Updated on April 26, 2025
Groceries does not have to be a lot of money. Buying groceries for the month does not have to eat up your income and there are ways that you can save on groceries. But before I talk about the savings, I want to mention a budget grocery calculator you can use.
Using a calculator on Iowa State University’s website, you can get an estimate of a spending plan based on the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Low-Cost Food Plan. I thought that this calculator was neat and offers you direction on how to budget. You fill out a brief questionnaire so that information can be gain to include your age and how many meals you eat outside of the home. Once you put in the information, you get an estimate. You are asked, “how does what you spend on groceries compare to the estimate below?” Here are the results below for only myself as one person.
Based on the latest prices, USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan indicates your family can achieve a nutritious diet that meets current Dietary Guidelines for Americans by spending an estimated:
$61.92 per week
$268.30 per month
REDUCTION IN PRICE FOR BBD GROCERIES
You can get a 30 percent to around 50 percent off certain groceries items. These grocery items can include reduced prices for “best by date” grocery items. You can normally find deals like this at Walmart.
Grocery Guide
Grocery shop with a list with stickers as your guide.
It does not matter if the savings are 15 percent or 50 percent, a deal is a deal. Right?
Outside Help
You can get food items from outside help. When I say outside help, I mean organizations or churches that have pantries that offer food items to the public. Typically, the food items from churches are can foods and dry food items. This could lower your grocery bill as you do not have to buy as much groceries since the food from the church can be used as a supplement.
Along the same line of help from churches, you could save on meals from church events such as Bible studies. I remember I went to a community center that offered Bible studies once a week and offered meals after Bible study. The meals would come from local restaurants that had leftover or extra food that they donated. The food was not your yuck or repulse food, I recall the food being delicious. Going this route, can also lower your grocery bill.
Bargain Outlet Stores
Bargain outlet stores offer 50 percent off on food items the already low prices. Sometimes, these stores offer 75 percent off on food items. Yes! 75 percent off! That huge percentage typically comes from markdowns due to items about to approach the “best by” or “use by date”. Just like grocery stores, bargain outlet stores have clearance sections. Check them out!
Bargain outlet stores also offer coupons that can be applied to their typical discount prices. The discount prices are on average 40 to 50 percent lower than grocery stores. Although discount stores don’t offer a cold food section, it offers items like spices, rice, beans, soups, pastas, cereals, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, snack items and miscellaneous food items. The food items are from brands like Kelloggs. And the best part on average the prices are 50 percent lower than the average grocery store. Most of the items are not from generic brands.
Now I remember telling my grandmas about the low prices for name brand food items. She could not believe it. She asked, “for the same brand?” To get more information on specific bargain outlet stores and a trick on using coupons there. Download my guide.
Grocery Planner
When you go to the grocery store, take a planner with you. You probably are thinking why do I need a planner? I say bring a planner so that you can jot important food items on your planner’s calendar. These dates include food that is a few days to up to two weeks about to go out of date. You do this so that you can come back at a later day in order to purchase these items at a discount. Employees at grocery stores typically mark down dates a day to three days before the date goes out. For instance, this is the case for bakery goods in stores.
Pro Tip: Also, sometimes employees forget or the store may be short staffed to put markdown dates on items. If this happens, you can request a discount especially if for example it a cake that features a use by date the day of or day before.
You could look through your planner periodically. So having a planner with you while shipping is a good way to save money for groceries.
Newspaper Coupons
Although most of the coupons you may obtain are 50 cents to $1.00. It adds up. The Sunday edition of newspapers offer a variety of coupons.
Damaged Packaging
Ask for a discount for damaged packaging.
Meal Prep
Meal prep to avoid from eating out.
In your meal prep, if you have lettuce there is a good way to store it. Put it in a glass jar with a paper towel at the top end and bottom end. Your lettuce will retain its freshness longer.
Department Stores
You can get grocery items from department stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. The food items are very limited but you could get spices and snack items from these department stores for a low price. This is especially the case if the store has a 20 percent off sale or you have a coupon.
Friends and Family
When I say friends and family, I do not mean the actual people. I mean a “friends and family” sale. Department stores do these sales.
BJs
BJs has great prices. For example, the carbonated beverage called sparkling ice with different flavors is sold at BJs for a deal. As of May 2024, you can get a case of 24 bottles for only $18.99.
Farmer’s Market
Buy from a farmer’s market to save on produce.
Frozen fruits and Vegetables
Buy frozen fruits and vegetables they last longer and you can eat them months later instead of within a few days of purchasing them.
Grocery Subscription Services
There are a number of ways to save. You can save money with a subscription service since you can save on time it takes to try to figure out a meal plan.
There are subscription services like Hello Fresh and Thrive Market. Hello Fresh is a subscription meal plan. I first heard of Hello Fresh while watching videos on Youtube. I thought it was a great plan. You get to choose from whether you want a subscription meal box with that caters to those that eat meat, seafood diets like pescatarians or vegetarians.
Hello Fresh has affordable subscription boxes. A nice incentive when using Hello Fresh is the significant discount you receive as a first time subscriber. For instance for three meals a week for two people totals $59.94. This averages to $4.99 per serving. With a first time subscriber discount, the box will cost $29.93.
Apps
The Too Good To Go app is great for saving money on groceries. According to the website, with the app you get a chance to enjoy food at half the cost. Also you get the opportunity to “rescue food near you.” Meaning you get food locally that is typically wasted.
Another helpful too is the No Waste app. This app helps you keep track of when food expires and helps you with shopping lists.
