1. **Grocery Stores:** Walmart, Aldi, Lidl and Trader Joe’s (owned by [Aldi Nord](https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2012/05/17/aldis-trader-joes-is-a-winner/?sh=2f1afaef220f)) are usually going to have the lowest priced groceries. Walmart which is the largest grocer in the United States intentionally sells most of their grocery items at less than a 10% mark up to get you in the store to buy other things.
2. **Club Stores:** BJs, Costco and Sam’s Club are usually not cheaper on groceries than Walmart’s Great Value, Aldi, Lidl and Trader Joe’s store brands and you have to buy in large quantities that are likely to expire before you have a chance to use them. If you already have a club membership I am not saying you need to get rid of it just compare unit pricing to make sure you are really saving money on groceries. For those who do not have a membership I do not believe it is necessary to get one to save money on groceries. Most clubs allow you to give a family member a free membership card so if you must check first with any family member who has a membership and take advantage of it that way.
3. **Store Brands:** Buy store brands whenever possible, as all store brands will save you money but Walmart’s Great Value and Aldi brands consistently beat out the competition on pricing for grocery items. Major companies make Walmart’s Great Value products. For example: Sara Lee makes their coffee and bread products, Dannon makes their yogurt, Land O’Lakes makes their butter, Kellogg’s makes their cereal, Kraft makes their mayonnaise, Green Giant makes their can goods, McCormick makes their spices, Utz makes their potato chips and their peanut butter is made in the same factory as the Peter Pan brand. While buying store brands will almost always save you money there can be a big difference between some in terms of pricing. For instance Acme’s Signature brand while still cheaper than name brands can sometimes be double the price for the equivalent item of Walmart’s Great Value and Aldi brands.
4. **Unit Pricing:** This is probably the biggest mistake most shoppers make. Always look at the unit pricing to see which is the better deal. Most stores include two prices on the price tag, the price of the item and the unit price (e.g. price per ounce/pound). Make sure you are comparing the same unit of measurement as some stores intentionally switch between different units to try and make certain items not appear overpriced. One might say ounces (oz.) the other pounds (lbs.). Some even will say the price “per each” or “per 100 count”. In some cases the only way to know if you are getting the best deal is to do the math yourself. Take the total price of the item and divide it by the total ounces (oz.) listed on the packaging to give you the price per ounce. Be careful not to use the serving size unit of measure which is only a fraction of the entire item. With fish and meat items be careful to take into consideration the presence of larger bones and fat that can add to the weight and misleadingly lower the unit price.
5. **Breakfast:** Simple suggestions are cereals, eggs and toast.
6. **Lunch:** Simple suggestions are salads, sandwiches, burritos, hot dogs and wraps.
7. **Dinner:** Simple balanced dinners consist of three parts **1. Starch** such as rice, potatoes or pasta, **2. Protein** such as fish, meat or beans and **3. Vegetable** either fresh, frozen or canned.
8. **Snacks:** Self explanatory but set a tight budget on these and always buy store brands.
9. **Expirations Dates:** Always check expiration dates on everything you buy. I have found literal pallets of items that expired two months earlier at club stores. This is less likely to be a problem at high volume stores like Walmart since they move so much inventory but check anyway you will be surprised what you find. Then make sure you will realistically be able to use the item before it expires and avoid literally throwing money away.
10. **Avoid Impulse Buying:** Do not go grocery shopping hungry or you are going to buy things you do not need. Eat right before you go. Use the store’s website or app to find what you need first and make a list either on paper or on your phone. On Android, Google’s Keep Notes is a free app you can use to make lists of anything. Adding your list up at home lets you add and remove items to get to the amount you want to spend. Avoid end cap items unless they are things like Walmart’s Great Value brand and are on your list, since item placement there is a sales tactic used to increase sales of certain items that can include paid marketing by the company that owns the product. **Be strong, stick to your list.**
In an emergency get-by situation you can get [3 Simple Meals a Day for $11 A Week From Walmart](https://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood/comments/14oguss/3_simple_meals_a_day_for_11_a_week_from_walmart/).
by Poptech