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Supermarket Savings

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.

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1. Make a List & Stick to It

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. 

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3. Plan Out Your Meals

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.

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4. Use the Sale Ad for Inspiration

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. 


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5. Stock Your Freezer ...

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.

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6. ... And Plan Your Meals Around Your Freezer Stock

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

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6. Download the App for Your Grocery Store ...

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. 

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... And Explore Other Rewards Apps Too

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. 

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9. Use Coupons

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.

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10. Buy Generic Brands

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). 

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11. Buy in Bulk

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. 

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12. Shop By Yourself

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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13. Avoid Prepared Foods

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.

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14. When Deciding Between Sizes, Check the Unit Price

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. 


Related: The Big Short: How Popular Consumer Products Are Shrinking

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15. Don't Shop Hungry

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.

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16. Shop at Discount Grocers

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.

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17. Buy Seasonal Produce

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. 

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18. Check the Clearance Section

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. 

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19. Stock Up on Meat When It's On Sale

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.

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20. Order Your Groceries Online

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.

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21. Scale Back on Snacks

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.

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22. Explore Cheaper Drink Options

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

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23. Choose the Right Time to Shop

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.

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24. Compare Prices at Other Stores

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.

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25. Abide By Your Budget

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

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26. Resist the Temptation of Delivery

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.

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27. Avoid High-End Grocery Stores

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

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28. Have a Solid Supply of Pantry Staples

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

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29. Become a Loyalty Rewards Member

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.

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30. Don't Get Sucked In By What's Eye-Level

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.



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31. Buy Groceries You Can Stretch Further

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. 

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32. Don't Let the 5 for $5 Sale Fool You

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."

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33. Ask for Rainchecks

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.

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34. Get Green Bananas

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

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35. 'It Was On Sale' Shouldn't Be an Excuse

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.