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Are you trying to stay on a grocery budget but failing every month?
I think we’ve all been in that boat, especially in recent months. I am definitely no expert but I have been able to come up with a few ways that keep our budget happy while still feeding my family quality meals. I’d love to hear if your ideas in the comments! Let’s help each other out!
Ways to Save Money Using Coupons
Using coupons are a great way to save money on groceries, but only if you are doing it correctly. Here are a couple examples of using coupons in the wrong way…
How NOT to use coupons
- Using coupons on things you do not need. Just because it is a good deal does not mean you actually need to buy all the things! If you find a great deal on a certain brand of toothpaste but you hate that toothpaste you have actually wasted money instead of saving.
- Not understanding the terms and conditions of the coupon. We have all done it. You plan, clip, and even remember to bring the coupon with you. You are prepared to save LOTS of money! Then you get your receipt back. Turns out that coupon you thought was going to save you the dollars had “special terms” somewhere in all that fine-print writing!
- Using coupons that sound like a great deal but it is all just a big marketing scam. Nothing is free. It is very important to know the prices (or at least a rough estimate) of the things you are buying to make sure you are getting the best deal. These companies know what they are doing when they offer “huge deals”, make sure you do your research!
All that being said, I still think coupons are great! Kroger, Food Lion, and other places in my area offer great discounts in the form of virtual coupons weekly. It is definitely worth the extra couple minutes I spend to save a few dollars here and there.
Another great way to save money using coupons is to stock up on things you know you will use when they are on sale. Always take into consideration your storage space, expiration dates, etc. but taking advantage of deals on products your family uses often is a great way to save money. Example: your local grocery store is having a great sale on toilet paper and you also have a coupon you can use to save even more money then now is the perfect time to stock the family up on tp!
Save Money by Making Your Own Cleaning Supplies
One way I save my family money on the grocery budget is making about ninety percent of our household cleaning supplies. All you need is vinegar, baking soda, and your favorite essential oils! With just these basic products you can create all-natural, junk free products.
For all-purpose cleaner mix 1/4 white vinegar to 3/4 water. You can add some essential oil for scent (my favorite is lemon!)
Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
Making your own laundry detergent saves big time! I make our laundry detergent by the five gallon bucket. For our little family of three, this recipe lasts us five-six months. You can check out that recipe here!
Thrive Market
Due to some health issues and personal preference, my husband and I eat a lot of organic, sugar free, and clean products. It can be hard to do this on a budget. Last year I discovered Thrive Market and it has totally changed our grocery game!
Thrive Market is a ship-to-your-door company that offers clean, organic grocery products and more! They offer exclusive deals (such as 20% off) weekly and shipping is free on orders of $49+. If you check them out using my link you can get 40% off your first order! (Click here to get discount)
Fetch
Another great resource I use is the Fetch App! Fetch partners with brands to give you points for purchases. Simply shop and scan your receipts for points. As points accumulate you can redeem for gift cards to restaurants, stores, etc.
Every receipt you scan is worth twenty-five points. Receipts with partnered brand items will receive bonus points! Plus, the app is free! (Use code UFT8PN when you download and you will receive 500 bonus points.)
Make your own bread and baked goods from-scratch.
Learning to make your own bread and baked goods from-scratch will save you lots of money. It is also loads healthier!
I make all of our baked goods ranging from sandwich bread, rolls, and desserts. This sounds overwhelming if you have not done it but it is really quite simple- and so rewarding! Although you can make great things without it, sourdough is one of the easiest, cheapest ways to begin learning. It does not have to be complicated. You can learn how to make your own sourdough starter the easy way here.
Shop meat sales
Another great way to save money on groceries is to only purchase meats that are on sale. Look into what your local grocery stores are offering for the week and plan your meals around the meat deals. You may need to broaden your cooking skills for this but make it a fun challenge to try out some new things!
Plan your meals around the weekly deals.
This goes along with the previous tip, but planning your entire meals around what you can find on sale is so helpful when it comes to saving money on groceries. This is a great way to find new recipes your family loves!
Grow your own fruits and vegetables.
Learning to grow your own fruits and vegetables can save lots of money during the summer/fall months. Choosing things your family eats a lot of and are easy to grow also gives peace of mind that you are gettin the best quality. If it is your first time trying begin with plants that are easy to care for and that your family will eat the most of. (I recommend everyone start with a few tomato plants, peppers, or squash/zucchini.)
Find places locally that offer deals on nearly or slightly expired food.
This one may not be for everyone but there are stores near me that offer foods that are a close to the expiration date or just slightly past it for huge markdowns. You can find expensive, name-brand foods for much cheaper this way. Just know that you will need to eat these foods a little quicker than your other grocery items.
Sam’s or Costco membership
For larger families I am told that a Sam’s or Costco membership saves them a lot of money on the grocery bill. Personally, I am not at a place where it would benefit my family but if you have a lot of kiddos, or you are a sports family that goes through a lot of snacks they tell me it is totally worth it.
ALDI meat prices
If you have an ALDI near you- you need to be shopping there! In my area ALDI not only has great prices on produce, diapers, et they also have the BEST deals on meat (and the best quality!). A family pack of chicken breasts is around $1.99/lb. That is regular price! Ground beef is also much cheaper than other stores.
Grocery pickup
This little hack has saved us I do not even know how much money. When you order grocery pickup from places like Walmart, ALDI, Kroger, etc. you are removing the possibility of adding items to your cart that are unplanned for. We have all been in the store when we are hungry. Everything looks good! You get home and realize you have spent $200….on random food items that do not even make complete meals.
Ordering pick up reduces the unnecessary amount of groceries by a LOT. It also is a huge time saver! Mom of littles tip: schedule your pickups during nap time so babies can sleep through the errand running. Grab yourself a coffee. It is actually quite relaxing!
Chickens
I hesitated to add this one because the initial cost is somewhat high. However, I still think chickens are a great investment. You do not have to have a large space or fifty of them. Start with about five or six, this will be a relatively cheap feed bill and depending on the breed you could get up to 4-6 eggs daily.
Craigslist and different groups on Facebook are the best place to find chickens cheaply. Look for laying hens that are around one year old. As for housing them, to begin you only need a small area with a roof and a place for laying eggs.
