With grocery prices rising, food can quickly consume a large portion of your monthly spending. But everyone has to eat. So what can you do?
There are many tactics to lower your grocery expenses, though they require a bit of planning before you head out to shop. Coupons help sometimes, but they won’t make up for choosing the wrong store.
Below we’ll walk you through how to reduce your monthly grocery costs — as long as you don’t mind doing a little sleuthing.
Save Money on Groceries — Every Single Time
Because prices vary considerably between retailers, switching to the shop that charges the least for the items you buy can yield big savings.
Everyone’s grocery list is unique, so we put together a supermarket comparison worksheet you can print and fill out. That way, you’ll automatically get the greatest value from your grocery budget — regardless of what’s on your list.
How to Use the Grocery Comparison Worksheet
Here’s the deal.
Comparing stores takes an upfront investment of time and effort. You’ll need to visit several grocers nearby, find your staple items, jot down their prices and then compare.
While doing your supermarket comparison might feel like work, it can actually be enjoyable.
You’ll feel a bit like a detective. And once you finish, you’ll save money on every shopping trip — no extra thinking required.
Automated savings? Absolutely.
It’s really straightforward. Follow these steps.
1. List Your Staples
First up: Write down the items you buy most frequently — the essentials you always keep stocked.
You still want good pricing on occasional treats, of course.
But if cookies or candy you only buy sometimes are cheaper at one store while all your basics cost more there, that store might not be the real winner. To maximize automated savings, concentrate on the things you always have at home.
We included sample categories on our sheet to spark ideas, but if you don’t eat meat, swap those slots with extra vegetables or whatever you buy regularly.
If you buy certain items in bulk, like paper products, don’t include them — you’re almost always getting a better price at a warehouse club.
2. Pick the Stores
With your list ready, choose which stores you want to evaluate.
If a shop 50 miles away offers fantastic deals, fine — but the savings may be eroded by travel costs and the time spent, especially for a weekly necessity.
Also, when it’s a hectic Tuesday night and you suddenly need milk, toilet paper or some other must-have, you won’t want to trek across town.
Limit your survey to stores within a reasonable distance. Put their names across the top of your worksheet — then get ready to see which one will become your go-to.
3. Record the Prices
Now comes the time-consuming portion.
Visit each selected store, locate your items and note their prices.
There’s no need to do it all in one day — fit it into your regular shopping routine at each store as needed — just make sure to actually record the prices when you’re there!
One key point: Be sure to write down the sizes or amounts of the products, too.
Sometimes stores sell the same product in different package sizes. Even if a sticker price looks lower, you’re not getting a better value if it’s less product.
Recording the amounts lets you compute the cost per unit or per ounce, so you’ll know the true price comparison.
4. Compare the Costs
Once you’ve listed prices and quantities for each store, start comparing to determine which retailer offers the best deal.
If it’s a direct comparison (for instance $3.49 vs. $3.09 for a pound of boneless, skinless chicken), it’s simple: note the cheaper store in the right-hand column.
But sometimes you’ll need to do the math when package sizes differ. For example, see our sample calculation to determine which bacon offer wins.
In that example, Publix advertised 16-ounce packages at 2-for-$8, which made it the best option at 25 cents per ounce.
However, if that sale weren’t active, Walmart would have been the better choice — so the result isn’t always obvious.
Also remember: quality counts. You may prefer to pay a little more per ounce for a brand you like better, or for items labeled fair trade, organic, or humanely raised.
5. Pick a Winner — Then Shop Smarter!
Now look at the right-hand column and tally how often each store’s name appears. Write the totals at the bottom of each store’s column (see the example above).
The store that appears most often is where you’ll save the most on the majority of your groceries.
Congratulations — you’ve effectively automated your grocery savings! You can be confident you’re trimming costs every time you shop, even without clipping another coupon.
Keep in mind that prices and promotions change, so repeat your comparison periodically.
And admit it — didn’t you enjoy wandering around the stores jotting prices down?
If you didn’t, I bet your kids would. Next time, enlist their help.
Consider a Grocery Comparison App
If you prefer a tech-friendly approach, try a price comparison app for groceries. We tested several in Apple’s App Store and Google Play and found Basket to be our top pick for shoppers.
Basket is free and lets you compare product prices across different grocery stores (and even delivery services). You can view the best prices for single items or for your entire cart.
The app can scan barcodes quickly if you don’t want to type. You can also create separate carts for different trips or plan ahead for a big meal or event.
Basket highlights local store deals, current sales and available coupons to help boost your savings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When loading your cart, be mindful of what you’re bringing home. For perishables, never buy more than you’ll use before they spoil (no matter how great the sale). When feasible, buy pantry items in bulk.
According to theUnited States Department of Agriculture, the typical moderate-cost monthly food plan for an adult (ages 19-50) is $374 for men and $316 for women. More aggressive frugal shopping can reduce that to about $242.
Because restaurants and takeout carry extra overhead, buying groceries is typically less expensive. Cooking at home also lets you better control nutrition and the ingredients in your meals.
