Tell us how you’re keeping your grocery spending on track!
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I use digital coupons, and the Kroger app will often have a 4 X fuel points on gift cards. You have to clip the digital coupon first, and they have to be a preset amount, like a $100 or $50 visa gift card. So, I buy 2 $100 gift cards, each multiplied by 4, and that gives me 800 points. I then use the gift cards to buy my groceries on the same trip and that gives me 200 points. I now have a combined 1,000 points and that will get me $1.00 off per gallon if I purchase gas at Kroger or participating gas station. I only buy items that are on sale, or buy 5 save $5, or if I have a coupon. I have a family of 3, who work from home so we don’t drive as much as some, but I do this twice a month and fill my car and husbands’ truck ( with the gas cans for the mower ) and save on average $70 per month just on gas.
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Don’t forget the stores that have senior discount days! (Probably half your readers qualify.) Also, check the outdated or “dented” racks. The product is still good, according to the USDA, as long as the dent does not involve the seals. Canned and jarred products are good for years after the “best buy” date. Discontinued items are 50% to 75% reduced.
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First 3 are no-brainers. Amex Blue Card gives 6% cash back on groceries. Many veggies are cheaper, longer lasting and more nutritious than fresh. Concentrate on more reasonably priced sources for putting protein in the diet. Canned and dried legumes, Canned seafood like tuna and salmon, much of plain Jane dairy products. Beef and pork are budget killers and really not that great for your body or the environment for that matter.
Thank you, I will definitely look into that.! Yes, the $5 fee for the visa is a drawback, but they don’t ever seem to have preset Kroger gift cards, and I’ve asked the manager about it. I like to spend the gift card there so I can get the additional fuel points. Some Fridays they will have a coupon for 4 X fuel points on any purchase. I do however, use my sam’s club, or Costco credit card to purchase the visa gift card and that gives me 3% back, so that reduces the fee to $2 per card. I pay those cards off every week. If I only buy sales items I can average 25% off my grocery bill. Last year, just at Kroger, I used $1375 in coupons for the year.
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I save lots of money on Groceries by cutting out all junk food. No more cakes cookies or snacks for me. If I do want a snack it will be a healthy one like carrots and celery sticks or home made popcorn. I have also cut out fresh meat in exchange for beans and rice together for protein. I will have eggs for breakfast for my protein at that time.
I planted a few arugula bedding plants. In addition to the leaves for salads (yum!l) i allowed it to bolt, and am now harvesting the seeds… So far a miniscule amount of them, but i have a 2"×2" jar that has 1/4" of tiny seeds, not to mention the probably equal amount that weren’t confined and will (hopefully) sprout in the flower bed next to my ramada patio table next fall. Celery and romaine are also bolting, although I’d rather they keep producing food than seed for now. Peppers are still growing, the chiltepines will probably take quite awhile from what I’m reading. Summer is not really the growing season in Arizona, so…
Prices recently are really insane. To save some money on groceries usually make a weekly meal plan and buy only what I need, buy non-perishable items in bulk when they are on sale and avoid impulse buying and stick to your shopping list. I also maintain a healthy diet and here 16:8 Intermittent Fasting 7-Day Meal Plan - BetterMe I found a lot of recipes with affordable products.
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My wife is in charge of buying all our groceries. Her most effective strategy for saving grocery money is to severely limit my participation in the grocery-buying process… 
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I was in line at the supermarket when the cashier said she was on a “freezer diet”. What’s that? She said you don’t buy anything till your freezer is empty.
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I think that cashier has been talking with my wife…
I buy bulk, even if I have to throw some of the product out. For example, for not much more money than the grocery store, I can get a 3 pack of lactose-free milk from Costco. I put one in the fridge and two in the freezer. It is Ultra-pasteurized so it lasts longer even when opened.
I use unit pricing and had originally set a 21 to 23 cent per oz for frozen dinenrs. Now it is quite higher as we are still getting supply chains working again. I would shop and look at the price per oz and then decide if I would eat that product. Oftentimes I saw prices rise before holidays and local events. When your town population increases significantly (Ironman race for example) the prices go up. Thus we buy before the race and stay home away from the crowds.
On the mainland I saw Coke on special one week and Pepsi the next. It is not really price fixing but when they did that, they insured not being in competition during those ‘sales’.
I have a ready supply of fruit at no cost (it helps to have your own trees) and that allows you to trade.
Yes, those that know me or have heard the stories know that the coffee is kinda free too. Yet my Sister prefers buying some at Costco until I get back into production.
A freezer is a necessity and canned good storage quite helpful. There are many shelf-stable products which can be stored for long periods. Knowing when or watching for sales and takinging advantage is critical. If you can use coupons, even better. I go to a pot luck many Friday evenings when I and some neighbors egt together and watch the sunset. Oftentimes I drive to town to take advantage of $5 Friday deals at Safeway. They have things like 8 piece chicken or $5 large coldcut subs. I can but 2 subs and feed everyone at the pot luck. Our Postal Employee neighbor brings his $5 sushi (I think made famous by the song lyrics “If you knew sushi like I knew sushi…”. Anyway, look for coupons or sales. Know when things are a good price and take advantage.
It is not just groceries either. We found that dinner at Outback for a nice steak dinner was only twice the cost for fast food for us.
Speaking of steak… I helped start a pet food co-op. We bought meat directly from the (I gues you call it a slaughterhouse). It is locally grown, grass-fed beef and all USDA inspected. We were getting parts that were not necessarily used by consumers in any quantity (like tongue and tripe) and it was good for our pets. However we also could buy the rest of the beef at a great discound. The steaks were shrunk wrapped and a lot cheape than Costco without the need to buy the whole cow. The meat delivered to us was the same meat going to the local grocery stores and the hospital, we just got a deal by buying direct and in a quantity and sharing the delivery. So look for opportunities to save.
Unit prices are not important on just paper goods. Product sizes that sell faster usually have a lower unit price. For example, laundry detergents in the popular sizes usually have a lower unit price than the larger “economy” sizes. Large grocery chains who sell more of a product than box stores usually have a lower price.
Disagree with Clark’s Ways You May Be Wasting Money on Groceries
Though I generally agree with Clark’s advice, his Wasting Money on Groceries article is not exactly right.
I always do a screenshot of prices for non grocery items I need from local Walmart prior to going grocery shopping. I then compare the price at the two stores.
The last few times, I have found that regular prices at the local grocer ( not on sale) were cheaper than the local WM. I saved $1.40 on Swiffer solution . ( I know, I can make my own solution - I use washable pads, but it is so much easier to use the solution.)
I don’t disagree with Clark’s recommendations but as a suggestion, we create a standard shopping list for Sam’s Club that I put on a spreadsheet and make multiple copies. We keep the standard list in the kitchen and when we run low, we check off the item. Every 3-4 weeks, I run to Sam’s - taking the car with the least amount of gas in the tank - and grab everything on our list and also fill the gas tank before I head home. We also use a food sealer to package our meats before dating and freezing them and putting them in our garage freezer.
I use order on line and pick up to save time AND calories on groceries. It’s easy to plan my shopping from the sales ad and I don’t make any spur of the moment purchases. Also before I push the order now button, I can review and delete or add something I forgot. ( Now if they would just come home with me, carry the groceries in from the car and put them away!)
Prices are through the roof, I normally find deals like these one: https://www.organicdsd.com/product/white-truffle-oil/
The ‘lower grocery cost’ thing is a double-edged sword. With all the #CorporateGreed that’s in play, and the fact that Kroger is buying up every business that smells like a grocery, it is really hard to find good buys. And cheaper is not always better. Manufacturers are putting so much garbage and chemicals into our food that it’s nearly insane to not buy anything but organic. There is some legislation afoot to curb this, but by-and-large, if you want to eat healthy, you almost have to move to Europe or grow your own.