As someone who follows a close grocery budget, I know that the rising cost of groceries has been challenging to adjust to while still getting the items my family of five needs. I made these four small changes and significantly cut monthly grocery costs.
I Plan out my Meals (and then stick to my list!)
While before, I might have had a rough outline of what my family would eat for dinner for the week, now I plan each day out. I pay attention to when my local grocery store starts its weekly sale (Wednesday for me) and then plan out my meals on Wednesday using that sale guide.
When planning my meals, I try to use only sale items. When I order my groceries for pick up, I stick to my list completely. The only time I would add something to my cart that wasn’t on my list already was if it was a staple item I knew my family would use that was on a massive sale.
I Shop Around
This step is going to sound absurd, but stick with me. When I shop, I plan for pick-ups from Kroger, Target, and Sam’s Club. While adding items to my cart, I price-check them on the apps at these three places and only buy from the cheapest place. Then, I stagger my pick-ups so they are not all on one day.
This was initially the most time-consuming step, but after I did it only a few times, I had a good idea of which store has certain items for the cheapest amount. For example, Target is the cheapest for many of the canned items I need. Cheese is usually the cheapest for me at Kroger. I always buy my bulk bag of frozen chicken and any kids’ snack item like Goldfish from Sam’s Club. You might be surprised which store has the cheaper items, especially if sales are running!
I Buy for Two Weeks at a Time
I credit this step with significantly cutting my grocery costs and saving me the most money. When I plan out my meals, I plan for two weeks at a time. This initially took some getting used to (Exactly how much milk will my family go through in two weeks?), but now it’s saved on money and lessened food waste. I find I buy less “extra” stuff and really stretch to make my ingredients and items last for those two weeks.
When I plan, I plan the meals that use the freshest ingredients for the first week. During the second week, I rely more on pantry items and freezer meal staples for my dinners. I always make sure to buy produce that can last well into the second week (ex, carrots, broccoli, apples) so we still have some fresh items.
I Always Add Cheap Meals to my Weekly Rotation
While planning my Week 2 dinners, I always include at least one super cheap dinner option weekly. For us, our spaghetti dinners are very cheap and something our whole family likes to eat, so we eat them at least every two weeks. Figure out your cheap meals and regularly work them into your rotation. If you need some inspiration, I’ve liked all the recipes I’ve made from this site.
Overall, these four small changes have made a significant impact on cutting my grocery costs and have helped me stick closely to my budget. When the prices of some of our family’s staple items have increased by over 200% in the last couple of years, every little bit helps!
