Tips for Saving Money on Food (Part 2)

This post is a follow-up to Tips for Saving Money on Food (Part 1). Purchasing food is probably one of your largest monthly expenses. It is often a category in which people struggle, but if you follow a few guidelines, you will begin to see a significant reduction in your food costs.

Buy staple ingredients when they are on sale.

You always need butter, meat, flour, chocolate chips, etc. Ok, chocolate chips may not be a staple, but they're good to have on hand.  Stock up on these ingredients when they are on sale; however, keep an eye on expiration dates. Butter is typically $3.99/lb, but we buy it when it is between $1.99 and $2.48/lb. Chicken is normally $3.99/lb, but we load up when it is $1.99/lb. The great thing about butter and chicken is that they freeze well. Chocolate chips are usually $2.99 for a 2-cup bag, but we buy them when they are $2.00 (that way I can make chocolate chip cookies whenever I have a craving).

Try out generic brands.

I used to think that generic brands didn’t taste as good as name brands, but that was before I really gave them a chance. For the most part, generic brands taste as good as—if not better than—name brands, and they are usually a fraction of the price. If you give them a try, I know you will find some generics that you love. You may come across some products where it is worth spending the extra money to purchase the name brand, but at least you gave the generic version a try. Buying generics can add up to significant savings over time. I have found generic meal ingredients from interior aisles of the store (e.g., cereal, pasta, soup, baking ingredients, etc.) are typically good alternatives to their corresponding name brand items.

Double-check your receipt.

On occasion, the posted price of an item may differ from what rings up at the register. When possible, watch the prices as the items are rung up. Sometimes you will catch an incorrect price. If you are shopping by yourself and need to be bagging while the cashier is ringing up your items, check your receipt for pricing errors before leaving the store. Then, be willing to go to the guest service counter to correct any mistakes you find.

I hope you find these tips helpful and apply them to your future grocery shopping outings. Like I mentioned above, food is probably one of your largest monthly expenses, so keep watching for more money saving food tips.