Trying to get back into the swing of things and writing about more than just Wyatt! I wanted to lay out how I am able to spend only two hundred dollars a month at the grocery store and because of this strict amount, we are able to put so much more money aside. It helps with my background of growing up in a family that was always looking to save money and only had one income growing up. Here are a few of the tips I live by when it comes to going to the grocery store:

Only one grocery store run a week:

I can’t even believe that I used to go to the grocery store multiple times a week for just a few things. Looking back that seems like such a waste of precious time. Changing to this style on going on Friday mornings only has made it way easier to track what I spend and don’t waste money on extra things I don’t need.

Look at the ad before getting to the store

Wednesday mornings, our local grocery stores ad comes out for the week and right away I look at it for items I am needing, or want to stock up on when they are on sale. You still have to be careful that something is in the ad and barely on sale, but often there is really good deals and our snacks/meals often revolve around what was on sale that week.

Have a list and stick to the list

Seriously without a list I forget SO many things that I need and with only going to the store once a week, you can’t just run in and pick up what you forget so lists are vital. I’m a little nutty and put it in order of the store so that I don’t backtrack, but I try my hardest to only buy things that I have on my list to not waste money on things that catch my eye.

Have meals planned for week before

I’m not always the best at this, but since returning back to work it is necessary that I have the meals planned out so that I can have food on the table when I get home from work and my husband wakes up. I then see what I already have, write down what I will need to make the meal, and I am set to make my meals for the week. I also have a great freezer meal stock so I can always resort to one of those if my meal doesn’t work out/plans change, which is nice to fall back on.

Know rock bottom prices and when to buy

Like I said I am a little crazy when it comes to grocery shopping, but I usually plan my meals and snacks around what is on sale. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it is the best deal however. I know that 2 cup cheese bags are usually $2.29 each, however they are often on sale for $1.66 which seems like a good deal and is! However, I also know that the lowest price I’ve ever seen for cheese is $1.00. When I know the rock bottom prices for items and I see them in the ads at those prices I will stock up. Obviously I can’t do this on everything, however I do it often with chicken, pork, cheese, peanut butter, canned goods, and anything else that will last a long time. Also knowing when to buy is important, because I can almost guarantee if there is a good sale on cheese this week, there won’t be any sale for at least two weeks and to stock up until the next sale.

Just a few tips that make me more successful and less wasteful at the grocery store. About once every other month I try to take an inventory of what I have and think of meals that I can make from items I already have. Stocking up only saves you money if you use it before it goes bad!