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12 tips to save money on your weekly grocery bill

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, groceries can take up a large portion of your monthly budget, with people living alone spending up to $434 a month on groceries. But with a little smart strategy, you can significantly cut your grocery bill and still eat well.

Implementing just one of these tips can save you a lot of money over time. And what if you did all 12? Get ready to put more cash in your bank account.

Choose frozen foods

If you want to get the most out of your fruits and vegetables, you may want to invest in frozen versions rather than fresh ones. That’s because the produce in the freezer aisle is frozen immediately after it’s harvested, ensuring it’s of the highest quality. You also don’t have to worry about your delicate berries getting moldy before you can use them. And in many cases, buying the frozen version can be cheaper than buying the same amount of fresh produce.

plan your meals

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Think of this as “an ounce of prevention, a pound of cure” for your grocery spending. Meal planning each week not only removes the question “What’s for dinner?” from your daily to-do list, but also makes your shopping more efficient because your shopping list only contains the foods that are included in your meal plan. Helpful.

If you’re not feeding a large number of people, consider grouping meals that contain similar expired ingredients. That way, when you’re making stir-fries, fajitas, or chili, for example, you know you can eat all the peppers before they wilt.

Try the 6-1 rule

Don’t want to incorporate everything into your meal plan? These grocery saving rules may be your next best thing. Buy 6 vegetables, 5 fruits, 4 proteins, 3 starches, 2 sauces or spreads, and 1 fun food you want to try.

That way, you can create different combinations to create dishes for the week. Focusing on produce is not only healthy for you, but also beneficial for your budget.

Check your refrigerator and pantry before shopping

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It’s helpful to take a quick look at the foods you have at home before purchasing. It’s not a lie. We’ve all packed on eggs in the past, not realizing that there were still dozens of eggs left in our mini-fridge from the last time we ordered them at the grocery store. (There were lots of breakfasts, dinners, and quiches for the next few weeks!)

To avoid this problem, before you shop, take a few minutes to look through your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and make a list of what you actually need. This way, you won’t end up buying too much of some items and missing out on others.

Shopping during the season

Changing your menu to match the changing seasons can save you a lot of dough and make your meals taste better. Fresh tomatoes in February have to be shipped long distances from Mexico, Florida and California, and the cost of that travel is factored into the price. But if you buy tomatoes in July, when tomatoes are in season in most parts of the United States, they’ll be locally grown, plentiful, and tastier than winter tomatoes. (Not to mention, it’s much cheaper because the shipping distance is shorter.)

Let’s go to the farmers market

Buying at a farmers market may seem expensive, but you might be surprised when you actually go there. Because produce is transported directly from the field to market, usually in close proximity, middlemen such as supermarkets can be eliminated, which can lead to cost savings, in addition to directly supporting the local economy.

To really save money, look for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription near you. You’ll be buying stock in local farmers’ produce, giving you access to a wealth of produce, plus eggs, meat, and other foods at deeply discounted prices.

Sign up for a reward or loyalty program

If you regularly shop at one or two stores, sign up for a rewards card for them. Just enter your phone number or swipe your card to get all the in-store discounts, often including big discounts on one grocery order and a free turkey on Thanksgiving. .

Please consider purchasing in bulk carefully

There’s a reason Costco is loved by bargain shoppers across the country. But before you go down that massive case of hummus or yogurt, you need to answer two questions:

Do I love this enough to eat it all? Can I finish it all (or freeze it) before it expires?

An extra-large container of lettuce leaves may seem like a bargain compared to the tiny clamshells from the supermarket, but if you only use a quarter of it before it goes bad, you’re losing money and wasting food.

Also check sales and coupons

You don’t necessarily have to actually clip coupons to find savings. Check out the sale flyer (always online!) to see what’s on sale and plan your meals accordingly. If you like products from big brands, you can also check their websites for printable coupons to save money.

Planning to take advantage of the big sale? Make sure you have storage space before purchasing. Please believe me. You don’t want to come home and find several pounds of bargain chicken thighs in the freezer.

Avoid pre-packaged convenience products

Sliced ​​and diced melons and carrots make healthy eating easy. But you’ll pay extra for that convenience, and the food can go bad faster than if you buy it whole and do the work of cutting it yourself.

Be smart about your meat purchases

If you want to cut costs, it’s easiest to cut the biggest part of your bill. Meat is one of the most expensive parts of a grocery order, so that’s a great place to start. Choose cheaper cuts of meat (i.e. top thighs and porterhouse beef), opt for meat-stretching recipes like stews that include beans and other inexpensive proteins, or go meat-free entirely. This can significantly reduce food costs. immediately.

Minimize food waste

One of the biggest sources of waste, both in terms of money and resources, is food waste. A Gallup poll found that the average American household throws away about 6 cups worth of food per week, costing them $1,500 in extra costs per year.

Many of the strategies here, such as meal planning and freezing food, can help reduce the amount of food waste at home. With careful planning and using leftovers wisely, you can save big without having to make any additional adjustments to your grocery shopping.

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