Our Top Tips for Saving Money on Groceries | Cleveland Bradley County Teachers Federal Credit Union

Groceries are certainly an inevitable household expense, but boy, can they get expensive. While shopping for food to cook at home is still much cheaper than eating out, the average American family will spend over $400 a month on groceries alone.

Though healthy meals cooked at home are a worthwhile investment, there are some key ways that families can bring this figure down. Read on for our favorite tips!

How to Save Money at the Grocery Store

Compare the prices of different stores. Because most grocery stores update their flyers every week, there is a lot of potential savings to be had for the savvy shopper. One store might be running a special on produce that can’t be missed, while another may have all the pantry staples to stock up on. While this can take time, shopping around is quite the smart way to save.

Implement meatless meals into your week. Meatless Monday goes beyond simply being a great health trend—it can be a great trend for your wallet, too. While many people reflexively think of meat as a dish to have with every meal, the cost per gram of protein is much higher for meats than it is for shelf-stable items such as beans or lentils. Even by incorporating a few meatless meals into your week, you can cut down on your grocery bill quite a bit.

Take advantage of the loyalty programs. It seems like every store has its own loyalty program these days, which can be quite frustrating—but they really can help you save. Most stores have exclusive deals for loyalty club members, and because these clubs are free to join, these savings can really add up (especially if your store does gas points or other perks for shopping with them). Fortunately, you can typically unsubscribe from the endless emails and text promotions from each store and can simply reap the rewards of the savings.

Start with your own pantry. Before making your grocery list, see how you can shop your own pantry to cut down on costs. Building meals around shelf-stable items such as beans, diced tomatoes and other canned goods that you already have on hand will prevent food waste and help you save.

If you need somewhere to put all of your newfound savings, look no further! We have a variety of savings and CD accounts to help you hit your goals. Contact us today to learn more.