4 Ways to Save On Groceries You Haven’t Thought Of

Stores constantly tempt shoppers with items that they don’t need to buy. As you walk the aisles of your neighborhood grocery store, you may find yourself throwing potato chips, magazines and other items you don’t need into your cart.

Creating a meal plan at the beginning of each week will help you stick to the ingredients that you need to buy. That way, you avoid spending extra money on unnecessary items. It’s the idea behind popular meal kits: Everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Companies charge more for packaged food because they have to spend time making and marketing the products. Sure, packaged food is convenient, but it’s expensive compared to meals that you make from fresh ingredients.

When you go to the store, spend most of your time in the produce section. You’ll save money while making your meals more nutritious.

Instead of shopping at grocery stores, head to a nearby farmers market to buy your fruits and vegetables. Local farmers often charge lower prices because they sell to you directly. The supermarket, after all, is a middleman that has to charge higher prices to earn money.

For even more savings, visit the farmers’ market immediately before it closes. Vendors are often willing to sell their produce at discounted prices. If they don’t sell everything, then they have to pack up the items and take them back to the farm. Giving you a discount helps farmers earn more money and avoid extra work.

Meat, cheese and other animal products cost a lot more than you might realize. The next time you go shopping, compare a package of hamburger meat to a bag of black beans. You’ll see that the beans cost significantly less.

Avoiding animal products does more than help you save money at the grocery store. You’ll also avoid expensive visits to the doctor. Consumption of meat, dairy and eggs is connected to some of the country’s most common health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Incorporating these tips into your shopping routine will help you lower your grocery bill. Even if you already are reducing food waste and saving quite a bit of money, you can always find creative ways to save more.