Shopping on a student’s budget

There’s a lot that goes into making groceries affordable. You have to research deals and sales, clip coupons, and make sure you don’t buy more than you need. But if you’re willing to put in some extra work at the supermarket, you’ll be able to save money on your grocery bill. Whether it’s learning how to go grocery shopping with a list or taking advantage of seasonal produce, these five tips will help make your wallet happy:

Go grocery shopping with a list, and stick to it

• Keep the grocery list short and simple. Don’t go through the store adding things as you see them; this can lead to impulse buys that go against your budget or health goals (for example: “Oh look at those cookies! And they’re on sale! I’ll buy two bags.”). Make sure everything on your list is actually something you need in order for life at home to continue as usual, even if that means buying some items in bulk (like toilet paper) or skipping something altogether (your favorite snack food might not be worth its inflated price tag).
• Use an app like Grocery IQ or AnyList that allows users to create multiple lists based on different categories (e.g., meat & poultry vs dairy products vs produce). These apps also offer features such as itemized receipts so consumers know exactly what they spent money on during each trip through checkout lines—a feature not available through traditional paper note-taking methods

Take advantage of sales and coupons

• Check out the weekly ads. Before you head to the store, check out the weekly ads and see which items are on sale this week. This is an easy way to save money on things you need, like cereal or toilet paper.
• Look for coupons online or in newspapers (and clip them!). If you have a smartphone with an internet connection, use it! You can find tons of coupons online that will help bring down your grocery bill—everything from freebies at restaurants (like free french fries) to discounts on specific products like toothpaste or laundry detergent. We’ve even seen some sites where they’ll send you text messages when there’s a sale happening at your favorite store!
• Stock up when things are cheap! When something goes on sale at our local supermarket chain stores like Whole Foods, we buy as much as possible so that we don’t have to pay full price later down the line when those items go back up again since these stores usually keep their prices pretty steady compared with other places around town.

Shop at more than one store

If you’re a regular shopper at one store, it may be time to expand your horizons. Shopping at multiple stores can help save money and keep the grocery bill down in the long run.

• Look around at what’s available in each store. Compare prices and quality—you might find some things are cheaper or better quality at other stores!
• Know what you’re looking for when you go into each store; this will help cut down on impulse purchases that add up over time!

Buy seasonal produce in bulk

One of the easiest ways to save money on produce is to buy it in season. For example, when you see strawberries on sale at the grocery store, grab them and freeze them for later. You’ll have access to a ton of fresh fruit all winter long without having to pay an arm and a leg for it!

Know when to buy frozen fruits and veggies over fresh ones

Frozen fruits and veggies are a great way to save money on produce. They’re usually cheaper than fresh, and they’re just as healthy—if not more so! Frozen fruits and veggies are picked at the peak of ripeness, so they have more nutrients than their fresh counterparts. And since they’re frozen immediately after harvesting, their flavors are locked in for months (or even years).

In addition to being cheaper than fresh produce, frozen foods also tend to be more convenient than their fresh counterparts: most people don’t want to spend time peeling carrots or chopping kale before cooking with them; instead, they just want quick prep methods like steaming or microwaving (which you can easily do with your frozen goods).

You can save money on groceries by shopping smart

The main thing you can do to save money on groceries is to plan ahead. If you’ve got a list and know what’s going into your shopping cart, it will be much easier to stick to your budget and avoid impulse buys.

Planning also means knowing what stores have what kinds of deals at certain times of year (and being aware when those deals change). For example, Target has great price-matching policies—if another store has something cheaper than theirs, they’ll match it! So if there’s something special going on at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods this month but not next month when the sale ends…you might want to wait until then instead of rushing out now just because it looks like an amazing deal today (but really isn’t).

Planning also means knowing what stores have what kinds of deals at certain times of year (and being aware when those Now that you know how to save money on groceries, it’s time to get shopping! It might seem like a daunting task at first, but we promise you that once you get into the habit of making smart decisions about what food items are worth buying and when it’ll become second nature. Remember: You don’t have to be an expert or spend hours researching every store in town before heading out with your list—just follow these simple tips and tricks as best fit your lifestyle (or lack thereof).

Additional References

Here are five easy hacks to keep the grocery bill down:

1. Make a plan and stick to it. This includes making a grocery list and meal plan for the week. Reference 1, 2, 3
2. Be picky with produce and buy what’s in season or on sale. Reference 1
3. Check for coupons and deals on the foods you usually buy. Reference 1
4. Take inventory of what you already have at home to avoid buying unnecessary items. Reference 1, 4
5. Consider buying in bulk or switching to a different grocery store to find better deals. Reference 1

[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lower-grocery-bill-inflation

[2] https://www.mymillennialguide.com/how-to-reduce-grocery-bill-dramatically/

[3] https://centsandpurpose.com/budget-grocery-tips-ss/

[4] https://www.thebalancemoney.com/find-ways-to-cut-your-food-bill-2385572