Maximize Your Grocery Budget: Practical Tips and Listener Advice

Ralph:
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So here's the question for today.

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Do you dread going to the grocery store because you know, it's going to blow your budget.

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What if I told you there's easy ways to trim your grocery bill.

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Without having to sacrifice on nutrition or taste.

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I'm also going to share some great advice we received from our listeners at the end of the show.

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That's in our Facebook insiders group.

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So stay tuned for ways to save money and reduce your grocery shopping stress.

Intro:
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Welcome to the Ask Ralph Podcast, where listening to an experienced financial professional with over 30 years of experience can help you make sense of confusing questions, current headlines, and industry trends about taxes, small business, financial decision making, investment strategies, and even the art of proper budgeting.

Intro:
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Ask Ralph makes the complex simple by sharing his real world knowledge from a Christian perspective with all things financial.

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Now here's your host, Ralph Estep, Jr.

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welcome to our wacky Wednesday show while today's topic is not necessarily wacky.

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The prices we're seeing in the market are certainly causing some difficulty for all of us.

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This is our 150th show of the year.

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I'm coming to you today from the Estep farm in this beautiful Saggio accounting studio.

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Let me put on my podcaster hat put down those overalls.

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And like I said, yes, When I'm working on the farm around these cows, I do wear overalls.

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And let's push that adding machine to the side.

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Let's get to some financial wisdom from a Christian perspective.

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Don't forget to subscribe to the show and join our email list.

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We're going to be talking about what to do when you're expected.

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Tax refund is not what you actually get.

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We're going to break down and discuss some reasons for this unexpected outcome.

Ralph:
00:02:02

As I mentioned, we also just launched an insider's group on Facebook and we're seeing some growth there.

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I encourage each of our listeners to join the group, to continue the conversations from the show.

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It's a great place to share ideas for the show.

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Talk about your triumphs and your challenges, and I'll have a link to the Facebook group.

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In our show notes.

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Well today, we're tackling a topic near and dear to all of our hearts and wallets, and that's easy ways to save money on groceries.

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I don't know about you, but no matter how carefully I try to plan my grocery trips.

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I always seem to end up spending more than I intend to.

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And with food prices, continuing to rise, it's getting harder and harder to keep grocery costs under control, but have some hope.

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My friends.

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The Bible reminds us in the book of Philippians chapter four verse 19, that God will meet all of our needs, according to the riches of his glory in Christ.

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Jesus.

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While grocery savings may seem small compared to some of life's bigger stresses, every little bit counts, and we all have to eat my friends.

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So in today's episode, I want to share some practical and painless tips.

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That have helped me cut my grocery store spending by over 20% without having to sacrifice on nutrition or taste.

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These are very easy to implement whether you're single.

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If you have a family of perhaps have specific dietary needs.

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My goal today is to help you spend less time worrying about the cost of groceries and more time enjoying the abundance that God provides.

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So let's get this party started.

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Tip number one.

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Make a list and stick to it.

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I know this is advice we've all heard before, but there's a reason it continues to be the first tip recommended by most money saving experts.

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Making a comprehensive grocery list before heading to the store ensures you only purchase what you need and avoids those impulse purchases that sneak into your cart.

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Here's some things I do to make my grocery list as efficient as possible.

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I take an inventory first before making my list.

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I take a few minutes to see what food I already have at home.

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So I don't duplicate ingredients.

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This helps me use up what I have before buying more.

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The next thing you want to do is categorize your list.

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Let's make shopping quicker.

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So you don't have to backtrack in the store.

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I personally organize mine into produce.

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Pantry items, dairy meats, frozen foods, et cetera.

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And have some plan recipes.

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Well, I don't cook my wife and I do jot down the recipe she plans to make for the week and a list of all the ingredients she needs.

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This prevents having to run back to the store because she forgot, or I forgot something.

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If I went to the store.

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And here's a big one folks.

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Don't shop hungry.

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Making decisions on an empty stomach usually leads to more impulsive purchases.

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I always fuel up with a snack before tackling my grocery list.

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Now sticking to your prepared list takes some discipline, but it does work wonders in saving money.

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I have found that it's not all my list.

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It doesn't make it into my cart.

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So give it a try.

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Next time you shop.

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Let's look at tip number two and that's buy store brands.

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Brand loyalty can sometimes cost us, especially when it comes to groceries.

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I used to feel that name brands equals higher quality.

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While that may be true.

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In some cases, a lot of times generic or store brands are just as good as their flashy labeled counterparts, but almost at half the price.

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For example, I compared a 16 ounce jar of leading peanut butter brand to the grocery stores home brand.

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They were virtually identical in ingredients, but the name brand cost $3 and 29 cents.

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And the store version was only a dollar and 89 cents.

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That's a saving of over 40% while still being able to enjoy my PB.

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And J's.

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Some instances where I've found store brands to be just as good or these canned vegetables and fruits.

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Frozen produce.

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Spices and seasonings grains like rice, pasta, et cetera.

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And condiments like ketchup, mustard and Mayo.

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Now, keep in mind that store brands differ between grocery chains.

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So you've got to try different ones to find which ones you like best.

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Over time, your taste buds will adjust and you'll build some savings as well.

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Building brand loyalty can be tough to break, but pocketbook benefits often help.

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Tip number three, check unit pricing.

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Now this is the inner accountant in me coming out with this one.

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How many times have you been tempted to grab the bigger or the jumbo size thinking it's a better deal only to get home and find out the per ounce or per count price was actually more.

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You've been scammed.

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This used to happen to me all the time until I got wise to understanding unit pricing.

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Unit pricing is usually shown the price label on store shelves underneath the total cost for that item, this breaks down the cost per unit, whether that be ounces or pounds or.

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Items allowing you to accurately compare different sizes or different brands.

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Larger sizes are not always cheaper.

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For example, say, there's a sale on pasta sauce.

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You've really got two options.

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You got option one, which is 103 ounce jar for $10 and 49 cents.

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Are you got option two, that's a 45 ounce jar for 5 29.

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Why do I feel like this is an episode of the price is right.

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At first glance option one looks like the better bargain because you're getting more sauce overall for just a few dollars more.

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But look closer at the unit price and showing cost per ounce.

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That option one was actually 10 cents per ounce.

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While option two, that bigger one was actually 12 cents per ounce.

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By comparing cost per ounce, you see that the smaller option two jar is actually less expensive per ounce than the jumbo jar version.

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Unit pricing just saved me money and headaches from having excess sauce sitting in my pantry.

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Tip number four, buy in bulk selectively.

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You just gotta be careful on this one.

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Shopping at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's club.

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Lures us into thinking we're scoring amazing deals.

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I know it's kind of an endorphin high when I'm running through the Costco store, got a huge cart and I'm able to pick up all these things.

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But here's the thing you got to understand.

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You gotta be really careful with this, this bulk buying strategy can backfire on your budget.

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If you're not selective about the way you purchase.

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Items that make the most sense to buy in bulk are staples like rice beans, pasta, canned goods.

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These are non-perishables and they won't spoil before they use them.

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Another great area, paper products, such as toilet paper, paper, towels, tissues.

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They don't take up much storage space, either frozen foods are also good at these stores.

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That's your meat, your fruits and vegetables.

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Since the truth is you can portion out servings and they won't spoil, but here's the things you want to avoid buying in bulk and that's produce.

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Unless you'll use up fresh fruits and vegetables quickly.

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The excess will likely rot before you eat them.

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Same thing with dairy, unless you consume or freeze items like cheese, milk, or yogurt, they're going to spoil before you're able to use them.

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And here's one most people don't think about.

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And that snack items, these tempting multi-packs of chips and cookies lead to overindulging and most of the time waste.

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Being selective about what you buy in bulk ensures cost savings without waste from spoilage or more importantly, over consumption.

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And let's move on to tip number five and that shop seasonally.

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One of the easiest ways to slash your grocery bills is simply by seasonal produce.

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I personally love to eat strawberries as part of my breakfast and I do that year round, but my wife has always reminded me that during most of the year, those strawberries are not in season.

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And there are much more expensive and usually tend to be a little less fresh.

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I don't know how many times she's told me she was preparing to cut those up for me.

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And she says Ralph, I had to throw half of them away.

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As I just noted fruits and vegetables naturally growing cycles throughout the year.

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When we try to eat summer produce like strawberries for me and corn in a winter supply is lower.

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So prices tend to surge.

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I found that savings from eating seasonal.

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to be significant.

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Here's an example in season red bell peppers are about a dollar per pepper.

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Out of season.

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Those red bell peppers are two to $3 per pepper.

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That's twice or three times a cost.

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Eating, what is currently growing, not only saves money, but it truly provides a better taste nutrition.

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Since the produce doesn't have to travel as far or be imported before hitting your plate.

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You can find charts online, showing what fruits and vegetables are in season by month for your particular growing zone.

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This makes it easier to plan recipes accordingly.

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Your local farmer's market is another great spot to source in seasonable fines.

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Here's another thing you could consider freezing or canning summer bounty like berries, tomatoes, and squash means you can enjoy the flavors of summer all year long without the hefty price tag.

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One of our good friends, Bob does a lot of this canning.

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I guess I'm going to have to go spend some time with Bob and figure out how to do it better.

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And this is the final tip and that's tip number six.

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Cook at home more.

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The last tip barely feels like a sacrifice, but it does generate huge savings trimming back on takeout delivery or eating out in a favor home cook meals cuts grocery costs in multiple ways you buy less because leftovers become built-in lunches or dinners later in the week.

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You'll waste less because ingredients are purchased with plan recipes in mind, and you spend less by not paying restaurant prices, tips and delivery fees.

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The average restaurant meal costs two to three times what you would spend to prepare something similar at home?

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Yes.

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Cooking takes effort and time upfront, but the compounded savings make it beyond worth it.

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I encourage listeners to try to cook five to six nights a week at home and just do take out our pizza once a week as a treat.

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This balanced approach will help keep your grocery budget on track.

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Here's a pro tip, double your recipes when I'm cooking at home and freeze half for those nights, when you just don't have time to cook.

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Here are some great comments from our listeners.

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These are right on our Facebook private group page.

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And Steven said this.

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I shop at four different stores.

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There's two of them have their weekly ad right on their app.

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I compare prices there as well keep an eye on in-store pricing to see who has the best price on things I normally buy.

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Especially items that usually don't go on sale.

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I also belong to the stores, loyalty programs, and always shop with the rewards card, including my checking account, which pays me one to 2% rewards depending on the store.

Ralph:
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If you have an item you normally buy, check to see if you can buy it direct from the online store.

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They offer specials and have sales that you don't always find in this store.

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I've also noticed you can purchase some items that are identical to what's offered in the store through Amazon that are a much better value of Stephen.

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Thank you for that comment.

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And April says this, we shop the sales.

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My husband will go to ShopRite and super Walmart.

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He never impulse buys unless it's on sale.

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Now I eat differently than my family.

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So I shop at Aldi and I find their produce to be a bit cheaper.

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Also because Aldi is smaller prevents me from impulse buys.

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I see a trend here.

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I pretty much eat the same things every week.

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So I go in, grab what's on my list and leave.

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I eat clean so it can be a bit more processed.

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But I also eat half of what I did before and don't buy snacks.

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So I buy less.

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We freeze a lot of meat when we buy it on sale and shop produce in season and don't go to the store hungry.

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LOL.

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She said, so thank you April.

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Now, how about Bob?

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Bob says we shop at times at a local independent market.

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There's some complaints about the dates on some of their products.

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My thought is this, the government mandates, this people have gone through hard times understand if you open up something and it doesn't look or smell right.

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Get rid of it.

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My point several years ago, there was a disaster in a community.

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The military was activated and deliver cases of sea rations data from 1949.

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Nobody complained or got sick at signed Bob the orphanage kid.

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Well, thank you, Bob.

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Now here's mark Lawley.

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Mark actually is one of the co-hosts of the practical prepping podcast.

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I encourage you to check it out.

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He's a great friend and also has some awesome podcast.

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Episode you'll find that at practicalprepping.info.

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And he says this don't shop hungry.

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That one bites me.

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It sure does.

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Mark.

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Well, thank you for sharing.

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And Mark's wife, Krista shared this tip.

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My money saving strategy is online.

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Grocery pickup.

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I can easily compare the local stores and wholesale clubs for sales, then simply arrange to show up and have a helpable clerk.

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Do the loading.

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Of course planning ahead by at least, or day or two is key, but I can easily edit each card item.

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Until I'm content with the items, plus I'm not inside the store.

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Impulse buying.

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Also because they're just two of us in our household.

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I freeze that extra burger and hot dog buns and we can enjoy later.

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Last, but not least I cook several pounds of ground beef or sausage portion it out meal size containers, then freeze it for quick dinner.

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Preps saves me lots of money, lots of stress and time.

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Well, thank you, Krista.

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And Carol says this, I shop mostly at the local discount grocery.

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And nearly, always after perusing the sales flyer, making a list.

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I love to go to the locals farmer's market on Wednesdays.

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When they have a 10% senior discount and such beautiful fruits and vegetables, they carry newly expired Pepperidge farm bread for just a dollar 59 per loaf or package.

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It's really following the basics.

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Study the sales flyer make a list.

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Remember to scan your store card for extra savings don't shop when you're hungry, try not to buy on impulse.

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I find I throw away too many fresh vegetables and I'm working on reducing that waste.

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As I mentioned earlier, the biggest way to save on groceries is to limit the times you go into the store and she leaves it with this.

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A bottle of ketchup can cost me 50 bucks.

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By the time you get out of there.

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Well there you have it.

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My fellow grocery saving friends, six easy practical ways to trim your grocery bills without compromising on nutrition or compromising on taste or convenience.

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These small shifts, add up to big savings over time.

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Like I said, we've managed to cut ours by 20%.

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By being more strategic without noticeable lifestyle sacrifices.

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And the truth is this folks implementing even just a few of these money saving grocery tips can free up funds that you can use towards other financial goals.

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Like paying off debt or building that emergency fund.

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And saving like that is certainly something to say.

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Amen.

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To

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Well I pray today's episode gives you hope and tangible ideas on how to honor God through being a wise steward of the finances.

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He blesses us all with.

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We serve a God of abundance, not scarcity.

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As you shop for sustenance this week, reflect on how he provides exactly what we need.

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Be sure to visit the askralphpodcast.com for the show notes on today's episode.

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00:17:11

Also, please share this episode with any friends or family.

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00:17:14

Who you think might benefit from learning about easy ways to cut their grocery bills, share it with a couple of friends, share it with a couple of family members and let's grow this.

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And as I always say, stay financially savvy, and God bless you.

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00:17:27

And have fun at the grocery, but save money along the way.

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00:17:34

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And remember, financial issues don't have to be complicated.

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