Sweet Frugal Life

Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

What To Do When Grocery Prices Rise

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

How to handle the rising price of food.

I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that grocery prices are increasing.  All it takes is one quick trip to the grocery store to see that food costs are much higher then they were a year ago.  According the the USDA, grocery prices in September 2021 were 4.6 percent higher then the previous September.  Which is a huge increase!  Unfortunately, the experts are warning that grocery prices are only going to continue to grow.  But, not to worry!  There are a few tricks you can do when grocery prices rise.

This article contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated from purchases made from links in this post.

 

grocery prices increasing - how to save money on groceries

1.  Adjust Your Budget

If you are currently budgeting (which I recommend) now is probably a good time to adjust your grocery budget a little.  Your budget is fluid for a reason, to be adjusted when needed.  And grocery prices rising is definitely a time when your budget needs an update.  I know that this sounds contradictory, but inflation is real, and you still have to eat.  I would rather your grocery budget be higher and you stick to the budget then have it be lower and you constantly over spend.

If you are new to budgeting make sure to grab my free budgeting cheatsheets below to help you get started!

Two years ago my family had a very consistent $100/week grocery budget.  We were eating well, feeling content and happy with our budgeted amount.

Now?  We are spending $150/week on groceries.  Do I love that we are spending so much more?  Not at all!  But, I know that my budget needs to be realistic for my needs, otherwise I will constantly be overspending, and that is not good for my budget or wallet!

Take a minute one day to sit down and really look at exactly how much money you’ve been spending on groceries over the past few months.  Use those numbers as a guideline to help you set your new grocery budget.  Be realistic, but also frugal when making your budget!

2.  Change Your Eating Habits

This might be a good time to change some of your eating habits, which I KNOW is not easy (trust me, I tooootally get it!).  Take a look at what you eat regularly and really ask yourself some hard questions.  Such as, is everything on your grocery receipt absolutely necessary?  What food could you quit buying to save a little bit of money? (I finally decided to quit buying my chocolate fudge pops to cut down my grocery bill!)  Is there some cheaper alternatives you could buy to replace the expensive items in your cart?

For Example:

  • If you consistently buy pre cut fruits and vegetables, start buying them whole instead and cutting them yourself (it really only takes a few minutes to do!).
  • Instead of buying disposable water bottles, buy one reusable water bottle you can use again and again.
  • Quit buying premade granola and make your own instead!  I love this homemade granola recipe.
  • Another tip is to avoid buying prepackaged snacks.  Buy the snack in bulk and use a tupperware container to portion out smaller sizes.

These are just a few suggestions, but there are many other easy alternatives to replacing items you eat regularly, with more affordable alternatives.  Get creative and be honest with yourself about your needs.

3.  Shop Sales

One of the quickest ways to see your grocery bill drop is to start shopping sales.  Every week grocery stores come out with a new ad highlighting the grocery deals for that current week.  

Look through these weekly ads using the free Flipp app, and then plan your grocery list and weekly menu around what’s on sale.  This might mean that you will have to go to multiple grocery stores for your weekly shopping trip, I get this is time consuming, but shopping sales is a huge savings and usually worth the hassle!

When you find those great deals, make sure to stock up to have them on hand until the next sale comes around!  Not sure what a good price is?  Grab my Stock Up Price Guide here!

4.  Use Coupons and Rebate Offers

I’ll be the first to admit that couponing isn’t as amazing as it once was ten years ago, but coupons are still a valuable way to save some extra cash when grocery prices rise.

One of the hardest parts of using coupons, is finding them!  Here are a few places I like to get my coupons from:

Another easy way to alleviate grocery costs is to use rebate offers.  Rebates are similar to coupons, but instead of getting money of the purchase price, you are giving cash back after making your purchase.  This is a great way to earn a little extra money while buying items you would be buying anyways.  My favorite rebate apps are:

My favorite way to coupon is to match a coupon with a sale and/or rebate offer.  That is when the BIG savings happens!

5.  Try Substituting Expensive Foods For Cheaper Options

Another trick to saving money on groceries is to use substitutions in recipes.  You don’t have to follow each recipe exactly!  Some recipes have a lot of expensive ingredients, which you can easily substitute for something cheaper!

For example:  if a recipe calls for 1 cup of buttermilk, don’t buy the buttermilk and mix 1 cup of milk with 1 Tablespoon of vinegar instead!  It’s cheaper and so easy!  There are many other budget friendly substitutions you can try, check them out here: Easy Food Substitutions To Save Money here.

6.  Buy Cheaper Cuts of Meat

When it comes to grocery prices increasing, meat is at the top of the list!  Currently it is hard to find some of our favorite meats for a low price.

If you can relate, I recommend you start trying a few cheaper cuts of meat.  They still taste just as good, but are much better for your wallet.  Here are some of our favorite frugal meats:

  • Chicken Thighs
  • Pork Shoulder
  • Ground Turkey
  • Bone In Pork Chops

7.  Buy Generic

Honestly, I love buying name brand when it’s on sale.  Sale prices on name brand groceries are usually much lower then generic.  But!  When you can’t find a good sale on name brand groceries (it happens!), buy generic instead (trust me!).

I use to turn my nose up to generic brand groceries, but I was so wrong!!  Many generic grocery items are even better then the store bought, but they are so much cheaper!

If you are feeling unsure of trying generic groceries, check out my list of some of my favorite generic groceries.  These all taste just as good as name brand and are a great place to start.

Even More Ways To Save Money On Groceries

If you are looking for even more tricks to save money on rising grocery prices be sure to check out Crystal Paines Slash Your Grocery Bill eBook where she shares 25 tried and true ways to spend less at the grocery store.

It’s so hard to know what to do when grocery prices rise, but these strategies should help you save more money this year.  They have all helped my family, and I know they can help yours too!

 

 

 

 

Related Articles:

10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Pantry Challenge Tips to Save Money on Groceries

10 Incredibly Easy Ways to Stretch Meals

 

Pin For Future Reference:

rising food costs - how to handle grocery prices increasing

 

I hope these tip will help you know what to do when grocery prices rise.

Honest Review of eMeals

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Is eMeals worth the money and is it right for you?

Are you looking for an honest review of eMeals?  I’m excited to share my experience with this amazing meal subscription service with you today.

A few weeks ago I decided to try out eMeals when I ran into a major meal planning rut (have you ever had one of those???).  My meal plan was feeling stale, and I felt as if I made the exact same dinners over, and over again.  I was tired of cooking, and tired of trying to come up with fresh cooking ideas. 

For years I have been hearing about a meal subscription service called eMeals.  I finally decided to try it out.  My hope was that eMeals would give me some fresh ideas and help me get out of my meal planning rut.

I am a member of online affiliate programs.  I will be compensated for purchases made through links in this post.

What Is eMeals?

If you haven’t heard about eMeals yet, then I’ll give you a quick run down!  eMeals is a meal subscription service that will send you fresh, new meal plans and dinner recipes each week.  

These meal plans are catered to your family size, needs, diets, and food preferences.  The goal is to save you time, money and to make it easier for you to get dinner on the table each night.

In addition to the meal plans and recipes, eMeals will also send you a shopping list for the meals you choose to make that week, which is so awesome!  Plus!  If you enjoy shopping for groceries online (hello, Walmart Grocery Pickup, my BFF) eMeals gives you the option to send your grocery list straight to your preferred store (Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, Instacart or Shipt), making online grocery shopping even easier than it already was!

How Does eMeals Work?

Signing up for eMeals is so easy!  First, just head over to their website and make an account.

During this process you will be asked to choose your family size between two options:

  • 1-2 servings
  • 3-6 servings

And then next you will choose the food style your family prefers.  The current options are:

  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Budget Friendly
  • Clean Eating
  • Diabetic
  • Gluten Free
  • Heart Healthy
  • Keto
  • Kid Friendly
  • Low Calorie
  • Low Carb
  • Mediterranean
  • Paleo
  • Quick and Healthy
  • Slow Cooker
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

I chose the Budget Friendly option for my family (no surprise there, amiright????).

After you have your account you will then have access to the current recipes eMeals offers.  When a new plan comes available each week you will be alerted through e-mail.

I loved using the eMeals app to browse the recipes and make my shopping list.  It was so user friendly and easy to use!

When you have picked the recipes you want to make for the week just click “Add to List.”  The ingredients you will need for that recipe will be added to your shopping list, easy peasy!

Take this list with you to the store to do your grocery shopping.  Or!  If you prefer to use an online grocery system, just send that list right over to one of eMeals grocery partners (Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, Instacart or Shipt) and done!

Now all that’s left to do is cook and enjoy the delicious eMeals recipes at home.

What Type Of Recipes Does eMeals Provide?

Honestly, one of my biggest surprises when using eMeals was the huge variety of recipes available.  There really is something for everyone, and I wasn’t expecting that.

You can choose the meal plan that works best for you and then you will be given 7 dinner recipes each week, including side dish ideas for each recipe, which I LOVED!

But, you do not have to stick to the same meal plan that you originally choose!  I switched my meal plan category a couple of times, and it was SO easy to do!  All you have to do is go into your Account, and where your Dinner Plan is listed, just click “Change”.  You can then easily select the new plan you want.  I started with Budget Friendly, and then switched to Clean Eating, and then to 30 Minute Meals.

Each of the plans I tried provided my family with delicious and easy to fix recipes.

We definitely tried a few recipes that we didn’t enjoy, but most of them have become new family favorites and will be going into my regular meal planning routine.

How Much Does eMeals Cost?

There is a price to using eMeals, but good news, you can try eMeals out for FREE for 14 days when signing up through this link.  This is a great way to become familiar with the app, try out a few recipes, and help you decide if this is the right meal subscription plan for you or not.

If you decide to keep using eMeals you can get a 12 month subscription for just $4.99/month or a 3 month subscription for only $9.99/month.


 

My Honest Opinion

Now, that I have shared all of the eMeals details with you it’s time to give you my honest opinion.

Truthfully, my expectations were low when I first signed up for eMeals….but I ended up enjoying eMeals much more than I thought I would.  I was worried that the recipes would require a lot of expensive ingredients and a lot of effort, but they really didn’t.

The meals I chose were all simple, basic, and quick to fix.  Plus, I had most of the ingredients already in my pantry, which made these recipes great for my wallet.

Who Is eMeals For?

Although I think eMeals is a great service, it is not for everyone, but I do think it can be beneficial for many people.  eMeals might be for your if:

  • You struggle finding time to Meal Plan.
  • You want to cook at home, but aren’t sure where to start.
  • You are looking for an easy way to try new recipes.

Who Is eMeals Not For?

I don’t recommend eMeals for you if:

  • You feel confident meal planning.
  • You have time to research new recipes to try.
  • Your budget is to tight to add an extra subscription plan to.

I enjoyed trying eMeals and the new recipes I received.  However, I have decided that I will not be continuing using eMeals.  I am very comfortable with meal planning and cooking, so I don’t think this is something worth spending my money on.

However, if you have been struggling cooking at home and making your meal plans, I do suggest trying this subscription service to see if it helps you or not.

In Conclusion

I really enjoyed trying this program and was so happy to find it not only useful and helpful, but a great resource for those looking for fresh meal ideas.  My favorite part of the service is that it caters to your family specific needs and eating preferences, and it really did make meal planning a lot easier!

Let me know if you try eMeals.  I would love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments!

Want New Recipes?

Are you looking for some fresh new recipes to add to your collection?

Make sure to check out my Mel’s Home Cooking Recipe eBook.  These tried and true recipes are easy to make, cheap to fix, and delicious to eat!

Grab your copy here!

Related Articles:

Pin For Later Reference:

what is emeals - review of emeals

what is emeals - meal subscription services to try

how to make meal planning easier - meal subscription review

I hope you enjoyed my honest review of emeals meals subscription service.

Cheap Foods to Buy For a Well Stocked Pantry

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Budget Friendly Foods You Should Keep Stocked.

Having a pantry stocked with frugal foods will not only help you save money on groceries, it will also curb your temptation to buy expensive take out food.  Today I get to share with you a few of the best cheap foods to buy for your frugal pantry.

Cheap Foods To Buy for Baking

First, let’s talk about cheap baking foods.  Make sure you watch the grocery stores for sales on baking items.  These sales usually come in October/November.  When you see a good baking sale stock up with enough baking supplies to last you until the next sale.

1. Flour

Flour is essential for most baking.  It is used to make breads, muffins, pancakes, and even in soups and stews.  Fortunately, flour is also very cheap!  It will stay fresh in the pantry for about a year.  You can even extend the storage time by keeping your flour in the fridge or freezer.  Easy!

2. Sugar

Sugar is another must have for baking!  It enhances flavor and is a common ingredient in many recipes.  Sugar will stay fresh in the pantry for two years, making it a great shelf stable food.

3. Baking Soda and Baking Powder

When baking from scratch you will also want both baking soda and baking powder.  If you store baking soda in your pantry will stay fresh for up to two years.  Baking powder doesn’t last quite as long and should be used within a years time.

4. Yeast

If you are wanting to make any homemade bread or pizza crust you will need yeast.  Yeast will last for 6 months on the shelf.  Or!  You can store it in the freezer (like I do) for 2 years.

5.  Vegetable Oil

Oil is another important and cheap staple to keep in your pantry.  When you see a good sale on oil, stock up.  It will stay fresh on your shelf (unopened) for two years.

6.  Cocoa

Cocoa is an important ingredient to keep stocked for a good chocolate fix, without having to spend a lot of money (just the way we like it!).  I like to use cocoa to make brownies, cakes, cookies, and hot chocolate.

 

Cheap Foods to Buy For The Pantry

Here are some great budget friendly food items I recommend keeping stocked in your pantry.

7. Pasta

Pasta is a great item to keep stocked at home.  It’s cheap, plus it can be cooked many different ways.  You know you are getting a good deal on pasta when it’s under $1/box. I love making this quick pasta bake for my family and knowing it only cost me a couple of bucks!

8. Rice

It doesn’t get much cheaper than rice!  You can use it as a side dish with fish, chicken, etc.  Or stir it into casseroles to make them a little more filling.

9. Dried Herbs/Spices

What pantry is complete without some spices?  I love cooking with spices to give my meals that flavor we all want.  Dried herbs are a lot cheaper than buying fresh. 

A few good pantry staples are:

  • Salt & Pepper
  • Chili Powder
  • Oregano
  • Basil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg

10. Condiments

Condiments are another great item to keep stocked!  They just make everything better!  We personally use ketchup, mayo and mustard the most.  Oh, and hot sauce for my husband…I don’t think he could go without it, really!

May is a great time to buy condiments, as this is when they will usually go on sale.

11. Vinegar

Vinegar is so useful in recipes and a great cleaning agent.  Plus, it’s super cheap!  Keep some stocked at all times for making marinades, salad dressings, or homemade cleaners.

12. Oatmeal

One of our favorite breakfasts are these overnight oats.  They are quick, easy, and delicious!

Oatmeal is also great to have stocked for making cookies, granola, in smoothies and of course for breakfast.  

 

Want to save even more money on groceries?  Sign up for the upcoming January Pantry Challenge below!

 

Cheap Protein Foods to Buy

We all need protein.  It keeps us feeling full and our bodies strong.  Many meats can get expensive, here are a few protein rich foods that are super cheap!

13. Canned Beans

Canned beans are an excellent source of protein.  They are also very affordable (that’s what we like to hear!).  To save even more money buy dried beans and can them yourself!

I like to use beans in burritos, soups, and stews.  They are also a great BBQ side or pot luck food.

14. Peanut Butter

If you’re looking for a kid friendly, mom approved protein, peanut butter is a wonderful option.  We like to use peanut butter in our oatmeal, sandwiches, on toast, and on apples.

15.  Ground Beef

Ground beef is something I always have stocked in my freezer.  It’s so easy to pull out for quick meals (and I like quick meals!). 

The cheapest way to stock up on ground beef is to buy it in bulk.  I recommend buying a large 5 lb, or 10 lb loaf. and separate it into 1 lb sections.  Freeze these sections in separate freezer bags and store in your freezer until ready to use.  Sometimes I’ll cook it all up before putting it into freezer bags to make meal prep even quicker. 

16.  Chicken

Chicken is one of the most frugal meats and another great item to buy in bulk!  I love the feeling of a freezer full of chicken!

Learn more how to prep bulk chicken in my article, What to do with your bulk chicken; including 6 Freezer Chicken Recipes.

17.  Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and are fairly cheap.  They will stay fresh in your fridge for about a month.  Keep eggs stocked in your fridge to use for breakfast, lunch and in baking.

 

Cheap Produce To Buy

I get a lot of concerned messages from readers who assume they can’t buy frugal foods because they like to eat a lot of produce.  Well, I am here to tell you that you can still eat healthy, including a lot of fruits and vegetables without spending a lot of money!  Here are a few cheap produce items I recommend:

18.  Frozen Vegetables

A great staple to keep stocked in your freezer are bags of frozen vegetables.  These are much cheaper than fresh vegetables and it’s nice to always have quick access to veggies.

I use our frozen vegetables as side dishes, in stir fry, soups and casseroles.

19.  Carrots

When we are talking about cheap foods to buy, I have to mention carrots!  For a cheap fresh vegetable keep a bag of carrots on hand.  I like the petite carrots, but if you buy the large unpeeled carrots they will be even less expensive.

20.  Potatoes

Potatoes are hearty, filling and versatile.  They can also be cooked in dozens of different ways.  Use them in soups and stews.  Shred them into your tacos to make it a little more filling.  Mash them, bake them, or fry them!  The possibilities are endless!

The most budget friendly way to buy potatoes is to buy a large box when they are in season and keep them in a cool, dark and dry place.  They will stay fresh for 6 months if stored correctly.  (I grew up on an Idaho potato farm, so I’m basically an expert 😉 )

21.  Canned Fruit

Watch grocery stores for case lot sales on canned fruit.  Grocery stores will often sale cases of canned goods for a greatly discounted price during case lot sales.  I love to stock up during these sales and keep the canned fruit in my pantry until the next sale.

We eat canned fruit as snacks and I put them in my kids school lunchboxes.

22.  Canned Tomatoes

Canned Tomatoes are very cheap, especially when you watch for the Case Lot Sales.  They are also great to have on hand to use in soups, stews, pasta sauce or to make some salsa (my fave!).

23.  Bananas

Bananas are one of the cheaper fruits available, and so tasty too!  Put them in smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal and eat them for lunch.

If your bananas start to go bad freeze them!  Simply peel the banana, put it in a freezer bag, and toss into the freezer.  I use these frozen bananas in smoothies and for banana bread or banana muffins.

 

Cheap Foods to Buy For Snacking

I love to snack!  Probably more than I should, fortunately there are a couple of cheap snacks that I keep on hand!

24.  Raisins

I always have a box of raisins in my pantry.  They are high in fiber and a great energy boost.  Eat raisins as snacks, throw them in a salad or mix them in your oatmeal.  They are so versatile!

25.  Popcorn

Want to know a secret about me?  I am legit addicted to popcorn.  I eat it Every.Single.Night.  It’s my very favorite food.  And fortunately, it doesn’t cost a lot of money to keep it stocked in my pantry.  My kids also love popcorn as an after school snack!

In Conclusion

There are many cheap foods to buy to keep your pantry well stocked, without breaking the bank.  Remember to keep watching for sales and deals.  And, ALWAYS use what you buy!

Pin for Later:

 

 

Save Money on Groceries With These Pantry Staples #savingmoney #frugalliving #frugallivingtips #savingmoney #debtfree #frugal #cheapfoods

cheap pantry staples - how to stock a pantry on a budget

What cheap foods do you recommend buying for a frugal pantry stock up?

10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

By: Sweet Frugal Life8 Comments

The best ways to money on groceries.

Groceries is one of the biggest monthly expenses in most households.  And, unfortunately food prices continue to rise every single day.  The good news is that this is one of the expenses that can be lowered, it just takes a little extra effort.  I’ve been learning how to save money on groceries for over a decade now.  It has taken a lot of trial and error, but I have finally found a few tricks that work.

secrets to spend less on groceries

I am a member of online affiliate programs.  I may be compensated by purchases made through links in this post.  All opinions are my own.

1.  Meal Plan

A meal plan is an essential step when trying to save money on groceries.  I recommend you browse through pinterest boards, and recipe books to give you fresh ideas of what to cook each week.  Write down everything you want to make for the week, including snacks and meals.  As you meal plan, make a list of  groceries to buy.  Take this list with you to the grocery store and only buy what you wrote down, nothing else!

A good meal plan will be written based on what you already have in your pantry and cupboards.  Take a few minutes to take inventory of what you already have at home and plan your meals around those items.

Meal planning limits impulse buys and the temptation to eat out.  Do not skip this important step!

2.  Keep it Simple

It’s fun to experiment and try making a few fancy meals.  But, when you meal plan remember to think about the cost of ingredients.  Sometimes those fancy meals have ingredients that will cost you a lot of money.

Try simplifying how you cook to save money on groceries.  You don’t need to have simple meals every day of the week, but try to plan a few meals each week that are simple and basic.

Here are a few simple dinner ideas:  breakfast for dinner, grilled cheese sandwiches, pasta bake, bean burritos, spaghetti, quesadillas, stir fry, etc.

3.  Buy What’s On Sale

As you meal plan check the weekly grocery ads to see what’s on sale for the week.  Plan your meals around those sales.  For example:  If chicken is on sale, I will plan a few meals with chicken.

If you have room in your grocery budget buy a few extra of what’s on sale.  If you buy it when it’s on sale, you will be spending less in the long run.  I like to stock up on snacks, cereal, fruit (buy fresh and freeze for later), and canned goods during sales.

The best way to check ads is by using the Flipp App.  It’s a completely free app to use and very easy to navigate.  You will enter your zipcode, select your favorite stores, and then can browse each of the ads.  There are new ads each Wednesday.

4.  Shop Your Pantry

Before you ever meal plan or even look at the weekly ads, look through your pantry.  Take a quick inventory of what you already have.  Plan your meals around those items.  Turn it into a game and try to come up with as many meals as you can, only using the ingredients you own.  This is a great way to use up the items you bought shopping sales.

If you have kids, try to make it fun for them.  Tell your kids that you are playing  Box Car Children (did anyone else love those books as kids????).  During this game they can only eat the food you can find and gather around the house.  Kids love this!

Another way I use up my pantry is by having regular YO-YO nights.  YO-YO stands for “You’re On Your Own” and is really just a fancy way of saying we are having leftovers for dinner.  When I plan Yo-Yo for dinner the family knows we are eating leftovers and whatever can be found in the pantry.  Cheapest dinner around!

5.  Utilize Cashback!

Take advantage of every cashback app available.  It hardly takes any time to scan your receipts and you get FREE MONEY!

If I ever see my husband throw a receipt in the garbage without getting cashback I ask him, “Would you ever throw 50 cents in the trash can?  No!  But when you throw away a receipt without scanning it first, it is the same as throwing away money.”  The small cashback adds up!  In the 5ish years I have been using cashback apps I have gotten hundreds and hundreds of dollars back.

My Fave Grocery Cashback Apps:

Ibotta:  The first cashback app I ever used was ibotta, and I’m still using it weekly.  It’s so easy to use!

All you have to do is shop, check the app for rebates, scan your receipt, and the money is instantly put into your ibotta account.  Easy.  Peasy.  They have a wide selection of rebates, and I can always find something to earn on.  My favorite rebates are the “any brand” rebates they often put on items such as milk, produce, pantry items, beauty and household.

*******Sign up for Ibotta with this link and you will get up to a $20 welcome bonus!  Yay!  This is the perfect way to try it out!***********

 

Discover Card:  My FAVORITE way to earn cashback is by shopping with my Discover Card.  I know a lot of people don’t like using credit cards, and I get it!  But, for me, this has been the best way for us to earn more money.

In short, when I shop with my Discover Card I automatically earn cashback on all purchases.  They give you 1% cashback on EVERYTHING and 5% on different categories that are rotated monthly.  (Currently, I am receiving 5% on groceries).

You don’t have to do anything, just use your card and your cashback will grow.  I earn around $500 cashback with Discover a YEAR, and all I do is shop like normal!

Fetch Rewards:  Fetch Rewards is hands down the easiest cashback app to use!  All you have to do download the Fetch Rewards app, scan your grocery receipt, and fetch will automatically reward you with points.  It’s seriously that easy!

These points can be redeemed for gift cards to ALLLL of your fave stores (I usually choose Amazon or Target!).  One of my favorite parts of Fetch Rewards is that your points can be redeemed for as little as $3 (3,000 points equals $3).  This makes collecting the reward quick and fun.

Checkout 51: Checkout 51 is very similar to ibotta.  You shop, scan your receipt and qualified purchases and you will get the rebated money instantly in your account.  Once you reach $20 in your account you can request your money, same as ibotta.  Most importantly, it only takes a few minutes to check for rebates and one minute to scan your receipt.  I have made over $50 cashback using Checkout 51!

6.  Cook From Scratch

The more you cook from scratch, the less money you will spend on groceries (I promise!).  I know how big the temptation is to grab the prepackaged foods at the grocery store.  But, if you really want to save money on groceries you need to learn to resist this temptation.

If cooking feels really overwhelming to you, start small with a few simple recipes.  Slowly try new things.  Don’t let a few failures get you down.  I have been cooking almost my whole life and I still make a few flops every now and then.

If you struggle finding the time to cook start meal prepping during the week.  Set aside one day each week as your meal prep day.  This might be a weekend, evening, or whenever you have free time.

Your meal prep day will be the day you cook up your meat, cut up veggies, and mix up a few snacks.  These can all be stored in your fridge to use throughout the week for meals.

7.  Buy Meat on Sale

Meat is one of the biggest grocery expenses.  Get into the habit of only buying it when it’s on sale.

One way to get cheaper meat is to buy it in bulk.  Look for places selling bulk meat, like Butcher Box, and stock up when they are having sales.

7.  Shop Less Often

How many times have you gone to the grocery store for “just one thing” and left with a cart full of food?!?!?  It has happened to me more times than I would like to admit!  The less times we go to the grocery store, the less money we will spend (I know you’re shocked right).

The next time you feel that temptation to run to the store for one little thing, don’t do it!  Instead, figure out how to make it work without buying that one ingredient.  Look up a good substitute ingredient, or find something else to make.  I promise your bank account will thank you!

8.  Calculate Your Spending

Make sure you don’t go over your grocery budget by keeping track of how much you are spending while at the grocery store (before checking out!).  Whip out your phone calculator and add up each item as you put it into your shopping cart.

This helps keep you on track so there is no surprises at the checkout counter.  If you see you are going over your budget, take some of the food out of your cart and put them back on the shelf.

The EASIEST way to keep track of how much you spend while grocery shopping is to shop using Walmarts Free Grocery Pickup.  This is probably the best invention ever.  Not only does it save me time and sanity (hello no crying kids in the grocery cart), but it also saves me so much money!

The Walmart Grocery App is easy to use.  Just open it up, click the items you want to add to your cart, and then check out when done!  You will select a time and day to pick up your groceries at your nearest Walmart.  A nice Walmart employee will bring your groceries out straight to your car and load them up for you!  It’s the best!!

Grocery shopping this way helps me easily keep track of how much I am spending.  Before I check out I look at how much money I have spent, if I have gone over the grocery budget I delete a few items until I get to the right amount.  I haven’t gone over budget since I started doing this!

********If you want to try Walmarts Free Grocery Pickup (AKA My Favorite Thing Ever!) you can get $10 off your first order by using this link!

9.  Buy Generic

I use to be such a name brand snob (not proud of it) and insisted I would never buy generic.  Many years later I am so glad I saw the error of my ways.  Most generic grocery brands are just as good as the name brand, sometimes even better!  I now wish I would have realized this earlier, we could have saved so much more money!

Try buying less name brand and more generic and you will notice a huge savings on your grocery spending.  This is such a simple change that can make a big difference.

10.  Meatless Mondays

Spend less money on expensive meats by incorporating a few meatless meals into your weekly meal plan.  We like to have Meatless Mondays, which is one day every week when I plan a meal without meat.  You can set up your meatless days however works best for you.

I have found the best meatless meals are meals with beans, quinoa, soups and pastas.

BONUS

11.  Learn from Others

One of the best things I have one for my grocery budget is to study!  I read blogs, follow money saving Instagram accounts, and do what I can to study and learn from others grocery tips.  It takes time, and it takes a little bit of effort, but it has helped me tremendously!

One of my favorite blogs to follow is Money Saving Mom.  She gives realistic advice to help moms (and anyone!) save money.  I actually just bought her BRAND NEW ebook Slash Your Grocery Bill:  25 Tried and True Strategies and was so impressed!  She goes over 25 of the best methods to save money on groceries, giving details and easy to follow instructions.

I actually had no idea you could freeze baking mixes until I ready this book (it’s shared in tip #16!).  I am planning on whipping up a few baking mixes today and sticking them in my freezer for later use.

The best part is she has the book on sale for only $8.50!  Don’t waste any time and download Slash Your Grocery Budget today!  It is full of so much money saving goodness!

In Conclusion

I know you save money on groceries!  Try a few of the tips in this article, the more you try, the more you will save.  The most important thing is to never quit.  It takes constant effort to spend less at the grocery store.  I know you can do it!

Want to see exactly how I grocery shop each week on my $500 grocery budget?  Check out my YouTube video below!

 

Pin This Article For Future Shopping Trips:

how to save more money on food

cut grocery budget tips

I know you can save money on groceries with these strategies.

How To Make A Meal Plan For Beginners

By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

Easy tips to start meal planning.

“How do I make a meal plan?” is a question I receive regularly.  Meal planning is something I have been doing for over 15 years, and it has become second nature to me.  I meal plan every single week, without fail.  But…

I actually hate meal planning.  There, I said it!  I really don’t like to meal plan.  I feel like I plan the same things every week.  It feels impossible to ever find something that everyone in the family will be happy with (there is always a complaint from someone).  Meal planning feels like a chore, trying to come up with quick meals for the nights we are busy, cheap meals to help our pocketbook, and everything else in between.  It’s a hassle. 

But, I continue to plan our meals regularly, and I will keep doing so probably until the day I die.

So, if you are new to meal planning or feel like it is stressful, you are not alone!  I get it!  Let me teach you the tricks I have learned to help make meal planning a little easier.

how to make meal planning easier - how to start making a meal plan

This article contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated for purchases made through links in this post.

How Does Meal Planning Save Money?

It’s no secret that if you want to save money on food, cooking at home is the way to do it. 

However, cooking at home does not mean you randomly put food in your grocery cart and then come up with a new recipe each day.  Cooking at home takes thought, planning and some prep work.  When you meal plan correctly you will find you save money in multiple ways.

1.  Meal Planning Prevents Impulse Shopping at the Grocery Store

When you plan ahead each week you are able to know exactly what you need to buy at the grocery store.  This prevents buying “this” or “that” completely on impulse….just because it looks good in the moment.

2.  Meal Planning Prevents Stops for Take Out Food

If you have already planned your meals for the week and you know that you have ingredients at home waiting to be cooked you will be much less likely to stop on your way home from work to grab quick take out food.  Cooking at home is much cheaper than eating out and the less you stop at a restaurant the more money you will save.

3.  Meal Planning Reduces Waste

A good meal plan will help you eat up the food you already have in your home to prevent any food going to waste.  When food is thrown out, it’s the equivalent of throwing money out and meal planning will help you reduce this waste.

How to Meal Plan, your complete guide about how to plan your meals, what to do when you struggle and free meal planning printables. menu printable | how to meal plan | meal plan help | meal planning tips | meal plan printable | free printables | meal plan for moms | family meal plan #mealplanning #mealplan #frugalliving

How Do I Begin Planning Meals?

When you are new to meal planning, it might feel a little stressful or confusing.  Don’t worry!  This is normal!  Follow these simple steps for a successful meal plan.

Step #1:  Shop Your Pantry First

Before you sit down to plan out your weekly menu, take a quick inventory of your pantry, your fridge, your freezer and your cupboards.  Take note of what foods you already have in your house.  Figure out a few meals you can make with the foods you already own.

For example:  If I see chicken, rice and beans in my freezer and pantry than I might plan chicken and rice casserole one night and chicken and bean burritos the other night.

Step #2:  Look Through Weekly Ads To Find the Best Deals

Use the free Flipp App to browse the weekly ads in your area.  Plan a few meals based on what is on sale for the week.  For example:  if I find Zucchini on sale than I might plan to make zoodles sometime during the week.

This might require you to stop by a few different stores, which I once avoided because it felt to time consuming.  Now that I take the time to shop sales at multiple stores I have found a huge decrease in the amount of money I spend on groceries.

Step #3:  Make The Plan

Now that you have a few meals based on your own food inventory and the current sales, it’s time to fill in the blanks.  Look through pinterest or your favorite cook books to plan the rest of your meals for the week.  To decrease your weekly expenses even more try to choose recipes needing ingredients that you already have at home.

If you are struggling finding the time or motivation to begin meal planning consider subscribing to Emeals.  With a very affordable small fee Emeals will do all of your weekly meal planning for you! I tried it last year and was seriously impressed, you can read my full emeals review here.

Their service is complete with shopping lists, recipes and instructions.  They offer a variety of plans so you can choose the diet and taste preference that works best for you!  Subscribers have been able to save over $100 each month and at least an hour weekly in not having to sit down and plan.  Try the Free 14 Day Trial to see if Emeals is right for you!


eMeals

Step #4:  Make The Grocery List

The next step is to make your grocery list.  Look through what you planned for each day and make a grocery shopping list based on the meals you will be cooking throughout the week.  Don’t forget to include any snacks your family will want!

I personally do my grocery shopping at the same time that I make my shopping list.  This is done by using Walmarts Free Grocery Pickup.  I simply open the app, type in what I need for the week and then press check out!  All that’s left is to pick it up the next day.  It is a huge time saver! 

Step #5:  Grocery Shop While Sticking To Your List

If you choose not to use Walmart’s Free Grocery Pickup your next step will be to go shopping at the grocery store.  This is an important part of meal planning. 

As you shop make sure you are sticking to the shopping list that you made in step #4.  Do not buy items just because they look good or are on sale.  You have made your meal plan and only need to buy the items that fit into the plan.

Step #6:  Implement Your Meal Plan

Now it’s time to put your plan into action!  When you are new to meal planning you might feel tempted to stray from your original plan.  As life gets busy, you get tired, it’s easy to fall into old habits.  I encourage you not to do this!  Especially not when you are new to planning your meals.  This is an important time to form a new habit!

You will find some trial and error as you are adjusting to meal planning, this is normal, don’t let it discourage you!  Maybe you forget to buy a few important ingredients, perhaps you are to busy to fix what you planned.  This happens to us all!  Be willing to learn from each mistake, adjust each week and through time you will find what works best for you, and what doesn’t work.

Meal Planning Struggles and Solutions

I asked Instagram today what a few of their Meal Planning struggles were.  Below are a few of those problems and my tips for overcoming them.

Struggle #1:  “Too Much Repetitiveness”

It is normal to feel like you are making the same thing over and over again in your meal plan.  We have all felt this way from time to time!  Here are a few ways to keep variety in your meal plan:

  • Daily Theme Nights

Choose a theme for each day of the week.  This ensures you are making something different every night and keeping a variety in your menu.  Your themes could be:

Meatless Monday:  A lot of times this might revolve around pasta.

Taco Tuesday:  It doesn’t have to be tacos, fajitas, enchiladas or a big taco salad works too!

Soup Wednesday:  Try a new soup recipe until you find a few favorites.

Rice Thursday:  Make something with rice today.  Perhaps a chicken and rice casserole, sweet and sour chicken with rice….you get the idea!

Pizza Friday:  Make a homemade pizza using this recipe or try a few different pizza hacks.

Easy Saturday:  Plan an easy meal for Saturday; such as breakfast for dinner, a can of soup or a frozen lasagna.

Slow Cooker Sunday:  Put your slow cooker to use on Sundays, or maybe try a few instant pot recipes.

  • Try a New Recipe Regularly

Pick one day each week to try a new recipe.  Perhaps Monday will be your New Recipe Day.  Some of these recipes you will probably dislike, but over time you will find a few new favorites to add to your regular rotation.

I have a couple of different pinterest boards dedicated to helping me find new recipes.  One board is called “Food To Try” and the other board labeled “Food We Loved.”  When I want to try a new recipe I simply look through my Food to Try board and pick one for the week.  If we love it I will move it over to the Food We Loved board until I am ready to print it out and add it to my recipe binder.


 

  • Plan Meals Well in Advance

Plan your meals 4-6 weeks in advance to guarantee you won’t have any duplicate dinners during that time.  A 6 week rotation should give you plenty of variety.

 

Struggle #2:  Sticking to the Plan

Some days you might plan to make a big and fancy dinner, and then the day comes and you just don’t feel like making it anymore.  Been there…so many many times I have been there!  Here are a few solutions that have helped me to stick to the plan.

  • Meal Prep in Advance

Do as much meal prep in advance as you can.  If you have a day off from work or a free evening, spend time chopping veggies and cook your meat ahead of time.  You can keep these already prepped foods in the fridge until it’s time to prepare the meal.  This saves a lot of time and will make cooking so much easier after a long day.

  • Be Flexible

It’s ok to change up the plan every now and then.  If you are having a hard day and just don’t feel like cooking what you planned, feel free to cook something else!  If you planned sandwiches for Friday, make sandwiches on the day you are feeling tired and make the more involved meal on Friday.

It’s helpful to have a few staples in your home at all times so if you need to cook something different that night, you can.  Breakfast for dinner is one that I do regularly when I don’t feel like cooking.  I am able to make pancakes using the ingredients I already have at home and call it a meal.

 

Struggle #3:  Planning for Different Tastes/Diets

It’s hard planning a menu for people who all have different palates and taste preferences.  I get it!  Maybe he doesn’t eat gluten, she hates red meat, and the little one refuses to eat anything healthy.  This makes meal planning even more stressful than it already was!  Here are a few suggestions to help this struggle:

  • Provide a Variety of Sides

Instead of trying to find a dinner that everyone in your family will like, provide a variety of sides so that there is something for everyone.  If you make chicken and you know your daughter won’t eat it, make a few healthy foods to go along with the chicken so that you know she will be filling up on something good.

  • Rotate The Meals

Rotate the meals that you cook throughout the week so that everyone will get a favorite at least once or twice during the week.  I usually ask each of my kids for one dinner request for the week.  They are always excited for the night when I cook their specific request.  This ensures everyone is always looking forward to something!

 

You Can Meal Plan!

You can read as many articles as you want, but honestly the best way to learn how to meal plan and to find what works best for you is to just begin and never quit.  Keep trying, keep planning, keep staying focused on the goal of saving money on food and you will find a way to make it work!  Feel free to reach out in the comments or my inbox with any questions!  I am always happy to help!

 

 

 

Related Articles:

How To Make A Recipe Binder

10 Quick Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Pin For Later:

meal planning made easy - how to save money with a meal plan

I hope this article helped you learn how to make a meal plan!

 

Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer