After housing costs, groceries and food are the most significant expense in households. It’s expensive, and it’s getting more and more expensive to eat correctly and at a lower price. The checkout gives you a cold sweat and each time you tell yourself that you are going to find a way to reduce the bill, without having to buy less.

We know food shopping can be stressful, that’s why here is a comprehensive guide with all the tips to spend less while shopping. While all you may see are money jokes around ways to save and earn, but really, with a little know-how, you can make a budget and stick to it well.

Develop Menus in Advance

The first thing to advise you is to be organized. Never rush into a supermarket without having a plan. Not an itinerary, but a foolproof method that will save you from spending lavishly. To create this plan you will want to create a meal plan for the week.

By planning the meals you are going to design each day, noon, and night, you will have a clear idea of what to buy at the market. It is not necessarily a question of detailing everything, just knowing for each meal, from Monday to Saturday, what you are going to put on your plate so you purchase only what you need.

Avoid Foods That Are Not Economical.

There are a lot of foods that we don’t need. If you want to save money on your groceries, you will have to consider removing them from your list. Also, they are often high-calorie foods or drinks sold at the highest price. Here is our blacklist of products to be banned:

  • Soft drinks: expensive and not essential. A pack of 6 bottles of Coca-Cola is quite expensive? Is it necessary for your diet? 
  • Sweets and pastries: Try making homemade pancakes instead as it will cost you less and you will get a much larger batch.
  • Prepared or catered dishes: Salads, couscous, quiches, etc., which have a high price per pound compared to “homemade”.
  • Cold cuts: not only bad for your health but also costly.

Homemade Always Wins! 

It’s an immutable rule: homemade costs a lot… a lot less that is! You don’t have to spend all day cooking each meal but to make the dishes yourself can be simple, quick, and economical.

When you look at the price per pound of prepared meals, you pay dearly for the few minutes saved in preparing a meal. Also, the accelerated cooking modes offered by multi-function microwaves and other smart cookers can still give you a homemade meal at a fraction of a pre-packaged meal price.

Buy In Season

Seasonal products are richer in nutrients and vitamins. The vegetables that you find out of season are often products that come from afar, imported from other countries, which have been able to grow them under intensive production conditions. Do you find it normal to eat strawberries at Christmas? No. Transportation comes at a cost in getting those fruits and vegetables to your plate, and that’s not good news for your wallet.

The calculation is simple: when you buy tomatoes in the middle of January, they will not only taste different to summer stock but they will also likely be at an increased price if you are buying from a grocery store. To reduce your shopping budget, you must favor seasonal foods.   

Look for the Promotions! 

Some households have become champions of the promotion. Anyone can do the same. After having established your menus for the week and your shopping list, the idea will be to find the specials that will save you money by choosing to buy the discounted products as a priority.

First, empty your mailbox and inspect the flyers of major retailers. Almost every week, brands compete to offer you promotional products. You can, therefore, find coupons and deals that can be used at any point – some do have an end date, however. Depending on the promotions, you readjust the menus on your shopping list, it’s that simple!