Yahoo Finance Rachel Cruze: 30 Ways To Save Money on Groceries
It’s no secret that inflation — currently at 3.1%, according to the most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) — has taken a toll on wallets. Soaring grocery prices have been a hot topic for months, a 2.6% increase over the last year.
Check Out: The Best Day of the Week To Shop at Dollar Tree
Read More: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money
The average cost for groceries for a family of four is $975.3, according to the Department of Agriculture. As such, many Americans are looking at ways to save more money on groceries and stretch their dollars further.
To help consumers, personal finance expert Rachel Cruze recently shared 30 different ways that can help shoppers keep more dollars in their wallets.
Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief.
1. Rethink Dinner
As Cruze noted, dinner doesn’t have to be a huge, complicated feast. So simplify your life and make easy meals.
“Have pancakes, scrambled eggs and fruit for dinner — your kids will love that. Enjoy a soup and grilled cheese night. Pick some simple, cheaper meals to shrink your stress and your grocery budget,” she suggested.
2. Calculate While You Grocery Shop
Cruze recommended keeping track of everything you put in the cart with the help of your calculator.
“If you keep a running total of groceries as you go, you’ll save yourself from any bad surprises when you get up to the checkout counter,” she said.
3. Round Up Your Grocery Cost Estimates
Another trick Cruze recommended to save money while shopping: rounding up prices upward.
“While you’re walking around with your calculator, round up each item’s price. The $1.49 avocado becomes $2,” she said. “If you do this for everything in your cart, you’ll still know roughly what you’re spending, but you’ve set yourself up for a fun surprise when the actual total is less!”
4. Raid Your Pantry
Here’s a tip many savings experts recommend: use what you already have to cook.
“Who says you have to stock up on more groceries when there are perfectly good chicken thighs shoved in the back of your freezer and a couple unopened cans of black beans and salsa on your shelves?” Cruze asked.
5. Not All Bulk Buys Are Saving You Money
Instead of buying in bulk, Cruze recommended comparing the price per unit or ounce.
“The bigger bottle of shampoo isn’t always the best deal!”
6. Timing is Key
Before going to the stores, make sure you know which days these offer special deals, and be aware of their weekly deals.
7. Freeze and Store
Not only this will you have less stress during the week, but you can also use all your fresh produce before they go bad.
8. Cash is King
One simple tip to save: pay in cash.
“When you go to the store with cash in hand, you know exactly how much you can spend–because once the cash runs out, that’s it,” Cruze noted.
9. Meal Plan
Cruze said this is her favorite tip: make a meal plan and a grocery list before you ever leave the house.
“Look to see what you already have in the fridge, pantry and freezer while you plan,” Cruze said.
10. Stick to the List
Once you have a meal plan, make a list and stick to it.
As Cruze noted, “that’s how you’ll say goodbye to impulse buys that rack up your bill.”
11. Order Curbside Pickup
Cruze offered this as another easy way to avoid impulse buys.
12. Shop Seasonal Produce
For instance, Cruze said, buying fresh mangos in January will cost you way more than average — and they might not even taste good.
13. Ignore Eye-Level Items
As Cruze noted, pricier items are often placed at eye-level.
“Instead of falling for those marketing tricks, look up and down as you shop,” she said.
14. Compare Grocery Stores
First, Cruze said to find the cheapest grocery store in your area, and then, she recommended checking the weekly ads to see what’s on sale at competing grocery stores.
15. Stack Up on Some Sales
While Cruze said she likes to buy some brand-name items, she also added that she only gets them when they’re on sale.
16. Few Shopping Trips
It’s easy. “The more times you pop into the store, the more opportunities you have to overspend,” Cruze said.
17. Don’t Shop on an Empty Stomach
Shopping while hungry can make everything in the store look very appealing. So eat before you shop.
18. No Need to Overbuy
While a good deal is always compelling, don’t buy an item just because it’s on sale.
19. Grow Your Own Veggies and Herbs
Not only is this a great way to eat healthy, but it will save a ton of money.
20. Make the Most of Apps
Cruze also said that there are several coupons and savings apps, such as Ibotta, Receipt Hog, Checkout 51 and Target Circle.
21. Go Meatless for a Meal
As meat is one of the priciest items, try going meatless once or twice a week, Cruze said.
22. Buy Meat Only When it’s on Sale
Instead, buy meat when it’s on sale and freeze it, Cruze said.
23. Eat Leftovers for Lunch
Money spent on lunch can quickly add up. Instead, take your leftovers with you and put those extra funds in a “different budget line that got hit by inflation or on your current money goal!”
24. Buy Generic
According to Cruze, most store brands measure up to the name brands in taste and quality — and they’re usually 20-25% lower in price, too.
25. Use What You Buy
It’s easy to let fruits and veggies deteriorate and go to waste, but as Cruze suggested, “every rotten cucumber and moldy peach is like a little stack of cash going right into the trash.”
26. Go to the Farmers’ Market at the End of the Day
Cruze recommended shopping at farmers’ markets at the end of the day, as most vendors don’t want to take their food home with them, and often offer deals.
27. Preserve and Store Away
When you buy some items in bulk in the summer, you can also preserve them for the winter.
“You might spend more during the summer with the extra produce and canning jars. But think of it as an investment for a meal a few months ahead,” she said.
28. Shop the Outside Aisles of the Store
She recommended shopping on the outer edges of the store, where healthier options usually are.
29. Skip the Packaging
While packaged salads with dressing might seem like an easy and convenient option, it can also double what a head of lettuce with some simple homemade dressing would, said Cruze.
30. Don’t Shop with Overspenders
For instance, Cruze said, “if your kids are the culprits of adding all those n not-on-the-list items to your cart, you might want to leave them at home.”
Learn More: 7 Best New Dollar Tree Items That Are Worth Every Penny
“Or maybe it’s your spouse who needs to stay far away from the grocery store. Or you! Let the person who’s best at sticking to the list do the actual shopping,” she added.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Rachel Cruze: 30 Ways To Save Money on Groceries
