I like this because I can still use my wallet instead of carrying around actual envelopes. Then, when you go to the grocery store, you use that cash to pay for the groceries.

Having cash for a budget category like groceries is great because you always know exactly how much you have left to spend in each category each month. We all know certain stores are more expensive than others, so be mindful of that. You can save a lot of money just by shopping around for different products at different stores.

For example, so many people in my Facebook group swear by shopping at Aldi. The German-owned family discount grocery store is known for saving people a lot of money on their grocery bill. You can watch that interview here! Shop for foods that fit your budget and priorities.

These days, you can even buy organic groceries affordably! If buying organic is important to you, do it! If you choose organic for only some foods, you can save a little money. Personally, I refuse to give into the social pressure to buy organic exclusively.

A good place to start is with the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. These lists are released every year by the Environmental Working Group and refer to the level of pesticides used on these crops.

The Clean Fifteen have a much lower level of pesticides, so you can save money on those groceries by not buying organic. Now, if you value organics and have an all-or-nothing approach to it, your food budget is going to be higher.

Have you ever noticed that strawberries are more expensive in the winter? Check out my Guide to Seasonal Grocery Savings here! But guess what—generic is actually what doctors and professional chefs prefer. When surveyed, chefs are more likely to buy generic over name brand, especially when it comes to baking ingredients, soup and dips.

One way to save money on groceries is to buy in bulk, like at a warehouse club. Walking into an enormous warehouse full of pallets stacked floor-to-ceiling with things I could buy does my heart good. A warehouse club is a little slice of heaven to a natural spender.

The key with buying in bulk is to only buy things you know you need and will use. Winston and I will never eat five gallons of honey mustard, no matter how good of a deal it is. We still shop at a standard grocery store once a week for most food, but the warehouse store is a great place to buy the things we know we need to have on hand all the time.

We buy all of our paper goods, meats, batteries and dog food in bulk. First things first, it's well documented that most major food manufacturers label their products under different brands, including generic or store brands.

According to recent statistics captured by the Private Label Manufacturing Association, one in five store-brand products is manufactured by a private label manufacturer. It makes sense: Those manufacturers can then appeal to people who are paying at either price.

But they want you to go for the brand name price, rather than the store brand. That's why advertising exists; to make you believe that brand name products are somehow better, when the truth is that identical products are often going down parallel conveyor belts, getting two different labels at the end of the production line.

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that all store-brand, O-shaped, toasted oat cereals are actually General Mills Cheerios in disguise, but it stands to reason that for a lot of store-brand products, the quality or flavor is potentially equal to their name- counterpart.

And considering the opportunity for savings, they're certainly worth a taste test. While some brand-name products are unlikely to have a generic equivalent, like, is anyone seeking off-brand Cool Ranch Doritos?

commodity items like canned beans or rice would seem especially safe bets in the store-brand category. Trader Joe's beloved pepita salsa is just one example of a store-brand item that's gained fandom and loyalty all its own.

Discount grocery stores such as Trader Joe's and Aldi keep their costs low because they deal primarily in their own brands. Wegmans is an interesting example since it has a lot of brand loyalty, not only as a grocery store chain but also for its Wegmans label. Seriously, I know people who would cross state lines to stock up on its flavored seltzers.

Take that, LaCroix. Store-brand prices were within 20 cents of each other for the full list at both stores. Granted, this doesn't represent a complete shopping list, since certain grocery categories were excluded intentionally. Some of these items, such as condiments, are products that you might shop for once in a while, rather than weekly.

Regardless, the math is clear: Store-brand products are significant potential savings in your grocery shopping experience. Certain grocery stores including Trader Joe's and Wegmans have managed to cultivate cult-like fandom for their own brands. But the store has another tactic under its belt: It doesn't accept credit cards.

Oftentimes, processing credit cards can be expensive for a store, and by only accepting other forms of payment, WinCo doesn't have to pay that premium price. The upside? You don't need a membership to shop at WinCo like you do at stores like Costco and Sam's Club.

The downside is that you'll have to remember to bring a form of payment that's not a credit card. Ask any Texan what their favorite grocery stores are, and chances are that they'll mention H-E-B.

This chain has a cult following amongst citizens of the Lone Star State, and it's no wonder why. In addition to providing its customers with a wide array of top-notch products, the store also boasts relatively low prices compared to many other chains. When it comes to produce, H-E-B can offer much lower costs than many stores because it prioritizes working with local producers.

Since it's generally not shipping in produce from around the world, its transportation costs are significantly lower than those of many other grocery stores. This in turn lowers the cost of fruits and vegetables for customers, who keep coming back because of the solid prices.

This high rate of turnover makes the company money while helping its customers cut their grocery costs. The only downside is the fact that you won't find H-E-B in the other 49 states, though there are over 60 locations in Mexico.

However, if you're in Texas and you haven't yet checked out the popular chain, you need to shop there ASAP — it may just change your budget grocery game for the long haul. You're not going to find Food4Less everywhere — the company, which is owned by grocery magnate Kroger, only operates in three states Indiana, Illinois, and California.

But if you do happen to live near one of the chain's locations, you can benefit from the lower-than-average prices you'll find there.

You'll want to take a look at the store's weekly ads because that's where you'll often find the very best deals. Like a lot of discount stores, you'll have to bag your own groceries, but we think it's worth it for the lower cost. A lot of the time, these cheaper stores don't offer pharmacies or household items like cleaning products, but you'll find these amenities and more at Food4Less, which makes it a great option for people who want to get all of their shopping done at one spot.

Is Food4Less the most luxurious place you've ever shopped for groceries? But it will get you out the door with a few bags of groceries for considerably less than you would pay at most grocery stores. Grocery Outlet is one of those stores that you have to shop at at least once if you love finding fantastic deals on groceries.

There, you'll find consistently low prices to help you cut your grocery budget for good. As the name suggests, this chain is an outlet. Basically, when a producer makes too much of a product that it can't otherwise sell, it contacts Grocery Outlet, which then buys the product for a reduced price.

That's how the store passes those savings on to you — it pays less for its products so you can too. Unlike some budget grocery chains, you'll find different products at every Grocery Outlet you go to, depending on what that particular store has access to.

Concerned you won't be able to find what you need at Grocery Outlet? Don't worry — the store also stocks fresh produce and most other supermarket staples so you'll always be able to find the essentials like eggs and milk.

You're not going to find many grocery stores that offer prices lower than 99 Cents Only Stores. When the company was started, everything was offered for only 99 cents. Of course, times have changed, and now, the name of the store is a slight misnomer — sometimes, you'll pay more than 99 cents for a product there and sometimes, you'll also pay less.

Still, you can almost guarantee that you are going to get a great deal when you shop at these stores, which are currently only found in four states. You can shop for produce here as well as a variety of other grocery products, although it can sometimes be difficult to find exactly what you're looking for.

On the bright side, it's kind of a treasure-hunting experience — you'll never know what you'll find for cheap when you set foot inside one of these stores. If you're the kind of person who's always on the hunt for a good deal, 99 Cents Only Stores undoubtedly make for an exciting shopping experience.

When you're pinching your pennies, going to a traditional grocery store may not be the most cost-effective way to buy groceries. Instead, heading to a dollar store like Family Dollar may just be the way to go.

Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store

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Affordable Grocery Savings - Shop during the quietest days of the week Swap expensive cuts of meat for cheaper options Buy generic products Avoid buying hygiene products at the grocery store

Challenge yourself to look through your pantry or fridge and see what kinds of meals you can throw together with the ingredients you already have. Who says you have to stock up on more groceries when there are perfectly good chicken thighs shoved in the back of your freezer and a couple unopened cans of black beans and salsa on your shelves?

Pro tip: Here are some recipes for cheap and easy pantry meals for inspiration! Buying in bulk is amazing. when it actually saves you money. When it comes to getting a good deal, timing is key.

Find out if your go-to grocery store has a day of the week when they offer special deals. Also, make sure you know the sales cycles. Some grocery stores put out their new weekly deals on Sunday, but others do on a random day of the week! Need to figure out how to save money on food fast? Say hello to freezer meals.

I love these because you can set aside time to prep ahead and end up having great meals in the week with less stress. And you can confidently say no to those drive thru temptations because you know an easy dinner is waiting at home! This tip is a lifesaver for busy budgeters. I say it all the time, people: Cash is king!

If you want to set and stick to your grocery budget— pay with cash. Get yourself a cash envelope system going for this budget line and any others that are hard to keep in line. This is one of my absolute favorite tips for how to save money on groceries. Are you ready for this?

Make a meal plan and a grocery list before you ever leave the house. Look to see what you already have in the fridge, pantry and freezer while you plan. Okay, making the grocery list from your meal plan is just the first part here. When you get to the store, stick to the list. I mean it! Just remember: Lots of stores offer this service at no charge.

Buying fresh mangos in January will cost you way more than average—and they might not even taste good! Have you ever noticed that the most expensive items on the grocery shelves are right at your eye level?

Grocery stores are smart. They want you to see those items and splurge. Instead of falling for those marketing tricks, look up and down as you shop. The more affordable brands tend to be higher or lower on the shelves.

Now that you know what those clever stores are up to, you can literally keep your eye out for grocery savings. You guys, it may be time to break up with your go-to grocery store.

Find the cheapest grocery store in your area. Go where the sales are! The more times you pop into the store, the more opportunities you have to overspend. By the way, remember how I said to meal plan and stick to your grocery list? I love a deal.

Plant your own garden! Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page.

However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money. Eating at home is the tried and true way to save money on meals, but the price of groceries was up nearly 12 percent for the year at the end of , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [0] U.

S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index - December View all sources. While sharp rises in the cost of kitchen staples like eggs and meat have made food at home more expensive, you're likely still better off buying groceries over takeout.

The right supermarket shopping strategies can help you keep costs down. Some shoppers head to the grocery store without taking inventory of what they already have at home. Before you buy one too many loaves of bread or gallons of milk, check your refrigerator and pantry. It helps to limit your trips to the store, too, according to Steve and Annette Economides of MoneySmartFamily.

About those impulse buys: Using a grocery list and sticking to it can help fight the urge to spend more than you'd planned. Consider shopping alone so you can get in and out quickly, without kids lobbying for items not on the list or in your budget. You should actively assess the prices of the items you buy on a regular basis so you know when to pounce on a deal or pass.

Pay attention to prices at more than one local store to learn where deals on certain products are better. Subscribing to the Sunday paper is worth your investment, says Kurt Jetta, founder of retail and consumer analytics firm TABS Analytics. He says paper circulars are rife with grocery deals like buy one, get one free.

Look in the paper for coupons that apply to the items you know you'll be buying. But be leery of promotions that have too many conditions or are difficult to redeem, Jetta says. Offers like "buy one, get one half off" may encourage you to spend more and buy more than you need or can use.

Check your mail for grocery store coupons. Here, you'll find out how to save money on groceries with advice and home-cooking wisdom from Ree, along with money-saving tips from financial experts Barbara O'Neill , Ph.

Let's get that grocery list started. Ree proves that everyday, affordable ingredients can make mouthwatering food. Shop smart by starting in your own pantry. This allows you to avoid unnecessary purchases and plan meals around the produce or leftovers you already have.

Plan out the week's meals ahead of time and make a detailed list of what you need. Doing so saves time in the store, which means you're less likely to make unnecessary impulse buys. In the same line of thought, try to plan meal prep recipes with overlapping ingredients.

Why use half a bushel of cilantro for one meal and half a bushel of basil for another? Everybody makes impulsive purchases once in a while.

Rather than set an unrealistic goal, Barbara suggests working the possibility of an impulse buy into your shopping budget. Well, you just saved some money. Lynnette and Barbara note that coupons are a great tool for saving money, but paper versions are a bit less available now.

In addition to physical coupons, download your favorite grocery store's app, which often features special sales or specific bargains. Sign up for their alerts and notifications, so you have the info ready when you walk into the store.

Lynnette also suggests web browser add-ons like PriceBlink , which scans the internet for the lowest price and available coupons. The unit price total cost divided by number of units is often listed in the left-hand corner of the shelf label above the item price.

Use that to your advantage, and find out which version of the item actually costs the least. Nobody tell Ladd, but Barbara has a fair point! Meat is expensive, particularly beef and lamb. But that doesn't mean you have to switch to tofu.

Use smaller pieces of meat in stir fry or pasta," she suggests. Phew, okay—we can get on board with that! Or try Meatless Mondays , a growing trend that helps introduce families to meat-free meals by having them once a week.