There are endless ways you can go about cutting costs in certain areas of your life… and you definitely don’t have to compromise when it comes to staying healthy!
Budgeting is smart– it means you have a plan. If you don’t already know your current expenses, it may be worth it to start writing down as you spend since most things add up… quick! I compiled a list of 7 of my top master saving tips below, along with so many suggestions from you guys!
MASTER SAVING TIPS
Shop sales ! Sign up for newsletters, download apps like Whole Foods (especially their new Amazon Prime deals), Sprouts, or ibotta, where you can earn real cash back and look at weekly ads at grocery stores. It’s worth the wait for markdowns on your favorite products.
Be willing to hit several different stores to load up on everything you need. Once you do this a few times, you’ll learn which stores offer the cheapest price for certain items.
Shop seasonally and be guided by the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. In season produce not only tastes better and contains more nutrients, but is cheaper when in season due to the abundance. It also forces you to learn about the seasonality of produce items. In season produce is usually more affordable. Perhaps something you’re planning on buying at the store isn’t offered organic, but notice it’s listed on the Dirty Dozen, opt for something else!! Get creative and see if the same recipe can use an alternative item, or maybe branch out from your typical piece of fruit and try something new that’s organic & a better price.
Trader Joe’s is literally my ride or die. They have such great prices, healthy items & tons of organic produce.
Freeze your fresh produce items that are on the verge of going bad, and use for smoothies instead! Things like berries, bananas, spinach, etc. are great for throwing into an airtight container and popping in the freezer.
Go in with a list & plan to not deviate from it.
Avoid pre-cut foods. You’ll end up saving money buying whole/loose pieces of fruits and veggies and further, you’ll be reducing your plastic waste from that packaged item.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
Take in only enough cash$$ that you’re willing to spend. Your credit/debit card makes it feel ok to spend more than you would with just cash.
Eat a primarily plant-based diet. Organic, grass-fed, sustainably caught animal proteins should be add-ons!
Shop in the BULK section. When it comes to nuts, grains, legumes, spices, oils, etc., you can find a lot of what you need for a cheaper price. Not only will this be cheaper in the long run, you’ll be reducing your waste as well!
Thrive Market. You might be concerned because there is an annual fee of $60, however, being a college student, you get the membership FOR FREE. Depending on how often you buy specialty health products, you can save quite a bit of money! Plus, everything is delivered straight to your door. I use it all the time for my favorite specialty products.
Costco has improved so much with organic produce. Buy extra & freeze for later use! Plus, they have specialty items for great deals, such as Vital Proteins, RXBAR, Chosen Foods avocado oil, Simple Mills, Purely Elizabeth, etc.
Go to local farmer’s markets… but at the end of the day, before they close! Vendors would rather get rid of what they brought with them to their stand. Usually the best deals are in the last 30 minutes of the market!
Try to plan out your meals for the week that have overlapping ingredients. This way, you can repurpose certain produce items.
Grab a hand basket instead of a cart so you can only buy what you can physically carry out.
Limit yourself to one “splurge” item each week or every other week.
Stock up on anything with a longer shelf life (extra-virgin olive oil, Primal Kitchen salad dressings, frozen wild-caught seafood, organic meats, etc.) when it’s on sale.
Make extras for dinner to supply your lunch or dinner the following day.
Frozen fruit and veggies are great! They’re picked and frozen at peak freshness and usually cheaper than fresh produce. Again, try to shop organic or follow the Dirty Dozen.
Don’t double purchase! Check your fridge and pantry before leaving the house to really determine what you need.
As you’re going down the aisles and picking up any packaged items, look at the ingredients and think to yourself, “can I make this at home?” for certain items like salad mixes, sauces, quick snacks, granola, nut milk or cut veggies. Most likely, you’ll spend less on the ingredients to make bigger portions of that same item.
If you’re the kind of person who needs a list to follow & stick to, do what works best! If you’re disciplined in a grocery store, try shopping on the spot for deals, being open minded and planning your meals around those sale food items.
PERSONALLY…
I do spend a good amount of money each month on groceries. I’m not the type to go out to eat several days a week (I hardly ever eat out in general), go out to get dinner with friends, or buy a daily coffee. So, I feel like I allocate those unused expenses towards high quality food items. I put my health at the top of my priority list and I make an effort to fuel it with nourishing foods because I know just how important the role food plays in our health (especially brain health) later down the road.
A few things I personally never compromise when it comes to grocery shopping– animal protein. We just can’t trust our current meat industry in the U.S. In order to account for the population increase, meat manufacturers pump animals with all kinds of antibiotics, hormones and chemicals in order to prevent sickness and produce more product. It’s so important to buy organic, grass-fed, and sustainably raised animal proteins. If you’re unable to afford, I recommend sticking to plants. I’m of course dairy-free (lactose intolerant), so you won’t see my recipes using dairy much at all, but for those who do consume it… choose organic or not at all!
I typically shop for the majority of my food at Trader Joe’s and the local farmer’s market, organic produce every other week from local grocery stores, and shop for specialty items on the Thrive Market website.
At the end of the day, you don’t need all these fancy superfoods, detox supplements, etc. Eat REAL FOOD and your body will be happy!
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