4 Ways to Save on Your Grocery Bill

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Have you found your grocery shopping getting to be more than you can really afford? Fortunately, there are ways to shop smarter and get more meals for the money. Here are 4 ways to save on your grocery bill.

Buy the Store Brand

There are many products that you can save money on by buying generic or store brand. Many store brand items can be ten to even fifty percent less than big name brands. Just be sure to check the ingredients. Sometimes the store brand products contain fewer additives which is actually better for your health, but it can also be the other way around. Read the labels closely and see where you can save on your grocery bill, as well as your health.

Plan Meals Around Sales and Discount Items

Many people already take sales into account when stocking up on certain items. While this is a good idea, you should also look at the items on clearance when you’re planning meals. These include closeout items or what are often called manager’s specials. They might have stocked too many, a package got damaged (but not the food inside), the item is close to expiration, or they won’t be selling it anymore.

What can you make from these items or what meals will this make more cheaply? It’s also a great way to get cheap snacks and find meal ideas you may not have thought of before. If you see something you buy on clearance, buy as many as you can that fits your budget and your usage.

Don’t Just Buy Something Because It’s on Sale

While it sounds obvious to not buy what you don’t need, many people will buy things that they don’t really need. For example, don’t just buy something because it’s on sale unless you plan to use it in a week, or it’s something you can freeze or store longer-term that you’ll actually use. In other words, have a plan for everything you buy.

It doesn’t save you money if you don’t use it. In fact, it does the opposite. Examine the sales, determine what you will actually use from those sales, and then make your purchase. Snap decisions about stocking up on sales items that won’t be used break a lot of budgets. Save on your grocery bill by avoiding this costly mistake.

Join Coupon Swap Groups

Social media sites, such as Facebook and online forums often have swap groups for coupons. In these groups, members post what coupons they have that they don’t need and trade others for the ones they do need. If you don’t typically the most popular brand names or you buy mostly organic, these may not always work for you. But sometimes there will still be coupons for store brands and certain organics.