Alimi Samuel
 Regarding grocery shopping, nothing feels better than getting the best deals. Prices of essentials in America have continued to climb, and adopting intelligent, cost-saving strategies could be your saving grace to slashing grocery bills. An internet community of savvy consumers wants to show you how you can cut expenses without compromising on the quality of your food.
1. Look Out for Cheap Food Schemes
A first user says they’ve been able to cut down grocery expenses by opting for localized schemes seeking to deliver food crates nearing expiration for meager prices. A second user adds that she sometimes “gets stuff from ‘TooGoodToGo’ instead of ordering takeaway,” explaining that as low as $4.45, you can “get you a few sandwiches/wraps and something for dessert” from Starbucks.
2. Compare Prices per Unit
An individual wants you to compare prices per unit or ounce, especially for cereals, nuts, and canned goods. A second thread participant upvotes this cost-slashing tip, adding that opting for less-known brands can also help save a few dollars.
3. Replace Meal Deals With Packed Lunches
Sharing her grocery cost-saving tip, one contributor explains how you can penny-pinch on food by replacing pricey meal deals with packed lunches. “It’ll cost you $4.45 for a meal deal for one day or $22.27 a week per person. You could, instead, buy things for a packed lunch, and it would only cost you roughly $8.91 for the week.”
4. Eat Asian Foods
Someone advises other thread participants to consider Asian foods because they are cheap and easy to source while providing the body’s essential nutrients. A respondent concurs that Asian foods are affordable and easier to make in batches and freeze portions.
5. Have a Shopping List
According to a regular shopper on the forum, a shopping list helps you curtail spending excesses. He advises avoiding shopping when you are hungry, as it could influence your desire for impromptu buying.
6. Swap Expensive Meat Cuts for Lentils
Several people on the thread consider lentils as a versatile food ingredient, and one individual says they’ve replaced meat with lentils in some recipes since it is healthier and cheaper to source. One other person, however, thinks more than a daily meal of lentils could result in stomach discomfort, so check in with your body before going in on this idea!
7. Compare Supermarket Prices
If you shop with big-name brands, one user advises you to compare the prices of items online before hitting the store. A second user says you can use apps like Trolley to compare prices across all major supermarkets.
8. Make a Meal Plan
One user explains that a meal plan can be your saving grace when grocery shopping. “I plan my meals two weeks in advance. Some people can’t decide what they want for dinner today, let alone five days from now, but this is the key to saving on waste.”
9. Substitute Dried Beans for Canned
“Dried beans are not only cheaper, but they are healthier and easy to prepare,” according to someone on the thread. A second person was concerned with soaking dry beans if one doesn’t own a pressure cooker, but a savvy cook instructs that with a bit of planning ahead, you can enjoy beans by soaking them overnight.
10. Limit Convenience Foods
Convenience foods, by the account of a contributor, save time but are not cost-effective. A second contributor says they feel safer opting for cheap, fresh foods and putting in the extra minutes cooking their meals than eating convenient foods all the time.
11. Clip Coupons and Use Digital Apps
Coupon clipping, someone claims, is a fantastic way of saving money on groceries. A second person advises that you consider apps like “Motatos and Toogoodtogo” for the cheapest food deals. A third person adds that Toogoodtogo allows shops to “sell semi-random bundles of what they need to get rid of” at wildly affordable rates.
12. Store Loyalty Programs
One user says they use Clubcard+ to get discounts on purchases. “I plan meals two weeks in advance and go for a sizeable two-weekly shopping where I spend $76-$89 each time. I also use a club card and get an extra 10% off my purchase. Then I do a small shopping trip every other week, which only comes to about $20 to $25. I buy all the expensive stuff on the two weekly trips for a higher discount. Our food bill has dropped significantly from $100 to $50 weekly just because we plan our meals.” That’s a significant saving!
Source: Reddit
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