Amanda Baltazar, her husband, and their daughter typically spent about $1,100 each month on groceries. But in September 2023, her grocery bill reached a new high of $1,400, according to her post on The Kitchen.
1 month with this easy hack
So Baltazar decided it was time to cut costs and set a goal to cut his grocery spending by 50% in October. So your grocery budget is $700. The family spent $747 on food in October, but they did not reach their goal. However, that still equates to a significant savings of approximately 47% from the previous month’s high.
Learn how this mom cut her food costs nearly in half and saved hundreds, and how you can do the same.
Let’s review our bulk buying habits.
Baltazar said she often buys ingredients like lentils and nuts in the bulk section of the grocery store because they are cheaper per ounce, so she buys several pounds at a time. She also orders other bulk items from the company, such as flour, raisins, and olive oil. Therefore, the initial cost is higher, but this is offset by not having to purchase these frequently used materials in later months.
However, if you want to cut your grocery bill in half, do what Balthazar did. To cut costs, she only bought the amount she needed during October, rather than buying in bulk for months. And when her family ran out of breakfast granola before the month was over, she ate some muffins she had stashed in the freezer.
Delete unnecessary items
Baltazar said she significantly cut back on her non-essential meals, even when her daughter pointed out tasty-looking snacks while shopping at the grocery store. She also said that instead of buying prepackaged flavored yogurt, she started making her own yogurt exclusively and ditched family favorites like fruit-flavored water, BBQ pistachio, and fermented and baked croissants. Her husband already had beer to drink at home, so he also gave up on the six-pack of stout beer she was interested in.
Additionally, Baltazar created her own dessert using staples she had in her pantry, fruit she had previously harvested, and leftover limes she bought in September.
Don’t be afraid to empty your shelves
Baltazar considers herself a planner and has a habit of keeping rows and rows of ingredients on hand each month, a habit she stopped doing in October. As a result, her freezer, refrigerator and cupboards were emptied, and she said it made her feel better because she was able to use up things she had forgotten about.
She used up lentils, coconut milk, and desiccated coconut to create a coconut lentil curry soup that she thought was “out of this world.” She also made taco tortes using frozen corn and black beans she had on hand.
7 additional tips to save money on your grocery bill
In addition to Baltazar’s tips, here are some ideas for saving money on food. Good luck!
- Rotate meat-free meals: Grocery shopping can add up to a lot of meat, so consider rotating meat-free meals once or twice a week to save money.
- Comparison shop: Don’t assume that the grocery store you usually shop at has the best prices on the items you need. Check out our other stores to see if you can save.
- Compare unit prices. If the unit price is low, you can save money by buying in bulk. Check your grocery store shelf labels or use this unit cost calculator to see if you can save.
- Please stick to the list: Make a list and follow it when shopping. Impulsive purchases can add up to a lot more food in the end. If you can’t avoid the temptation, shop online and pick up your groceries in-store.
- Make leftovers into another meal (or two). Find ways to stretch out your leftovers, such as preparing extra vegetables or potatoes the second night. You can also make the meals several nights in a row and heat up the leftovers from both meals on the third night.
- Stop buying instant food. Compare how much it costs to buy the ingredients to prepare the ready-to-eat meals you buy each week, and you’ll quickly see how much you can save.
- I buy cheap meat and slowly cook it. Even inexpensive (and tough) cuts of meat, such as shoulder loin or pork picnic shoulder, can be transformed into tender, delicious main dishes in the slow cooker. For easy and quick cleanup, use slow cooker liners.
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