Reader Question: How to Cut Your Grocery Budget

I truly love the community of Southern Savers readers. Not only do you ask great questions, but you also have great answers! I try to post questions to our Southern Savers Facebook page when I receive one, and recently someone wrote in and asked how to cut their grocery budget to $400 for a family of 4. I certainly have ideas, but I loved getting to see all of YOUR ideas.

Here are all the tips you readers had on how to cut your grocery budget!

Reader Question: How to Cut Your Grocery Budget

It’s no shock that any of you are total pros at keeping your grocery budget low, even with larger families!

Rose L.: “We are three people now… one teen boy, and my other 3 drop in often. If I spend $100 a week, it’s a lot. I have a stockpile and hardly run out of many things because I buy in bulk when it goes on sale, with coupons. I use Ibotta and other cashback apps and get back about $50 a month or more besides couponing. We have 2 freezers besides the kitchen freezer and use the foodsaver to keep the meats, etc., from getting freezer burn. I have a good size garden in the summer and that helps, too.”

Krista K.: “I try to scout the Walmart meat section every now and then to see if anything has been discounted for quick sale. Often times meat with a use/freeze by date that’s getting nearer is marked WAY down, so I stock up and freeze.”

Betty G.: “One local store reduced their meat and chicken after 2 p.m. and another does it in the morning.”

Will K.: “Karen Nunnery at Mashup Mom has an Aldi meal plan, but we use Walmart delivery. Some weeks we don’t like the meals so we just pick a random week that we like. It is $60 a week for 4, and it’s free.”

Linda F.: “I try not to throw any leftover meat away. From one pot roast, you can also make fajitas, open-faced sandwiches, BBQ beef, etc. Leftover steak makes awesome fajitas, just freeze in vacuum sealed bags until you have enough. Same goes for any chicken leftovers, or make chicken salad. Spaghetti sauce, I always make enough for several meals then freeze what’s left for quick dinner later, and use for ziti, lasagna, etc.”

Laurie P.: “Thursday night is leftover night. I pull everything out of the fridge.”

Stefanie G.: “If you cook everything from scratch it will be way cheaper.”

Betty G.: “When I had 4 in the house, I put all the leftover vegetables and meat in a crockpot, had it going all the time, great soup. I did spaghetti with meat sauce once a week. Now that I am single, I use coupons for everything and save more than I would at Walmart as more than one store doubles coupons and one store takes the other store’s coupons. I also teach the coupon class once a week at the library.”

Many readers swear by grocery pick-up options!

Heather D.: “Planning out our weekly meals has helped so much, and using Walmart grocery pickup has allowed me to only buy what we need. My family of 5’s weekly budget has gone down to about $80.”

Kimberly M.: “Order online for pick up. I spend SO much less by ordering because I am not there to be tempted by anything and I stick to my list.”

Christina P.: “Grocery pickup, for sure! For all of my laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, diapers, etc, I purchase on Amazon. I wait for coupons and then do Subscribe and Save to save even more. I make sure to stock up when I can! I also stock up on meat when it’s on sale. I buy the largest packs and split them and freeze. Groceries as a family of 5… approximately $100 a week.”

Tina W.: “Online shopping with Instacart or pick-up. I can see how much I put in my cart as I go and I stop when I hit my limit. No pressure to buy more because I am not in the store.”

Regina S.: “I love the option of Walmart or Food Lion grocery pickup because I can make a list and stick to it better. I also meal plan.”

Jennifer W.: “The budget is totally doable with Walmart grocery pick up. I stay on budget this way. I tend to spend more if I shop in store. I do buy bulk at Sam’s once a month for cleaning, paper products, and some snacks. It varies by month on this trip. Also, meat and junk food will blow your budget. Buy meats on sale. I don’t cook meat with every dinner. I stopped buying so much junk food. The kids adjusted quickly to this and their behavior improved too.”

The most common tip is simply to buy what’s on sale! That should come as no surprise if you’re a longtime reader of our site.

Bridget G.: “You have to stock up on meat as often as possible to stay on budget each week. We use a foodsaver and have a freezer full of various meats. If I have to buy fresh meat every week, my budget would be blown. I have done the Walmart pickup to save time and so that you aren’t tempted to throw extras in the buggy. Most all of the Great Value brands are tasty. That way you buy cheap, don’t have to coupon as much, and easy pickup. Don’t hit the substitute button while ordering online or they will give you just anything. I still coupon at Publix for pet supplies. Food and litter is always on sale. Happy budgeting!”

Melissa M.: “Buy what is on sale, use coupons, have a stocked pantry and freezer by buying when it is on sale, and don’t be afraid to buy store brands (most items are very similar). I can stay at or below $100 most weeks for our family of 4.”

Emily A.: “Buy what’s on sale and find good recipes your family enjoys. We have 2 celiacs in our home and feed 6 or 7 people most nights, and only 2 people work or school outside the home. Our grocery budget sits at around $600 a month because I shop sales. When meat is on sale for under $3/lb, thats what my freezer is filled with. Once you get into the swing of it, you can figure out what goes on sale regularly and buy accordingly. For example, I buy 16 chicken breasts when they’re $1.88lb, and then freeze them in pairs. That’s 8 meals for us, and if I sale shop like that for the month, we have 8 sets of pork chops, 8 packs of ground beef, a few packs of beef strips/steaks/pot roast/pork butts, etc. and I have a month of variety on the cheap.”

Helen E.: “Easy—eat what’s on sale and have pancakes for dinner once a week.”

Laura D.: “Meal plan based around what meats and fresh fruits and veggies are on sale that week and buy pantry staples only when they are on sale. Don’t overstock, but when canned beans are on sale grab a few and then when ground chuck is on sale make chili. Other than steak, I find I can make all my regular recipes I make within the budget. We also don’t drink carbonated drinks (health choice, not budget choice) and that saves on our budget.”

Do you have more tips for our reader? Let us know in the comments!

Another way to cut your grocery budget is to check out our Southern Savers readers’ favorite frugal recipes!