How to Save Money on Food: Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

How to Save Money on Food: Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

October 28, 2019

Being part of the “Big 3” expenses (housing, transportation, and food) food is a touchy subject for most people.

Many would say that it “doesn’t matter” how much they spend on food because they want to eat well. But I am here to tell you that eating well doesn’t mean you have to spend exorbitant amounts of money.

Arguably the most important lever to pull when trying to save money on food is to eat out less. When eating out, you are paying top dollar for the food, the establishment’s rent, employee salary, etc. So eating out is not an option for those paying down debt or barely scraping by. Today we will be ignoring that lever and focusing on how to save money on food that is prepared at home.

If you stuck with me and are ready to learn how to save money on food, you have to learn how to get your money’s worth at the grocery store. However, they don’t make it easy!

The majority of the products in the grocery store are utter garbage. The boxes of chemical infested, artificial flavor boasting, ultra-refined food that line the aisles are HORRIBLE for you and your wallet. By staying away from the overly processed trash, we will certainly save money and eat healthier.

Here are 5 ways we can save on that big food bill:

Go BIG when you can

When shopping for food, don’t be afraid to buy the staples like rice, pasta, chicken, onions, etc in bulk.

This decreases your cost per meal and gives you the flexibility to add to those basics with slightly more expensive but tastier complements. You can add in a bit of more expensive/exotic veggies into that regular degular rice, beans, and meat combo. Spring for that special sauce or side dish, it won’t move the needle much because you saved a ton by buying the majority of your meal’s ingredients in bulk.

Shop in season

When pinching pennies on food, it is critical to pay attention to the “season” of a food’s availability. Buying a fruit out of season will not only cost more, but it will also taste worse! Make it a point to only buy fruits and veggies that are in season.

This tip helps keep your recipes in a rotation as well, so you won’t get sick of making the same thing over and over again.

DO NOT SHOP HUNGRY

I’m guilty.

I have gone into Whole Foods on an empty stomach, and boy was it a horrible idea. From then on, I only walk into the grocery store on a full stomach. Now I can be confident that I am only buying what I need, rather than what my tummy tells me on a whim.

Abide by this tip and your wallet will thank you!

Meal prep

Meal prepping is an awesome way to improve a few different aspects of your life.

It helps keep your food cost per meal down by buying items in bulk, it helps you eat healthier (you won’t be running to Wendys for some chicken nuggets if you already have that home-made chili in the fridge at work) and it gets you preparing for tomorrow today, which is a generally positive habit.

I don’t mind eating the same thing for lunch every day. If you crave variety, try prepping two to three different meals and freezing them. This can help you rotate through lunches during the work week while also save money.

Avoid Name Brands

We know that a Cadillac and a Chevrolet are made by the same company (GM). The two share most of the parts that the eye doesn’t see, but the difference in branding leads to a huge markup.

When it comes to your food, the same thing happens. Don’t be afraid to grab the generic rice, the 15%+ savings will feel great on your wallet and the taste will be indistinguishable from the name brand!

Slash that grocery bill

By using the tips here and staying away from the processed crap, you can lower that grocery bill without sacrificing food quality or nutritional content. We don’t want to skimp on our health, but we definitely want to reduce unnecessary spending, if possible.

Have any food shopping tips that work for you? I would love to hear them, send em’ over at the details listed below.

MDAS

If you thought this was helpful, terrible, or somewhere in the middle, please leave me feedback in the form of a Direct Message on instagram @MakeDollarsAndSense, or feel free to send me an e-mail/text to the information on my Home Page. I truly appreciate constructive criticism and opposing views, so bring em on!

P.S. New blog posts coming your way every Monday!

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