Ten Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

We have all noticed a significant increase in living costs in the last 2 years. Gas prices have reached $4.00 a gallon in some areas and groceries have more than doubled. For the average working family it has brought the lower class down to near poverty levels when all their available funds are going to bills, bills, and more bills. It isn’t credit card debt hurting my family, its the every day living expenses. Groceries eat into 15% of our gross income and gas burns up another 25%. That leaves on 60% of our income for other bills and necessities. So to squeeze some extra money out of our budget I have learned to cut our grocery bill in half by following the ten steps listed below.

1.) Take inventory of your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator.
2.) Make two lists on the same sheet of paper: Necessities and Impulse. When you run out of items or think of something you are craving put it on a list on the refrigerator. That way you don’t forget to buy it on your next shopping day.
3.) Estimate how much each item costs and then create a budget.
4.) Take cash only to the grocery store. (If you take your checkbook or credit card you may be tempted to go over budget)
5.) Take a calculator and get only the necessary items on your list first. Add them up as you go and compare them to the estimates you had and your remaining budget.
6.) If you have any funds left over then purchase only 2 impulse items per person in the household and list the remaining items for next weeks purchase.
7.) Clip coupons and take them with you. Most stores honor competitor coupons.
8.) Be-careful of misleading sale items. Example: 2 bags of Chips for 7.00 when cost per bag is $3.49. This is the store’s way of getting you to buy more when its not really on sale. You still get the sale price on 2for the price of 1 or 5 for $$. You don’t have to buy 5 to get the sale. Example: 10 yogurts for $5.00. We only need 5 to get through the work week. So I only buy 5. I still get them for the sale price. I only paid $0.50 a piece for them and I didn’t have to get all 10 to get that price.
9.) Shop at bargain stores like Aldis, Save-A-Lot, Piggly-Wiggly, or Fareway. They often carry the same name brand items or the equivalent for a lot less than the major grocery chains.
10.) Shop every week on the same day, and eat something before you go shopping. This will help eliminate those food craving buys that happen on an empty stomach.

By following these simple rules I have cut my grocery bills in half making them only 7% of my income a month. Leaving more money for paying off other bills.

I used to spend $130.00 a week on groceries for my husband and myself. Now we only spend $60.00 on groceries and $20 on baby necessities.