How to save money on groceries

1. he cardinal rules of frugal grocery shopping: (1) Always bring a grocery list (and stick to that list), (2) never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry and (3) go grocery shopping when you’re in a hurry (this will ensure you shop deliberately and stick to your list).  All of these are good ways to save money and avoid impulse buying.
2. Grocery stores put items with the nearest expiration dates near the front of shelves (i.e. milk, bread, etc.).  Always reach behind these items to find the items that will last longer.
3. Visit bakeries/coffee shops right before they close. This is one of the best ways to save money. Some will offer whatever baked goods they haven’t sold at a steep discount.  Many others will give them away for free.
4. Buy a hand soap dispenser and refill it with a larger (and much cheaper) bottle of replacement soap.  Additionally, hand soap is sold at very concentrated levels; go with a half soap/half water mix instead.
5. Use grocery bags as trash bags. If this won’t work because you have a big trashcan, consider switching to a smaller one. This is one of the easiest ways to save money and, as a bonus, you’ll be forced to take the trash out every day, which will ensure your kitchen doesn’t smell.
6. When you find a great deal on a non-perishable item, stock up. Do you always get the same shampoo?  Next time it goes on sale, buy five.  Not only will you “lock-in” the sale and save money, but you’ll also save gas and the hassle that comes with having to go to the store right when you run out of shampoo.
7. Skip eating meat. Eating meat can be expensive.  Skip eating meat three times a week and you could save $25/week or $1,300/year.
8. Before you buy inexpensive perishable goods at the store, check the expiration date. Though your item might seem like a great deal, it’s not if it expires tomorrow.
9. Learn how this person bought groceries on $1/day for 100 days.
10. Start a vegetable garden. If you are a nature lover, this is one of the most enjoyable ways to save money.
11. Buy smaller plates. There’s research to suggest that you’ll eat less if you eat off of smaller plates.  It’s also safe to assume that you’ll waste less food (because you’ll serve yourself less) if you eat off of smaller plates.
12. Refill ink cartridges. A new printer cartridge can cost $20-40 (some as high as $80).  Don’t throw empty ink cartridges out; refill them.  Here’s how.
13. Buy a deep freezer. Doing so will allow you to buy meat and frozen goods in bulk at wholesale stores.
14. Organize your pantry and cupboards by expiration date. There’s a reason grocery stores put items with the nearest expiration dates near the front of shelves: They want to sell the items before they go bad.  One of the best ways to save money on groceries is to organize your shelves this way, as you want to eat the items before they expire.  This exercise will also help you understand what food you currently have, as many people rebuy items they already have in stock (especially things like canned goods) because they were unaware that they already own them.
15. Buy one-day-old bagels. Many bagel shops sell bags of one-day-old bagels at a steep discount (often something like $3 for a dozen).  Though they are a little firmer than freshly baked bagels, if you just put them in the toaster, they’re exactly like toasted freshly baked bagels.
16. Only do your grocery shopping at supermarkets. Corner stores, general stores and pharmacies-turned-markets always charge a premium.  If your grocery store is far away, see if yours offers grocery delivery for a fee.  If you’re buying for a family, chances are this fee is less than the extra amount you’d spend if you shopped at the corner store.
17. Always buy in bulk. Shopping at wholesale stores is one of the best ways to save money, especially if you can share the cost of membership.
18. Don’t buy coffee from Starbucks, Peet’s, etc.  Make it at home or get it at the office.  At $3/drink, that’s $750/year if you work 5 days/week and 50 weeks/year.
19. Ask yourself, “Do I need this?” When grocery shopping, one of the most effective ways to save money is to ask yourself, right before you put something in the cart and right as you’re taking it out of the cart, “Do I need this?”  Even better than running all of your selected items through this “Do I need this?” check while you’re waiting to check out, pull off to the side of the store before you even enter the checkout line and go through your items one-by-one.
20. Buy fruits and vegetables at local produce markets. Vendors at local produce markets generally have lower overhead costs and thus offer cheaper prices.
21. Buy vitamins. If you’re going to be saving money on groceries, you might be tempted to buy less healthy food because it’s less expensive (i.e. Ramen noodles).  Watch your diet carefully and consider supplementing your diet with generic vitamins.  Don’t sacrifice your health for a few dollars.
22. Never buy bottled water. If you absolutely can’t drink tap water, buy a Brita filter.
23. Buy generic items. Often generic items literally contain the exact same ingredients as their branded counterparts.  Medicines are a great example.  For some food items, generics might not be perfect substitutes, so it can make sense to avoid them, but certainly you can buy generic Swiffer pads, shampoo, etc.
24. Use the promotional flyers that grocery stores send out to plan your meals for the week. This is one of the simplest ways to save money on groceries. For instance, if you see that chicken breasts are on sale this week, then plan a few meals that utilize the inexpensive chicken breasts.  Plan your entire week’s meals this way.