How to save money when grocery shopping

    Going to the grocery store sometimes ends up in buying extra items and spending money that did not have to be spent. The reason is that people don’t plan beforehand and don’t make proper lists of what they need to buy; emphasis on the need part not want to buy. Moreover, it is very easy to get distracted by the colorful displays. Here are some tips on how to save money on food and a simple grocery list for one person. If your household is composed of more people, just multiply the ammount for the number of people that need to be fed.   Healthy Lunch Habits Many people spend a lot of money by buying fast food during lunch hours at school or offices. The best way is to eat leftovers or plan and cook the lunches on the weekends for the entire week. Moreover, it is really possible to make something delicious from leftovers. It is also healthy to eat home cooked food.   Keeping Track of Sales and Promotions Large grocery stores are always offering some kind of sale on certain items. It is a good habit to keep track of these promotions. Mostly, the buy one get one free promotion is very common. Some of the brands occasionally offer economy packs.   Healthy Food is Cheaper Buying fresh food and vegetables, legumes and grains is actually pretty cheap. You can get them at your local grocery store, farmer’s market or even the new service from Amazon called Amazon Fresh  which has a month of free trial. Cooking food from scratch, even though it takes a bit more time, it costs a lot less. Just try cooking more meals at a time, so that you will have leftovers for the following days.   Get Rid of Extras Many people going to bulk grocery shopping often fall victim to buying extra stuff. Most of these things are items that don’t add any healthy nutritional value to your diet. Items like sodas, chips and cookies are commonly part of grocery shopping. They are not only unhealthy when taken in excess amount but a waste of money in the long run. Apart from special occasions, try avoiding these types of food.   Buying Produce on Season Every season has its own specific fruits and vegetables. I would advise to buy the produce according to the relevant season as they are less pricey during this time. Buying produce out of season is always more expensive because that food has either been grown in greenhouses (higher cost) or brought from another country, so there is the cost of transportation.   Frozen Foods Some of the fruits and vegetables are really expensive when you buy them fresh. Their alternative is easily available in frozen form. Some might think that eating frozen food is unhealthy and does not contain the same amount of nutrition. However, that belief is false. The produce is frozen at the peak of its ripeness when it is full of nutrients.   Buying Dried Goods in Bulk Bulk shopping can save you a lot of money. Some retail stores also offer discounts on bulk buying. An important point to note is that you should know that a certain item will be used frequently and not wasted when you buy it in large amounts. An example of bulk buying is for dried goods you can keep for month in your pantry like grains, rice, legumes, nuts and seeds.   Saving on the Proteins Protein rich food items like meat are often very expensive. Therefore, you can find their substitutes in the forms of  beans and legumes which provide plenty of protein and are not as costly as meat, fish or poultry.   Prevent Food Wastage Many people discard food before it expires. It is not only an unethical habit but you are also wasting your hard-earned money. It is important to decide how you are going to use perishable food before you buy it. Either buy only in an amount which your family needs to consume or develop the habit of eating leftovers. Many leftovers can be used to create new dishes.  

  I hope you enjoyed these tips. If you have anything to add to this article, please leave a comment below. I think my other article on Ways to save money as a student will be of interest to some of you to learn even more ways to save money. This article contains affiliate links. They will in no chance charge you a higher price, I would just get a small commission in case you make a purchase or sign up for a service.