4 Easy Ways your Family can Save on Groceries

Groceries count for a large portion of the average family’s monthly budget. As a matter of fact, the average American spends as much as 33% of their income every month on groceries according to data from the USDA. However, a large portion of these costs could easily be lowered by making better purchasing decisions. Here are a few simple tips any family can apply to save on groceries.

Buy in Bulk

One of the best ways to cut on groceries is to buy in bulk. When you spot certain items on special, try to stock up on them as much as possible, as long as they’re non-perishable. You could also regularly check sites like Ecouponshub.Com and look for special offers. Cereals, cleaning supplies, dried goods, frozen fruit and vegetables and canned goods are all examples of things you could buy in bulk when you can.

But it doesn’t stop with non-perishable goods. If you have enough storage space, you can also freeze or even pickle or preserve a lot of perishable fruits and vegetables. Make jams out of seasonal fruit. Make delicious pickles out of vegetables like beets, zucchinis or cucumbers. Make fresh sauce out of tomatoes or can them. These are all methods that will allow you to stretch conservation time and allow you to buy fruits and vegetables in bulk without wasting them.

Buy Large Cuts of Meat

Meat is another area where you can apply the bulk effect. Supermarkets will charge you extra for special cuts of meats or meats that were processed. For instance, you’ll pay more if you buy ground meat then if you took primal cuts and grind the meat yourself.

Hubby and I went to Washington, PA and picked up the meat we bought from Nickoles Bros. Farm. The 🐄 was slaughtered at AJ Processing, out there in the middle of wide #farm lands. It was a bit of a drive but I enjoyed the scenery. I bet it’s more beautiful out here during the Fall. #FarmRaisedBeef #beef #cows #farmland #WashingtonPA #Pennsylvania #cattleRanch #farmlife🚜 #countryside

A post shared by Chubskulit Rose (@chubskulitrose) on Mar 5, 2018 at 11:58am PST

The same goes for cuts. Instead of buying chuck or flat iron steak, you could save if you buy the whole shoulder and portion it yourself. The less transformation that goes in, the less you’ll have to pay. And if you have a large chest freezer, you can easily stock up on meats when prices are cheap as well.

Go for Generic Brands

You’d be surprised at how similar generic brands can be compared to name brands. In some cases, they are completely identical. This is the case for most over the counter medicine such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Brand name cereals might not taste as good as the original ones, but if it’s for a toddler, then they most likely won’t tell the difference. When it comes to staples such as flour, sugar, salt or bleach for example, the difference will be barely noticeable, so you should always go generic.

Go to a Discount Produce Store

A lot of people are afraid to go to discount produce stores thinking that the produce will be of lesser quality, but that isn't always the truth. In some cases, discount produce stores sell fruits that have minor cosmetic imperfections or are near their expiration date. Most supermarkets are very strict as to which produce they will sell, so the quality of produce you’ll get will be just as good and you’ll barely be able to notice the difference.

These few simple tips should allow you to save a ton on your next grocery bill. Always try to find new ways to be more frugal and smart with your buying decisions and your wallet will thank you for it.