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How To Save Money On Groceries Canada – Digital flyer apps, buying generic or in bulk, and using a rewards credit card are just some of the ways to save money on groceries.
Your wallet is probably already feeling the pressure; according to the latest Canada Food Price Report published by Dalhousie University, a Canadian family of four will spend $13,907 on food in 2021. That’s a projected $695 (5%) increase in annual grocery spending for a family of the same size in 2020 .
How To Save Money On Groceries Canada
These financial pressures mean it’s more important than ever to find ways to save a little extra money on food and other essentials. To help, here are some budgeting strategies and money-saving grocery shopping tips.
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Before you start trying to cut your grocery bill, figure out how much you actually need to spend. Start by taking a look at your current grocery spending by reviewing your bank or credit card statements or recent grocery receipts if you have them. Compare the cheaper shopping trips with the higher ones. What did you do differently when you used more or less? Looking over the receipt, can you see foods that were more “want” than “need”?
Your goal should be to decide on an amount that will allow you to buy the groceries you absolutely need for a given period of time – a week or a month – while leaving money to pay your other bills.
One option is to base your grocery budget on your income. Some experts recommend that Canadians should spend 10% to 15% of their gross household income on groceries. So if your family makes $50,000 before taxes, you can aim to spend about $5,000 to $7,500 a year ($417 to $625) a month at the grocery store.
Saving money on groceries starts before you even leave the house. Check your fridge and pantry to see what you have on hand so you can avoid buying something you already have. This strategy also helps you identify any items that are nearing their expiration date so you can plan to use them instead of letting them go to waste.
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If you prefer the “click and collect” type of grocery shopping, where you buy your groceries online and then pick up your order in store, this strategy is even more powerful. Before you add each item to your cart, take a look in your fridge or cupboard to make sure you really need it.
Grocery stores are designed to distract you and make you buy things you want but don’t need. Store designers purposely place the most delicious and enticing items, such as produce, baked goods and flowers, at the front of the store so that you are tempted to add them to your shopping cart. But you can outsmart this system by making a shopping list before you leave home. It sounds simple, but making a list while checking your fridge and then sticking to it at the grocery store can help you save a significant amount at the checkout.
PC Optimum is the dominant loyalty program for free groceries in Canada. If you shop at Shoppers Drug Mart or another Loblaws-owned store such as Zehrs, ValuMart, No Frills or The Great Canadian Superstore, you can earn points on all your purchases. The points you collect for each item are based in part on your personal shopping habits, and you can even earn points on non-grocery purchases like gas.
When you reach 10,000 points, you can redeem them at checkout for $10 off your total grocery bill. Points don’t expire and there’s no limit to how many you can redeem at once, so if you save up your points, you can even get a whole trolley of groceries for free.
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They won’t immediately make your groceries cheaper, but different rewards credit cards can be used strategically to earn cash back or even free groceries. You’ll want to look for a card with a high earning at grocery stores — some offer up to 4% cash back on qualifying purchases — and an annual fee that you can afford. Alternatively, you can choose a brand-focused rewards card that gives a high percentage of points when you shop at a particular merchant. These points can then be redeemed for free groceries or other rewards.
If there are certain brands you love and can’t live without, visit their websites and request coupons. Brands are always looking to connect with their customers and will often respond by sending savings straight to your mailbox. Some brands even have newsletters filled with even more promotions and discounts. Along with the manufacturer’s coupons, some brands may even send you a few free samples. It never hurts to ask.
Sale flyers are a great way to know when certain items you need or want are on sale, but sifting through the physical versions week after week can be tiresome. Digital flyer apps like Flipp and Reebee make it easy to browse weekly ads on your phone or other mobile device and even put together a shopping list based on what items will be on sale.
While it’s generally a good idea to stick to your shopping list, sometimes deviating from it can help you score a lot. Grocers keep an eye on their dairy, meat and prepared foods as they approach their best before date and can mark them down by several dollars or up to 50% as it gets closer. Of course, the “Eat It Tonight” brand is real and you don’t want to wait too long and have the food go to waste. But these marked-down items can be a great way to save on perishable staples like yogurt, cheese and meat.
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When you buy non-name or store brand items instead of name brand, you can save money instantly – depending on the item, potentially up to 25%. Often the generic brand has the same ingredients as the name brand version. This is especially true when it comes to staples like baking ingredients and cleaning agents like laundry detergent. Sometimes generic food tastes a little different than the name brand, so it may be worth experimenting to see where you’re happy to save and where you’d prefer to skip the name brand.
Shopping at discount grocers like No Frills can easily save you more money than you would shopping at more mainstream stores like Sobeys, Safeway, and even Loblaws, which owns No Frills. That may mean more no-name brands and potentially less selection, but those may be worthy trade-offs for a smaller grocery bill. And since No Frills is part of Loblaws, you can use Loblaws store coupons, ask for price matching, and collect and redeem PC Optimum points, which can save you even more money.
A proven method to save money on groceries is to buy in bulk. Choosing the largest size of an item can often end up being cheaper. Just make sure you have room to store non-perishable staples and that you’ll be able to use – or freeze – perishable foods before they go bad, so buying in bulk doesn’t lead to wasted money.
If you’re shopping for a large household, you might even consider joining a warehouse club to gain access to more bulk options. A Gold Star Costco membership costs $60 a year and often has great prices, especially on meat. However, be sure to factor in membership costs when considering whether a Costco membership will help you save money.
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Aaron Broverman has been a personal finance journalist for over a decade. His work has appeared in such outlets as Yahoo Finance Canada, Bankrate and Creditcards.com, Money Under 30, Wealth Rocket, CBC.ca and Greedyrates.ca. This former Toronto transplant via Vancouver now lives in Waterloo with his wife and son.
Sometimes the only way to get out of debt is to seek professional help. Relief options include debt consolidation, credit counseling, debt restructuring and consumer proposals.
Credit scores in Canada range from 300 to 900. The higher the better. Generally: 660-724 is good; 725-759 is very good; 760-900 is excellent.
An emergency fund ensures that you have money set aside for large, unexpected expenses. How much do you need? How should you start saving? Going to a Costco grocery store used to be an in-and-out process for us, and over the years we’ve found that we save on certain products.
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Today, I focus only on foods that are worth the time, money, and Costco membership fee for our family.
Often, when the seasons change, the prices in Canadian grocery stores change the daily cuisine, especially in the winter.
For example, a 3-pack of romaine lettuce at Zehrs is now $9.99, compared to $2.99 a few months ago.
One of my most visited posts on CBB for groceries is Costco Keto products with photos as Keto is the lifestyle rage at the moment.
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From the virality of the post, I have realized how important it is for consumers to save money, even if it is at Costco grocery stores.
The idea is
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