Yahoo Finance This Mom Cut Her Grocery Bills in Half and Saved Hundreds — 10 Ways You Can, Too
Amanda Baltazar’s three-person family — consisting of her, her husband and their daughter — was typically spending around $1,100 per month on groceries. However, in September 2023, their grocery bill reached a high of $1,400, according to her post on The Kitchn.
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With that, Baltazar decided that it was time to cut costs, so she made a goal of cutting their grocery expenses by 50% for the month of October — which meant a $700 grocery budget. The family ended October with a grocery bill of $747, which didn’t quite make the goal. However, it still equaled an impressive savings of about 47% from the high of the previous month.
Here’s how this mom cut her grocery bills almost in half and saved hundreds — and how you can too.
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Reconsider Your Bulk-Buying Habits
Baltazar said she typically shops for ingredients, like lentils and nuts, from the bulk section of the grocery store because she buys several pounds at a time for a lower price per ounce. She also orders other bulk items, like flour, raisins and olive oil, from a company. This results in a higher upfront cost that’s offset in later months when you don’t have to buy these frequently used ingredients.
However, if you want to cut your grocery bill in half, do what Baltazar did. To cut costs, she bought only the amount she needed during October, instead of bulk-buying for months. And when the family ran out of their breakfast granola before the month was over, they ate some muffins that were stashed in the freezer.
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Cut Out Nonessential Items
Baltazar said she cut way back on nonessentials, even when her daughter pointed out mouthwatering treats as they shopped in the grocery store. She also said she started making her own yogurt exclusively instead of buying prepackaged flavored varieties, and nixed family favorites like fruit-flavored waters, BBQ pistachios and proof-and-bake croissants. Her husband even passed up a six-pack of stout beer that he was interested in because he already had beer to drink at home.
Additionally, Baltazar made her own desserts from staples she had in the pantry, fruit they had previously picked, and leftover limes that she purchased in September.
Don’t Be Afraid To Empty Your Shelves
Even though Baltazar considers herself a planner, and habitually stocks rows and rows of ingredients to have on hand each month, she dropped that habit in October. As a result, she said that her freezer, refrigerator and cupboards emptied out, and she felt good about using up things that she’d forgotten about.
She used up lentils, coconut milk and desiccated coconut to make a coconut lentil curry soup that she deemed “out of this world.” She also made a taco torte with frozen corn and black beans she had on hand.
7 Additional Tips To Save Money on Groceries
To add to Baltazar’s tips, here are some more ideas to help you slash your grocery bills. Good luck!
Rotate in meatless meals: Meat can really add up when you buy groceries, so consider rotating in some meatless meals once or twice a week to save.
Comparison shop: Don’t assume that the grocery store where you normally shop is offering the best prices on the items you need. Look at other stores to see if you can save.
Compare unit prices: If the unit price is cheaper, buying in bulk can save you money. Check shelf labels in the grocery store or use this unit price calculator to see if you can save.
Stick to a list: Make a list and stick to it as you shop. Impulse buys can add a lot to your final grocery bill. If you can’t avoid temptation, shop online and pick up your groceries curbside.
Make leftovers into another meal (or two): Find a way to stretch leftovers, like preparing some additional vegetables or potatoes on the second night. You can also cook meals a couple nights in a row and then heat up the leftovers from both meals on the third night.
Stop buying convenience foods: Do a comparison of how much it would cost to buy the ingredients to prepare the convenience foods you buy every week, and you’ll quickly see how much you can save.
Buy cheaper cuts of meat and slow cook them: Cheaper (and tougher) cuts of meat, including chuck roast and pork picnic shoulder, can be totally transformed into a tender and delicious main dish by using a slow cooker. And to make clean up easy and fast, use slow cooker liners.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: This Mom Cut Her Grocery Bills in Half and Saved Hundreds — 10 Ways You Can, Too
