One of the questions I received while I was on blog hiatus was, “How do I cut my grocery bill?” I get it, food is expensive. To be honest with you, this is the first budget category I cut too. Truth is we have to eat and there is a limit to how much money we can cut out of food expenses and still have food to eat.

Did you know: for a family of 4, the average amount spent on groceries each month is $786 according to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

With the holidays coming up and lots of trips to the grocery store to be had, let’s cut the grocery bill down and enjoy time with family.

One: Meal Planning

The first and easiest way to cut your grocery bill would be to meal plan. Meal planning cuts down the trips to the grocery store. The fewer trips you take to the store, the less money you spend. I try to only grocery shop once a week. Stopping at the store 3 to 4 times a week can easily double my grocery bill.

I would by things I didn’t need and I was notorious for “hungry shopping”. For those who don’t know about hungry shopping, it is when you go to the store hungry and buy more food than expected because it looked good at the time. No, I didn’t need that bag of Doritos but I just worked 10 hours trying to meet a project deadline and I was hungry!

Write a grocery list of what you need for the week. Plan for every meal and don’t forget about snacks 😉

Two: Cut Down on Junk Food

I understand the occasional treat, heck I was just talking about Doritos, but eliminating ice cream, pop/soda, and candy bars will make a noticeable change in your grocery bill. Food is already expensive, why waste money on things we don’t need. A family of 4 spends an average of $100 per month on junk food. That is $1,200 per year! Just sayin….

Three: Buy in Bulk (Most of the Time)

Buying in bulk and checking the unit prices of the items is a sure way to cut your grocery bill. I know individual servings may seem like a good idea but if you are going to buy more next week, just get the bigger quantity. Chips, for example, come in individual bags (perfect for kids lunches) but if you want to save money on your grocery bill, buy the big bag of chips (for cheaper) and separate them into individual baggies at home. Yes it is more labor but you cut your grocery bill.

Bonus! Other Resources

A few things that are obvious but I will mention anyways:

• Couponing: cutting store and manufacturer coupons can drastically lower your grocery bill. Keep in mind, each store has a different coupon policy, ask your store for a copy of their policy.
• Sales: shopping sale items is a great way to get groceries for less. Sale items are also great for stocking up if it is nonperishable or takes a long time to expire (ketchup and mustard for example).
• Clearance rack: most, if not all, stores have a clearance rack. Clearance in a grocery store means that they no longer carry that item and they are trying to get rid of it for the cheapest price. They are known for having diapers, seasonings, and much more on the clearance rack.

Hopefully this short list helps you cut your grocery bill the next time you go to the store. What tips and tricks do you use to save at the grocery store?

I Corinthians 10:31 – So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.