Grocery shopping is an essential part of our everyday lives. However, the process can be a costly one for most people. This is primarily because most people spend way more on groceries than they actually need to. A stat suggests that in 2018, the size of the overall grocery market was $632 Billion.
If you don’t wish to contribute a massive share in it, here are some simple tricks you can use to save money when shopping for groceries:
- Make use of things you already have
For beginners, you should take stock of everything that is available in your kitchen at the moment. You can then plan your meals around these items.
If you have some vegetables left, make a salad or soup with them. With some leftover meat, you can make a number of easy dishes. You don’t always need a full pantry.
You can also cook a number of dishes with the limited items available in your kitchen. Ven food scraps can be used to make a meal, like using stale bread to make breadcrumbs.
- Make a list
It is very important to make a list (and stick to it!) if you want to save money when shopping for groceries.
First, you need to make a list of all the items that you have at home. Your grocery list should include products that can help you make dishes along with products already available in your kitchen.
You should also make a menu for the entire week. Planning meals beforehand will give you a much better idea of the things you will require for the week. When you venture into the grocery shop, avoid impulse buying, and buy items only on the list.
- Carry only cash
If you’re trying to stick to a specific grocery budget, not carrying your credit and debit cards will make sure that you buy things on the list. When you have your plastic cards, your impulse to buy additional items will be difficult to control and you might end up spending much more than you planned to.
So, when you are making your grocery list, calculate the amount you will need for each item and carry only the total amount in cash.
- Buy ingredients that add more value to your money
You can fashion most of your meals around protein, carbs, or fat-based foods that are much more filling and would reduce your cravings for eating more food. Foods like pasta, are also often cheap as compared to other products. So, not only will you be able to have delicious and filling meals throughout the week, but you’ll also save a lot of money.
- Compare prices
While it may be much more convenient to shop for groceries at your local store or the one you always go to, you might be spending a bit extra on groceries there.
It is always a good option to visit stores outside your neighborhood a couple of times and compare the prices of different items. If the store you usually go to is cheaper for you, stay with it, otherwise, start visiting the store you find better. You can even look for a discount store online.
- Stick to the basics.
Consuming a lot of complex meals- ones that have a number of spices or sauces can increase the costs of your groceries manifold as you will have to buy a number of ingredients.
It is best you stick to simple meals that can be cooked with limited ingredients. You can buy flavor enhancers like olive oil or soy sauce that can be used in a number of dishes.
- Store the leftovers
The more food you waste, the more money you will spend on buying groceries. Implement some simple storage hacks for your food items that make them last longer and thus, help you avoid any food wastage like, wrapping leftover cheese in foil paper instead of plastic and so on.
Make sure that your fridge is set to the right temperature at all times so that your food remains fresh for longer.
Over to you…
These tricks are very simple and you won’t have to spend much time or energy trying to implement them. By using these, you will be able to eat meals that suit your taste alongside saving the money that you have been spending all this while just because of your “poor” grocery planning.
