Are you an individual and want to save money on your grocery? If yes, then here are the tips on how to save money on groceries for one person.
Grocery is the everyday use stuff for everyone. But do you know that the majority of US citizens lose millions of dollars on groceries per year? Yeah you may find it quite surprising but it is the true fact.
Although Inflation in the US is at its peak and it is quite hard for anyone to save money on groceries. But if you are a single person who lives alone and wants to save your money on groceries then this blog will help you a lot.
Saving money on groceries is not as easy as it seems to be because you can’t stop eating. But still there are some powerful ways on how to save money on groceries for one person. Let’s get started:-
Importance of saving money on groceries
Let’s find out why it is important to save money on groceries? Here are the several reasons:
Financial Stability
By reducing the cost of groceries spendings can help you a lot. In this way you can have more money to invest and expense on different things such as rent, utilities and other things. In this way you will have less financial stress and more financial stability.
Debt Reduction
By managing your grocery sending you can reduce overall debts and have more money with you to invest and pay down your credit and other balances such as loans and overheads.
Increase Savings
Saving is quite important for everyone. Once you reduce the cost of groceries then you have more room to save each month. And this fund would be quite helpful for you in case of an emergency and purchasing something big such as a house, cars etc.
Improve Health
When you have limited money to spend on your groceries. You would like to go with the essential healthy food choices rather than the expensive and unhealthy ones. In this way it also contributes to health.
The challenges of saving money on groceries as a single person
Saving money on groceries as a single person can be challenging for several reasons:
Portion Control
Although most people think that it is easy to buy groceries for a single person. But it is not that easy because when it comes to portion control then it becomes a nightmare.
They can’t buy something unusual in bulk. They need to decide what is quite important for them for the sake of nutrients and a healthy diet.
Eating Out
Eating out is one of the major problems with an individual. Because no one likes to cook at home.
And they try to consume food outside which is quite expensive for them and they start losing their money. It is always challenging to resist the temptation to eat outside.
Food Waste
A single person has usually limited choice when it comes to food. But when they do grocery shopping then they make purchases of many ingredients that may become a total waste of money at the end of the day.
Limited Options
Buying in bulk is always considered a better option. But in the case of a single person it becomes a nightmare.
Because they can’t make purchases of every grocery item in bulk. Therefore they should have limited options to buy in bulk.
Meal Planning
Meal planning is challenging for one person. Because if they try to eat a recipe with lots of ingredients then it can be a waste of money for them to make a purchase of those ingredients. Because later on they can expire without being fully used.
How to Save Money on Groceries for One Person
Creating a Budget
Yes, you should make your monthly budget. In this you need to mention your income and expenses. Apart from that you should allocate a decent amount of money to the grocery. Always try to stick with your grocery budget.
The amount for your grocery items should have a room of 10% because of the higher inflation. Don’t try to avoid the necessary grocery items because of a low budget.
If you are a freelancer or anything who gets weekly payouts then try to make a weekly budget and then stick to it.
Meal Planning
Do you eat leftovers? Most of you may say no. But when it comes to saving money on groceries then leftovers are the magic for you. Because if you are creative enough and have decent cooking skills then you can consume leftovers as your one time meal.
Apart from that you should also make a weekly or monthly meal plan. It not just saves your money but it also saves your time. And you would also shop for groceries according to your meal plan.
Do you ever forget the bill of LPG in your groceries. Now the question is how can we save LPG bills? The most straightforward answer to this question is to cook in bulk.
If you do so then you would save your time and money. And in case of leftovers then we have already given the solution to it.
Make a Grocery List
Likewise we have mentioned in the above point that you should make a meal plan. And you should shop accordingly.
It means that you would list down all the products that you would like to purchase and stick to them. You can also take advantage of sales coupons and discounts at the time of purchase.
Majority of wholesale stores provide discounts at regular intervals. All you need to do is check them regularly.
Buying in Bulk
Buying in bulk can be good and can be bad as well. All you need to make a smart choice. Now the question is how?
How buying in bulk can be a smart decision for an individual? The answer is they should purchase non-perishable items such as Pasta, Rice, Flour, and canned goods.
You can also buy perishable items such as fruits and vegetables in bulk but make sure you have someone that can exchange some items with you to make a win-win situation for both of them. Purchasing frozen food in bulk can also be a smart choice.
Choosing Store Brands
You should try to make purchases from store brands that can offer the same quality and ingredients as name brands at lower cost.
Apart from that you should also compare the prices between store brands and name brands. Apart from that you should pick some brands for frequently purchased items.
Always try to purchase the quality products and ingredients.
Buying Produce in Season
It is always a smart choice to buy groceries in season. Because in this way you will get more affordable groceries with better taste than the out of season groceries.
Apart from that you would find some competitive price on the groceries. All you need to do is compare the rates in each store and then make a purchase.
Making Use of Cash Back And Loyalty Programs
Cashback apps are quite helpful in order to save money in grocery for one person. There are lots of cash back offers run daily.
All you need to pick the cashback offer and utilize it at the time of purchase. Apart from that some of the stores also offer rewards and discounts to their members.
So make sure that you are a member of the loyalty program of the stores.
Can I save money on groceries by eating out less?
Yes, it can be possible to save money by eating out less. But eating out less doesn’t mean that you should not take in enough calories each day.
It means that you should avoid expensive and unhealthy food. Rather than you should eat home-cooked food.
Apart from that you can also control the ingredient and portion size to save your money.
How can I save money on groceries while still maintaining a healthy and balanced diet?
For this, you need to make a diet plan for yourself. It is better to take a diet plan for a dietitian.
After that you need to create a list for your grocery items and then make purchases according to your needs such as in bulk, small portions etc.
In this way you can maintain your healthy and balanced diet while saving your money.
Conclusion
By following these tips on how to save money on groceries for one person, you can save money on groceries while still maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. You can also try your own tips and tricks to save money while purchasing groceries.
If you think that we have skipped or missed any of the ways to save money on groceries then comment down below.
Frequently Asked Question
Are store brands as good as name brands?
Store brands are always good as compared with name brands. Because they offer the same quality and ingredients as the name brand but at a lower cost. Apart from that, store brands also run discounts.
How can I stick to my grocery budget?
For this you need to make a grocery list and try to follow it. Apart from that you should also avoid impulse purchases. Sales, coupons, discounts and buy in bulk can help you to stick to your grocery budget.