One of the cool things about having been a personal finance blogger for coming up on 10 years is that I’ve written a lot of articles about a lot of topics at a variety of economic times. In 2014 I wrote an article “Surviving the Grocery Store” in which I discussed ways to spend less at the grocery store. Now fast forward to 2022, groceries are very much top of mind as inflation continues to rise and affect our wallets. As much as you can cut back on eating out, groceries are still something we all have to purchase and if we’re eating out less, that means we’re purchasing more groceries!

I thought it would be interesting to look back 8 years ago to see how my advice has held up! So here are my tips from 2014, and my updates for 2022!

1) MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE!

Go in to a grocery store without a list and it’ll be over before it even begins. I keep a running list on my fridge of things that I need to buy at the grocery store. The day before I plan to go, or even a couple of hours before; I check all my cabinets, fridge and pantry to make sure I have everything that I need on my list.

2022 update – this still holds very true! I religiously update our grocery list and as best I can stick to it when I grocery shop. The list has gotten a technological update in the form of living on my iPhone! Mrs. Money and I have also gotten good about meal planning for the week, we know what we’re having and therefore what we need! I will say that in 2022 now having 2 kiddos that grocery shopping can be more difficult to stick to the list as they know how to wear me down and I always leave with a few more treats than originally intended!

2) UPGRADE YOUR LIST

Not only does my shopping list contain the things that I need to buy, it also contains the things I don’t need to buy. I got tired of coming home and finding that I already had enough of something that I’d bought at the store. With a list of things I don’t need, I stay focused and waste less time trying to remember whether or not I need something.

2022 update – oh 2014 YMF, how on top of things you thought you were. I no longer have a list of things I don’t need to buy and accomplish the same thing by just buying what’s on the list.

3) LESS FREQUENT IS BETTER

Much to my wife’s dismay, (“we never have any fresh food”) I only grocery shop once per month. Gasp! Once per month?!? Some people I know go once a day! There are a couple of reasons for this. Having a good plan laid out for my food helps me waste less. And since I waste less, I don’t need to go grocery shopping as often. I’m also honest with myself; grocery stores are tempting places. Grocery stores know how to get you to say ‘yes’ to something you wouldn’t have and how to squeeze a bit more money out of you. Every time I go shopping I inevitably buy a couple of things I wasn’t planning on, and that’s just part of life. I therefore reduce the chances grocery stores have to tempt me by going less frequently!

2022 update – Yup this is a relic of a different YMF. We now grocery shop weekly. The fresh food argument finally did win out – we’re much more focused on our health as we turn into MiddleAgeMoneyFinance. Also with 2 kiddos we’re eating a lot more and always in need of fresh milk. So in 2022 we’re grocery shopping weekly with a monthly trip to Costco.

4) COUPONS ARE STILL COOL

Whether you get them online or the old fashioned print way, coupons will save you money. A word of warning though; try to just use coupons for things you ordinarily would buy. I don’t mind switching over to a new brand of butter if I can save $0.50 but if I don’t need to buy butter this month, the coupon will do more harm than good!

2022 update – 2014 YMF how did you find the time to coupon?!? I honestly can’t remember the last time I couponed. I suppose looking back saving $3-$5 with ally my coupons might have been worth it then but now our time is more valuable and I don’t have the time or patience to incorporate coupons into our routine. Also I find I get less coupons in the mail vs 2014 – they show up fewer and farther between compared to 2014 when I recall getting the me weekly.

5) DON’T BE A SUCKER FOR BRAND NAMES

If you’re drawn towards a certain product because you recognize the brand name, it’s probably not because it’s a better brand…it’s probably because they pay more to advertise. I’ve found that store brands are on the whole, on par if not better than the big name brands. While I don’t exclusively buy store brands, I certainly try to load my basket with more store brand items than not!

2022 update – this has stood the test of time! Although there are a few items we don’t trust the store brand for (Ranch dressing is randomly one of them) on the whole we more often than not buy store brand items.

6) BUY IN BULK

When you purchase things in larger quantities, you are normally rewarded by getting a break in the per unit price. Now I’m not saying to go out and buy a year’s supply of toilet paper, but buying in bulk can make sense when it’s something you know you’ll use.

2022 update – Costco anyone? But it’s funny how ‘bulk’ really just lasts us a month now with 4 mouths in the house to feed. But generally speaking we do try to buy in bulk to save money over the long run!

7) WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

I read that Americans throw away 40% of the food they buy. Climate consequences aside, that’s a lot of money to just throw away! Learn to buy foods that you’ll eat and that are the right portion that you’ll be able to eat. The less you waste the less you have to buy!

2022 update – 100% feel the same way! As much as we like to think we’re helping the environment (which I believe we are), this has now much more turned into a financial benefit – groceries are too expensive to waste! On the other hand 2 small kiddos means that food will be wasted with picky eaters and/or finicky mouths that are hungry one minute and not hungry the next. But we try!

8) DON’T GO GROCERY SHOPPING HUNGRY

Bad idea right there. Suddenly everything looks tasty and everything looks like you need it right then and there. A hungry stomach makes for a clouded mind and a clouded mind buys things you don’t need or perhaps even really want!

2022 update – LOL I go to the grocery store when it’s convenient but I suppose this statement still holds true.

9) A SALE DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN A GOOD DEAL

Always take a sale with a grain of salt. Stop, take a step back and ask yourself: is this really a good price? Is it just on sale because it’s a brand name? How does it compare with the store brand prices or even with the price of the item normally?

2022 update – This has held up over time and it’s probably even more relevant now seeing as how often we grocery shop – as we’re able to better compare and recognize when something is a good deal.

10) NEVER GET A SHOPPING CART UNLESS YOU TRULY NEED IT

Don’t go asking for trouble, if you do, it’s likely to find you! Pushing around a large shopping cart with a lot of room will just be a temptation for you to fill it up with more stuff!

2022 update – haha, a shopping cart is a given now with where I’m at in life, it’s more a question of what color fire truck we get – red, green, blue, pink.

TLDR

Groceries were expensive in 2014 and even more expensive in 2022! Thankfully a lot of the advice I tried to follow in 2014 rings true today. Meal plan, make a list, know when it’s a real sale vs. not, stick to the list and plan, and try to avoid temptations at the checkout line! On top of all that, groceries are probably always going to be expensive but also just a part of life. If you are working to control your budget just remember that it’s cheaper than eating out!