tips to save you more money when grocery shoppingRecently I was going over my monthly budget plant and was shocked at how much money we spend a month on groceries and food in general. In a way, I am glad that we went over our grocery bill because now I am more aware and it taught me how important it is to stick to a budget.

Here are some ways to save money on groceries and cut your grocery bill.

1. Meal Prep.

Figure out what recipes and meals you would like to cook for the week, and try to incorporate the same ingredients in other meals so you eliminate food waste. Planning your own meals is so time-consuming and can be a little stressful, that is why I love $5MEALPLAN.

What is a $5MEALPLAN you ask, its a weekly meal plan service that will help you make your meal planning simple and stress-free. For just $5 a month, you will receive a weekly meal plan where every meal costs about $2 per person. With 5MEALPLAN 
you will save money, time and stress from spending hours planning your own meals.
2. Use Coupons.
Plan your meals around your grocery coupons. Take advantage of your local grocery weekly ad and combine the sales with manufacturing grocery coupons for double the saving. You can obtain coupons online from sites like https://www.coupons.com/ or local newspaper. I would also suggest going online to big companies like Pillsbury and Kroger and sign up for coupons to receive in your email.

3. Make A-List.
Stick to your list when your grocery shopping and do not buy anything extra. Having a list will keep you on track not only with your meal planning but with your budget.

4. Buy in Season Produce.
Try to buy produce that is in season, not only is it cheaper but also fresher

5. Use cashback sites Ibotta and RAKUTEN.

I’ve been using RAKUTEN for a few years now and absolutely love it. Its so easy to sign up and it doesn’t cost you a thing. All you have to do is every time you shop login in to your Rakuten account search for the store that you want to shop at and it will take you to that site and you will be earning cash back (free money) .

And if you mostly do your shopping in store, you can link your credit card/debit card to your Rakuten account and start earning cashback. You can find out more about In store cash back program here

If you are interested in signing up for Rakuten, right now  if you sign up you will receive $25 bonus as a welcome bonus.

6. Buy items in bulk.

I would suggest getting a membership at Costco and buy groceries in bulk, you can freeze meat and other produce for later.

7. Shop Your Pantry.
Make meals out of your own pantry, I discovered this awesome website MyFridgeFood .You can find recipes depending on what groceries you have at home. You just simply checkmark what types of food and ingredients you have in your fridge and pantry, and the website will provide you with different types of recipes you can make with what you already have. How cool is that! Not only will it prevent you from eating out but also help you eliminate food waste.

8. Do not Eat Out.
This one is really hard because it’s really easy to give in, especially with the convenience of fast food. But going out can be very expensive and even if you are ordering from the value menu, it adds up. But if you do give in, do not throw away receipts, there is usually a survey on the receipt and after you complete the survey they will reward you with a free item from the menu. Also, one tip is to sign up for the rewards program, for example, Starbucks has a reward program and you get a free drink on your birthday.

9. Make a Garden.

Grow your own food, if you are able to and have space there is nothing better than growing your own Produce. Growing up we always had a garden, my parents would grow their own fruits and vegetable. I just love going out to my own garden and pick fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, not only is it much cheaper but so much healthier.

10. Shop at your local Grocery Outlet Store.

Many people do not realize that Grocery Outlet has some of the cheapest prices when it comes to grocery shopping. I would highly suggest shopping at your local grocery outlet store for the best prices in town.

11. Look Beyond Eye Level

Many times stores will place the Priciest Items at eye level because the first you see in front of you. Don’t forget to look beyond the middle section. The lower and higher shelves usually will have cheaper options.

12. Sign Up For Rewards.

Another tip to save money on groceries is to sign up for store rewards. I know for example Safeway has the Just4U reward program with special offers and deals, personalized just for you based on your purchase history.

13. Freeze Your Food.

Another great tip that will help you save money on groceries, is freezing some of the products you buy. For example, if I know that my family will not eat all the bread I bought, I will take half of the bread and freeze for later. This prevents food waste and saves you a trip to the grocery store.

14. Leave Your Kids At Home.

And last but not least, if you have children its probably a good idea to leave them home with dad or a babysitter. Trust me on this one, every time I shop with my kids I am more distracted and end up buying unnecessary items.

15. Another great frugal living tip, when making breakfast add milk to your eggs and whisk them until they double in size and scramble the eggs. Not only will they come out fluffy but you don’t have to use as many eggs.

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With simple budget planning and a few adjustments, you can save hundreds on your grocery bill.

If you found this article helpful, I would appreciate if you shared it. Thanks so much, and happy budgeting.

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