How did you cut your down on your monthly grocery bill?

Question

I live in Canada and it seams like there aren’t that many coupons available. Also I don’t care about brand names (except for ketchup it has to be Heinz.. Lol!) . I also like to eat healthy but we aren’t vegetarians so yes we eat meat, dairy, and don’t know how to lower our shopping bill. We want to start a family soon so there will obviously be more expenses with that. So, please help! How can I save money on our grocery bill????

Thank you so much!!

Answer 1

i found this in an article


The first thing you need to do after you've made your grocery list is to try to figure the total cost of your grocery bill. Make sure you've got everything on the list that you'll need because after you've made an educated guess you're going to go to your purse (or wallet), take out the cash and leave the rest behind. I know, I know your purse has your checkbook, your credit cards and maybe
even your driver's license! So take out your driver's license and head on over to the store with your list and cash. Believe me, this will definitely cut back on the unnecessary extras because you won't have the credit cards to fall back on. And if you're like me, you'd rather be hung upside down by your toe nails than be found short $2.57 at the check out.

Don't be afraid to look on the day-old bread rack or in the "about to expire" section of the meat department. You have to be careful, but you'll probably be able to tell whether the item is good. Just make sure to use it right away, don't let it sit in your refrigerator for a week. Who knows, it just might "meat" your expectations and save you money in the process!

Another thing to think about is the time of day, time of week and even time of month that you are shopping. I've found that early in the morning and in the middle of the week is when the grocery stores are less busy and you'll be able to get more efficient shopping done. Be careful not to go on the first day or two of the month. Some stores have been known to raise prices because that is the time that social security and welfare checks go out.

Look high and low for savings, literally. The grocery stores purposely place the higher-priced name brand items at eye level. The lower priced generic and store brands are usually higher and lower than the brand name items. Remember that the generic brand or store brand isn't always the less expensive. Some stores I've been to list the cost per ounce, or per item (trash bags) so be sure to compare these prices when shopping.

Answer 2

I hardly ever use coupons because I don't buy any convenience foods and go to a discount store that sells it's own brand (Aldis). Not sure if they are in Canada, too. But, other then to stay away from expensive brands, my best advise is to PLAN. I make a meal plan for a weeks worth of dinners every week. I try to incorporate the meats that are on sale that week and make it the main focus of the week (e.g. buy a whole chicken to roast, use the leftovers to make chicken pot pie, the bones for a chicken soup). Other then my one "main" meat I might have an egg dish one day, something with beans or some ground meat, like spaghetti sauce. Stay seasonal with your veggies and again watch what is on sale, bags of frozen veggies are often a good bargain. Make extra dinner portions and use leftovers for lunches instead of expensive take out. Plan your shopping list around your weekly meal plan, don't buy a lot of fancy packaged foods. For example, a box of store-brand, plain oatmeal goes much longer then the little individual packets. Good luck.

Answer 3

Actually I just cut mine this past week...by accident. I usually spend about $70 twice a week (or $140/week). Well this past Monday I had Mastercard call and say someone had commited fraud on my credit card and they were closing the account and reissuing me another card. So I didn't have a credit card. I had to go to the ATM to withdraw some cash to buy groceries.

Well funny thing is, eventhough I knew I had enough cash to buy what I wanted I was very reluctant to get some of the extras I usually buy. I just bought exactly what I went to the store for. I only spent $45 instead of the usual $70. Its a couple days later and I haven't been back to the store so apparently what I bought was enough to get me through my usual meals, Maybe I don't need those extra things I buy after all.

So long story short is...pay cash. It really hurts to see those dollar bills disappear, whereas with a credit card you just swipe and go.

Answer 4

Even Canada has no coupons, I am sure they have sales right? So plan out your grocery list before you head to the store. This help because you stay focus on what to buy and not just go in to the store and grab whatever you think you need. Bring sandwiches to work for lunches will save you a bunch so shop for bread and cold cuts when they are on sales. Buy pasta when they are on sales and so is spaghetti sauce and etc. I buy chicken white meat when they are on sales too. They are great for chicken salad (buy salad dressing on sale or make your own by download receipt on line), chicken sandwiches (good alternative other then cold cuts and is way healthier than cold cuts). So go thru the sales ad, then see what is on sale to plan out your meals, put together a shopping list before you head over to the store.

Answer 5

Shop at different stores to find where you can get certain foods cheaper. Then only go to that store for those foods. Try and only buy store brands, and make sure it's the cheapest.
Also trying to buy some items at wholesale might help with saving on non perishable items such as toilet paper or paper towels.

Warning: You get what you pay for though.

Answer 6

Make a meal plan. We've saved hundreds on just that. We eat a roast on Sundays, Italian on Wednesdays, pizza on Fridays, and Mondays we usually have pork chops or something like that. The meals themselves may change from week to week, but we always stick with what we choose. Only go to the store once a week, I think that it's better to go in the evening, after dinner, when you're not hungry, you buy less. Make a list based on the meal plan that you chose earlier. They put the milk and dairy stuff in the back for a reason, they want you to impulse buy from the front to the back. Also, many of the big chain food stores offer buy 3 for a specific price. Often, you don't have to buy three to get the same price for the individual product. Buy more meat than anything else, because you can make anything with meat, a casserole, a main dish, or even just a little snack. Don't forget the powers of leftovers. Make a big enough meal, and you and your husband have enough for leftovers. If it is only you and your husband, don't worry about buying in bulk, you may end up wasting more than what you used. (I made that mistake!) If there is a sale going on, pick up more of what you use more, and nothing of stuff that you only use once in a while. That way, you don't have stuff just sitting in your cupboard.

Hope this helps!

Answer 7

Cut down on your meats. That is, make your vegetables the main attraction, not your meats. Watch the late night snacks as well. Those chips and dips can add up. Those microwave popcorns are expensive too! Buy a bag of unpopped popcorn and do your own thing. Buy a big box of rice and serve vegetables over rice. You can also serve your spaghetti sauce with meat recipes over rice. Make a rice and burger cassarole. Add mushrooms, onions, and cheese if you like. Then bake it in the oven. Serve it with a fresh lettuce salad and you're good to go.

Egg noodles are great too. Chicken livers or gizzards (or both) in gravy over noodles is delicious. Be sure the gizzards are cooked tender before you simmer them in the gravy. Noodles and prepared alfredo sauce is good too. Ragu makes a good alfredo sauce, and there are other nice brands. Mix green peas in with the noodles for color and taste.

The real secret to effective food shopping is meal planning. Plan for overlapping meals, so that one meal lasts for two days, even if they're not consecutive days. When I make chile, it actually lasts for 3 or 4 days, because I freeze half of it. I even serve some of it on my chili dogs. Chicken stew with cornbread or bisquits makes a great meal. The 3 for $1.00 cans of vegetables work out fine for this. Add tomatoe paste for color. The cost of this meal is cheap, cheap, cheap; and it lasts for 2 or 3 days. Create your own recipes, as well. Meal planning, that's the secret!

Answer 8

Plan you meals and ingredients. Budget yourself and take only that amount to the store with you in cash. This way, if you go over, you have to put stuff back. The first things that you reach to put back... you obviously can live without. It will only be embarrasing the first couple of times it happens. Pretty soon, you will be teaching yourself what it takes to get by. Coupons are nice but will not drastically save you money.

Answer 9

Only use coupons for things that you normally buy. Look for buy on get one free coupons. Eat every meal at home. Cook all meals from scratch. Never buy alcohol unless it is part of the meal. Use fresh vegetables whenever possible.

Stop eating red meat everyday (the most expensive meat). You can make very good meals around chicken, turkey, fish, and maybe some pork or less expensive cuts of beef. Pasta makes it easy to create dished that require little or no meat.

Learn how to use all the vegetables in garden such as cabbage, sweet potato, cauliflower, eggplant, etc......

Get away from using butter and vegetable oils. Use olive oil or canola oil. Put cheese in your diet. Learn how to make bread. Eat fruit daily.

Plan your meals around one meat, one vegetable dish, and a salad.

Drink lotsa water. Again, drink copious amounts of water.

You can reduce your food bill by eleminatingthings that cost a lot such as; alcohol, beef, sodas, frozen foods, packaged meals, snacks, etc.....

Good luck

Answer 10

Want to eat some delicious Paleo recipes as soon as tonight? Go here to get your awesome Paleo cookbook today https://tr.im/Jn0E9
You're going to love the amazing Paleo meal ideas in there

Answer 11

http://www.pentagon.gov/mapsite/savefood.html

This is a great website with lots of tips for spending less on groceries. And since you want to have children, consider making your own baby food out of your own meals.