We all have to eat. And I feel like it’s totally not worth it to get a meal plan when I am living off-campus. Especially with being virtual, I am on campus so much less. But, groceries and meal planning can be expensive, especially when most of the time I have no idea what to cook. Luckily though, I have learned some tips and tricks over the last year on how to save money when it comes to grocery shopping.
1. Make a list (and stick to it)
This will help so much, especially if you stick to it. By only buying what you need you will save so much money instead of going bananas in the snack aisle.
2. Do not shop when you are hungry
It seems like such a small task, but it can save you so much money in the long run. You will tend to only buy what you need rather than what you are craving.
3. Check for student ID discounts
Although maybe this cannot apply to grocery stores, a lot of food places have student discounts on food and meals! Check online to if any local businesses or stores have these discounts.
4. Coupons
Sounds trivial, but these will help so much. Especially on those staple items. Lot of grocery apps even have coupons, so say goodbye to all those paper cuts you get from cutting them out of the newspaper. Be careful to not go Extreme Couponing on the place.
5. Buy store brand items
This especially for staple items like olive oil, spices, cooking ingredients, etc. The store brand items are known for being cheaper so why not save money by buying the 99-cent boxed pasta? Besides, if you look closely you’ll see you’re only paying more for the brand name.