If you know me, then you know I LOVE food! (I just heard Christine Richardson say YES SHE DOES!) It’s just soooo good. It doesn’t just taste good either, food has a magical way of bringing people together. Nothing makes me happier than gathering with friends and family over a delicious meal. Don’t believe me? Think about a boring work meeting. Now think about a boring meeting with a taco bar. Way better right? See, it’s magical. What’s better than delicious food? Delicious food you got on a dime! Which is why I am sharing 5 easy ways to save in your next grocery bill. I’ve included this FREE MEAL PLANNING PRINTABLE

Well guess what. I LOVE grocery shopping too! But even more than that I love saving money. Less money on groceries means MORE money for all the other fun stuff I love to do! That’s why I’m always looking for ways to save my family money. I ALWAYS get asked how I stay so organized and how I feed such a large family on a budget. SO I  came up with 5 easy ways to save on your next grocery bill as a way to share my personal hacks.

Saving money on groceries is actually a lot easier than you think. I’ve learned through experience that all you really need is some organization, a little diligence, and a few of these cheats. I feel like I should also say that saving on groceries doesn’t have to mean that we sacrifice the foods we love or that we eat cheaper, unhealthier foods. It’s not what I do and with these methods you won’t either!

So if your ready to start saving money weekly then lets go!

1. Use your flyers

Flyers are soooo important when it comes to saving money on groceries. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve Wednesday nights! Did you know that I once got my flyer boy fired? It’s not one of my finest moments,  but in my defense, he was consistently delivering my flyers late and I got my Black Friday flyers on the following Tuesday. Needless to say I was super excited when the Flipp app came out and I could view them all electronically. You can  even preview them the night before they are released! Can you tell this topic excites me?

Anyway, why are the flyers so important? Well did you know that grocery companies actually LOSE money on the items that they advertise on the front and back page of the flyers? Seriously, most of the time they are taking a hit in the hopes that you get into the store and over spend on other items. That’s not going to happen to us though. We’re on a mission to save and it’s going to feel so good when we come outta there on top!

2. Make a meal plan

You HAVE to make a meal plan. I mean it. If you’re serious about saving money on groceries then you absolutely have to start making a meal plan. You will always overspend if you go into the grocery store without a solid idea of what you’re getting. Plus you are going to have to make several unnecessary trips (over spending every time). There is nothing worse than getting home from work and having no idea what you and your family will eat, ordering pizza and then feeling guilty about it because you fed your kids pizza (again). Not to mention the guilt you will feel for over spending.

Think about how nice it would be to sit down for only one hour a week. Come up with a plan. Do you’re groceries ONCE. And never stress again about what your eating and what kind of food is in the house. I’ve been down both roads and I promise you, meal planning is the better option.  If your new to the idea, don’t worry its easy peasy and I have even included a Free Meal Planning Printable to help you get organized.

When I meal plan, I usually print the Free Meal Planning Printable and fill in the weeks activities. That way, when I am deciding what meals to make, I am reminded not to make a recipe that requires lots of prep on a night that I know we have sports or other commitments. That would just set me up for failure.

Then I search the flyers to find out what is on sale on the front and back pages of the flyers (see I told you they were important) and build my meals around those items. For example, if chicken is on sale then we will be eating chicken a whole lotta ways that week! Get creative! Pinterest is a GREAT option if your looking for some inspiration. Just type a few sale ingredients into the search bar and watch the magic happen.

Don’t feel like you you’re set in stone either. If I have a weekly meal plan and I don’t feel like Tuesdays meal that day you can always swap it out for another day. We also like to save one night a weekend for ordering in. It’s a bit of a treat and if you only allow yourself to do it once than you can look forward to it and you enjoy it guilt free!

3. Check your cupboards before you shop

This one might sound stupid but it’s really not. I know I’ve been guilty of buying something I already have just because I didn’t check the cupboard. I hate to say it but there are a lot of us who just forget about the food in our freezers and fridge. Sadly we end up throwing it out unnecessarily. The average Canadian throws away an estimated $1,100 worth of food every year. Which sounds crazy but I challenge you to start paying attention to the food you throw out. I bet you will be unpleasantly surprised.

4. Order online

Whoa. What a concept. Now I already know what you’re going to say and just listen. Ordering online is a game changer. I used to be like you and prefer to mosey up and down each aisle being suckered into buying items that weren’t on my list. Thinking to myself that I can do it better. Guess what, that super trained dude at Walmart does it better than you. Sorry but he does. He’s literally trained on how to choose the best avocado and guess what, he does. Because if he doesn’t, that avocado is free.

I have placed dozens of orders through Walmart grocery pickup and only twice have a I had a problem. Both times I was fully refunded for those items no questions asked.

Now, I make myself a coffee early Saturday morning and grocery shop from the comfort of my own home. I have the luxury of seeing how much each item costs per 100g which makes it easy to find the cheapest items (no silly marketing gimmicks here) AND I can price match at the end with my handy flip app.

Is everything coming together now?

Seriously. I search each item I purchase in my Flipp app and if it’s cheaper than Walmart they will credit your bill. ALL IN MY PJ’S PEOPLE. I book a time slot, Aaron drives over, they load his car, and off he goes. He never even gets out of the car. Did I mention this service is free? Plus, if you use the link I provided you will get $10 FOR FREE! You’re going to wonder why you ever went in there in the first place.

5. Eat your leftovers

That’s right. I went there. I saved it for last so you would read to the end HAHA. Seriously though, I know sooooo many people who throw away leftovers. WHY!!! If something was good enough yesterday it’s good enough today. In fact it’s probably better! I will often leave a Thursday night open on the meal plan for leftovers. Food wasted is money wasted people. If you don’t want to eat them for supper than pack them in a lunch. Simple as that!

BONUS-CHECKOUT 51

Alright, this is probably one of my favorites. Checkout 51 is an app that will credit your account cash for purchases! They change their offers weekly and always have items that everyone needs. Like milk, eggs etc.

So lets say eggs are on this weeks list and Checkout 51 is offering $1.00 off. I simply purchase the eggs (which I would have anyway), take a picture of my receipt and just like that $1.00 is credited to my account! Even better is that you can combine it with other offers. I once got Tostitos salsa for $1.00 because it was on sale for $3.00 I had a coupon for $1.00 and Checkout 51 gave me $1.00. I don’t think I need to tell you HOW GOOD THAT FELT! And it was EASY. Like stupid easy. Not like those crazy coupon-er shows on A&E “easy” but actually EASY.

Listen, this is what works for me. Every family is different so play around with what works for you. Implement these tips and for sure you will be saving money weekly! Not only that, I promise you will be feeling much more in control and organized and I think we could all use a little more of that.

Feel free to ask me any questions or let me know how it goes for you! If you need some dinner inspiration you can check out some of my favorite recipes like these Smoky Meatballs which are actual perfection or my Healthy Tex Mex Stuffed Peppers! And don’t forget to print your Free Meal Planning Printable

Happy Saving,

Laila