How to Save Money on Food!

I was shocked when I realized how much we were spending a month on food. 🙈 Here's how I've been saving money on groceries and dining out!

What about you? Do you have a tip I should try?

Rainbow salad recipe:

Anylist:

Plan to Eat

Cook Once, Eat All Week: 26 Weeks of Gluten-Free, Affordable Meal Prep to Preserve Your Time & Sanity by Cassy Joy Garcia

Try YNAB for free for 34 days!

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RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP:

Strategies To Combat Your Out Of Control Grocery Spending:

Our $298 Grocery Budget for a Family of 5

Take the Getting Started with YNAB Course:

Read our Book:

Take a Live YNAB Workshop:

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#groceries #youneedabudget #ynab

[YNABofficial]

Oh! And does anyone shop at Aldi? I feel like that store always comes up when you search for grocery-saving tips. They are opening up one down the road from me. I'd have to drive past three other groceries stores to go, 😂 so let me know if you think it's worth the trip!

[pennymiller]

Ashley: I'm happily more educated now after only a few of your videos - thank you for being so clear, concise and direct - you make learning easy, and I love your

[NicholasAsimov]

I really like your presentation style. Thank you!

[DustinUnderwoodMKE]

"Let me know if you've tried grocery delivery or pick-up" - things only said in The Before Times. 😅

[lenoraGrayce]

I’ve almost completely transitioned to online grocery shopping and pickup. There is a $5 pickup charge, but as a busy working mom, it saves me time and I can see everything I’m putting in my cart and the whole running total. Plus, many times my local Kroger will offset the pickup costs with coupons if you buy specific items. In the month of December they are offering free pickup all month!!

[Pamalumpa]

One more - Breakfast for Dinner is always a good emergency meal.

[ambermackey]

Walmart gives you a running total of you make a list in the app! Saved us on Thanksgiving planning, we fed a dozen people, 8 of those being big, single Marines!

[Davena]

I just LOVE this new spin on YNAB videos. Great job!!!

[MakeItEnough]

I've tried grocery delivery (not a fan), and grocery pickup (this one's better). I have a problem with impulse purchases and Walmart grocery pickup has been a game changer. I know that I can find certain things for less money if I go myself, but it's worth it to me since I can always stay on budget. I love it. Great tips!

[lenoraGrayce]

AnyList is the absolute BEST app for saving recipes, meal planning and making grocery lists. I’ve been using it for years!

[nsimar]

Walmart pick up saves my life (and budget). It's an awesome free service, saves time, and because I'm not going down the aisles, I'm not overspending. Also, you can price match online and I ALWAYS get money back that way.

[JimMcKinney]

I love the Paprika 3 app for groceries. It will automatically import any recipe online and separate it into ingredients, directions, and a grocery store list!

[suedechaneet]

I cook recipes I can double. I eat one fresh and portion either one family sized meal or 4 individual servings into glass containers for the freezer. I will often cryovac the family meal to store it longer and reduce space. I have a freezer that looks like a filing cabinet of frozen assets 😂. This is a life saver on busy weeknights, when a friend needs a meal or when cooking seems a chore.

[earlthepearl]

Use cheap ingredients like bananas, rice, beans, and oats! And grocery pickup because you can see the total in advance and edit your cart accordingly. If you have time, you can bake your own bread to save too. The freezer is your best friend for saving leftovers to avoid waste. And it’s always cheaper and easier to make extra of a dinner to eat for lunch the next day than to plan out separate lunches.

[tori.doe.]

I noticed a while ago that I spend quite a bit on food and most goes wasted since I cannot each much now...then I forget to budget specifically for my (newly) 10 month old baby girl. Can definitely improve on that and I try to simplify my menu for health and budget. Ordering groceries online has also been a blessing and a curse too since I work from home all but 2 days out of month. I know how much I’m spending *but* still see those “treats”/unnecessary goodies...self control is still needed lol.

[RandomFandomDragon]

We started using grocery pick-up (Kroger where we live) before the pandemic, and I loved it. It helps me stay on track, and I can browse coupons and purchase from there, then fill in as needed. We try to have a frozen pizza on hand for emergency meal. Not the healthiest option, but it works in a pinch, and saves us money. I might try the mandarin chicken from TJs.

[chaulsin]

We meal plan on sundays and order our groceries for pick-up at woolworths the next day. Such a game changer! Most of our overspending came from walking around the store seeing all these good things haha. Our veggies we buy at the market. We're also trying to eat less meat during the week as that can get expensive. Thanks for sharing, great tips!

[margaret-marywhite]

Delivery pick up is perfect if you do a lot of impulse buying, but would only use it for larger grocery orders to help defray the cost.

[bpramme]

I've been using Instacart for about 6-7 months now and it is an absolute game changer for me. I wish it was available/I knew about it when I was i grad school - grocery shopping each week plus full-time school plus full-time work was just too much...so pizza delivery became my best friend, followed closely by whatever fast food place was on my way home from work. It totally eliminates the impulse buying, and because its online I can track my spending as I go, and coupons are automatically added. I just got home last night from 2+ weeks of travel, and first thing this morning I ordered my groceries so I'm totally ready for my meal prepping tomorrow. :D

[StephanieSchneider]

I love my grocery delivery but I'm cutting back on it in 2020. One tip that most people don't know - Instacart provides accounts at places like Costco and BJs! I don't like Costco for most of my food (I live directly across the street from a grocery store and prefer to be flexible) but for staples like paper towels, whole bean coffee, and those "easy meal" things you mentioned (mac and cheese and pasta) I'd much rather buy in bulk. Also, an impulse buy at Costco can be upwards of $40! I'd rather never step foot in the store, get my tide pods delivered, and save the produce for a smaller store.

Also, a tip I'm embracing this year is to focus on ONE goal at a time when it comes to cooking. Right now my goal is to save money, not necessarily eat healthier. So while it's not the best "emergency meal" I always have ramen/canned soup on hand for lunch if my leftovers don't stretch as far as I thought they would. If I make it an all or nothing endeavor I'll let perfect be the enemy of the good. Keeping mac and cheese and other easy-but-unhealthy food in the house saves me from takeout!