Even if your shopping list remains unchanged, you are likely paying a much higher bill for the same items. The rising cost of living is evident in grocery stores, with many necessities becoming more expensive. If each shopping trip causes you headaches and anxiety, we present a few recommendations. Following at least a few of them will help ease the pain points of covering the bill!
Check weekly grocery store offers and discounts
People might have their favorite stores, but for saving purposes, you should wisely check which stores offer the best prices for the items you want. Besides that, some stores are generally more affordable even without special discounts. For example, a recent study by Consumer Reports shows the least and most expensive supermarkets. The results may lead you to choose Costco Wholesale, Lidl, or Aldi instead of more expensive options (such as Whole Foods).
Cashback services are a must
Your shopping shouldn’t be complete without a cashback service. After all, it pays you for shopping (in a way). A more realistic description is that, by purchasing products through a cashback service, you receive a percentage of your spending back.
You can do this for shopping at physical stores: some apps could ask you to scan the receipts. However, online shopping can also be financially rewarding if you purchase from affiliated partners. Some reliable cashback options include Ibotta and Rakuten.
Earn additional money for shopping
Sometimes, your current income may lead to severe budget constraints. Instead of tightening belts further, explore additional revenue options.
For example, the digital world offers a range of opportunities, from freelancing to get-paid-to platforms. The latter also introduces a way to make money by watching videos online (which is difficult to imagine as a paid activity). Additionally, apps like JumpTask offer ways to earn income by training AI, completing surveys, or playing mobile games.
Control your food waste
One meaningful way to save money on groceries is to reduce waste. If you notice that certain products end up in the bin, don’t expect this to stop unexpectedly. Instead, adjust your shopping list to include items you are most likely to use entirely. Essentially, everything you throw away equals the money you waste.
More general saving recommendations
Besides the four leading suggestions, try to follow these recommendations for a less stressful monthly/weekly grocery shopping:
- If a grocery store offers it, join their loyalty program for extra perks. If you collect in-store money within your account, be wary of lending it to others (they could secretly spend it all).
- Prepare a grocery list with alternatives for items that are currently too expensive.
- Purchase in bulk for items that keep fresh longer.
- Don’t fall for incredible discounts on products that tend to go bad. In that case, you might end up significantly overpaying when you need to buy medication or other remedies for feeling better.
- Substitute more expensive brands with cheaper alternatives. In many cases, you might be surprised by their similar ingredient list and the fact that you’re paying for the brand name.
- Look for additional special offers, such as baked goods getting discounted in the evening.
- Purchase hygiene products whenever you notice a significant discount: they won’t go bad, and you won’t have to overpay if you don’t see a product running out.
- Avoid shopping at eye level, as stores place more expensive items at a more accessible height.
Conclusion
Overall, reducing costs for weekly grocery shopping is difficult. Yet if you look for discounts, choose less expensive stores, use cashback services, earn additional income, minimize food waste, and follow a few more suggestions, you can certainly reduce these expenses! Sometimes, it’s all about learning to compromise and finding more affordable food alternatives that are just as satisfying.