Whether you’re an adult with a steady job or a college student with a low income, chances are you’re always trying to budget your spending. Just because that may be true doesn’t mean you should spend most of your food money on fast food and ramen every day. Here are some suggestions on how to vary up your diet and spend less money on groceries at the same time.
Orzos
Pasta is always cheap, but a few weeks ago I was introduced to orzos, a type of pasta that is so tiny it reminds me of large grains of rice. The local supermarket has 4 servings for $1. I like to drizzle my orzos lightly with olive oil and some spices.
Drink mixes
I like to stock up on drinks and have realized that getting drink mixes is a lot cheaper than getting bottles of the actual drink itself. Depending on the brand you get, a tub of drink mix can last you a few weeks, while a liter or six-pack of the drink will last you a few days. Get sugar free while you’re at it, it’s pretty hard to notice the difference anyway.
Soup mixes
Whenever I get sick I buy soup mix. It comes in different flavors and comes in 4 servings for less than $2. My personal favorite is creamy chicken. If you consistently buy mix rather than cans of soup, you’ll end up saving more. Try getting low sodium if you can.
Fish
Bags of frozen fish can be an inexpensive way to get protein from the grocery store. The stuff I have in the freezer right now has 8 servings and costs only $5. I had it baked for dinner tonight seasoned with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and lemon slices and it tasted wonderful. Let’s not forget how healthy fish can be.
Deli
Even if you’re at the supermarket, chances are that you’ll save more money getting your meat fresh as opposed to meat that has already been packaged. If you decide to get meat like salami or ham, make sure you ask for thin slices so that your supply lasts longer.
Store Brand
Buy store brand. There really isn’t much of a difference in quality, and it’s much cheaper. I know store labels aren’t as pretty to look at, but the taste is just as good, and I’ve saved quite a bit on grocery money from doing this.
Making Lists
It’s always a good idea to make lists before you go grocery shopping, so that you don’t wing it when you get there and buy everything that looks appetizing to you.
Full Stomach
It’s not a very good idea to go to the grocery store on an empty stomach for the same reason that you should have a set list of groceries with you. You’ll just end up wasting a lot of money by grabbing everything you want to eat instead of sustainable items that you actually need.
Here’s hoping that you have some ideas now on how to save money on groceries. Have fun and happy shopping.
