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In this ultimate guide to your grocery budget, you'll learn how to save money on groceries with simple steps you can take everyday!
How To Save Money on Groceries
Anyone else ready to tackle their grocery budget and learn how to save money on groceries?
You're not alone!
As we move toward the middle part of the year, I always feel like it's a great time to reign our grocery budget in, so today is the perfect day to start!
There is no other area in your family's finances that you have such control over than your grocery budget.
You can't change your car payment. (At least, not easily.)
You can't drop your mortgage by 50% this month.
You can't skimp on your health care costs. Or your utility bill. Or how much you pay for your cell phone.
But every single week, you decide how much you spend at the grocery store. Unfortunately, prices HAVE gone up – but you can still take control with a few extra steps!
You know what I love about that?
you. have. control.
{I like control.}
{ahem.} 😉
You decide where you want to shop, how to budget your groceries, and exactly what you want your money to do every single time you shop.
I just love that.
Here are 10 ways to save money on groceries by reducing your grocery budget:
1. Start with a GREAT menu plan
Not only will this help to do your grocery shopping on a budget, but this will also help with managing your home. It's a huge relief to not have to wonder what you're making for dinner every night. These menu plans come with a grocery list already made each week too – saving you time!
You can also take advantage of curbside pickup and online ordering when using these plans – that way you're not tempted to grab items not on your grocery budget list! Meal planning makes a HUGE difference in your food budget.
2. Determine your grocery budget.
Before you start really tackling your grocery budget, look at what you’ve spent over the last few months on groceries and decide on the amount of money you’d like to cut your grocery budget. Expect to save about 20% on your grocery bill over the next month as you’re building your pantry with basic staples, and you should see significantly larger savings in the next six months.
3. Shop your pantry
Before heading to the store, I look over my menu plan & grocery list and determine what I already have in my fridge, freezer and pantry.
By paying attention to what we already have, I'm saving money by using what we already have on hand, but also helping to reduce any waste (ESPECIALLY of fruits and veggies – hate that!). I also take stock of what we're low on for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and household items for the week.
4. Shop two stores.
Folks, this is huge and I know may not work for everyone, but is well worth it for our family. I typically shop Kroger each week for major sales and loss leaders, but also make a trip to Aldi, Fresh Thyme or Sprouts (or a similar store) for meat and produce at least every other week, saving our family a bundle.
If you have an Aldi, Fresh Thyme, Sprouts, or even possibly Trader Joe's in your area, I highly recommend a trip once a week (or at least every two weeks), to stock up on meat and produce.
Their sale prices are significantly lower than anything I've seen at local grocery stores (unless your grocery store has a rockstar sale), and it's pretty easy to get in and out in a few minutes. I don't shop anything else at those stores at all (really, only produce and meat), but it saves a bundle and is well worth the extra trip at least every other week for our family!
(FYI – I don't typically buy meat at Aldi, because I have the option of Sprouts. I've heard people say they've been very pleased with it, but I love my Sprouts meat and poultry and you just can't beat the prices!)
5. Decide how much you want to spend each week on “stockpile” items and shop loss leaders at your store
Remember that just about every item in the grocery store will go on sale within six to twelve weeks, so purchase enough non-perishable items when they’re on sale so that you won’t have to purchase those items again at full price.
When I see a great price on something I'll purchase as much as my grocery budget can afford, so I'm not paying full price when it's not on sale. Also keep an eye out for “loss leaders” – these are items that the stores put at such a good price that you'll come into the store to shop.
6. Don't be brand specific.
If you need a certain item for a meal this week, buy whichever brand is on sale at the best price per ounce. For example, Del Monte tomatoes were “on sale” for $1.25 this week, but the Kroger brand was just $.73. From what I can tell, tomatoes are tomatoes (at least when you’re choosing between Kroger and Del Monte), and there’s no way my family will have any idea whether I use the Del Monte or Kroger brand in our recipes this week. This is an easy way to save money on groceries without sacrificing anything with flavor or items.
Now, there are some items which a certain brand really does seem better, but if you can give yourself a little freedom to try out the less expensive item, you might save quite a few pennies each week just for going with the sale item! And, if you really do love your Charmin or Quilted Northern (toilet paper seems to be one of those areas where people love their brands?) find where to buy toilet paper online at a great price, or shop the drug stores for a really good deal.
Here's one other example ~ laundry detergent. Tide was on sale for $4.99 for a small bottle, or the HUGE bottle of Purex with Oxi was $5.99. I've been pleased with Purex in the past and it was a MUCH better price per ounce, so well worth it to stock up while it's on sale!
7. Know your prices.
Goodness, this is probably my biggest frustration ever when talking to folks who spend too much on groceries! So many people naively go blindly into the grocery store with a list in hand (or maybe worse, with no list at all), without even considering what’s on sale. This is the easiest way to spend way too much at the grocery store, and you can easily save big if you just put a little forethought into shopping!
Can I just tell you the easiest thing you can do EVER to reduce your grocery budget is to know what really is a good price? By determining a stock up price (at the very least just for produce, dairy and meat products?) and only buying items at their stock up price, I’m betting you can cut your grocery bill by at least 1/3 each week.
Also, pay attention to unit pricing. Sometimes a larger bottle will be a better purchase – and if it's something your family uses every day of the week, it just might be worth it!
8. Watch for easy coupons and savings deals
If you're needing toothpaste, and you notice Colgate is on sale….pull up your store app and see if there are any eCoupons available. Sometimes this can reduce your “regular cost” by half or more!
There are also a rebate apps that you can use (Ibotta and Fetch Rewards are two of our favorites!). This allows you to save on things you're already buying anyway.
Just taking a few extra minutes to quickly watch for easy deals helped me stock up on things we'll need all month long. This helps SO much since each week I don't have to buy everything because I know my stock up prices well enough that I can stock up when I can easily get a deal ~ and it makes shopping so much easier!
If you're completely new to menu planning and shopping based on the sales this may take a few weeks to get the hang of, but I promise it's so worth it.
9. Be Resourceful
Folks, this tip alone could save you $20 this week.
Don't believe me?
Let me show you how to save money on groceries just by one simple idea….
Recently I went to the store with my grocery list. There were a few items that aren't regular purchases for me and would have been pretty large expenses on my grocery budget this week, so I got a wee bit creative. First, I looked through my list and checked my pantry, fridge and freezer to see what I already had in stock (easy, right?)
Then, I did this while I shopped through the grocery list:
- on the list ~ cranberries (not in season and only found in the frozen aisle or as whole cranberries in the dried produce aisle.)
Since I was determined to only spend $100 this week, and a big bag of whole cranberries would cost me $8.99 (eek!), I grabbed a 6 pack of small Craisins that happened to be on sale for $1.50.
Now, they won't be the same as cranberries (but I couldn't find them at my store anyways), and for $1.50 instead of $9 I'm pretty sure our Pork Chop, Veggie and Cranberry Sheet Pan will taste just fine. (Honestly, I could have probably omitted them completely but it just sounded so good!)
- on the list ~ cajun seasoning ($6.99 ~ eek!)
Many spice blends can be made at home, and since we don't use that one all that often it's way cheaper for me to use what I already have at home. I looked up this Cajun Spice Mix on All Recipes, and sure enough have everything in my spice cabinet I need to make that one pretty easily.
- on the list ~ 2 tsp sesame seeds (also $6.99)
I really struggled with this one (because I knew the sesame seeds would last through several recipes), but I realized that in 20+ years I can't remember even once cooking with sesame seeds, so they aren't a necessary staple at our house. I also knew that my kids aren't big fans of sesame seeds, I could care less whether they're there or not, and my husband would never know the difference.
Honestly? I'm like this every time I shop, and with just about everything we use.
I constantly think of ways to use less ~ like using rags instead of paper towels, plastic grocery sacks for trash instead of large bags, and cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
Most seasoning packets, mixes and even cleaning supplies can be mixed up at home, costing you a fraction of the cost.
This has changed some in the last few years as we have a little more money and a lot less time, but when I can, I still try to be resourceful as much as possible.
You probably have lots of items already in your pantry that you use before buying one more thing, so this week I want you to constantly think of ways to be resourceful and use what you already have. Remember ~ you have control over what you spend, so see how much you can save with this one simple trick!
10. Shop no more than once per week
Y'all, this is so important. Before you shop, make a very clear list of everything you're going to need for the following week, so you aren't tempted to buy extra stuff on a second trip. Before shopping I used my shopping list, and I love knowing that I've got everything I need in my kitchen to make an entire week's worth of meals!
And remember, the best tip for how to save money on groceries and grocery shopping on a budget ….
shop with a grocery list and menu plan.
When I'm completely on track, I use my very favorite Menu Planning recipe cards. Before shopping, I go through the grocery list, shop my stockpile, and mark off what I can by shopping my pantry before heading to the store. It's quick, easy, and I get my grocery shopping done in record time.
So, start with your grocery budget, know your prices, and make a menu plan and grocery list ~ I know you can do this.
Looking for more yummy meals? We have three different menu plans you can choose from! You'll also get lifetime membership in our private Facebook group, full of other families encouraging one another to make dinner each night together too.
These are the BEST MENU PLANS on the planet (and, the only menu plan that ship all the grocery lists, menu plans and recipe cards right out to you ~ no downloading or hunting down recipes on your phone at dinnertime ever again!) Go HERE to learn more. Not only are they delicious, but they'll be a great step in learning how to save money on groceries. I know you're going to love these!
For me, the checking the pantry started off with double checking to see whether or not milk and juices were needed or could wait a couple to a few days.
I haven’t used printable coupons since 2019 — except for CVS, Walgreens, and the rare coupon that simply landed my way already printed out at just the right shopping time. I got an e-letter from Target today about how they are going to start automatically adding their Circle coupons into our accounts for us; I can’t wait.
Thanks, PPP, for the diy information on the seasonings and all. I find the dry dehydrated packets and meal kits to be especially helpful during my travels. While they are expensive, they are worth it after figuring out the per use cost and also taking into consideration of saving space.
Wow that will be a game changer for sure! How exciting. Thanks a bunch for sharing your feedback. We appreciate you SO much!
I use the Publix app and save a fortune. I first go through the flyer and add my items to my list then I cross reference sale items and bogo items with my coupons. I first clip my digitals which will display on my shoppers list, then print my coupon.coms then go straight to the manufacturer websites where I find the most coupons. I add the items from the flyer that I have found coupons for.
I print my list which is awesome because it has the items broken down by isles. That saves a ton of time from having to search the store. My list will also have my digital coupons on it broken down by item and isles.
Once I have printed I staple all the pages together then paper clip my printed or newspaper coupons to the top of the page that has that item listed.
I shop page by page pulling my coupons off the clip and putting them in an envelope once I have put that item in my cart then I check it off my list.
This keeps it so organized for me. If the store is out of my item I circle it so I know to look for those items at the neighboring Publix.
Just by doing this I now save anywhere from 65-75%. I have been consistently walking out of Publix with $120-$250 in savings.
They key is to not sway from the list and I only buy the item if it’s on sale or bogo.
I love all you do on this page for us! Always so helpful.
So I have a helpful tip, and you may already know it. But in regards to the apple slices. Did you know, you can slice apples, pour citrus pop over them and they will NOT brown in lunch bags!! I knew about using lemon juice but I never liked how they tasted with lemon.
Now, granted you are putting an apple in pop and it’s probably not the healthiest option. But I’m guessing better than the stuff they put in those bagged apples. No judgement I do same thing for other items. Just stating opinion. I will slice whole apple and keep in fridge and use for couple days.
Have a great day!
That’s a great tip LeeAnn! May I add another one? We sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on our sliced apples and give them a shake in the container we are packing them in. The cinnamon adds a bit of sweetness and the color disguises any browning that takes place.
Additional tip for packing apple slices for lunches:
Try using bottled Apple Juice (100%) or White grape juice! It’s the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) that helps keep the slices from browning too quickly, so you can pack them in advance, usually the night before. My girls didn’t like the taste of lemon on their apples, so this worked better for us. Just slice/peel & dunk/toss them in a small bowl for a minute or two. *You don’t need much juice, like 1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on how many apples you’re slicing up. Drain (I used a fork to remove the slices) & pack them up. You could probably even reuse the apple juice for the next days apples, just seal in bowl with lid.
Hope this helps saving money on pre-sliced apples. ♡♡
Try using Apple or White grape juice on the apples slices! It’s the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) that keeps them from browning. Works great for packing them the day before. You don’t need much, just a few splashes to toss. Drain/use a fork to remove them & they are ready for packing. I used store brands, like Walmart or Aldi.
Lee Ann –
You can use orange juice directly from the orange instead of lemon juice! Tastes much better.
I’m gonna try this for my family of 3 hope I can do it tired of having no money left at the end of the month.
Celeste I hope it helps – I know if you really decide to transform your budget it really can work for you!
I love Shopping at Aldi. I go there first and finish at Walmart. I do notice that the produce at our Aldi is not to the standards it was when it first opened. Some is good but some I buy elsewhere. But 75% of our groceries come from there.
I love Aldo too Ann – they make saving money so easy!
So happy I found this! I am so mad about how much I spend on groceries, it isn’t even funny. It helps if I don’t take my husband with me, but when he goes with me we spend at the least 2 times more than I would alone. I really would like to spend $25-$30 a week on groceries. Lately I have been more towards the $50 range. We raise our own beef, so I really only need to buy the stuff to go with it. I have been focusing on buying what is on sale. And have been working on a meal plan. Staying on track is my goal!
I have such admiration for you, raising your own beef! My Dad as a child raised a calf for, 4H,? and they had a small farm, but he wasn’t required to slaughter any of the animals. His Dad was a professor at a medical school, so it was a modest farm. He grew to be a veterinarian, large and small, but ended up being small animal only. The reason I tell you this is despite knowing people did raise their own meat, let alone corporations, I grew up with Dad saving lives, unless it was to humanely end them.
So I don’t have the guts to do that. I grow too attached. Heck, as a child of seven I cried at New Years Eve because we would never see that year again! I still get teary eyed saying goodbye to cars. Pets, oh my gosh. Gutted. Gutted. So you are amazing in my eyes.
I’m soooo in! I would love to get my grocery budget under control! I feel I spend way too much! I shop with a list, but not necessarily with a budget in mind! I’m very excited to get started!
So glad you’re joining us Dara – I think just deciding to change your grocery budget will make such a difference. Good luck to you as you get started! 🙂
Hi! I am excited for this series on grocery savings! With husband, myself and a one year old we spend about $300/month on groceries. Not bad…but we eat out too much and I would like ideas on how to shop for groceries and meals that allow us to eat at home more creatively.
So glad you’re joining us Kelli – I think just deciding to really focus on it will help so much – it’s amazing how much you really can save! Best of luck as you get started!
Is there anywhere we can see some sample menu plans?
I’m excited to know more about this and will stay tuned in. For a family of 3, (a baby) we usually spend like $150-200 a week on groceries which I think is ridiculous. I hope to be able to learn more on what I can do to somehow reduce it.
I loved this post. We are a family of five (kids aged 16, 13 and 12.) All 3 kids and myself have celiac disease and have a dairy allergy. Also, myself and my 12 year old have type 1 diabetes and eat fairly low carb. So I find it very hard to stick to even a $300 per week budget – that includes toiletries, cleaners, laundry detergent and dog food. I am really looking to lower that as we are a one income family – I homeschool my kids. We are home for most meals and so I know I can realistically lower it to $220 a week. That is my goal and if I get below that – bonus!! Looking at your tips and making notes for sure 🙂
Thank you! I will be following along. I just told my family that I had to get back on track with our grocery spending. We blew so much money last year on food simply because I get busy at work and don’t make the time to plan.
HI! I’m so glad you are doing this series! When my 4 kids lived at home I was very purposeful with meals, coupons, menu plans, stock piling, etc… Since they have all gone off to college I have gotten bad about shopping sales and coupons, have a terrible time with meal planning due to my schedule and hubby’s, and my husband thinks we shouldn’t need to stock pile since it is just us. My grocery bill varies between $50-100 per week but I would like it to be more consistent and have the food I buy be more purposeful instead of “lets see what we have.” I am finding it difficult to transition to a 2 person meal plan and also if I should still be stock piling (which I think is great but hubby says is no longer necessary).
Any tips for shopping for a large family? We are going from a family of 3 to a family of 8 next week, 2 adults, 6 kids age 2-11. I don’t know where to begin.
Hi Sandy! DEFINITELY start with a menu plan – I don’t know where I’d even start without a menu plan with a large family! Begin with that, then really focus on shopping the sales ads – learn your prices and KNOW that you’re always getting the best price on whatever you’re looking for. I think just deciding to do it will make a huge difference – hopefully the next few weeks will help you get started!
I’m also excited for these. I absolutely hate grocery shopping, and I live in a very small town, so when I need to get a larger amount I usually drive an hour so I can shop aldis, along with the bigger Walmart. I tend to put the grocery shopping at the end of the trip, so I’m exhausted & ready to get home. Last time I had a list but didn’t end up using it & throwing stuff in the buggy, costing me $500!! I never spend that much! But we were out of everything! Food, paper products, personal. Now I’m trying to see how long I can make it without grocery shopping(besides milk/bread). It’s been 3 weeks now. I usually spend about $200 for a family of 5, sometimes when I see meat marked down I buy it up lasting two weeks. I just need to get more organized and set a budget. We are moving states in may and I’m trying to pay down as much of our debt as I can.
I”m so glad you’re joining us Rachel! I definitely think it can be harder in a smaller town, but hopefully you will become really purposeful in your purchases so that you see continued success. I think you just have to decide to go in with a plan in place (it makes such a difference!) and my bet is you’ll be amazed at how much you can save just by some good planning. The benefit for us is not having too many stores probably nearby to tempt you with “deals” so maybe if you can get a really good list together shopping every few weeks will work for you. Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
Hey, Laurie! Thanks for sharing this!! We’re a family of 6 (kids 11,9,5,2). I aim to buy mainly organic (meats, veggies, etc.). My budget is around $800 a month but would love to get it down as we’re working on some financial goals. Would you encourage someone to trim the budget for a season, even if that means veering from some organic stuff in order to put that extra $ elsewhere and meet those goals?
Also, what are your thoughts on the warehouse bulk paper products? Worth it?? Thanks!!
Hi Lauren! Honestly, I think you need to know which organic foods are really worth it, and making sure to stock up on those when you can (read #11 on this post – it was an eye opener for me!) https://passionatepennypincher.com/2015/08/how-to-save-on-organic-food/
As far as warehouse products, ALWAYS do the math. Most of the time I feel like they’re more expensive than I can get on Amazon or at my local grocery store with a sale, so definitely work towards making sure to figure out if you’re getting the best price (and when you see a good deal, stock up so you don’t have to buy it again!) I think if you’re just really mindful about how to save on things that are on sale you’re going to see such success – can’t wait to hear how it goes for you (keep me updated!)
Signed up01/10/17 order #700379 and couldn’t print out anything. Can you cancel that order so I can try again Please.
Hi Cindy! I’m sending an email to Tiffany right now so we can make sure you’re all set – I apologize for that!
A few years ago when you did something similar I was spending about $50/week. With the coupons not being as good, Kroger stopping double coupins, and our Publix no longer taking Target coupons my budget has increased dramatically. We are spending $130/week for 4 adults and 2 kids. My son works second shift so he isn’t home for dinner most nights though. My granddaughter isn’t here every night for dinner either so really its more like 3 adults and a 6 year old. I miss my cheaper budget.
It definitely changes as stores change their policies (I feel your pain!) and families change Shannon – we used to spend $50-$60, now we’re up to $90-$100. I think keep looking at ways to pay less, but also know you’re not alone!
I just printed up the stock up pricelist. Thank you very much for providing this information. My husband is always looking at the grocery store sale papers and asking is this a good price and I’m always like” I don’t know “… No more! I am informed . Thanks for all your hard work keep it up .
So glad it helps Joni – that means so much to me! Good luck as you get started 😉
I just printed up the stock up pricelist. Thank you very much for providing this information. My husband is always looking at the grocery store sale papers and asking is this a good price and I’m always like” I don’t know “… No more! I am informed . Thanks for all your hard work keep it up .
So excited for this series! Been doing so much reading on saving for grocery budgets and working on decreasing ours. My husband lost his job back in November. I had been working on decreasing our food budget before this (realizing it was out of control), but trying for a bigger decrease now. Started with roughly $300 per week a year ago and was down to $250 per week before DH lost his job. Now hoping to get down to the $150 (or less) per week for my family of 3 + dog. I have been including all personal care products and cleaning products in this budget. We pack all of our lunches as well, which seems to be one place that most sites I have read seem to ignore.
I’m so excited you’re joining us Rhonda – so fun! I think you TOTALLY can do this (it sounds like you’re already doing amazing), but I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you this month. Keep me posted – I’m cheering for you!