How to save money on groceries
Learn how to save money on groceries with budgeting, meal planning, smart shopping habits, and rewards programs that pay you back at the register.
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This content is for general educational purposes and is not intended as financial, legal, investment, or tax advice and should not be relied on as such. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information found in this post.
Summary
Setting a grocery budget and building a shopping list around a meal plan helps you avoid impulse purchases and stick to what you actually need.
Comparing price per unit and choosing store-brand or generic brands over name brands can lower your grocery bill without changing what you eat.
Buying non-perishables like canned goods in bulk, and using a wholesale club membership when it makes sense, can stretch your grocery budget further.
Shopping seasonal produce and visiting farmers markets often costs less than buying the same items out of season.
Loyalty programs and cash back rewards, including apps that let you pick a bonus category like groceries each month, add savings on top of smart shopping habits.
Your grocery bill can feel like it grows every time you go to the grocery store, even when you're buying the same things. The good news is that saving money on groceries doesn't have to mean giving up the foods you like.
A few changes to your shopping habits, like planning meals ahead of time, comparing prices per unit, and taking advantage of loyalty programs and cash back, can add up to real savings over a month of shopping trips. Here's how to save money on groceries without overhauling the way you eat.
Set a grocery budget and make a plan
Start by deciding how much you can afford to spend on food each month. Deciding on a food budget before you shop gives you a clear target and makes it easier to spot when your grocery bill is creeping past what you planned. Once you know your grocery budget, meal planning is the next step.
Building a meal plan for the week, then turning it into a grocery list or shopping list before you leave home, helps you buy only what you need. Taking 15 to 20 minutes each week to plan meals and write a grocery list covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks makes your shopping trip faster and cuts down on the kind of impulse purchases that quietly inflate your total at checkout. Sticking to your list is one of the simplest ways to avoid impulse buys on things you didn't plan to bring home.
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Compare prices before you buy
Not all packaging is priced the same, even within the same store. Using unit pricing to compare items, which is usually listed on the shelf tag as a price per unit like price per ounce or price per pound, lets you see which size or brand is actually the better deal instead of guessing based on the sticker price alone.
Store-brand and generic brands are also worth a closer look. Store brands typically cost up to 25 percent less than name brands and are often made with the same ingredients, sometimes on the very same production line. Items like canned vegetables, plain yogurt, and baking staples are usually a safe swap, though it's still worth comparing taste and quality on a few items before switching your whole cart over to generic brands. Checking store sales and using coupons on the name brand items you prefer can sometimes bring the price close to the generic version anyway.
Buy in bulk and stock up on non-perishables
Buying in bulk works well for items you use often and that won't spoil before you get through them. Non-perishables like canned goods, rice, pasta, and other pantry staples last a long time, so it makes sense to stock up on extra non-perishables when they're on sale rather than buying just what you need for one week.
A wholesale club membership can also be worth it if you regularly buy larger quantities of things like ground beef, poultry, or household basics, since bulk sizes usually bring the price per unit down. Just make sure the membership fee is actually paying off.
If you don't have room to store bulk items or you'll end up throwing food away before you use it, the savings won't be worth it. Portioning and freezing bulk meat, like dividing a large pack of ground beef into meal-sized portions, is an easy way to make bulk buying work without waste.
Shop seasonal produce and farmers markets
Fruits and vegetables cost less when they're in season, since local abundance drives the price down. Buying seasonal produce, and switching to frozen or canned produce when your favorites are out of season, is a budget-friendly way to keep a variety of produce on your plate year-round.
Farmers markets are also worth checking out. Farmers markets are a good source of fresh, locally grown produce, and prices on in-season items are often competitive with or lower than the grocery store, especially later in the market day. Some markets also accept nutrition assistance benefits, so it's worth asking if you participate in one of those programs.
Build smarter shopping habits
Small shopping habits make a bigger difference than most people expect. Shopping for groceries online can help you avoid impulse buys you'd otherwise pick up walking the aisles, and it lets you check what's already in your fridge and pantry before you order so you don't buy duplicates. Shopping on a full stomach, rather than when you're hungry, is another simple way to stick to your grocery list instead of your cravings.
It also helps to shop the same store consistently so you learn its sale cycle and layout, which makes it easier to spot a genuine deal versus a regular price with a big sign on it. Over time, these habits add up to a noticeably lower grocery bill without much extra effort.
Use loyalty programs and cash back to save even more
On top of smart shopping habits, loyalty programs are one of the easiest ways to lower your grocery bill without changing what's in your cart. Many grocery stores offer a free loyalty program that unlocks member-only prices, digital coupons, and personalized deals just for signing up, so it's worth joining the loyalty program at whichever store you shop most.
Cash back rewards can stack on top of that. Some banking and rewards apps let you choose a bonus spending category, like groceries, at the start of each month and then automatically earn a percentage back on purchases in that category for the rest of the month, sometimes with a higher rate available if you meet certain account requirements. Rewards earned this way are often flexible too, letting you redeem points as cash deposited into an account or a statement credit, rather than locking you into store credit you might not use.
It's also common for these programs to offer a one-time welcome bonus for new members who make an initial purchase, plus occasional limited-time bonus offers that boost your cash back rate even further on top categories.
None of these programs replace the basics of budgeting and comparing prices, but stacking a cash back program with store loyalty programs and coupons on your regular grocery shopping is a simple way to turn everyday spending into extra savings. If you already follow one of the popular budgeting methods, folding your grocery spending into it makes these savings easier to track over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meal planning is one of the easiest places to start. Building a grocery list around a weekly meal plan and sticking to it at the grocery store helps you avoid impulse purchases that quietly add up.
Comparing price per unit and switching to store-brand or generic brands for pantry staples, canned goods, and dairy items like yogurt is usually the least disruptive change, since the ingredients are often nearly identical to name brands.
It can be, especially for non-perishables and items you use regularly, like ground beef you can portion and freeze. Bulk buying only pays off if you'll actually use the item before it spoils or expires, so it's worth being realistic about your household's needs before committing to a wholesale club membership.
Yes. Produce tends to cost less when it's in season locally, since supply is higher. Frozen and canned versions of your favorite fruits and vegetables are a budget-friendly alternative when they're out of season.
Not necessarily. Prices on in-season, locally grown produce at farmers markets are often comparable to or lower than grocery store prices, and buying direct from a local farmer cuts out some of the costs added by longer supply chains.
Shopping with a list, eating something before you go, and considering online grocery ordering can all help. These habits make it easier to stick to what you planned instead of picking up extras that weren't on your grocery list.
Yes, in most cases. Joining a store's free loyalty program typically unlocks member pricing, digital coupons, and personalized deals that aren't available to shoppers who don't sign up, at no cost to join.
Many banking and rewards apps let you select a monthly bonus category, such as groceries, and earn a percentage of those purchases back as cash. Some also offer a welcome bonus for new members or limited-time offers that boost your rate further, so it's worth checking what your bank or rewards app currently offers.
Often, yes. Many generic brands share the same ingredients or are even made on the same production line as their name-brand counterparts. It's still worth trying a few items to see which ones meet your taste preferences before switching everything over.
Coupons work best when they're paired with a sale, since combining the two often brings the price lower than either discount alone. Checking your store's weekly ad before you shop and building your meal plan around what's discounted that week can stretch your grocery budget further.