9 Clever Ways To Save Money on Groceries
You spend a lot of time and money grocery shopping. While this is a necessary task, you’re probably interested in finding ways to streamline and save money on this process.
When following a moderate budget, the average 20- to 50-year-old man spends $69.50 per week on food at home, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Women in this age group spend slightly less, at around $55.70 per week.
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If you’re spending more than this — or the amount you’re spending doesn’t fit your budget — it’s time to make a few changes. Thankfully, shopping smarter for groceries will likely be a lot easier than you think.
Making a few adjustments to the way you shop can change your outlook on grocery shopping for the better. Here are tips to help you save as much money as possible, without sacrificing your favorite items or making any major adjustments to your shopping list.
Use Coupons
It might sound simple, but if you’re not already using coupons, Natalie Warb, a financial expert at Coupon Birds, said doing so is a quick and easy way to reduce your total shopping bill.
“While the type of coupon and offers may vary from store to store, the cost benefits of utilizing coupons will remain the same,” she said. “They can even be used outside of the grocery store such as in restaurants and gyms.”
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Shop in the Store Instead of Getting Delivery
Grocery delivery can be convenient, but Warb said it isn’t the savviest way to shop.
“By visiting the grocery store, shoppers can keep an eye out for additional deals they may miss online, reduced items near the end of the business day and check the best-before dates on food items before adding them to their basket,” she said. “Overall, while delivery is convenient, visiting the grocery store gives us a better chance at making savings.”
Use a Cash-Back App
Cash-back apps put money back into your pocket every time you make a qualifying purchase, and they’re often really simple to use.
For example, with Upside, you can earn up to 45% cash back on grocery store purchases at participating retailers. Simply download the app, search for offers at a grocery store near you, claim the offer, pay as usual with your credit or debit card and check in or submit a receipt. You’ll earn cash back for your purchase, which you can then redeem for a gift card or have it deposited in a bank account or PayPal account.
Shop Strategically To Earn Fuel Rewards
Since many major grocery chains have reward programs linked to discounts on gas, Shelley Hunter, consumer expert at GiftCards.com, encouraged using this to your advantage.
“Stores offer double, triple and sometimes even quadruple rewards points when you buy gift cards from their stores as part of certain promotions,” she said. “After saving money by earning and using fuel points, you can hang on to the gift cards rather than giving them to someone as gifts and instead use them to buy things you need — e.g., groceries and household items.”
Stack Deals, Rewards and Loyalty Points
Combining different types of promotions can allow you to maximize your savings, Hunter said.
“If your grocery store doesn’t have a fuel points program, you can still layer your purchases with deals and promotions — particularly those that provide you with a reward,” she said. “For example, many people who buy gift cards can do so as part of promotions that reward shoppers after the initial purchase with loyalty points, more gift cards and other rewards you can later use to buy something you need.”
Walk the Aisles for Better Prices
“As inflation continues to impact grocery costs, it is easy for shoppers to fall for the oldest trick in the book — buying items at the corners of each aisle,” said Brad Godwin, senior vice president and head of partnerships at Shopkick. “Items on the corners are often more expensive than getting the same one placed down the row.”
He said walking just a couple more feet can allow you to save money on your grocery bill.
Shop for ‘B’ Produce
“In some areas, you can do this year-round — in other areas, you’ll be able to start doing this very soon,” said consumer finance expert Tanya Peterson. “Look for ‘B’ or ‘number two’ produce.”
She said this type of produce doesn’t look perfect, but has all the nutritional benefits and can allow you to save half or more off the full price.
“Learn what produce is in season and try planning menus around that,” she said. “You can generally save up to 15%.”
Pay Attention to Unit Pricing
Sometimes it’s not only what you buy, but the size of the package that can result in savings Peterson said.
“Frequently, mid-size packages will offer better value than larger sizes,” she said. “Some stores display unit pricing on the shelf, but it’s often just as easy to check yourself using your phone’s calculator.”
This might add a little extra time to your shopping trip, but the savings will be well worth the effort.
Hold On to Your Receipts
“Not only is it important to review receipts for potential clerical errors, which could cause you to pay more for a grocery good if the sale was incorrectly applied or the wrong key code was entered for a produce item, but you could earn money off future purchases, as well as cash back,” said Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert.
She also said it’s important to check your printed grocery receipts because some stores give coupons on them.
“I just got a coupon for $10 off my next purchase at Sprouts,” she said.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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