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The cost of food consumes😊 a big chunk of your monthly budget. You can’t avoid buying food, so it’s the perfect area to look for cost savings. Tackle your budget from all sides by creating a plan for grocery shopping. With a little forethought, you will not only feel good about your grocery trip, but you will also enjoy the financial rewards and live a better life.
Here are 7 Simple Ways to Save Money on Groceries:
1. PLAN
Decide what meals you plan to make for the week and prepare a grocery list before you leave the house. Head to the store with a full stomach (so you don’t impulse purchase) and stick to the list. It may seem difficult at first, but you will feel accomplished and grateful when your budget is on track.
2. BUY THE STAPLES
Only buy fruits and vegetables that you know you will eat, so you don’t waste them. There’s nothing more annoying than having to throw out wasted food. Keep track of your favorite healthy foods and stick to those, only adding additional items needed for recipes.
3. REDUCE SPENDING BY EARNING FREE GIFT CARDS
I eliminated my Starbucks bill by earning gift cards from my favorite online survey platform Swagbucks. By watching videos, providing feedback on marketing tactics, and testing products you can earn gift cards to your favorite stores saving you loads on your budget!
4. STOCK UP
You can save money by buying non-perishable items in bulk. I use my Rakuten app to search for products and find the best deals.
5. MAKE IT YOURSELF
Pre-packaged foods are loaded with sugar, sodium, and preservatives, and are typically more expensive than fresh foods. Shop the perimeter of the store for fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and proteins. Then head over to my Pinterest Food page for my favorite recipes and healthy meal ideas!
6. GIVE YOURSELF A RAISE BY DISCOUNT SHOPPING
You can stretch your dollar by paying less for the same products at discount stores. My personal favorites are Walmart (which has everything you could possibly need) and ALDI (if you have one near you) which pretty much has the basics and are steeply discounted.
7. GET PAID TO SHOP
There are several apps available to help you save money on groceries, clothes, and more. My favorites are Ibotta and Rakuten. These are free cash-back rewards web and mobile apps that pay you cash for your purchases online, on the app, or even in stores! They make it super easy to sign up and even have a browser extension that will alert you any time you are on a site that offers a cash-back reward. Sign up for your free accounts using the links above and start saving today!
Consistency of saving money will add up quickly! But don’t stop there – make additional income while saving money to achieve financial freedom even faster. Check out my Make Money page to discover ways you can add extra side money to your earnings!
Cheers!
Jen