20 Smart Tips For Grocery Shopping On A Budget

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You've probably gone to the grocery store recently and noticed you're paying more for many of the items you purchase regularly, like bacon or cereal. Across the country, food prices have been on the rise, with the Bureau of Labor statistics reporting a 0.3% increase in grocery store and supermarket foods prices from July to August 2021. 

The rising price of groceries is the result of a number of different factors, from extreme weather events to increases in global shipping costs to shortages in materials used for packing food. In fact, food companies like Tillamook and General Mills have already announced they're passing price increases on to consumers. 

For many Americans, increased prices across the board — on groceries, gas, cars, homes and electronics — means they need to become savvier when shopping. Select spoke with two budget food bloggers and compiled some of their best tips for saving money when grocery shopping.

1. Be aware of 'shrinkflation'

Food companies have a few ways of dealing with rising costs, and one tried-and-true tactic is "shrinkflation," where the company makes the packaging smaller while keeping the price the same. On the Reddit thread r/shrinkflation, complaints abound about shrinking maple syrup jugs and cereal boxes. In fact, Tillamook announced that it would be reducing the size of its ice cream carton without changing the price.

Since most consumers pay attention to the price of an item and not the price per weight, you might be spending more on food but getting less without even noticing.

Erin Chase, a blogger at $5 Dollar Dinners, recommends that people pay close attention to the price per ounce or per pound that's listed on the store label so you don't just assume the biggest item or store brands are always cheaper.

People should also be aware of other marketing traps that companies use to sell their products, says Chase. Items placed at eye level are often more expensive because companies pay a premium for that space. Don't go into the grocery store with a plan to purchase the first items you see. Take the time to compare prices before dropping items in your cart.

2. Buy less meat

There has been a dramatic increase in the price of meat, poultry and eggs, which has risen nearly 16% from August 2019 to August 2021. Rising meat prices have been caused by many different factors including severe heat and droughts that have killed the hay that cattle eat and wage increases for employees at meat processing plants.

If you're spending more on meat than on other food categories when you go grocery shopping, there's a simple way to trim your bill: Buy less meat. 

Meat is often the most expensive component of the meal, says Chase. Cutting down on your meat consumption can be as simple as implementing a few meatless days a week or using less meat in your recipes.

You can use half the amount of meat that's called for in recipe or substitute in cheaper ingredients, suggests Beth Moncel, a blogger at Budget Bytes. For ground beef, sub in beans, lentils and/or mushrooms. For chicken, sub in white beans and extra vegetables

If you're not interested in cutting down on your meat consumption but still want to save money, you can also find meat sales at your local grocery stores and build your meal plan around what's on sale that week, says Chase. 

3. Plan ahead

Grocery stores are laid out to encourage people to spend more and to spend impulsively — from the seasonal goods you pass by when you enter to the cheap chocolate bars and chips lining the checkout aisles. In order to avoid those impulse purchases, you should make a plan for what you want to cook that week and what you need to buy. 

"Pick out at least one or two recipes you know you're going to make that week, put them on your schedule so that you can hold yourself accountable and actually plan to have time to make them," says Moncel.

Then when you head to the grocery store, make sure to have a list of what you need and stick to it. When you have a meal plan in mind, you're less likely to wander around aimlessly trying to figure out what to buy. And make sure you never shop hungry.

4. Use an app to save money

Cutting coupons that you receive in your Sunday newspaper seems like a thing of the past, but thanks to apps like Ibotta and Rakuten, consumers can receive rebates or cash-back on their grocery purchases.

Both Ibotta and Rakuten offer rebates on grocery items purchased from national chains like Walmart and Target. You can receive rebates on items purchased in-store or online, so you can use it regardless of how you're grocery shopping. 

Moncel and Chase both recommend the Flipp App, which allows customers to enter their location and find coupons and sales for grocery stores in their area. 

Ibotta

On Ibotta's secure site

• Cost

  Free

• How to save

  Activate cash-back offers and clip digital coupons to get cash back on purchases.

• How to use it

  Download the Ibotta app or the browser extension.

• How to receive your savings

  Redeem cash back once you reach $20 as a deposit into your bank account, PayPal account or for gift cards.

Terms apply.

Rakuten

Information about Rakuten has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the company prior to publication.

• Cost

  Free

• How to save

  Get cash back on eligible purchases, automatic coupons and price comparisons.

• How to use it

  Shop on Rakuten.com, the Rakuten app or install the browser extension.

• How to receive your savings

  Cash back is awarded every 3 months by check or PayPal payment.

Terms apply.

5. Use a grocery rewards card

By using the right card when checking out at the supermarket, you can end up saving a lot of money on groceries. There many credit cards that have higher rewards on groceries such as the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.

The Blue Cash Preferred offers cardholders 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) and there's a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See rates and fees)

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

On the American Express secure site

• Rewards

  6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

• Welcome bonus

  Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months. 

• Annual fee

  $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

• Intro APR

  0% for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening

• Regular APR

  19.24% - 29.99% variable. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.

• Balance transfer fee

  Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

• Foreign transaction fee

  2.7%

• Credit needed

  Excellent/Good

See rates and fees, terms apply.

If you're looking for a card with no annual fee, you might consider the Freedom Flex or the Freedom Unlimited, as both offer a grocery benefit for the first year of card membership. 

Cardholders can earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

If you want a card with rotating categories, you should opt for the Freedom Flex, but if you want a card with a flat cash-back rate, the Freedom Unlimited offers 1.5% back on all eligible purchases.

Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.