8 Tips on Grocery Shopping With Your Budget in Mind

If you've had a few moments of sticker shock when shopping for groceries lately, you're not alone. Inflation rates for groceries in the past few years have been higher than we've seen in decades.¹

But while we're unlikely to turn back the clock on prices, the good news is that there are plenty of smart ways to stretch your grocery budget as far as possible—without sacrificing your health or your taste buds. From meal planning and avoiding food waste to shopping sales and sticking to your list, here are eight strategies to try.

1. Plan Your Meals

There are people who can whip up a delicious meal using random items from the fridge like they're contestants on a reducing-food-waste challenge on TV. Most of us, however, are not those people. We are the real-life people, the ones who forget about containers of leftovers in the back of the fridge and turn to delivery when we're tired and uninspired.

The thing is, food waste and emergency burrito delivery are surefire ways to spend more money than you'd intended on food. This is where meal planning can help. Take inventory of what you have, come up with some meal ideas and build a grocery list from that. This way, you can be as efficient as possible with your food budget. While you're doing this, consider building in meals that are cheaper by nature (think huevos rancheros rather than steak frites) to keep costs down. Bonus: Homemade burritos are an excellent way to round up the week's odds and ends into an easy Friday night meal.

2. Create a Grocery List

Just like planning your meals, planning what you're going to shop for helps you get organized and stay on budget. A list can also help you avoid food waste, as it prevents overbuying. It can be useful to organize your list by categories, such as must-haves and nice-to-haves, and these can be cross-referenced with sections of the store. For instance, you might need to buy cheddar for some of the meals you've planned, and put a nice brie on the maybe list if your budget allows.

One thing that can help with budgeting is to set not just a monthly amount, but also an amount per shopping trip or even category. And most important, stick to your list and avoid impulse purchases (more on that below).

3. Shop Seasonal and Sale Items

In some ways, this should be the first tip because it's an important one. Planning your meals and grocery list around what's on sale is an effective way to keep your grocery costs down.

Let's say you originally planned to cook up a big batch of meatballs for the week, but you notice there's a great deal on chicken thighs. Switching up your meal plan would be a smart way to reduce your weekly food costs. The same goes for seasonal items: Take advantage of any price drops for produce that's in abundance.

It's worth watching for deep discounts on staples, too—so long as they won't spoil! If your favorite brand of toilet paper, cereal or frozen fruit is on sale, it can be a good time to stock up. Just be sure it's something you'll actually use, rather than something you're buying just because it seems like a deal.

4. Manage Impulse Purchases

You've probably heard the tip to not go grocery shopping when you're hungry. A growling stomach can take over your brain so you end up with all sorts of unnecessary items in your cart. But impulse purchases in general can be a drain on your budget, too. To avoid them, consider having a strict "stick to the list" rule, or set a "fun" budget for your grocery shopping—this can be especially helpful if you're shopping with kids who want to buy everything colorful and sugary.

5. Shop at Discount Stores

No, they're not necessarily the most luxe shopping environments, and they might not carry your favorite brands. But shopping at discount stores can be a surprisingly good way to reduce your grocery bill. Depending on where you live, options might include Food 4 Less, Grocery Outlet and WinCo Foods, all of which have been identified as budget-friendly places to shop.² Popular discount stores Aldi and Dollar General are also on track to open hundreds of new stores.³ Try some in your region—you might just find your new preferred grocery store.

6. Use Coupons and Discount Codes

Would you turn down a dollar if someone offered it to you? If you skip using coupons, you might be doing just that. You don't have to become an extreme couponer (though it could be a fun hobby). But a little effort can reap big rewards when it comes to living more frugally.

Start by downloading the apps for the stores you shop at, and check them for coupons each week when you're creating your list. Consider joining rewards and loyalty programs for access to more deals. Beyond that, it's a matter of how much time you want to invest. Strategies include signing up for manufacturer email lists, following couponing influencers like Star Smith and The Krazy Coupon Lady, and joining couponing groups on Facebook. And don't forget about rebate apps like Fetch and Ibotta, which let you earn points that you can turn into more money for groceries and other must-haves.⁴

7. Buy Generic and Store Brands

Sometimes, name brands really are substantially better than generic ones. But other times, the quality of store brands is just as good as—or even better than—that of name brands. So it's no surprise that 20% of all grocery products sold across the U.S. are store-brand items.⁵ For regular staples and more expensive items, choosing generic and store brands can add up to big savings, so it's worth experimenting to see if they work for you.

8. Buy in Bulk

This one may require math, depending on where you shop. But products in larger-size packaging often have a lower cost per item/ounce than those in smaller packages. For instance, you might save overall by buying bigger boxes of cereal or tubs of mayo. This isn't always true, though, so check the tags in your store to see if they break down the cost for you. Otherwise, it's time to pull out your calculator. And buyer beware: If buying a bigger package just makes you eat more of it faster, it might not actually be saving you money.

The opposite is true as well—sometimes buying less is the better buy. If you need a specialty ingredient for a specific recipe, for instance, it might be worth going to the bulk-food aisle to get exactly the right amount, rather than buying a whole package so half of it can languish in your cupboards uneaten.

A Little Work Can Equal a Lot of Savings

Being cost-conscious while grocery shopping takes some planning and organizing. But the benefits can be huge, especially for your bank balance. By sticking to your grocery budget, you're saving more money for other things that matter in your life, like education, buying a house or saving for retirement. And maybe a nice vacation, too?

For more savings strategies, read Why You Should Save Money at Any Age & Tips to Get Started.