How Grocery Shopping Just Once A Week Can Save You Money

Not everyone has a set grocery shopping schedule, and last-minute cravings and dinner ideas can lead many of us to the supermarket multiple times a week. However, rising grocery prices have changed the way we shop, and saving money has become more necessary than random grocery hauls. As it turns out, the ideal number of trips we should be making to the store per week is just one. That may be more or fewer trips for some, but this trick was backed by Alli Powell of the Grocery Getting Girl blog. When Powell spoke with Food Republic, she called out the tendency to impulse buy when you go to the store more frequently. "Even small trips in the middle of the week for a few things add up quick," she said. 

We've all been guilty of fulfilling our cravings for a grocery store rotisserie chicken or grabbing some last-minute snacks that prey upon our impulse control (or lack thereof) from around the cash register. Before you know it, a quick trip meant to cost about $20 quickly turns into an unexpected bill on its own. Limiting shopping trips to once per week can be done by creating weekly meal plans and sticking to them. This will also mitigate the amount of food that goes bad from sitting in the fridge for too long, waiting for you to get around to preparing it — saving you even more money.

Limiting shopping trips to once per week will set the mood for saving money, and you can enhance those savings by shopping at grocery store chains that are best for budget shoppers, like WinCo and Trader Joe's. Knowing your own stock at home is also important. Seriously, check your pantry, fridge, freezer, and snack drawer, because buying the same condiments and staples every time you go to the store isn't saving you anything in the long run.

As obnoxious as emails or texts can be, sometimes it pays to sign up for rewards programs or memberships. Pay attention to the coupons that get sent your way because they can be used to aid in your weekly meal planning to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck. If tracking coupons is something that gives you that dreaded grocery store anxiety, try to do your shopping midweek to avoid heavy crowds. 

Other tips include purchasing less meat, buying certain items in bulk — like legumes, rice, and beans — and opting for frozen vegetables. Yes, fresh vegetables are delicious, but frozen vegetables can be less expensive and have a much longer shelf life. Saving money isn't always easy, but limiting random store runs and planning each week will certainly help.

Static Media owns and operates both The Takeout and Food Republic