Grocery shopping post-COVID can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you're trying to save your money. A proper and livable source of income is not always available to us, which makes it difficult to know how to do groceries on a budget. The average grocery shopping cost for an American is around 386 dollars monthly, but it doesn't have to be that way. Today, we are going to teach you how to cut your costs without compromising on your core needs.
A little-known hack to avoid high grocery bills is to buy non-perishables like canned or dried fruit from Amazon. Not only are these items tax-free, but shipping is free with Amazon Prime, so you can end up saving a lot of money in the long run.
A blunder people often make is getting a lot of perishable food items all at once. The trouble is that these types of food will go bad within seven days of purchase. Therefore, it is best to only purchase what you need. For example, if you estimate that you'll eat ten vegetables in one week, then only buy ten vegetables instead of forty. Doing your groceries every week is more beneficial than hoarding and subsequently tossing out spoiled produce." This not only wastes food, but also your money. A better solution is to buy less perishable foods that last longer, such as canned goods of the same quality as fresh foods.
If you want to save money on meat, buy it in the most unprocessed form you can find. The value of the meat increases if it is cut up by the butcher. Take the meat home and cut it up yourself. The same goes for something like cereal. If you are a fan of oatmeal, buy the unprocessed ones in bulk instead of packaged oatmeal. Packaged oatmeal has sugar, preservatives, and other additives that drive up its cost.. You would be surprised how much money processed food costs compared to its unprocessed siblings
Most people buy groceries on an impulse, going into a store and buying whatever they need at that moment. But this isn't the smartest way to shop because every store has items priced differently. Instead, make a list of groceries you'll need in a week and compare prices between stores before making your purchase. It might seem like extra work but it's worth it when you consider all the money you could save by being strategic about your grocery shopping.
Never let good food go to waste! There are countless possibilities of dishes you can make with your leftovers, so try not to be too limited in your thinking. If you're stuck on ideas, the internet is always a great resource for recipes that'll help us utilize every last ingredient in your fridge.
Couponing can be time-consuming, but ultimately it's worth it for the savings. There are services that deliver coupons to you for a small subscription fee. Or, if you download something like Honey (which is free!), you can quickly find discounts and deals while shopping online at your favorite retailers.
Did you know that buying bread fresh from a bakery is at least 50% cheaper than buying it from the average retail store? This is because these products are sold as they are produced. Retail stores act as middlemen, and they take a cut in the profits which increases the price of the product. You could also save money by trying making some items at home!
We understand that these guidelines may seem like a lot of work, but they are necessary to ensure your safety. However, we can assure you that if you follow these steps, you will be able to grocery shop on a budget.
