Grocery shopping can be one of the hardest chores to get used to when you move out on your own. It’s hard to know what to buy, when to buy it, and how much you should get. Here are some quick tips to help make your trips to the grocery store a little easier:

Make a List
Making a list can save you both time and money at the store. When you know what you need you don’t have to guess what might sound good three days later, and you can be in and out with minimal thinking. Once you get to know your local grocery store, try organizing your list by aisle. This can help save you time while shopping.

Plan Ahead
Try planning your meals out for the week before you go shopping. This will help you to create a comprehensive list of everything you need and can also save you time and extra trips during the week. If you’re looking to save some money, consider planning meals that use some of the same ingredients so that fewer ingredients to need to be purchased. It can sometimes be cheaper to buy certain foods in bulk, and having a plan that incorporates these foods in multiple meals throughout the week can be a great strategy to avoid any food waste.  

Don’t Go Hungry
This is common but true advice. Going to the store when you’re hungry may result in a lot of extra items in your cart; which can then result in more money and more food that goes to waste. When you’re hungry, it’s also a lot harder to resist the temptation of your sweet tooth and your grocery list may evolve into a list of sweets and salty snacks.

Shop the Perimeter First
The perimeter of the store tends to be where you find your fresh produce, meats, and dairy. Shopping the outside of the store first will ensure that you get all of your fruits and vegetables and unprocessed wholesome meats. Once you’ve selected those, don’t forget to venture down the center aisles for items like beans, whole grains, and frozen vegetables.

Look for Coupons or Off-Brand Items
While making your grocery list, look at local grocery store ads or venture onto a coupon website. Two of the most popular websites are Coupons.com and SmartSource.com. There are also many apps that help you locate coupons, like Ibotta and SnipSnap. Most of the time you can find items on sale or coupons to help decrease your grocery shopping trip cost. You can also save some money buying store brand/off brand items. Major food companies will pay top dollar to have their items at eye level. If you venture to the bottom of the shelves, you’ll find less expensive options. These items are often produced in the same facility as the name brand items but are sold for less.

Keep your Cupboards Full
Stock up on non-perishable items such as canned beans or soups, brown rice, and frozen vegetables. These pantry staples can help get you through those weeks when you can’t get to the store.

Stick to Single Servings
If you’re shopping for only yourself, consider buying single serving items like yogurt or soup. Buying individual portions of food might come with a slightly higher price tag, but will help avoid food waste later in the week.

Look Before You Leave
Before you check out, take a second look at your cart and make you have everything on your list and haven’t added many extra items. This will save you a second trip to the store for a missing ingredient and may help you avoid purchasing extra food.

Resources: 

Make Use Of. “The Top 10 Grocery Coupon Websites for Cheapskates.” http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-top-10-grocery-coupon-websites-for-cheapskates/

Today. “Cheapism: Best Mobile Coupon Apps Let You Put Down the Scissors.” http://www.today.com/money/cheapism-best-mobile-coupon-apps-let-you-put-down-scissors-1D80137351

Photo adapted from Meg Stewart