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Trying To Eat Out Less: Ideas On Reducing My Grocery Bill

2022-10-07

Last month one of our credit card statements spanned two pages because we had eaten out so often. Not only is it more expensive, I'm pretty sure it's less healthy. So now we're trying to limit ourselves to 2-3 times a week (minus the cafeteria at work), and making one of our outings to a new restaurant that we haven't tried before.

This means more grocery shopping. But did you know that grocery food prices jumped 5.3% in 2007? Milk, eggs, and bread all cost from 10-30% more than last year. 

This year looks to be even worse, especially with rising oil prices making transportation more expensive. In last weekend's WSJ Sunday edition, there was an article titled Savvy Grocery Shopping that had some good money-saving tips. 

Here are a few of them along with some others I've also picked up elsewhere.

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Stockpile and Hoard


Grocery stores constantly rotate the stuff that they have on sale, so that at any one time there is something new to attract you into their store. Then, while you're already there, they expect you to buy other things at full price. The key is to know when something is at a great price, and then stockpile staples at that price. That way all your pasta, canned veggies, soups, broths, sugar, and all non-perishables are all bought 20-50% off retail.


Keep Track of Prices


The problem: How do you know what is a good price? I forget all the time. Some people keep what is called a "price book", where you track the price of your commonly bought items so you can start to see the cycles and pricing patterns. There is even a website called TheGroceryGame that will track prices for you and let you know when to buy - for $10 every 8 weeks.

I've also noticed that you can also start to learn when they mark down meat, usually a day or so before the legal sell-by date. The meat is still good, I just stick it in the freezer right away until I need it.


Be a Coupon Ninja


There is an entire subculture of "couponers" out there that I call "coupon ninjas". They find good coupons, then get 20 duplicates of them, go to a store that doubles them (instead of 25 cents off you'd get 50 cents off) and then stockpile like crazy. I've seen scans of grocery receipts that show $150 of food bought for $23.47. Sometimes they actually get negative! While I admire their drive, I just stink at using coupons. I'll clip them, but I always forget to bring them along, or I wait until they are expired. My new store doesn't double coupons anymore, so the incentive is also less. TheGroceryGame also helps point out good deals.


Buy Frozen and/or Generic


Many times frozen fruits and vegetables are even more nutritious or tasty when you buy them frozen, because they can wait longer before picking them. Also, there's always store-brand or generics. The article shares that the manufacturer of Birds' Eye veggies also makes store-label veggies. I love my Safeway frozen mixed vegetables! Did you know that produce even has brands now? I didn't even notice. I like to buy generic on many things, but not all of them.

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