The number one question people ask me when they begin cutting their grocery bill is where do I start. There’s no right way to begin, but I remember feeling overwhelmed by how much I had to learn so I’m offering the plan that worked for me. I found it helpful to take the process of cutting my grocery bill one step at a time. Depending on where you are in the process, you may be able to skip the first step or two.
Five Step Plan to Save on Groceries
Step 1
If you don’t already follow a budget, my suggestion is to begin by tracking how much you are spending on food each month. Keep every receipt for one month and add them up at the end. Although you may spend more one month and less another, this number will give you a starting point. Set a goal and keep track of your food totals each month. Try to cut your bill by at least $20 per month until you reach your goal. If you are married, I highly recommend setting goals together so that you’re both on the same page.
Step 2
When you know how much you’re spending on food each month, a great place to start cutting your grocery bill is by planning a weekly menu of simple recipes. I think it is helpful to include breakfast, lunch and snack items as well. Based on your menu plan, make a shopping list of necessary items and stick to it.
Step 3
As soon as you feel comfortable planning a weekly menu, begin looking at grocery store circulars to identify sale items and plan your menu around them. Look for loss leaders that are typically advertised on the front page of the circular. Loss leaders are items the store is selling at a loss to attract you into the store in the hope you’ll buy more. If you have enough room in your grocery budget, stock up on the loss leaders and freeze what you can’t use immediately. Continue stocking up by stretching your grocery budget to buy more food for the same amount or less money than you were spending in past.
TIP: Once you have begun building a stockpile, take the items you have on hand into consideration when planning your weekly menu.
Step 4
Learn how to play the drug store game. You can save a lot of money by using the store promotions offered at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. I suggest choosing to learn how to use the store promotions at one store at a time.
Step 5
As time allows, begin making more of your food from scratch. If you rely on a lot of convenience foods to save time, it’s likely they are taking a big chunk out of your grocery budget. Consider baking and freezing a batch of mini muffins for the kids to take as snacks instead of buying prepackaged granola bars or potato chips. Skip the frozen meals and meals in bag and cook from recipes using basic ingredients instead. Another benefit of meals made from scratch is that they are likely to be healthier than the convenience food version. Again, I suggest taking it one step at a time so you don’t become overwhelmed and quit. Also, watch for sales because sometimes convenience foods go on sale for less than you’d spend making the same food from scratch. If that’s the case, stock up!
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