How to Save Money on Groceries - #1 Way that NO ONE Talks About!

If you want to learn how to save money on groceries, check out this budget grocery shopping tip. It's actually really simple but it's a game changer - that no one else ever mentions! This is one of the top ways I go food shopping on a budget. #savingmoney #grocerybudget #groceryhaul
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[@nanar.8088]

Monthly for sure! Like you, I don't want to miss bargains 😅. I do keep in mind what I aim to spend each week

[@joyfullythriving]

Yes!!

[@lisaolson1345]

I am shifting to this way of shopping,I've almost got it,it definitely is a learning curve but completely doable

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay!!! Definitely a learning curve but I am SO glad you agree it is worth it! 🥳

[@trishakrenek4171]

I’ve been watching and enjoying your videos for a few months now, and decided to give ourselves a monthly budget of $500, start meal planning and shop the sales. We were spending so much money on groceries, so I started the challenge on January 1st. It’s been a fun challenge, except I’m a tad over my budget as of a couple of days ago. 😬 But, I have enough groceries for the rest of the month for 2 of us. We do have grown children and grandchildren who we invite over for meals, our door is always open for company. 😊 Thankfully we had a full pantry when I started this challenge. I also bought a planner for this year and I’m keeping track of meals and money spent. The best thing about this challenge is that I’m meal planning and cooking lots of different meals! We seemed to be in a rut, so it’s been nice! 🥰 I look forward to all your videos and I take notes on the items on sale, so thank you sooo much!! 😊

[@joyfullythriving]

I am so proud of you! Way to go! 🥳 Way to give yourself a challenge - and succeed! Shopping the sales is such a great challenge...and also, maybe a little addicting? 🤣 Having a stocked pantry makes entertaining at a moments notice so much easier too! Keep up the good work. It sounds like you are off to a great start! 👍

[@trishakrenek4171]

@@joyfullythriving Thank you so much!! It’s been a fun challenge so far!! 🥰 I agree on the addiction part, I’m already anxious to see what the new sales are!! 🤗 Although for this month I’ve spent $12.10 too much! 👀 Well, I’ll be anxiously awaiting for February sales, and watching your videos!! Thanks again!! 🤩

[@joyfullythriving]

@@trishakrenek4171 $12 over isn't bad at all! When you look at it is a fun challenge, grocery shopping becomes less of a chore and so much more of a fun game! Here's to February sales and finding more good deals! 😁

[@rosannasauereisen2827]

Because of youtubers like you, I have taken the monthly budget that I have had for years and started to shop the sales. I keep track of how much I spend on my notes app and I can spend based on sales. I used to try to do the once a month grocery shop but I could never get ahead and I never seemed to estimate properly. I missed all the sales because I was out of money. It was so stressful to me! Since I have switched, we are doing so much better with the same amount of money.

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay! That has always been my hesitation on the monthly shopping trips because it is hard to estimate. Plus, the sales save SO much money - as you have noticed first hand. I am SO excited for you! 🥳

[@alyssaboseck8323]

We are a family of five with nearly adult kids but two still at home. I have been using these skills you talk about forever and love your channel! I am going to switch to the monthly budget vs. the weekly. It makes so much sense.🎉

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay, Alyssa! It is so nice to meet other shoppers who save money the same way I do! 🥰 And I am excited to hear how it goes switching to a monthly budget. It makes so much sense to me too, that I can't imagine using a weekly budget anymore! 😂

[@brittneycook9304]

We've been doing a monthly budget. Although this month we blew through it 🤦‍♀️ There were a lot of good stock up sales and I may have over done it. I took the amount we overspent and deducted it from next months budget, with the intention of only buying bare minimum items in February.

[@joyfullythriving]

That's a good way to do it! Some months the sales are so good that you just can't pass them up! 😁

[@queenofthehousehold]

Oh, that’s true! Great tips. We are trying to do better at sticking to a monthly grocery budget in 2024. I’m working on paying better attention to those sales!

[@joyfullythriving]

You can do it! Sales are a simple way to bring your budget down a bit more. Proud of you for intentionally watching for sales!

[@elizabethteeter6284]

Your house is so beautiful ❤️ love your ideas 💡 saving money i get meat n bulk and then break it down into smaller bags vacuum seal them last so much longer i go in get mark down few days week really helps

[@joyfullythriving]

Great idea!! Freezing meat in smaller packages is such a smart move! It saves you money and time. And since meat is often the most expensive budget item for many of us, it's smart to really stock up on sales and markdowns.

[@lindaf4803]

A monthly budget is simple, however it's so effective. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.

[@joyfullythriving]

Thank you! It really is so simple but so effective. And I hope you have a wonderful week too! 😊

[@NOVAFrugalFamily]

Totally agree!! Monthly budgeting is how I do it. It always makes me laugh that some people go to the store every week because I go when I see a sale and have a plan. It is way easier to stand in the kitchen and say we need food and then make brownies, banana bread and other things instead of heading to the store for things and just buying random things.

[@joyfullythriving]

Spot on. Check out the sales and make a plan! 👏 And yes!!! It is so nice to look around the kitchen and pantry and know we can make almost whatever we are thinking or craving! 🥰

[@gretchenb7884]

This is a great idea! I haven’t heard anyone talk about it before, either. I am going to give it a try. Thank you!

[@joyfullythriving]

You are so welcome! It's simple but I really think it can be a game changer budget wise. Good luck, Gretchen! You can do this! 👏

[@an7855]

I will never change to monthly. But I allow myself to overspend for sales of staples. My budget is not THAT tight because i save up for planned expenses. It isn't a problem to overspend 20 bucks in week 2 because it will be balanced in week 4. I(!) am more frugal if I wiggle around a weekly Budget. Maybe because sales ads are weekly over here. I try to spend half of the budget for perishables and stuff I need for special recipes and half of it for stockpiling.

[@joyfullythriving]

Good for you in knowing what works for you! 👏 I like your idea of how you divide it in half...and giving yourself the flexibility to stock up on sales!

[@Lovedbythealmightyforever]

I have watched so many videos of yours and learned a lot. I decided to spend about 360 a month. I used to spend like $435 by weekly just for my 3 year old and me. I really don’t think I can go any longer. I don’t have a Kroger near me or any store that has actually good deals.

[@joyfullythriving]

Slow and steady wins the race! You have the first step. You set a budget AND you are determined to learn and try. 😍 You can do this...and I will be here cheering you on! 🥳

[@conniekellenberger7117]

I sure try too only spend about 120ish every two but I do have stock pile too use also . We trying pay our home off this year.

[@joyfullythriving]

Wow! Good for you guys! And yes, every dollar adds up! 🥳

[@jessicaklesmit3309]

Thank you! I am giving the monthly grocery budget a try for 2024.

[@joyfullythriving]

Good for you, Jessica! Like I said, there is a bit of a learning curve but I think you will find it SO worth it! I will be here cheering you on! 🥳

[@Jean_in_Stillness]

Sincerely appreciate you and your channel, Kristin! At first, I read this as only visiting the grocery store once a month 😁 (which has never worked out well for me . . ha ha ha!) Right now, I split the budget between two paychecks per month but I'm going to try what you suggest. It would actually be easier to take it a month at a time out of one check. That way, I could still do the store visit once a week and (hopefully) score some of the sales.

[@joyfullythriving]

Oh, no! I could never do it only shopping once a month! I would miss out on too many sales! 😂 Let me know what you think if you decide to give it a try, Jean! I have learned to greatly appreciate the flexibility. And once you get a month or two ahead paycheck budgeting wise, it's much easier to manage.

[@Pausereflectandbreathe]

I just found you today and I’m so glad you miraculously pop up in my feed! Well, I started budgeting last month and I am slowly getting used to not buying things like crazy. 😂 My goal is to save money each month slowly but surely because every time I try to budget in the past, I failed. This time I am determined to be mindful when shopping. I also have list on my phone and I’m tracking my expenses including my husband’s expenses. Good thing my is on board right away! This is the first time that I felt happy and victorious when I shop and I’m paying less than what I budgeted. I’m really enjoying this challenge! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! ❤️❤️❤️

[@joyfullythriving]

I am so glad you found me too! 🥰 Tracking your expenses is a great place to start because YES! It feels SO good when your total comes in under your budget! You can do this! I will be right here cheering you on! 🥳

[@BackroadMoney]

This is exactly how I shop and also have a stockpile. It's a game changer for sure

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay! It's always nice to meet other people who shop the same way - and stockpile for all the money and time it saves! 🥰

[@BackroadMoney]

@joyfullythriving I do have to say, yours is more organized and looks very nice. I don't always buy the same brands, so it's not as pretty🤣

[@joyfullythriving]

Haha. No worries! Prettiness doesn't matter. Just being stocked is what is important! 😊

[@alyssaboseck8323]

I love your videos! So well done! I wish I found your channel sooner!

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay! Well, you have found me now! 🥰 I look forward to sharing more with you in the weeks and months to come!

[@soniab.estacio3008]

Good advice ❤ I love you ! God bless

[@joyfullythriving]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@kenyonbissett3512]

My number 1 way to save is/was meal planning using inexpensive but nutritious food. After that it would be a monthly/yearly budget. After we got a freezer, saving was a lot easier.

[@joyfullythriving]

All so true. 👏 I find my extra freezer to be the biggest blessing since it allows me to freeze a lot of my clearance finds! 🥰

[@cathyeller5722]

Heard this the other day, set what you need for a weekly budget now take away 20.00 put it away build up a reserve. Buy bulk buys with the reserve. Budgeting only makes sense if you have set amounts coming in and can afford to budget that way. What really happens when you are poor is you pay your bills first, if you have anything left over you look for the cheapest food sources around. You put back 5.00 for extra's a week if you are lucky. You no longer buy meats by price per pound it's can I afford that piece of meat no matter what the price per pound is. You eat more starches, because they fill you up, you eat twice a day. Food no longer has taste, it's just to get your belly to stop making noises and to stop being dizzy. A bowl of plain noodles with a small pat of butter and garlic powder is a good meal. Budgeting is fine for people with money.

[@joyfullythriving]

Interesting points. I would definitely agree with putting money aside in a reserve...or emergency fund, if you will. In addition to putting cash away, I treat my food stockpile as a practical emergency fund and think we would all be wise to do so. Especially when times seem to be getting more difficult!

[@sherrypool7653]

i started doing curbside save me a lot of money

[@joyfullythriving]

That can be a great way to stick to your budget...as I mentioned in my other other recent grocery savings video here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWXEq6Nrr7ZnfdUsi=3xUrz3ELHhddXF7I

[@ritaslade2989]

I do the same as you do Monthly God Bless You 😊❤

[@joyfullythriving]

Yay for monthly budgets! 🥳👏🥰

[@terrychittam945]

Hey Kristin, We were snowed in for about a week ,i did really good until i ran out of butter lol So bored all i did was Cook 🤣🤣

[@joyfullythriving]

Haha! 🤣 There is something about being snowed in that always makes me want to bake too! 🍪🍞🥞🍪

[@jan-nl7rw]

I do shop the sales but never set a budget to do that. Monthly budget it is from now on.

[@joyfullythriving]

Good job! You've got this! There is a bit of learning curve but having a monthly budget is a HUGE help for me and my family! I hope it is for you as well!

[@cindybennetts4589]

Just another thought on the budget math: whether you budget weekly or monthly, you still have 52 weeks to cover. If you budget monthly, you tend to think of each month having four weeks. In your example of $500/month, that’s $6000 annually. But if you thought of that as $125/week, it adds up to $6,500 annually. We tuck in a day or two or three each month and barely notice, and it saves you $500 annually with little discomfort. (even though we have 12 months of the year, we have 13 four-week periods of time).

[@joyfullythriving]

That is an EXCELLENT point! Thanks for sharing that easy way to save, Cindy! 👏🥰🥳👏

[@kcnelsonmueller]

We shop bi weekly. We go to Sam’s and BJs (it’s like Sam’s but has great prices) once a month and then we do Walmart, Foodlion, Harris Teeter once a month. Then I look at Kroger every week to see what’s on sale and buy only sale items there. I stay out of the stores other than that bc I spend much less this way. I can’t seem to just stick to a list and if I go in somewhere just for an onion, I end up spending $75. The struggle is real for me. So I started staying away. I often shift gears if I don’t have something I need so that I don’t go to the stores. Then I just buy a little more the next month. I do have a huge pantry and freezer stock pile. And I do stock up on good deals. I only buy meat on sale and then buy as much as u can afford at the time. So iam able to stay within budget and have a good stockpile. I probably have 9 months worth of stock and Ism trying to get to a year. What app did you mention that you use to keep track of your budget? I looked for what I thought you said but was unable to find anything that matched.

[@joyfullythriving]

It sounds like you are adjusting as you go which is SO important! And I completely agree! Having a stocked pantry helps more than many realize. As for the app, it is the Keep app. It's just a simple note tacking app where I keep a lot of notes so it works for me! Nothing fancy but the list is always with me!

[@brg2743]

👍

[@joyfullythriving]

We've got this! 👏

[@NickFinanceNaija]

New subscriber here!! This is awesome content. $100 / person / month… Hmm

[@joyfullythriving]

Thank you! 😊 Sometimes the simplest practical tips are the ones that make a big impact!

[@LindaASJ]

I’m doing $75 per week but not pulling all the weekly money into a cash envelope. So January is $375

[@joyfullythriving]

Good for you! Way to set a good plan! 👏

[@kaye27us]

This is what I have been doing for yrs

[@joyfullythriving]

Good for you! Glad I am not alone with this savings trick! 🙌

[@krystletucker8806]

How much do u add for pets fyi only I have 2 cats?

[@joyfullythriving]

I can't help you there, as I have never had pets! 🤷‍♀️

[@kevinjoseph517]

i spend 100 a week..one man cooking at home...i dont economize.

[@joyfullythriving]

If that number works for you, go for it! Everyone can and should set their budget according to how they cook and the income they have coming in. Now, if you wanted to economize, you could probably do so...but if you are content with your grocery being what it is, then good for you!

[@StuStevens-rn7rb]

Biden shot all my budgets down the drain. Existing on lousy SS with no way to bring in extra cow because of being physically disabled, having no vehicle and not being able to drive leaves one in a perpetual financial lurch. 😮🤔😢

[@joyfullythriving]

😔

[@josephtrudel1816]

EVERYONE talks about a monthly budget..really not rocket science Get a life

[@joyfullythriving]

Definitely rocket science but based on the comments here, there are MANY people who have never considered a monthly grocery budget. 😁

[@crackerx8026]

I wish I had the budget of even $100 dollars a month, unfortunately I'm disabled and I only qualify for $23 Dollars a month. So I spend that on a couple of 10lb bags of chicken for $3.97 cents each, some water and diet drinks, some bananas and a few other vegetables that are on sale. The chicken is also for my dogs.

[@joyfullythriving]

When the budget gets especially tight, focus on those cheaper foods that stretch like rice and oatmeal. I would personally cut out beverage purchases to stretch my budget further.