5 Best Hacks to Save on Groceries

5 best hacks to save on groceries

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Are you in need of some savings? Besides housing, one of the biggest expenses most families accrue is their food bill. If you are looking to cut your food bill, you can use these 5 best hacks to save on groceries to cut your bill in half.

According to Mint Blog, the average family of four should spend around $892 on groceries per month. Wow, that is almost a mortgage payment.

But what if I told you you could cut that number in half?

Your grocery bill doesn’t have to literally eat up all of your money.

I used to shop without a plan and I realized after using the tips below, I saved way more and you can too.

Yet it isn’t always easy to save money on groceries, but if you want to cut your grocery bill in half try these easy tips to get started and save more.

Best Hack #1: Meal plan

This is my favorite way to save. I just tried this amazing recipe for lazy lasagna. You know what? I had all the ingredients because I made a master list of my meals and added those foods to my grocery list. Easy, peasy!

Seriously, when you use meal planning you lose the temptation to go out to eat or order pricey takeout.

Why meal plan?

Meal planning helps you avoid pricey trips to the store, where more often than not you will spend money on other things you weren’t planning on buying.

Many feel meal planning is boring, but you can pick your favorite meals and buy all of your ingredients and then pick and choose which one you will make for that night. You don’t have to be tied down to one certain meal unless you have it set up for leftovers. It is really still up to you what you feel like heating that night, but at least you know you have your ingredients and do not have to run out to the store.

Best Hack #2: Coupon apps

Coupon apps are so convenient. You can pull up an app on your phone and save money or get rebates. Who doesn’t love getting easy money? I use coupon apps weekly and I find them to be efficient and easy. Here are my favorite coupon apps to try now!

Ibotta

This is my favorite coupon app (and now has a desktop version). I love Ibotta and I have made over $300 from my lifetime use. I simply upload my receipts after I shop and earn money back on the items listed. You can now link loyalty cards so you don’t have to scan.

It is as easy as that! You will find the money in your account a few minutes after uploading your receipt. Plus you can get a $10 bonus for signing up.

Rakuten

This is my favorite go-to app when shopping online. Rakuten, formerly Ebates, gives a percent back for most things I buy online. Just go to the site and click your store before shopping. It is as simple as it sounds. The cashback will show up in your account usually within the day. If you have over $5 cash back, you will get a Big Fat Check.

So sign up here to check current bonuses

Dosh

Have you heard of Dosh? Dosh is a newer app that offers cash back on online shopping. You can redeem your money directly into your banking account or collect gift cards.

This app is awesome because it collects free money for you!

Since Dosh is automatic, no need to save receipts or worry about clicking. Sign up and find out more!

Checkout 51

This app is like Ibotta in that you scan your receipts. So why not use Ibotta and check out 51? One perk to Checkout 51 is that your items don’t have to be store-specific. You can use a receipt from any store, even your local grocery store.

Fetch Rewards.

Fetch Rewards is easy to use and can earn money back on items you buy. It works on a point system and you can get 2000 bonus points for signing up using this link.

Best Hack #3: Buy in bulk

I just had a friend tell me she got a 25% off coupon for Target. She then calculated how many nonperishable items she used throughout the year and ordered it using the coupon. Genius!

Now most of us can’t afford to spend $1000 upfront for items, but we can still buy bulk items because they are usually cheaper that way. Do the simple math and determine if it cost less to buy in bulk.

Ideas to stockpile on a budget:

canned foods
canned vegetables
canned beans
rice
instant potatoes
pasta

Keep in mind, I am not referring to “panic buying.” It is best to build up a stockpile over time and save some toilet paper for the rest of us.

Best Hack #4: Coupon at home

If you are not a big fan of buying a Sunday paper and clipping coupons, why not try couponing sites and print your own coupons at home. You can pick coupons that fit your needs instead of having a bunch of extra paper clutter.

Coupons.com is my favorite site to print coupons from. I used it and stack manufactures coupons with store coupons at certain stores like Kroger and Target. Make sure to read your store’s coupon policy to see if they allow this, but many big-name stores do. I like to set a goal of getting at least $10 off my grocery bill with coupons each week. That’s $40 back in my pocket per month. You could go “extreme” with your couponing though and save WAY more. I just don’t have the time for extreme couponing at the moment.

Best Hack #5: Shop sales cycles

Pay attention to your store’s sales cycles. You can determine how often they have a sale on certain products and stock up. Most store sales cycles run from 6-8 weeks and depending on produce according to seasonality.

It pays to buy enough to last you through until the next sales cycle. This may take a little effort to figure out, but if you notice cereal on sale every six weeks, try to calculate how many boxes your family goes through each week and stock up. Pair your store sales with coupons for double savings.

Best ways to save on groceries final thoughts…

If you want to be below the national average, it is time to buckle down and start saving and you can use my 5 best hacks to save on groceries to do just that.

Just think about what you could do with that money if you didn’t have to spend it all on food. You could pay down debt or save for a vacation. Stop spending all of your money on food and learn how to easily save more. It’s your turn to put these into action.

Saving on groceries is one of the easiest ways to save money. The tips above will help you cut your food bill and keep money in your pocket. If you want to live on the cheap, use these frugal tips to save moeny today.

What is your favorite way to save on groceries? Leave me a comment. I would love to hear from you.