22 Real Ways to Save Money on Groceries Immediately
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the ridiculous cost of food today. Does anyone else hold their breath at checkout? Here are some surefire ways to save money on groceries immediately.
1. Plan Your Meals and Shop With a List

You’re overspending if you’re not planning your meals and shopping with a list. Immediately, I know you are throwing food away that spoils because you forgot you even had it.
Not having a list is a guaranteed path to placing a bunch of random foods you like in the cart without a plan for mealtime execution. It also opens you up more to making impulsive buys. You can create a physical list or one on your phone. Whichever one works best for you, do it!
2. Shop With a Budget

Have you established a grocery budget for you and your family yet? Shop with a budget and use a calculator to tally up your cart before checkout. If you have kids, this is a fun way to keep them occupied while also teaching them about future grocery shopping endeavors.
3. Use Grocery Store Loyalty Programs

Most grocery stores have loyalty programs you can sign up for so you can save money on weekly specials by swiping their card or providing your phone number.
4. Buy Generic Store Brands

Buy generic store-brand alternatives to the name brand. In many cases, the only difference between the store brand and the major brands is price and packaging.
I’ve read far too many firsthand accounts from people who have worked in these facilities, all claiming to put the same food and other products into dozens of different brand-name packages. They do it with everything from spices to vitamins. Stop paying more for the same product.
5. Buy in Bulk When Beneficial

If you have a larger family, do freezer meals or any prepping where buying in bulk makes sense for you. Then, get a membership at one of the warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club and start saving money immediately.
6. Compare Prices Across Stores

Comparing prices before you shop is a great way to save money on groceries. I love Asian grocery stores for various produce, rice, sauces, and spices. For example, cilantro is $1.89 at the grocery stores around me but is often 2 for $.99 at the local Asian market.
7. Buy Hygeine Products at Drugstores

Speaking of comparing prices before you shop, hygeine products are commonly overpriced at grocery stores. Find better deals at drugstores or warehouse stores if bulk suits your needs.
8. Buy Cleaning Products at the Dollar Store

Cleaning products and detergents are another seriously overpriced product at grocery stores. Get them at the dollar store instead. Often, you’ll find brand-name cleaning supplies there for their new low price of $1.25. They also have sponges and scrubbers.
9. Use Curbside Pickup

Are you an impulse shopper? Then, try curbside shopping through Instacart or your store’s grocery app. It’s practical and convenient. Unlike grocery delivery, you’re not paying more per product, plus service fees, delivery, and tipping drivers. Instead, you place the order and communicate with a shopper if something is out of stock.
Once it’s ready, you head to the store, park in a designated curbside pickup spot, and they bring the groceries to you. If you habitually toss impulse buys into your cart, this is a time and money saver.
10. Shop the Perimeter of the Store

Shopping the perimeter of the store guarantees you’ll spend less money on your groceries and have much healthier dining options in your cart. Everyone likes to say eating healthy costs more, but that’s not true.
People who state that they either don’t know how to budget and cook or are repeating something they’ve heard but never tried for themselves. Not only is it more affordable to buy ingredients and prepare meals over preparing packaged and processed alternatives, but it also reduces the number of poisons and cancer-causing chemicals in your diet.
11. Freeze Fruits and Veggies Before They Spoil

Do you have a bad habit of buying too much produce at once, resulting in spoiling and waste? Many fruits and vegetables freeze easily. If you notice something isn’t going to be eaten in time, freeze it and pull it out when you’re ready to eat it. Bananas, berries, spinach, greens, squash, broccoli, and so many others can be saved by freezing them.
12. Buy Produce That Is in Season

Produce that is not in season is always more expensive. Educate yourself on which fruits and vegetables are in season, and you will save money and eat the healthier and sweeter versions of those foods.
13. Shop on a Full Stomach

Don’t ever go grocery shopping when you are hungry! Listen, I have ignored this advice too many times to count, and it’s an expensive mistake that often results in another trip to the store because there was no rhyme or reason to what you tossed in the cart. Hunger makes everything look and sound good. It creates an opportunity for impulse buys. Shop on a full stomach.
14. Use Coupon Apps

There are dozens of coupon apps people use to save money on groceries. Apps like Ibotta, Flipp, and Rakuten help ensure you save dollars and cents on all your favorite staples.
15. Check Unit Prices

Check unit prices before you toss things in the cart, thinking they are a better deal. For example, the 100-pack of paper plates might seem to be a better buy than the 40-pack. But the 100-pack has a unit price of .42 cents per plate, whereas the 40-pack is .57 cents per plate. Check the fine print to do the math.
16. Only Buy What You Need and Can Use

Only buy what you need and can use. Otherwise, it’s wasteful and costs you more money when you throw it out. I tell my husband all of the time that when you see a sale that says three for five dollars, you don’t need to buy all three to get the price unless it states that you must purchase a minimum. No one needs three cake mixes, Lord!
17. Make Homemade Substitutions for Expensive Processed Food

Stop filling your freezers and pantries with processed poisons that cost a fortune. Google homemade recipes for waffles, french toast, pancakes, mini muffins, and more, and freeze them.
They are easy to pull out and reheat, and they save tons of money on groceries. And, of course, they are considerably healthier than the processed alternatives filled with added chemicals, dyes, and preservatives.
18. Shop and Prep Once a Week

Pick a day and do the deed. Whether you hit the store with your list or pickup curbside, when you get your groceries home, prep them before putting them away. That’s called putting them away correctly, and in a fashion, they will actually get eaten. For example, wash fruits, peel and cut melons, and marinate meats before freezing.
19. Take Produce Out of Plastic Bags

Take your produce out of the plastic bags! Plastic speeds up the spoiling process. It’s almost as if they intentionally ensure you will spend more money because of the waste. Nothing bothers me more than seeing corn on the cob, shucked and wrapped in plastic.
Don’t toss your fruits and veggies into the crisper wrapped in plastic bags. Do a little internet research on how to store them for optimal shelf life.
20. Regrow Veggies That Regrow in Only Water

Did you know several vegetables can regrow with only water? Celery, leeks, ginger, lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, and green onions are a handful of veggies that can be placed in water and regrow shoots.
21. Grow Your Own Herbs

Growing your own herbs is more simple than you may think. They require little sunlight or care, and many can be planted together, like rosemary, sage, and thyme.
Depending on the climate, you can keep them on a windowsill or outdoors. You will save considerable money versus buying the few sprigs housed in plastic at the store for three bucks. They also have a lot more flavor.
22. Shop From Your Pantry First

Before you go grocery shopping, shop your pantry. Take inventory of what you have and plan meals around the food before creating your list and heading to the store.
Using what you already have will save money because you’ll spend less on that trip. It also ensures you use things in the pantry instead of packing things on top of each other until you have a pantry full of expired foods.
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Chris Brown regularly contributes at Growth and Finance about money mindset and management. When she's not writing, you can find her gaming or watching reruns of The Office.