Ways to Save on Groceries
Recently I came to a realization that grocery prices have REALLY gone up. And I haven’t been diligent using my savings techniques. Here are a few simple ways to save on groceries that don’t take a ton of time or effort.
First of all, it’s important to know which items will be more expensive this year. For 2016 milk prices are expected to rise. And according to the USDA Economic Research Service Food Price Outlook, prices in 2016 are expected to increase for beef and veal, poultry, and pork. Also on the list are almonds!
Getting Started:
There are some key things you will need to do before you can even start saving at the grocery store.
Meal-plan. The more you plan in advance, the more you can save when shopping as you will know what you need at the store! Write a weekly menu and try to stick to it.
Set spending goals. Give yourself a budget for groceries!
Cook more at home and make your own “takeaway”. Double the meal and freeze so you aren’t as tempted to go out to eat in a bind. Casseroles, lasagne and soup all freeze well. If you do go out, make sure and check out our Kids Eat Free section so you’re saving on the kids.
Ways to Save:
Shop stores that have the lowest prices on what you buy- This might seem like a lot of effort, but it’s a small price in time for a big potential return.
Stock up on great sale items-Typically, loss leaders – products sold at or below cost to entice shoppers – are featured on the first page of a store’s circular. If the item has a long shelf life (or if you have room to freeze it), buy several and score big savings. The trick is planning your weekly meals around what you already have plus perishable items on sale, rather than buying only what you need for a week’s worth of meals.
Study your store receipt– See what your high-ticket items are and consider other alternatives, i.e. red meat can be replaced with chicken.
Sign up on Wholeshare – Wholeshare allows you to buy as a group online & save BIG (Part Farmers’ Market, Part General Grocery). Or do a neighborhood co-op and head to the farmers market once a week.
Organic items– Comparison shop, opt for generic brands, buy produce only when it’s in season and become more selective about the items you put in your cart. When organic items — especially produce — go on sale, you often can get them cheaper than conventional ones. We often posts organic coupon round ups like this one to help you save as well.
Zaycon Foods– I had the privilege to be one of the first bloggers to learn and share the great savings at Zaycon Foods. It was founded in 2009, and they had a pretty simple mission: get people the freshest chicken possible at the lowest prices possible.They’ve added a few more products to the lineup, but they’ve never forgotten that fresh and affordable is always best. And with a 40-pound case of their chicken selling for $65 less than the grocery national average*, it’s a great deal for you to save! One box of chicken lasts three months in our home.
Buy Meat in Bulk – There are lots of advantages to this. You know where it comes from, it’s cheaper and it supports the farm. Find a local rancher/farmer by searching Localharvest.org, Google “grass-fed beef + your zipcode”, or simply ask around. Get a freezer or split with a friend. 1/4 a steer is the smallest amounts farmers will sell in bulk. If you don’t want that much or just can’t afford a freezer, just split a 1/4 a steer with a friend. You’ll each get 1/8 of a steer and you should have room in your regular freezer for that much. If you organize it all really well, that is.
Cut your own fruit and veggies – Buy vegetables in their natural form — rather than washed, cut and packaged in sealed bags — because they’re cheaper that way.
Farmers Market – Here is a list of Fort Worth & Dallas area farmers markets and grocers! Of course, this is always a great way to save and support local too!
Buy generic – Name-brand items, which tend to be more expensive, usually are placed at eye level. So when you’re shopping, look up (or down) for cheaper items, including generics.
Some items are at their lowest prices of the year around certain holidays- Condiments, salad dressing, ground beef, hot dogs, chicken, chips, soda, beer and paper goods are deeply discounted around Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day. This is a great time to stock up!
Good meat deals on Friday nights – Often stores will put items on sale before the weekend grocery rush! This is a great time to get discounts on meat!
Pick at least one app to help you save – Download store apps. Most supermarkets have free mobile apps that offer shoppers exclusive discounts. You’ll likely need to be a member of the store’s loyalty program so you can add the deals you want to your account and have the discount applied at checkout. If you can do a few extra apps to help you save, choose among these as it will spread the savings even further! Here are some of my favorites:
* Ibotta – You can unlock offers by completing various tasks, such as learning a fact or watching a short video. Then, search for offers in-store by scanning the barcode of items that are in your shopping cart. After making a purchase, you can submit a rebate by tapping on “redeem” for eligible items purchased. Then scan the product bar code and submit a picture of your receipt.
* Snap by Groupon – Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store – note that some of the offers can be redeemed as many times as you’d like! Each offer’s redemption limit is clearly noted on its details page. Then, just upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website within 2 days of purchase. When your account reaches $20, you can request payment under the ‘My Account’ page and select ‘Cash Out’.
* Checkout 51 – Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store. Upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website (it is recommended that you upload your receipt immediately after purchase since there are only limited quantities of offers available). When your account reaches $20, you can cash out and they’ll mail you a check. Note that offers go live on Thursdays at 12AM in each time zone and they expire the following Wednesday at 11:59PM in each time zone. You must submit the receipts while the offers are live.
* Shopmium – Click on the Offers tab and browse through all the current offers. If you find a product you’d like to try, click on the product and then click on the pink “Discover This Product” button to find out specific information about which products are eligible and where you can find the product near you. Once you have purchased the eligible items at the store, go back to the offers tab, find the offer and then click the “Request My Rebate” button. You will then be prompted to scan the barcode of the purchased item AND to take a picture of the store receipt.
* SavingStar – View offers on your mobile app or online – there are often 100% cash back “surprise” freebies during the month. Then, use your registered card at checkout as you normally do. For receipt-scan stores, take a picture of your receipt and submit through the SavingStar app or website. Note that discounts are not received at checkout but will be posted in your account within 2-22 days depending on the store. In addition to cashing out your earnings using your bank account or PayPal, you can use your earnings to score Starbucks eGift Cards, AMC Theatres eGift Cards and iTunes Gift Codes.
Buy personal care products at the Dollar Store, Drug Store or Walmart or Target– You’re better off buying shampoo, toothpaste, cotton balls and other personal-care products at a dollar store, where you can get off-brand goods for just a buck. Alternatively, purchase personal-care items at the drugstore, when they’re on sale and you can use your loyaly card to add to the savings.
Check package sizes – Rather than raise prices on their products, some manufacturers have shrunk package sizes. So before you grab the item with the cheaper price, compare the size with other brands’ packages to see if you’re really getting a deal.
Be diligent at the checkout – Make sure you’re getting all the discounts you deserve.
