With inflation on the rise, finding ways to save on groceries has become a priority of many of us. As costs go up at the grocery store, finding ways to reduce our grocery bills becomes more and more important. That’s because grocery expenses are one of the few things in most budget’s that are flexible. You can’t reduce the cost of your rent or mortgage but you can always find ways to save on groceries! Here are 8 ways to save on groceries that you may not have considered!
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#1 - Do Your Research When Writing Your Grocery List
First, let me start off this section by saying if you aren’t meal planning, you should be! It can really help you reel in your spending at the grocery store. When I have a meal plan and a grocery list, I almost never give in to impulse purchases at the grocery store.
Once you have a meal plan, it is easy to write up a grocery list for every item you will need for the week. I do this sitting at my desk with my laptop. The reason for this is because I usually go to 3 stores a week. Aldi is my main store and where I get the bulk of my groceries. But Aldi doesn’t carry everything and I also can’t ignore the fact that occasionally there are better bargains at other grocery store chains. These better deals usually come in the form of the weekly ad’s loss leader items or by buying sale items and stacking coupons on top of that.
What I use my laptop for is to check out the weekly ad deals at not only Aldi, but also the other stores I might go to. I do this before I meal plan. Then with my meal plan I create a list of items I will need broken up by store. I use the store’s website to see how has the best deal on an item. This is only when I know Aldi might not be the best deal so I am not looking up every item and the price comparison part of my grocery list writing doesn’t take very long. All in all, I usually spend less than a half hour a week writing my grocery list out and maybe 15 minutes or so creating my meal plan. It’s time well invested because I know it is saving me time and money!
Side note: Does anyone else have a brain full of grocery store prices or am I the only one? I usually know to the penny what something costs at Aldi. It’s useful but weird 🙂 If you don’t know grocery store prices, you can create a price list of your frequently bought items to help you with creating your grocery list. It’s a great way to stay on budget!
#2 - Shop Multiple Stores
This is one of the most important ways to save money on groceries. If you are serious about saving money and you have the time to spare, it can really be worthwhile to your grocery budget to shop at least 2-3 stores a week.
While I do the majority (80-90% most weeks) of my grocery shopping at Aldi, I also go to one or two other stores a week. This allows me to take advantage of the loss leader deals and other great sales that they might have. Also, Aldi is usually but not always the best deal on groceries. So if I can get it cheaper somewhere else, I will! I group my errands together so I hit all three stores in one trip and it usually only takes about an hour to an hour and a half of my morning to hit all three. Totally worth it to save some money!
Another advantage of hitting more stores is that you are increasing your odds of finding some markdowns!
# 3 - Customer Loyalty Programs
Join the customer loyalty programs at the stores you shop at. Not only can these savings cards help get you the sales prices at the stores you are shopping at, they often have other benefits as well.
For instance, when I lived in Michigan my Kroger Rewards card earned me gas points. Every $100 I spent earned my $0.10 off per gallon at the gas pump. Often times they offered double fuel point coupons I could add to my card.
Also, by having my information Kroger knew my buying patterns and sent me coupons in the mail at least once a month that were tailored to my shopping preferences. Every month, at least one of these coupons was for a free item!
Most stores also have websites where you can create accounts with your shopper’s card and then add digital coupons to it.
It can really be worthwhile to sign up for a customer loyalty card at your favorite grocery store chains and then spend a little bit of time getting to know their program and finding ways to maximize the benefits it offers!
#4 - Know All the Places to Find Coupons
While years ago the main source for coupons was the Sunday edition of the newspaper, the age of the internet has given us even more (and more convenient) ways to save money on groceries with coupons.
As I mentioned above, you can create accounts on the websites of the grocery stores you shop at. This will allow you to add digital coupons the store offers to your customer loyalty card. I make a habit of checking the new coupons weekly at the stores I shop at and adding any that I might use to my account.
Maximize Printable Coupon Savings with Swagbucks
Another way to get coupons is to print them online at websites such coupons.com. I usually do this through the Swagbucks website because I then get Swagbucks for not only printing the coupons but also for redeeming them.
Currently, they are offering 1 Swagbuck per each coupon printed and 50 Swagbucks for each coupon that is redeemed. A Swagbuck is usually equivalent to about one cent so this is pretty decent because you could earn $0.51 for using a coupon in addition to the amount you get off the product from the coupon itself!
If you don’t belong to Swagbucks, I recommend checking it out. I have earned over $3000 in gift cards over the past 6 years using Swagbucks.
Check Manufacturer’s Websites Directly for Coupons
You can also often print coupons directly from manufacturer’s websites so if you are looking for a coupon for a specific product, just do a search engine search for it and you are likely to find something if one is available!
#5 - Score Grocery Deals at Big Lot
Big Lot can be a surprising source of grocery bargains if you play your cards right. If you are looking for new ways to save money on groceries I recommend giving it a try. First, before shopping there make sure to sign up for customer rewards program.
They are constantly emailing me coupons. Often it’s for 15-20% off a purchase. Sometimes I get a coupon for $5 off a $15 purchase. This is really an awesome deal.
So what are some great deals you can get on food at Big Lot? I often find great deals on cereals, baking supplies (especially vanilla extract!), bread and more.
By using the coupons they send from their reward program I am able to get really awesome deals on these items. Big Lot can also be a great place to find bargains on household items like paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and laundry detergent especially when you have a 20% off coupon to use!
#6 - Check Out Dollar Tree for $1 Grocery Deals
#7 - Eat More Satiating Foods
Another of the really great ways to save on groceries is to eat more satiating foods. This tip has greatly reduced the amount of snacking we do, therefore reducing our grocery bill.
I try to include as many satiating foods in our weekly meal plan as possible. Not only has this cut back on the amount of food we consume, but it has also helped me lose (and keep off!) 15 lbs over the past year.
What are some satiating foods that you could add to your meal plan and grocery list?
Here’s a short list to consider with some meal ideas:
Eggs – Eggs are affordable and satisfying and there are dozens of ways to enjoy them. Good in casseroles, scrambled, over easy, boiled, poached, etc. You can make omelets, quiche, and more. Egg salad sandwiches are another option. We do a lot of breakfast burritos, breakfast paninis, and egg sandwiches on croissants, English muffins, or biscuits.
Oatmeal – This is my breakfast most mornings. Especially in the cooler months. A large canister of oatmeal lasts a while and you only need some milk (or water) to make it happen. I add frozen blueberries to mine for a little sweetness. Between the oatmeal and the berries, I get enough fiber to keep me satisfied until lunchtime!
Fish and Seafood – Fish and other seafood options such as shrimp are lean and high in protein. They really help fill us up and keep us satisfied. We often have marinated shrimp skewers that I cook on the indoor grill. Shrimp tacos are also another favorite.
Tilapia is extremely budget friendly and delicious if prepared the right way. Here is a simple and yummy recipe for Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. Paired with some brown rice and a salad or steamed veggies you have a meal that is high in protein and fiber. A perfect combo for a satiating meal!
Meat – Lean meats that are high in protein are another satiating food to consider. Think chicken breasts and lean cuts of pork like center cut pork chops.
Beans – We often eat beans at least once and sometimes twice a day. They are affordable, easy, and full of protein and fiber. Refried beans are an easy add on to lunch that I have most days. We often will eat them as a side to our dinners as well, especially on Mexican night! Bean soups and chilis are another way to get more beans. They are inexpensive and filling meals.
A final way to try to eat more beans is in salads. I love this Mexican Bean Salad recipe. It’s delicious and it makes a lot! It usually lasts our family of 4 for several days. It’s good as a main dish or as a side dish to a meal. I also like to make greek salads for my lunch and add chickpeas to them. It’s so tasty and keeps me full for hours!
Vegetables – We add a serving or two of vegetables to lunch and dinner. They are good for getting nutrients and most of them are great sources of fiber so they really are great satiating us! I prefer fresh and frozen vegetables over canned. Canned are cheaper but I don’t usually find them as satisfying so we only use them on occasion.
A good way to get more vegetables is to make a big garden salad at the beginning of the week and keep it in a produce keeper in the fridge. Then you have an easy veggie side to serve with dinner all week. I usually do romaine lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onions.
Fruit – Just like vegetables, fruit is full of fiber and nutrients. I also find that it helps satisfy my sweet tooth. We incorporate into meals throughout the day. A piece of fruit with some toast or some berries in our oatmeal for breakfast Then another piece of fruit or a serving of berries with lunch. I usually keep grapes, pineapple, and cantaloupe cleaned cut up in the fridge to throw together quick fruit salads with dinner a few times a week. Fruit also makes a great snack!
Potatoes – They are cheap and make a great side. They also fill you up! We often have baked potatoes as a side to our dinner. I often make extra because my son will eat them for lunch. Roasted potatoes also make a great and filling side to meals.
So as you can see, there are a lot of ways to get more satiating foods into your diet and at the same time reduce your grocery spending by reducing the amount of food your family consumes. Being full leads to less snacking and also more leftovers. If a meal is filling, they don’t go back for seconds 🙂
#8 - Use Grocery Savings Apps
There are many savings apps allow you to save money on groceries by uploading your receipts after you make certain purchases. Here are a couple to consider:
Ibotta – This is a good one because they will often have any brand offers that can be used at Aldi. Typically the offers are for specific name brand grocery items which means you can’t redeem them at Aldi since they mostly carry their own brand of products. However, in Ibotta right now I have an offer for $0.50 any brand eggs and $0.50 off any brand bread which can be used at Aldi.
Also, with Ibotta upon signing up I was offered a $5 bonus if I redeem my first offer within 14 days of registering and a $15 bonus if I redeem 9 offers within 14 days.
Go through the app and select the offers you are interested in. Then go shopping and upload your receipt to have your account credited. You can cash out your account when it reaches $20.
Other Grocery Savings Apps to Consider
Aldi Recipes:
Cheap Aldi Meals Ideas
- Easy Chili Mac – Feeds 4 in minutes people for less than $4!
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What are your favorite ways to cut costs on groceries?
