Cooking your own meals is much cheaper than eating out, but to further push your budget we have compiled some dollar saving tips for when you are buying groceries.
1. Bring your own bag
Grocery stores are now charging for plastic bags, anywhere from five to 15 cents! With a full trolley this quickly ads up to costing a few dollars a month. Rather, our saving tip is to have a collection of reusable stored in the trunk of your car. Within a year your savings will have added up to a decent amount, and you will also have had a positive impact on the environment – win! win!
“It took a couple of times before I automatically remembered my grocery bags, but now i find them easier to carry and am saving money too!” – Ted FL
2. Shop around at various grocery stores
Grocery manufacturers have specials at different chains at different times. Sometimes these savings amount could be up to 50% off. Keep your eye on ads in your local area and you might find there are bigger savings at the shop around the corner, rather than the usual supermarket we visit out of habit.
“My local Safeway has great bargains, I always shop there when their sales are on” – Dan CO
3. Grow herbs at home
We all know fresh herbs can change up a dish to give it that extra zing and flavor boost! However buying them fresh can be expensive, especially when your recipe only needs a handful rather than a whole bunch. Set aside an area in the garden thats easy to access, or for those that have limited space try a window box with your favorites.
“Fresh basil leaves on top of a pizza gives you a flavour boost!” – Gina NY
4. Cook in bulk and freeze
Its amazing how cooking in bulk doesn’t take that much longer than cooking for a single meal. So save time and money by cooking Freezer meals. Perfect for dinner in winter are family favorited including Lasagne, Chili, Casserole and Pasta Bake.
There are loads of recipes available online, why not try the 5starsaver recipe for Big Ol Chili Pasta Cookup
5. Grocery coupon and rebate apps
Coupon and rebate apps are a fantastic way to save some coin when shopping for groceries. Some of our favorite apps available on smartphones are Savings Catcher from Walmart, Honey, SnipSnap and Shopkick! A change from traditional coupons, these apps will save all the effort of clipping out coupons and carrying a stack of paper as they are conveniently located on your iOS or Android device.
“I keep all my coupon apps in one folder on my iPhone, its quick, easy and saves me $$$” – Sharon MO
6. Generic groceries are tasty and cheap!
I’m going to let you in on a secret that the big grocery brands don’t want you to know:
Generic groceries are usually produced by a major brand.
Thats right! The generic pasta that costs 60% less than your usual choice is probably made by your usual brand.
“Over the past 2 years we have noticed that the quality of generic brands has improved significantly whilst prices have remained low. I’m saving money but not compromising on flavor” – Nikki CA
