticks to the list way better than I do and doesn’t come home with all the extras!”

Change where you shop

It took our family a long time and multiple tries to start regularly shopping at Aldi. Audrey Hatler, Overland Park mom of three, admits, “While I am not the best at meal planning, I do try to save money by shopping at Aldi.” Maybe it’s not Aldi you need to try, but do consider switching up your store or, at the very least, start comparing prices between stores to save yourself some money.

Shop store brands

Instead of being “brand loyal,” check out store brands. Many of the brands you love have a less expensive store brand counterpart that can save you a significant amount of cash.

Plan a meatless or leftover night

For our family of six (though my husband isn’t always thrilled about it), I try to include a meatless meal one night a week because it’s a cheaper alternative. I almost always put a leftover night on the meal plan for the week, too. Using up leftovers helps stretch your meals further and eliminates food waste. Chik also says, “To save money on your grocery budget, plan two simple, cheap meals a week. Pancakes and eggs, for example, is a cheap meal full of protein and delicious comfort on a cold Kansas night!”

Buy groceries online

With so many drive-through, pickup, and online options these days, grocery shopping is more convenient than ever. “Free grocery pickup has saved us a lot of money. It keeps me out of the store where I’m extremely prone to grabbing impulse items. Another benefit is sometimes there are deals that you can only see online or in the store app,” shares Overland Park mom of two Erin Beiser.

Track prices

According to Ruth Soukup, it’s helpful to keep a running list of items you regularly buy along with their pricing so you know when something is really on sale. You can also do this to compare prices across grocery stores to know where the items you buy most often are the cheapest.

Consider wholesale clubs

“We do a lot of shopping at Sam’s or Costo because buying in bulk tends to be a cost savings for items that we use larger quantities of,” says Tricia Clement, Overland Park mom of three. “Having a planned list of what is needed and not having the kids join on shopping outings also help to avoid as many unplanned additions.”

     Implementing all these cost saving strategies at once might overwhelm, but you can start small. Maybe this week you plan one or two meals based on sales and make a list.  Or maybe your family can join Sam’s or Costco and begin bulk shopping. Whatever change you make, be consistent and faithful with it. You’ll start seeing the savings add up!

Here are a few other quick tips:

Julie Collett writes from Overland Park where meal planning and list making for a family of six are a regular part of her week!

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