35 Tricks That'll Save You Serious Cash at the Grocery Store

Does anyone else feel grocery shopping is a total gut punch these days? The prices at the grocery store have gotten so out of hand that we're forced to psych ourselves up to go and then have an internal pep talk before the cashier tells us our total. Now more than ever, we're leaning on all the tips and tricks to save money at the grocery store, especially the ones we've listed below.

Going to the grocery store without a list is dangerous stuff. You'll wander around snatching up everything that catches your eye and before you know it, you'll have spent way more than you planned to. Make a grocery list and don't veer too far away from it. 

Before leaving your house to grab groceries, take stock of what's in your pantry to see what you already have. You can use what's at home to build out the rest of your list and minimize how much you have to purchase during your trips.

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Make your own menu for the week and double check the recipes to make a list of what ingredients you'll need to buy to make it happen. Knowing what you plan to make will help minimize unnecessary purchases.

When you're making your meal plan, check your grocery store's sale ad to get started. For instance, if chicken breasts are on sale but ground beef is not, you might plan chicken quesadillas instead of beef nachos. 

A well-stocked freezer is comparable to having a full pantry. These types of food beg to be stored in bulk, so appease them and do so. This is especially useful with meat. If you get a good price on meat, you can fill your freezer, eliminating the need to keep buying it each week, reducing your per-trip spending.

If you do have a full freezer, you can shop that the same you do your pantry before going grocery shopping. 

If your grocery store has an app (and it most likely does), be sure to download it. Depending on your store, you can take advantage of things like virtual coupons, rewards, and online ordering. 

You might be able to check out other apps to help save money at the grocery store. Apps like Ibotta will allow you to accumulate cashback rewards on everyday purchases. 

The days of pulling coupons from the red devices hanging off the shelves at the grocery store might be over, but you can still use coupons, and you absolutely should if you're trying to save money at the grocery store.

Don't get too hung up on buying big-name brands. If you can find more affordable generic brand substitutes, they are often suitable stand-ins (and sometimes even tastier than their name brand counterparts). 

Whether you're sweet on Sam's Club, cool with Costco, or besties with BJ's, wholesale clubs are key to saving money on groceries. Stock up on items you use often, buy meat in bulk, and don't miss out on the freezer aisle. 

Don't take your significant other with you to grocery shop and for the love of all things good and holy, leave the kids behind too. The last thing you need is the distraction of other people putting stuff in the cart you're trying to keep controlled. 

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Prepared foods, from whole meals and salads to already-cut fruits and vegetables, typically cost more than their raw form counterparts. Cut the fruit yourself — it will save you money.

That 250-count package of storage baggies for your sandwiches might cost more than the 50-count option, but if you break down the per-ounce price, the bigger package is usually the better deal. 

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Don't go to the grocery store on an empty stomach. You'll come out with a cart full of regret and an empty wallet.

We've said it before and we'll take this to our graves: Don't sleep on Aldi. You can hit up discount grocery stores to take advantage of savings, just make sure you read up on what's worth it and what's not first.

If you've ever tried to purchase corn on the cob in the winter or pomegranate during the summer, you've spent more than you should have. Only buy produce when it's in season if you want to score the best price. 

Some grocery stores have a clearance section you can peruse. Just keep in mind that these areas often display soon-expiring items, so plan accordingly when you purchase. 

If you find a good deal on meat, take full advantage and stock up — just make sure you have plenty of freezer space to spare.

Ordering your groceries online is a good way to keep yourself reeled in. Only search for what's on your list and you'll be good to go. The pull of in-person browsing can't rear its ugly head.

We love a good snack, but sometimes when you're grocery shopping, it's easy to fill your cart with an assortment of snack foods just because they look tasty. Just ask yourself if you really need that many snacks, because they can tend to be a bit pricier than some of the other things on your grocery list, so dialing them back a bit might deliver substantial savings.

If you like the satisfaction of a carbonated beverage at the end of a long work day but you don't want to pay the expensive prices of a 12-pack of pop, try exploring cheaper alternatives. One of our favorite hacks is to get a two-liter of generic brand club soda and some generic flavor sticks to mix together. Much cheaper and satisfies the craving.

Related: We Tried 9 Water Flavor Packets — These Are the Best

Maybe you want to go to the store right after a restock to make sure the availability is optimal so you don't have to veer away from your original plan. Or you want to shop during a time when the crowds will be lighter so there isn't added stress that makes it hard to focus on paying attention to what you're spending. In either case, there's a right time to shop and finding it can be really helpful.

It can be tedious to take a look at other stores' prices to see how they stack up against your usual grocery store, but sometimes the results can save you money in the long run.

Your budget is your bible for grocery shopping. Respect it. Fear it. Live by it. 

The convenience of grocery delivery is undeniable, but it's rarely a free service. Unless you'll spend more on the gas it will take you to drive to the store than it will to pay the delivery fee, the sometimes raised per-item prices, and the tip (we doubt it), it's better to just resist.

Where do you think you should shop if you want to save as much money as possible: Aldi or Erewhon? C'mon. 

From flour and sugar to rice and pasta, having certain items on hand at all times can make grocery shopping easier and cheaper for you. Just make sure you pay attention to when you're running low on your staples and if you see something with a long shelf life on sale, bonus up.

Related: 17 Essential Items That Your Pantry is Missing

Some grocery stores offer loyalty rewards programs and if you're not taking advantage of them already, you should, because the savings can be substantial.

The layout of your favorite grocery style isn't just happenstance. The shelves are carefully curated to get consumers to spend more money. If you pay attention, you might notice that the items that are eye-level tend to cost more than those that are up higher or down by your ankles. Get on those tippy toes, guys.

We love to buy grocery items that we can use for more than one meal. A $3 box of rice can be stir-fry one night, a side dish the next, and filler for a soup the night after that. 

Sales that tout five specific items for $1 each also come with a "you have to buy 5" requirement. Often, these sales are just designed to get you to buy more items you don't need that many of, and the savings are barely there when you dissect the "deals."

Some stores will give you rainchecks if a sale item you were hoping to purchase is out of stock. Just head to the customer service desk to take advantage of the opportunity.

We know bananas aren't the straw that broke the camel's back when we're equating that analogy to groceries and overspending, but still — wasting money is wasting money. Unless you're devoted to baking banana bread every time your bananas turn brown, make sure they're decently green at the point of purchase so they last longer on your counter. 

Related: Waste Management: Save Money by Cutting Food Waste With These 25 Tips

If you're only buying a grocery item because it was on sale and you felt like it was a good deal, that's not actually the way to go about saving at the grocery store. Buy what you need and stick to your list. Don't get sucked in by every sale you see.