Saving money on groceries is a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. You might even call it my hobby! The coupon game has changed over the years, but there are still so many ways to save.
1. Shopping the sales cycles.
When I shop this way, I can save money without using a single coupon. I’ve blogged in detail about the sales cycles, but basically here’s how it works. Most grocery stores operate on a 4-6 week sale cycle. At some point in that period, most items in the store will be discounted 40 – 50%. That’s when I want to buy that item. This is the best and easiest way to save (40-50%) on your grocery bill! 
2. Making monthly trips to Aldi.
Like it or not, Aldi’s prices can’t be beat. I’ve found that making a monthly “haul” at Aldi saves me time and money. Here are the things I stock up on during those trips:
- Granola bars/cereal bars
- Baking staples: flour, sugar, chocolate chips, baking powder, etc.
- Milk
- Canned vegetables ($.50 each)
- Fresh produce (depending on what is available)
- Lunch meat
- Block cheese
- Frozen veggies
- Frozen ground turkey (at $1.60/lb., I can’t resist. It works well in things like chili and spaghetti)
- Juice
If you’re new to shopping at Aldi, here are a few things you need to know before you go!
3. Using coupons as often as possible.
The coupon fad seems to have passed for many women. That’s not true for me! I still carry my coupon binder to the grocery store every week, and end up saving anywhere from $5-$10 with coupons each time I shop. I don’t buy a paper every week – I use the Sunday coupon insert preview to determine if the coupons in that Sunday’s paper will be worth purchasing. If there are 5 or more coupons I know I’ll use, I grab a paper on the way home from church. My smartphone saves me money on groceries as well as many items I buy at Target (cat food, cat litter, cleaning products, makeup, personal care items, etc.). Click here to see my favorite money saving apps.
Saving money on groceries is all about making it work for you. Just remember that there are ways to save – don’t leave that money on the table!
I LOVE Aldi’s. There are two within 20-25 minutes of us, but they are opening one about 10 minutes away next month. It’s going to make everything so much easier for me. And Cheaper 🙂
Sarah
Midwest Darling
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Same for me – the Aldi I shop at now is 20-25 minutes away, but a new one is opening at the end of the month and will be about 5 minutes away. I’m excited to have one so close!
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They seem to be popping up everywhere. I’m glad – they are a fantastic store. We shopped their all the time when we were in DC. There was one a few blocks from us.
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Woohoo! How did you know I needed to read this post? At my Bible study this morning, there was a big conversation about the wonders of Aldi’s, but I haven’t been yet! I was trying to get the scoop. Thank you for the list of must buys!
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Glad to help! 🙂 They also have a decent selection of organic and vegan items!
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I’d like to do a better job of paying attention to the sale cycles this year. It really hasn’t been on my radar much in the past. I’m on board with paper coupons, apps and I wish we had an Aldi!!
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Even if you just pick a few things that you always keep on hand – follow those cycles and you’ll be amazed how much you can save!
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Awesome tips! I’m trying to up my grocery saving game this year. Have you tried Walmart Savings Catcher?
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Thanks, Tif! I haven’t used the savings catcher – because I do not shop at Walmart. I’m a Target girl! 🙂
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I shop Walmart Marketplace for groceries, and Target for everything else:)
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