The grocery bill is one of the biggest outlays you can have each week, but the only one that you have complete control over. Scary, isn’t it? However, while the grocery bill can spiral out of control if you are not careful, there are things that you can do that can help reduce it. So what can you do? Here are some frugal mom hacks that will help you cut that grocery bill down to something more affordable without you losing out.
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1. Plan your meals
One of the first things you can do is plan your meals. This might seem obvious, but not many people strictly take on this habit. But it can significantly reduce your food spending. Allocate yourself a little bit of time to sit with your tablet and recipe books and seek out some recipes you want to try. Then make a note of the things you need on a shopping list along with your weekly essentials. It cuts out any impulse purchases.
2. Shop your cupboards, freezer, and refrigerator
You might be surprised to learn what you already have at home, so take time to create an inventory of what you have in the cupboards as well as the freezer and refrigerator. On a week where you want to save as much money as possible, you could look at what meals you can create out of the ingredients you already have. Planning the meals and then only buying what you need.
3. Think about where you shop
Sometimes a simple change of location and shop can bring the cost of your grocery bill down. Some shops will sell things cheaper than others or offer a different value range for the money. Did you know that you can even buy groceries at liquidation stores? Why not shop around and see for yourself?
4. Try grocery store brand dupes
Many people can be brand loyal, so it might be time to look at how you can switch to generic or store brands instead. Many product dupes don’t have much difference in taste or flavor. Some brands simply charge more just for the name and packaging, so think about this the next time you are looking at the aisles and wondering what to buy.
According to Jake Hill, CEO of DebtHammer, “Nearly every grocery store has some excellent brand-name dupes available if you know what to look for in terms of quality and price. Many store-brand products have a surprisingly similar taste to traditional name-brand products but with a more budget-friendly price tag. For example, Target’s Market Pantry Ketchup is just as good as leading brands for a fraction of the cost. At Aldi, Tuscan Garden Italian dressing is a convincing dupe for other more expensive varieties.”
5. Batch cooking
Batch cooking can make a big difference to your purse as well as your lifestyle. We have all been there where we have been struggling with what to make, so to have an option in the freezer ready to go can make a big difference. Batch cooking means you make two meals out of ingredients and can reduce your grocery bill in the future buy eating one meal now and freezing the other for a later date.
6. Buying in bulk
Batch cooking means buying in bulk for certain things, but you can make a significant saving overall by doing so. Ingredients such as canned goods, meat, pasta, and rice in bulk can go a long way. Spending a day batch cooking to use ingredients or preparing them for the refrigerator or freezer can also save time and money.
I hope these six frugal mom hacks help you to cut your grocery bill in half or more.
