Whether you’re going to the grocery store everyday or once per week, you’re probably spending 20% of your paycheck (or more) on food. We’ve compiled a list of saving tips you can implement right away to save money while still finding quality products for you and your family.
When buying food, especially meat and seafood, keep your eyes peeled for the “manager special.” Manager specials offer huge savings on meat, poultry and fish nearing its expiration date. You can start planning your meals around these manager specials, then cook what you want to eat right away and freeze the rest for later. Proteins can be the priciest part of your grocery purchase. If you buy during a manager special, you could easily save money each month.
If you want to save big, go generic! Canned goods, cereal, flour, sugar, and spices are good examples of store brands that are just as good as name brands. And nowadays, every large grocery store has its own brand, which is usually half the cost.
While we spend most of our day on the internet, why not see what extra savings you can find for your local grocery store? You can locate specific brand coupons online through coupon sites you find on Google as well as online coupon flyers. Even with a simple search you might find $3 off paper towels from Stop N Shop, $1 off any two boxes of Granola bars and $1 off any 1-pound package of ground beef. And just like that, you have $5 in savings.
Now it’s time to put your grocery store coupons to work by using individual coupons and doubling coupons as well. People can miss the biggest savings when it comes to grocery coupons. A little known fact about coupons is that If the coupon says it is a “store coupon”, you can also use a manufacturer’s coupon on that same purchase. The store is paying for the additional discount, so when you stack them, that’s where the real savings come from.
Some grocery stores will give shoppers twice the discount on whatever coupon you use on “double coupon” days — this means a $2 off coupon would be worth $4 off! The best way to find out if your local store does this is to call them directly and ask about their policies. The extra time and effort can end up helping you score some major deals.
