Unconventional Ways To Cut Grocery Costs
If recent history has taught us anything, it's that cutting costs can make all the difference during challenging financial times. While we usually reserve our most careful financial practices for major expenses like vehicles, housing, and luxury items, we don't often realize how much of an impact smaller purchases can have on our bank accounts too. Especially when these day-to-day expenses are not treated with the same level of financial responsibility as the larger ones. With that in mind, here are some lesser-known and unconventional solutions to cut your grocery bill in order to have a meaningful impact on your expenses.
Avoid coupons
Revered for the great savings they can provide on almost any purchase, coupons aren't always the best money-saving tools at our disposal. That's because, when faced with an entire booklet of coupons, we can be tempted to use coupons on items that we wouldn't have bought otherwise. If you're going to use coupons, stick to deals offering an additional item free, particularly if it's nonperishable. You could also only use coupons pertaining to specific items on your list, but this requires strict discipline.
Limit your meat intake
While meat is often a delicious and central part of our meals, it can also be a costly once — particularly given recent price hikes on beef. So, rather than splurging on prime beef, consider swapping chicken or turkey into your meals. Others suggest buying frozen chicken in bulk from warehouse stores like Sam's Club or Costco, where the price per pound is cheaper than most grocery stores. Or perhaps turn to turkey hot dogs, which generally cost less than beef.
Grow your own produce
While farming isn't for everyone, there are practical ways for the average person to grow produce at home. Despite seeming like an impossible task, growing produce can be fairly straightforward, as long as you do it right. There are plenty of plants that people tend to have success with growing on their own, from tomatoes to lettuce, kale, and zucchini. And by putting in the elbow grease to grow your own veggies and fruits, you'll save plenty of money, while enjoying the freshest possible produce!
Limit your perishables
The next time you go grocery shopping, pay attention to the number of fresh foods you buy in relation to frozen and nonperishables. Since fresh food often has a shorter life span, it typically leads to more waste. Frozen food, on the other hand, has a longer lifespan. If you're constantly throwing out food that went bad before you've gotten a chance to eat it, then consider frozen foods, as you'll be less likely to waste them.