How do you lower your grocery bill?

[roadfix]

I buy a lot of stuff, food and non-food items, in bulk at Sam's or Costco.

 

[archiduc]

I'll start a new thread here, since the How do you save money in the kitchen? thread got really long.

Aside from coupon cutting (which probably most of us already do), post other ways of how you've been able to save your money at the grocery store, that can help others as well.
-------------------------------------------

Here's one of my best tips:​

Whatever beef is priced lowest, ask the butcher to grind it for your ground beef. There's one area of my store that has steaks/roasts for a very low price that week. It's always less than ground beef. So, last week we had rib-eye ground beef for $1.79/lb rather than the $4.29/lb regular ground was asking, and I've also had Tri tip ground lately for $1.99/lb.
I also do this with chicken, when they have boneless marked really low.

Because I do this each week, I've also gotten to know my butcher well, which is always a good thing

Hi Jkath,
For me the first step in lowering my grocery bill is to use my brain and think:
* what have I got in the cupboard;
which brings me to my second point:
* look in the cupboards, fridge or freezer and see what needs using up;
and finally;
* plan a weeks meals - on paper using what is in the cupboard, fridge, freezer.

Having planned a weeks meals using ingredients which need to be used and decided on "cheap but nutritious eats" write out the shopping list. Go to the web site of the supermarket and cost the list.

Take a calculator when going shopping and add up what you put in your basket - makes you realise how the money adds up! Take cash with you but no credit cards - helps reign in the desire to buy things which you won`t use or being sold on a BOGOF which might be a totally false economy. These two strategies make you think when going around a supermarket rather than being seduced by the environment!

"Cheap eats" - 75-100gms of bacon could be used with pasta and 3 to 4 eggs to give 4 portions of Spaghetti Carbonnara or with a can of tomatoes (450gm and an onion) to give a pasta dish for less than perhaps $5 for 4-6 portions. Go vegetarian for 1 or 2 nights a week, using rice and peas, beans or lentils as the main ingredients or make a classic like Macaroni cheese one night for dinner.

Cook from scratch! Hundreds of dishes may be made within 30 minutes or using a slow cooker which will consume less energy (electricity/gas etc.) than a conventional oven. Bulk cook - so if using a slow cooker in a family of 3/4 cook 6/8 portions and freeze half for another day. Maximise and plan when you use the oven. Never put it on, if all that you intend to do is cook one dish - make sure that you fill the oven. Cool and freeze the extra dishes for eating on another day! Again, planning is key!

Stop thinking you need meat/fish or chicken etc., every day - you don`t!

Hope this helps,
Archiduc

 

[schoolgirl]

archiduc, very good ideas. I need to plan my meals and really cook from my cupboard and freezer. It has been a long time since I have planned a menu,but think I will give it a try again. I have sooo many cans that need to be used up and the freezer is full of veg.and fruits. Of course it is just my dh and myself, so it doesn't take too much. Tonight while looking in the freezer for some meat to cook I found a bowl of dried colored butterbeans that I had cooked a month or 2 ago, so with some fried okra , slaw and cornbread and of course sweet tea we had a good meal.We love our southern cooking, even though it is probably not good for us.

 

[getoutamykitchen]

In August I saved all my reciepts from grocery shopping and to my astonishment spent $710.00 for the month on 5 people, 2 lg. dogs & 2 cats.
In September I did alot of what archiduc suggested. I planned a menu for 2 weeks at a time and made it according to what I had in the pantry, frige and freezer. I do coupon clip, but only on what I would normally buy or only if it was truly saving me money. I have 4 stores that I shop at. I visit websites for 2 of those stores and write down what I need if it's on sale (prices too). Coupons are all organized and even listed in my computer. First stop is Sav-a-lot for canned and paper goods. Second stop is Wal-Mart Supercenter for what ever else I need unless my list shows it cheaper at the other two places (Publix & Winn Dixie) I shop at. All these stores are within 5 miles from my house and are one after the other, so I'm not driving outa my way to shop. I do grab BOGO items, but only if it truly does save. Publix is great for BOGO's. It was time consuming, but well worth it. I saved $161.00!
The trick truly is to plan, make a list, follow it and also stop making unnesseccary trips to the store. I don't know about you, but I find it hard to run in for just 1 item without coming out with 5 or 6. That 4 dollar gallon of milk always seems to cost me 30 bucks.

 

[LeeAnn]

My new plan is to be better organized on my grocery shopping, do a little more meal planning. There is a Walmart (not a superstore) about 15 miles from here so I can get some good deals there if we happen to be in town. Otherwise I'll just need to check the flyer for the store in town here, it's very limited for groceries in our little village - without having to drive to another village for approximately the same prices. I'll just need to be more creative with the meals. I've learned a lot of things though from keeping up on reading the posts - little tidbits here and there. Thanks!

 

[justplainbill]

My new plan is to be better organized on my grocery shopping, do a little more meal planning. There is a Walmart (not a superstore) about 15 miles from here so I can get some good deals there if we happen to be in town. Otherwise I'll just need to check the flyer for the store in town here, it's very limited for groceries in our little village - without having to drive to another village for approximately the same prices. I'll just need to be more creative with the meals. I've learned a lot of things though from keeping up on reading the posts - little tidbits here and there. Thanks!

BJ's and Best Yet in Riverhead sometimes have some bargains and your Walbaums and nearby King Cullen also sometimes have some nice specials.
King Cullen's corn flakes are quite a bit cheaper than Kelloggs and seem to be just as good. Some of IGA's store brand stuff is usually pretty good.

 

[Sedagive]

I'll start a new thread here, since the How do you save money in the kitchen? thread got really long.

Aside from coupon cutting (which probably most of us already do), post other ways of how you've been able to save your money at the grocery store, that can help others as well.
-------------------------------------------

Here's one of my best tips:​

Whatever beef is priced lowest, ask the butcher to grind it for your ground beef. There's one area of my store that has steaks/roasts for a very low price that week. It's always less than ground beef. So, last week we had rib-eye ground beef for $1.79/lb rather than the $4.29/lb regular ground was asking, and I've also had Tri tip ground lately for $1.99/lb.
I also do this with chicken, when they have boneless marked really low.

Because I do this each week, I've also gotten to know my butcher well, which is always a good thing

This is something I never even considered and it is brilliant! I found boneless chuck roast on sale for $1.99 a pound yesterday and bought one that weighed 2 1/2 pounds. Had the butcher grind it for me and got 2 1/2 pounds of ground chuck for $5.00. The cheapest ground beef they had was $2.49 a pound. Thank you so much for sharing this.

 

[PieSusan]

I think the best way to lower your grocery bill is to eat with the seasons. Not only will the food taste better but it will be cheaper. The other trick is to avoid as many processed foods as you can. I also stock up on sale item staples.

 

[expatgirl]

also, plant your own garden.......easy here in Houston.......can grow most stuff all year long until the summer heat comes along......and burns it up...........

 

[jennifer75]

Aside from coupon cutting (which probably most of us already do), post other ways of how you've been able to save your money at the grocery store, that can help others as well.
-------------------------------------------

Here's one of my best tips:​

Whatever beef is priced lowest, ask the butcher to grind it for your ground beef.

I'm notorious for NOT reading an entire thread before I post, so this may have been tossed out already...

I find that - and while this is a hassle some days, it works - shopping for one or two meals at a time helps. That way I don't buy more than needed and stuff that is a "whim" and looks good....but don't actually need it or use it. I spend less money this way and I actually cook what I intended.

I'm gonna try the "grind" method. Thanks!

 

[BreezyCooking]

Shopping for a meal or two at a time is cost effective?? How, exactly does this work unless you're within walking distance of your supermarket?

I plan recipes & shop for a whole week to a week & a half, & save bundles by doing so. If I went grocery shopping every day or every other day, what a waste in gasoline & time that would be.

 

[elaine l]

Lately I am a check the sales, stick to my list type. I do a "big" shop one week and the next week just to pick up fresh milk, produce, bread.

 

[anni]

I buy our meat from Costco or when it is on sale. I try to plan our meals around what I have in the freezer rather than deciding to make something on the spur of the moment that I don't have the ingredients for.

DH and I also love all kinds of soup and that is generally quite inexpensive.

 

[jennifer75]

Shopping for a meal or two at a time is cost effective?? How, exactly does this work unless you're within walking distance of your supermarket?

I find that buying ingredients for a couple nights at a time helps me because I only buy what I'm going to eat. Therefore I don't over shop or overspend on things I may not use in the end. I don't buy food that sits for a week, possibly spoiling - wasting money. I don't know about you, but over here food is expensive. And I don't by "junk food" which is quite expensive, I'd be tempted to throw in snacks if I were shopping for 2 weeks worth of groceries.

As far as living walking distance to my markets, no I don't. In fact, I have to shop at a few markets as I'm sure many of you do, too. This is another way to save money, btw.

Now, as far as the way I read your post, I'm biting my tongue. Hopefully it was misconstrued on my part.

 

[jennifer75]

Shopping for a meal or two at a time is cost effective?? How, exactly does this work unless you're within walking distance of your supermarket?

I plan recipes & shop for a whole week to a week & a half, & save bundles by doing so. If I went grocery shopping every day or every other day, what a waste in gasoline & time that would be.

I should be more grateful. Thank you.

 

[PieSusan]

I eat with the seasons.

 

[babetoo]

i shop on line for a month. you really pay attention to costs on that much. plan meals and baking and shop for what i need. of course there are things i buy on routine basis. paper goods, cat food, etc. it really cuts down on impulse buying. sometimes for holidays i do a order that is small for food for the occasion.

 

[jennifer75]

i shop on line for a month. you really pay attention to costs on that much. plan meals and baking and shop for what i need. of course there are things i buy on routine basis. paper goods, cat food, etc. it really cuts down on impulse buying. sometimes for holidays i do a order that is small for food for the occasion.

Exactly, impulse shopping is a big grocery bill hike. I don't by goodies. Instead I'll buy sweet breads to curb the ole sweet tooth.

There are items that are always on hand that dont need to be refreshed as often as others, but when it comes to meats and produce, I prefer shopping every few days.

Frequency of shopping is definitely circumstantial. I live in Los Angeles, and I work downtown. There are accessible markets all over the place. So, wasting gas is not a problem, all are along my route.

Another reason I shop for meats and produce frequently is I'm forgetful, and to pull frozen meat down in the morning or night before, is usually overlooked. And then meat is never used, and I get grossed out "too frozen" meats resulting in a pound or two of chicken being tossed out.

So yes, I have my reasons for shopping frequently, as you all have yours for not.

 

[Constance]

I saw this and thought it was a good guide:

How to Grocery Shop and Cook Frugally - wikiHow

 

[hainguyen]

I shop at a giant grocery store, and typically I found the best way to lower grocery bills is to 1) buy things that are on sale at the time I'm shopping, and 2) resist buying pre-wrapped junk food like chips, soft drinks, cookies, etc, plus they're not healthy for you anyways

Hai