Six Tips for Store Savings

Getting groceries for our big family is no small feat. While switching to online order and pick-up shopping has greatly simplified the process, there’s still the work of trying to remember everything important, getting enough to feed everyone all week, and the daunting task of paying for it.

Saving on groceries is something I’ve gotten pretty good at. Over the years there have been times when paying for it was no big deal, and other times when I counted so carefully and didn’t get anything extra to make sure we could afford what we needed. I’ve always been a frugal spender, but I’ve also learned out of necessity to make our dollars stretch as far as they need to go. So whether your expenses are higher, your income is lower, or you just want to save on groceries, these tips are here to help.

Tips for Saving on Groceries

Store Savings Tip 1) Have a snack before you shop.  If you think that has nothing to do with saving money, think of what happens when you shop on an empty stomach. When I shop hungry I always end up getting way more than I need. It all just looks so good when my body is asking for food. So silence your stomach with a snack and let your brain do the thinking.

Store Savings Tip 2) Get what you can on-sale. There will always be things you need whether they are on sale or not. There are other things, though, that with a little planning you can utilize the sales to your advantage. Look at the weekly adds, such as this one, and plan meals around them. Look for the produce that’s on-sale, or the cereal that’s on-sale. That one’s a simple concept, you just have to pay attention to it. 

Store Savings Tip 3) Only use coupons for stuff you’d buy anyway. Coupons are a sneaky way to get us to buy things we don’t need. They make it look like you’re saving money. But if you wouldn’t have bought it without the coupon, you just spent money you didn’t need to. On the other hand, when there’s a coupon for something you do need, that’s some sweet savings.

I really like that our main grocery store has digital coupons. I already mentioned that I’ve been doing grocery pick-up for a couple years. Clipping digital coupons is way easier that cutting paper coupons and carrying them to the store. I also feel like they’re less pressuring since you don’t have that paper in your hand begging you to look for that item. So they help when they can and don’t hold back my saving on groceries. 

Store Savings Tip 4) Buy the store brand. We don’t always follow this rule. There are a few things our family is picky about, like graham crackers. 😆 But we do use it a lot! And it helps to save us money. The vast majority of the time the store brand is just as good as the popular brand at about half the price. Sometimes it’s even better. 😉 So figure out what brand goes with your store, look around at the options for the same kind of things, and get one that costs less. 

Store Savings Tip 5) Calculate which size costs less. When you’re at the store and you see 3 different sizes of cans of refried beans, you can be sure that one will cost the least per ounce. Most of the time it’s the biggest one that costs the least per ounce, but not always, especially if a smaller size is on sale. I’m sure most of you have a calculator on your phone, which probably goes to the store with you. Do you remember how to find the cost per ounce? Math can be tricky for lots of people, but you can handle this one. Cost per ounce literally means price divided by ounces. Here’s a story problem to practice with (because I’m a teacher 😊).

If the bigger can of refried beans costs 3.99 for 40 ounces, and the smaller can costs 2.99 for 15 ounces, which costs less per ounce? Go ahead, get your calculator and figure it out. 

Store Savings Tip 6) Make more from scratch. There’s no need for a calculator to figure out that you come away with a lot more food for your money when you get a bag of dry beans than when you get a can of refried beans. I know, I know, opening a can is so much more convenient, especially when life is so busy. But I’m not giving tips on convenience, I’m giving tips on saving on groceries. 

Cooking from scratch is better for budget and body

There are more advantages to homemade foods than just the saving. Cooking can be really rewarding when you create something and serve your family. And it doesn’t have to be long, hard recipes to get that reward. It’s also a lot healthier to make things from scratch because you have control over what’s in them, and it won’t be a lot of the chemicals that are used to keep things good on the store shelf for months.

My favorite advantage of homemade food is that it tastes so much better. When you have a homemade cookie compared to a store bought cookie, there’s no contest as to which one is better. The same is true for bread and beans and salad and waffles… I could go on a long time. So start looking for more ingredients and less pre-packaged foods. This is better for your body, your taste buds, and saving on groceries.

I’m gonna share a secret with you now. Are you listening? This is my own recipe for instant pot refried beans. Talk about simple and delicious homemade food! Yum! If you don’t have an instant pot, soak your beans over night, then strain them, add 10 cups water and the onion, and simmer on the stove for an hour. 

Anne’s Instant Pot Refried Beans

Serving Size:

Makes about 12-1/2 cup servings

Time:

1 hour cook time
about 20 min prep time

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 2 c dry pinto beans
• 1/2 large onion, peeled and sliced
• 8 c water
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 c butter

Directions

1. Cook beans, onion, and water in instant pot on high for 30 min. Press cancel and wait 30 min then release the rest of the steam.
2. Scoop the beans with a little broth into blender and blend just to a smoother but chunky texture. Add more broth if needed. (The trickiest part of this recipe is getting the amount of bean broth just right.)
3. Move beans into a bowl and stir in butter and seasonings until butter is melted.
4. Serve warm with tortillas, on tostadas, with quesadillas, or as a bean dip with corn chips.

There you have it, some tips for saving at the store, and a bonus low-cost recipe.

Thanks for reading my blog. If you liked it, share it. If you have more tips for saving on groceries, leave them in the comments.

And go enjoy your adventure.

P.S. The answer to that math problem: The bigger can of beans is about .09 cents per ounce and the smaller one is about .19 cents per ounce. 😉

To read more about our big family read I Bring the Party With Me.