Budgeting 101: Best Tips on Saving Money on Groceries

For millions of Americans, having to tighten their belts has become an everyday reality. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of groceries has increased by nearly 12 percent in the last year. So, are there practical strategies that will help you buy food without taking out loans or spending a big chunk of your savings? Follow these smart tips to start saving money on groceries.

1. Create a grocery list and stick to it

Making a list of essential products will help you organize your shopping and set much-needed limits. How many times have you ended up buying unneeded snacks and sweets? Impulse buys are a regular problem for most of us, so be aware of this issue and stick to the list. If cannot meet your monthly budget, consider checking out the online payday loan app to find out more about the possible options.

2. Install a rebate or cash-back app

Grocery rebate apps, like Ibotta or Fetch, offer an excellent opportunity to save additional money. They typically work in tandem with paper and digital coupons and provide a decent discount on a myriad of things. Still, proceed with caution, as discounted products present a danger of their own: they might sound like a bargain, but if you don’t have that product on your list of essentials and don’t need it, then don’t buy it, no matter how tempting the offer sounds.

3. Give a try to generic brands

Premium brands can cost a hefty sum, so why not look for more affordable alternatives? Compare the ingredients of your favorite product with its cheaper version, and if the product has the same characteristics, consider giving it a try. There is no need to overpay for the brand if you can buy the decent-quality version without stretching your budget to the max.

4. Get a loyalty card

Your preferred mall likely has a loyalty app. Use its benefits to the maximum, as loyalty apps allow customers to accumulate points and turn them into discounts, vouchers, and other rewards. If you use physical coupons, the app will allow you to digitalize the whole process and help you plan shopping around these discounts.

5. Plan your meals in advance

Weekly meal planning might sound challenging, but it will help you avoid the chaos of everyday meal preparation and stay on budget. Luckily, there are a lot of free apps that will be of help. MyFitnessPal and MealBoard are not only meal-planning tools but also food trackers that offer recipe ideas and nutrition plans. Planning your meals will prevent you from forgetting to buy certain ingredients and going to the grocery store again.

To sum it up, groceries are not cheap, especially with the growing inflation rate. Fortunately, there are a lot of strategies that will help you start saving money on groceries. From downloading loyalty and grocery rebate apps to trying cheaper brands and planning your weekly meals, there are a lot of things you can do to stay on budget.