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Groceries are one of the biggest monthly expenses most people have — and also one of the easiest to reduce without dramatically changing your lifestyle. When I was living hand to mouth, learning how to save money on groceries was one of the first changes that made a real difference in my budget.
I wasn’t eating less. I wasn’t buying junk. I was simply being more intentional about what I bought, where I bought it, and how I planned my meals. Those small shifts added up to hundreds of dollars in savings every month — money that went toward building my emergency fund and paying off debt instead of sitting in a shopping cart.
The truth is, most people overspend on food not because they eat too much, but because they shop without a plan. Impulse purchases, convenience items, food waste, and brand loyalty quietly inflate your grocery bill far beyond what it needs to be.
Here are 10 strategies to save money on groceries that I’ve personally used and still rely on today.
1. Plan Your Meals Before You Shop
This is the single most impactful change you can make. Walking into a grocery store without a meal plan is how impulse purchases happen — you grab things that look good, buy ingredients for meals you never make, and end up throwing away food that expires before you use it.
Before each shopping trip, plan your meals for the week. Write down breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day. Then create your shopping list based only on the ingredients you need for those meals. Stick to the list.
Meal planning also helps you build meals around ingredients you already have at home, reducing waste and preventing duplicate purchases. It takes 15 to 20 minutes per week and consistently saves more money than any coupon strategy.
2. How to Save Money on Groceries: Set a Weekly Food Budget
A budget without a number is just a wish. As I discuss in my how to budget and save money for beginners guide, setting a specific dollar amount for groceries each week keeps your spending accountable.
Track what you’re currently spending for two to three weeks, then set a realistic target that’s 10% to 15% lower. Use the envelope budgeting method if you need a physical constraint — when the grocery envelope is empty, you’re done for the week.
For a family of four, the USDA estimates that a “thrifty” food plan costs around $250 to $300 per week. Most families can get well below this with intentional planning.
3. Cook at Home Instead of Eating Out
This was a major shift for me. Eating out — even at inexpensive restaurants — costs three to five times more than cooking the same meal at home. A $15 restaurant lunch can be made at home for $3 to $5 worth of ingredients.
I started treating dining out as an occasional treat — once or twice a month — rather than a regular habit. The savings were immediate and dramatic. Cooking at home also gives you full control over ingredients, portions, and nutrition.
If you’re not confident in the kitchen, start simple. Rice and beans, pasta dishes, stir-fries, soups, and sheet pan meals are all inexpensive, easy to prepare, and taste great. The skill improves quickly with practice.
4. Buy Store Brands Instead of Name Brands
Here’s something I learned from adopting a frugal living mindset: you’re often paying for the name, not the quality. Store-brand products are frequently manufactured in the same facilities as name brands, using the same or very similar ingredients.
The price difference is significant — typically 20% to 40% less for store brands. On a $150 weekly grocery bill, switching just half your purchases to store brands can save $15 to $30 per week. That’s $60 to $120 per month.
Try store brands on staple items first: canned goods, pasta, rice, spices, frozen vegetables, cleaning supplies, and dairy. You’ll find that most taste identical to their branded counterparts. For the few items where you genuinely prefer the brand, keep buying them — frugality is about smart choices, not deprivation.
5. Buy in Bulk (Strategically)
Bulk buying saves money on items you use frequently — but only if you actually use them before they expire. Buying a 10-pound bag of rice when you eat rice regularly is smart. Buying bulk produce that goes bad before you can eat it wastes money.
Good items to buy in bulk: Rice, pasta, canned goods, frozen vegetables, cooking oil, spices, coffee, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. These have long shelf lives and consistent usage.
Items to avoid in bulk: Fresh produce (unless you can freeze it), dairy products near their expiration date, trendy snacks you might get tired of, and anything you haven’t tried before.
Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club can offer excellent per-unit prices, but only if you’ll use the quantities they sell. For smaller households, compare the unit price to regular grocery stores before assuming bulk is cheaper.
6. Shop Seasonal Produce
Fruits and vegetables are cheapest and best quality when they’re in season. Buying strawberries in December or asparagus in September means paying premium prices for produce that was shipped thousands of miles and may not taste great anyway.
Learn what’s in season in your region each month and build your meal plans around those items. Farmers markets are excellent for seasonal produce and often cheaper than grocery stores for in-season items.
When seasonal produce is at its cheapest, buy extra and freeze it. Berries, peppers, spinach, and many other fruits and vegetables freeze well and can be used for months in smoothies, soups, and cooked dishes.
7. Reduce Food Waste
The average household wastes 30% to 40% of the food it buys. That means nearly a third of your grocery spending goes directly into the trash. Reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways to save money on groceries — without changing what you buy.
Use a “first in, first out” system. Move older items to the front of your fridge and pantry so they get used first. New purchases go to the back.
Repurpose leftovers. Last night’s roasted vegetables become today’s soup or wrap filling. Overripe bananas become banana bread. Stale bread becomes croutons or breadcrumbs. Almost everything can be repurposed rather than discarded.
Freeze before it spoils. If you notice produce, meat, or bread approaching its expiration, freeze it immediately. Most foods retain their quality for months in the freezer.
Use everything. Vegetable scraps make excellent stock. Chicken carcasses make broth. Herb stems add flavor to cooking. The habit of using every part of your food purchases maximizes the value of every dollar spent.
8. Use Coupons and Cashback Apps (Wisely)
Coupons and cashback apps can save real money — but only on items you were already planning to buy. The trap is buying things you don’t need just because there’s a coupon for them. A $1 coupon on a $4 item you wouldn’t otherwise buy doesn’t save you $1 — it costs you $3.
Effective coupon strategies: Use digital coupons from your grocery store’s app (most major chains have them). Stack manufacturer coupons with store sales. Use cashback apps like Ibotta or Checkout 51 for rebates on purchases you’re already making.
The rule: Never buy something solely because you have a coupon. Only use coupons and cashback offers on items that are already on your shopping list.
9. Shop Less Frequently
Every trip to the grocery store is an opportunity for impulse purchases. People who shop once per week spend significantly less than those who pop in every other day for “just a few things.”
Plan one primary shopping trip per week. If you need something mid-week, check whether you can substitute with something you already have at home. The fewer times you walk into a store, the fewer unplanned purchases you’ll make.
10. Never Shop Hungry
This sounds trivial, but it’s backed by research. Shopping while hungry leads to purchasing more food, more high-calorie items, and more impulse buys. Eat a meal or snack before your shopping trip, and you’ll make more rational decisions in every aisle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I be spending on groceries per month?
This varies by household size, location, and dietary needs. For a single person, $200 to $350 per month is a reasonable range. For a family of four, $400 to $800 covers most budgets from thrifty to moderate. Track your current spending for a month to establish your baseline, then aim to reduce it by 10% to 15% through the strategies in this guide.
Is it really cheaper to cook at home than to eat out?
Yes — significantly. The average restaurant meal costs three to five times more than cooking the same dish at home. Even a simple homemade pasta dinner costs $2 to $4 per serving compared to $12 to $18 at a restaurant. Cooking at home is consistently the single biggest food-related money saver.
Are generic brands really as good as name brands?
In most cases, yes. Many generic products are produced in the same factories as name brands and contain identical or nearly identical ingredients. The biggest quality differences tend to be in certain snack foods and specialty items. For staples like canned goods, pasta, rice, dairy, and cleaning products, store brands are virtually indistinguishable from name brands at 20% to 40% less cost.
How do I save money on groceries without eating unhealthy food?
Healthy eating and budget eating aren’t opposites. Beans, lentils, rice, oats, eggs, frozen vegetables, seasonal produce, and whole grains are among the cheapest foods available — and they’re also among the most nutritious. The expensive items in most grocery carts are processed snacks, convenience meals, and sugary beverages — not healthy food.
What’s the best day of the week to grocery shop for deals?
Many grocery stores release new weekly sales on Wednesdays, making Wednesday or Thursday ideal for shopping when new deals are fresh and shelves are still stocked. Early morning on weekdays also tends to offer better selection and a less crowded shopping experience. Check your local store’s sale cycle and plan your trip accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Learning to save money on groceries doesn’t mean eating less or eating worse. It means shopping with intention, planning your meals, reducing waste, and making smarter choices about brands and quantities.
These 10 strategies have saved me hundreds per month — and they’ll do the same for you. Start with meal planning and a set weekly budget. Those two habits alone will make a noticeable difference in your very first week.
For the complete guide to spending less across every area of your life, read my frugal living for beginners guide.
Toyin Onagoruwa is the founding editor of BrokeMeNot. With over five years of experience in personal finance writing and a background in financial services, he helps everyday people navigate credit cards, budgeting, and smart money management. Connect with him on LinkedIn.