15 Ways Frugal People Save Money So They Don’t Waste All Their Money

Published:

High grocery prices don’t seem to be going anywhere, so it’s crucial to find ways to cut costs to help keep food costs low.

Here are fifteen examples of money-saving things you can do to spend less at the grocery store.

1. Waste Not, Want Not

Woman throwing vegetable salad into bin
Image Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock.

Food waste is costly. Plan to eat your food in a way that takes advantage of its freshness, prioritizing fresh produce and meat over pantry goods.

2. Shop Your Pantry First

Organizing zero waste storage in kitchen. Pasta and cereals in reusable glass containers in kitchen shelf
Image Credit: Netrun78/Shutterstock.

Before you make your grocery list, double-check your pantry: is there anything you can use up before buying another?

3. Never Shop Without a List

Woman with notebook in grocery store, closeup. Shopping list on paper. Check purchases in grocery cart.
Image Credit: SOLOVEVA ANASTASIIA/Shutterstock.

Shopping without a list is a recipe to buy a bunch of food you don’t need. It can also cause you to miss something you need for a meal, which might then mean you order in and spend more.

4. Meal Plan/Prep

Healthy meal prep containers with chickpeas, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados. Healthy lunch in glass containers on beige rustic background.
Image Credit: Julia Mikhaylova/Shutterstock.

A meal plan for the week is excellent, and preparing it ahead of time is even better! You’ll save an insane amount of time and money this way.

5. Invest in Food Storage

Woman taking container with frozen cauliflower cabbage from refrigerator
Image Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock.

Food storage, like quality bags and containers, can help keep your food fresher longer so you aren’t tossing it prematurely.

6. Never Go Grocery Shopping Hungry

Young woman buying canned food at grocery store.
Image Credit: Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock.

Even if you have a list, grocery shopping hungry will inevitably lead to you picking up a few extra snacks or desserts.

7. Use Your Store Loyalty Card

Closeup of a hand giving female employee loyalty card in supermarket
Image Credit: sirtravelalot/Shutterstock.

Most grocery stores have loyalty cards that provide special offers. Don’t forget to bring yours when you shop and look for loyalty specials.

8. Clip Coupons

Thrifty Shopper Using Coupons Isolated On White
Image Credit: Carolyn Franks/Shutterstock.

A note about this tip: only clip coupons for items you already plan on buying. Clipping coupons for food just because it’s on sale isn’t saving money if you don’t usually have it on your grocery list.

9. Skip Prepared Food

Restaurant worker serving two fast food meals with smile. woman holding tray with salads at fast food restaurant.
Image Credit: BlueSkyImage/Shutterstock.

Prepared food isn’t worth the price most of the time. There are some exceptions (rotisserie chicken comes to mind) because they can save time and money. Still, it’s usually cheaper to make and prep things yourself.

10. Try Cheaper Protein Alternative

Fresh Sliced Soft Tofu soy bean curd on white plate
Image Credit: Kritchai7752/Shutterstock.

Try your favorite ground beef recipe with tofu or beans. Both are less expensive but still offer a healthy serving of protein.

11. Go Veggie

Fresh vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, squash, zucchini in the refrigerator drawer for vegetables.
Image Credit: TanaCh/Shutterstock.

Add more vegetarian and vegan recipes to your rotation. Meat is expensive, and expanding your recipe repertoire is a fun way to keep yourself engaged in the kitchen.

12. Keep Your Pantry and Fridge Organized

Beautiful Young Woman Looks inside the Fridge and Takes out Vegetables.
Image Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.

An organized pantry and fridge make it easy to see what you have, so you aren’t accidentally buying too much.

13. Start an Herb Garden

seven kinds of potted garden herbs with wooden name tags
Image Credit: Oliver Hoffmann/Shutterstock.

Herbs can be expensive. They’re also often sold in such a way that makes it hard to use all of them before they go bad. Start an herb garden and only clip off what you need.

14. Track Your Spending

Grocery Expenses. Upset Senior Man In Kitchen Checking Bill After Food Shopping, Confused Elderly Gentleman Sitting At Table And Looking At Receipt, Suffering Financial Crisis And Poverty,
Image Credit: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.

Budgeting is essential, but tracking your spending to understand where your budget should be is equally important. Hang on to your receipts, see where you’re spending, and start making cuts as you see fit.

15. Buy Things You Know You’ll Eat

Portrait Of Millennial Lady Holding And Using Smartphone Buying Food Groceries Walking In Supermarket With Trolley Cart.
Image Credit: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.

 

Be realistic about your purchases. Yes, you want to be the person who will eat tofu and beans in that ground beef recipe. But if you aren’t, then buying these things only to never use them isn’t saving you money at all.

I’m Frugal: Here Are My Top 30 Frugal Living Tips to Save Money

Funny child hugs the radiator. Kid in hat and warm clothes enjoying home heater. Heating of housing during the energy crisis in the winter cold season. Restrictions and savings of gas and electricity.
Image credit: Sharomka/Shutterstock.

 

I’m super frugal, and one of my passions is sharing my frugal living tips with everyone.

Here are some of my absolute favorite frugal tips to help you get started on your journey to frugal living.

I’m Frugal: Here Are My Top 30 Frugal Living Tips to Save Money

15 Things That Are No Longer Worth It Because of How Expensive They Have Become

Portrait of beautiful young blonde woman posing and giving a kiss to the camera.
Image Credit: PKpix/Shutterstock.

 

Everything comes with a hefty price tag these days. From indulgences to essentials, the cost of living keeps rising. We used to consider certain items affordable options, but now they’ve become so expensive that they’re no longer worth it. Here are 15 things that have lost their affordability and make us wonder if they are worth it!

15 Things That Are No Longer Worth It Because of How Expensive They Have Become

28 Practical Ways Frugal People Save Lots of Money

Young pretty woman traveller in baseball cap looks and smiles at camera at green nature forest background, portrait close up.
Image Credit: DedMityay/Shutterstock.

 

Saving money doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to life’s little indulgences. With a few smart tweaks, you can stash away cash for that dream vacation, rainy day fund, or splurge-worthy purchase without feeling like you’re on a constant budget patrol.

Think of it as a side hustle that pays off without the extra hours. Whether you’re looking to conquer debt or simply boost your bank account, these tips are guaranteed to put more money in your pocket, painlessly.

28 Practical Ways Frugal People Save Lots of Money

20 Poor Hacks Frugal People Use on a Fairly Regular Basis

portrait of an elderly woman with beautiful look of Dominican Latin origin looking at the camera.
Image Credit: Julaix/Shutterstock.

 

Even if you’re not poor, you sometimes feel that way, and you probably have some tricks and tips for coping with that. In this article, we’ve compiled several poor hacks that people utilize at least a few times a month or even a week. It’s always good to share these hacks; we hope some of them help!

20 Poor Hacks Frugal People Use on a Fairly Regular Basis

10 Hard Financial Truths About Aging You Can’t Afford to Ignore

An elderly woman looks sadly out the window.
Image Credit: De Visu/Shutterstock.

 

Getting older is a difficult thing to face. Unfortunately, it also comes with certain financial considerations that will affect your retirement planning. Here are 10 hard financial truths about aging that you can’t afford to ignore.

10 Hard Financial Truths About Aging You Can’t Afford to Ignore

 

 

Author: CJ Darnieder

Bio:

CJ is a writer and musician from Chicago.  When he’s not practicing the divine art of stoicism, focusing on achieving a deafening inner quiet, or attempting to reconcile with the inherent powers of the universe, he loves to cook!

Leave a Comment