27 Extreme Budget Grocery Shopping Hacks to Save Thousands in 2023

Also mentioned in today's video:
You might also enjoy watching these videos:

These are my affiliate links. I will make a small commission if you shop through these links listed below. This costs you nothing extra and helps support my online work. Thanks so much!

[lauracosby]

Tips from a 60 yr old grandmother. Cut your dryer sheets in half, after they are used, dust the furniture with them. When large containers of liquid clothes detergent is on sale, buy it. When you use half container, fill the rest up with water. It cleans just as good as the first half did. Now you have 1 1/2 containers for the price of one. Better yet, keep the jug when it is empty. When it goes on sale again, grab one, pour half in the empty fill the rest up with water, in both the containers. Now you have two giant containers of clothes det for the price of one. Buy Dawn dish detergent, do the same thing. Saves a ton of money. Also, if you have central air and heat, take one of the fabric sheets for the dryer, place it on the outside of the air filter, makes the whole house smell great, less expensive than room sprays. No toothpaste? Grab a box of baking soda, wet toothbrush, dip into baking soda, brush your teeth. It's wonderful when in a pinch. Great thing about mopping your floor with vinegar and water, you don't have to rinse the floor. You can add vinegar (to top loading washers only) to the rinse cycle of your white clothes, great for killing germs, mking them whiter and softer. Hope these help someone.

[karendaniel]

I'm a nurse, too. But still, we have struggled so much off and on over the years. I was so proud when I found out my 19-year-old daughter was out feeding other young families and teaching them the skills I taught her. One whole chicken became chicken & dumplings AND chicken spaghetti with leftovers frozen for 2 more extra meals. She taught people how to cook beans & cornbread, and she taught them old-fashioned potato soup without cheese and bacon. A ham can be stretched into so many things. She's 29 now and these other families are self-sufficient at this point, actually have been after those first few months. But such a cool thing! A lot of times she would pop in and ask for one package of meat from one of my freezers - I had no idea what she was up to. And yes, I have had to sell plasma to feed my family and she's done it as well to feed others.

[loribussell]

No other video has EVER helped me feel connected to a YouTuber like this one did. As soon as you mentioned donating plasma and your scar, I got you. I started off as a single mom of two adopted children. One from birth with lots and lots of setbacks, the other was 3 and had a very hard life already. I also took care of my parents during that time. My mother is disabled with strokes. They would watch my kids, and I worked 60-hour weeks in the medical field. I would donate plasma for the extra things, birthdays, holidays, and school clothes. It was so freakin hard. I grew up with an alcoholic abusive father who later in life found sobriety. I grew up raising my younger sisters, and we struggled so hard. I feel everything you said because I lived it.
I'm so blessed now, I have 4 sons and wonderful husband who works hard for his family. It allows me to have spent the last 5 years home with our youngest son as well as there for all the many appointments our special boys have. My family jokes about food hoarding because of my 3 freezers and 2 pantries of food, but my babies will never be hungry. We by no means have lots of money, but my hard life made me learn to save, pinch, and prepare for the hard times.
It was never and still isn't easy. However, folks 5 years make a lifetime of difference, so don't ever give up. Try your hardest and love every second.
Thank you for this video it was so refreshing to have someone remind me I'm not alone.

[mariayelruh]

I spent today in between dishes, laundry and cleaning... cooking 2 whole chickens that I got this week on sale for 69 cents a pound. They were big, $10 for 15 pounds. I now have about 18 cups tightly packed meat and will have about a gallon of bone broth that is cooking now. This will be the base for a lot of meals this week at low cost. I was watching this as I was picking meat off the bones!

[brendajarrell]

I am 73 and still raising kids I have 8 people to feed every single day and some times as many as 16. I have been doing this sense I was 15 in 1966. I have never had just my husband and my selves . I have been married 2 times the first for 10 years and this time it will be 46 years the 31 of this month. I don't want any other life I love raising children. And I love your videos. I can relate to what you are doing and thank you and your family for what you do for all of us.

[motherwolf]

I am so excited about this video! We are a family of 6. I found an Amish discount grocery store that saved me $300 last week!!!! I am over the moon thrilled. If I keep this up we are going to be saving so much. Thank you for this video.

[justcallmesuzzie]

I want you to know that I just found you this year as an old lady. I had 8 foster children and worked as a teacher Most of what you do I did with all my children as well. You are an inspiration to all who come across you! Thank you for doing what you do and being you! I do not know how many times I took the chicken leg quarters and did exactly what you did with them. I also went to the grocery stores the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter and stocked up on turkeys, ham, pork roasts, and any other meats they had reduced to get rid of them. I brought them home, threw them in my fridge and prepared to batch cook them and create broth out of the bones to use in my cooking for a few months. I was lucky because, like you, I bought a farm house and with it came 2 fridges and a HUGE box freezer and I use that thing to this day! People need to lean the skills our ancestors had and have them in their pocket if needed. We got the kids out on the farm house and had them work on a garden as well, We turned it into a school lesson as well as a life lesson.

[queenofcreepsville]

Food insecurity as a kid is why I make sure I can and stock my pantry now. Helps me sleep a little better knowing my family is fed. I started gardening last year, this year I am working on a large garden since I have the means to preserve it. Baby steps... nothing happens overnight.

[selkie_dream]

Just remembering a recent video where you mentioned finding bread machines at thrift shops— making bread (even just in an oven) is a great way to have something inexpensive yet special for the family, and sugar and cinnamon go a long way towards smoothing over any rough first efforts. Letting the dough rise overnight in the fridge makes it easier, too—both for timing and because less kneading is required. Thanks for all you do.

[judithbutler]

46 years of marriage and this video brought tears to my eyes. When I was a young mom my husband would stay home so I could run out to buy marked down meat, a practice I can’t seem to break until this day i
f I see a good deal..all of this and I made it home so he could leave for work at 7AM. Beans and cornbread…we called that a cowboy supper and sometimes ate on the floor to pretend we were sitting around a campfire. A can of tuna can be a great tuna noodle casserole. I loved Amish cookbooks or Mennonite cookbooks as you could make much with little. I never panicked and got as creative as I could. Those days are long gone but were so character building. I learned the difference between need and want. JMERILL you are a beacon of hope to all those that find your channel. 12:05

[abbymcelroy]

As a mom of one who wants to stay home and who has a man who loves good food I feel like I have groceries well figured out. I’ve learned that meats that require to be slow cooked tend to be cheaper and bone in meats as well. Also having super frugal meals mixed in with the little more spendy meals has been another thing I have learned that stretches the budget. I’m working on getting a stock pile going now which has been a whole new challenge for me.
My own mom has reached the point where she’s like you and has an amazing stock pile. Because of her I had grocery’s during a month where my husband didn’t have much work. And now after going through this season of life where my husband started a brand new business, money is tighter than ever, I feel called to return to the roots of being a homemaker. I all the sudden want to learn canning and seek the best deals ect. I feel like the most abnormal 23 yr old at times especially in this generation 😂😂🤎 much love to you and thank you for this video !!

[danielacutler]

Over the years, I have learnt so much from you. I was in an awful place trying to feed my babies as a sahm with just not enough coming in to feed our family of 4. Now, as a single mum with 2 babies, practising what I have learnt day in and out, I now have enough for food, holidays, and school camps. I am so thankful. Keep teaching because you never know how much help you have given someone half way across the globe.

[sandrahmurphy]

You are so wright, I had to do that in South Africa we are a family of 6 make large dinners and pudding s, we had it for 3day in a row my children never complained, if you are hungry you will eat what you are given, well done Jamerrill xxx

[ssjess]

Thank you for being so relatable to so many families everywhere. Donating plasma has saved us so many times in the past

[MoonChildBudgets]

I absolutely LOVED this video, thank you! I agree with everything that was said. I do have one thing to add though, that has completely changed my life..and stress level. I reverse meal plan. So, we are a family of Six. Two adults, a twelve year old, 7 year old, 3 year old, and four month old. My budget is $120 a week for all groceries, cleaning products, toiletries, diapers, wipes, and formula. I used to meal plan and buy off of my list, and just make the simple cheap meals. Overtime though, I have learned that if I buy items that are reduced (especially meat) and plan around that, I can stretch my money even further.

My main advice would be to find out when your grocery store marks down meat, and buy it! Stick it in the freezer, and plan your meals with that. This past week I was able to score 3lb packages of ground beef for $4.11, and it was 85/15! It's hard to just get one pound for that price! Cloth diapering has also helped us a ton. Buy based on season for fresh fruit and veggies. Also, if you are buying snacks for the month for your kiddos...only make a weeks worth available to them each week! I keep a bin in my closet and refill their snack bin in the pantry every Monday.

I hope my advice helps someone out there. If this homeschooling mama can make three meals a day for her family on a small budget, anyone can! Maybe one day I will get the courage to start my own youtube journey to help more haha

[sandylfgrubb]

My grocery budget when my kids were little, family of 4, was $100 a MONTH....I cooked very basic foods and planned out the whole month.

[TheTumbleweed]

6:59 I’ve done the same thing donating plasma for extra grocery money. We only had one child but times were tough because my husband had gotten an apprenticeship for the newspaper he worked for and he got very few shifts and his paycheck paid the bills. I eventually started working for the plasma center sticking people for them. You do what you have to do to make ends meet.

[SalLeeHolland]

This was such a great video. Gives people their pride back, knowing that they can do things for their family, using these easy steps. It's all about being creative. I am retired and live alone, but still remember all the hard work my mother did feeding our family of 7 (4 kids Mom and Dad and Grandma) plus any company that showed up. She did even make her own soap back in the day. We had a garden, and did canning. Many of our Christmas gifts were hand made. They were the best gifts I ever got! So not like todays things that don't last, or the kids aren't interested in them after a week. It's the love, and thought that went into them. I live in the family house that was built by our Grandfather. One year when I didn't have a lot to give for Christmas, I thought I would start looking for things around the house (basement and attic) for things that belonged to us 4 kids. I wrapped them all up and put them under the tree! Everyone thought WOW this is a lot of gifts, must have been a great year. Then they opened them! It was their best Christmas bring back those memories of our childhood. I said if you don't want them now give them to your kids or grandkids. Everything was in mint condition. You just have to be creative, and think out of the box. Those were the toys that lasted. Things like Lincoln Loogs that today cost a fortune! Erector Set also cost a lot. Every piece was in the sets, nothing lost. Brownie camera. Dolls, and my Mom had made all their cloths to match our cloths as she made all our cloths. So many things.
Today I do all my own canning, and for years have had I called it a blizzard cupboard, because I at times couldn't get out in the winter LOL. I have done that since back in the late '60's. Now use it year around to rotate stock. Sending much love to all out there. Remember even if you can only buy one thing each week it's a start.

[loriclickpatrick]

Sweetie I thank God I found your channel. I'm not sure why but when I feel my faith is failing me just the sound of your voice is so calming of the heart to me. ❤ thank you

[michelel]

My husband and I started 28 years ago with $20 on a good week and $10 on a lean week for groceries. Yes, we ran out of food with $3 in our pocket and thankfully the next day was payday. I have a pantry now and am soooo grateful!!