Groceries are Cheap Again!

We have been working really hard to cut down on expenses. We have cut down on eating out a ton lately which is good because that is expensive! But then our grocery bills would just tick me off every time I went, even if it was just to grab a few things. I looked into couponing but that seems like way more work than I am willing to take on. So I took some advice from friends and am trying out a couple of new things that are working out great.

Image from here.

First, I am doing a weekly menu. This way I can be sure to cook things that get rid of the food we already have (my pantry is FULL and needs to be clutter-free when we put the house on the market) and just buy what I need that week when I go to the store. Plus we always know what's for dinner and have plenty of leftovers in the refrigerator to take for lunch. [Side-note: Unfortunately, I have been getting busier at work so I only end up making about half of what's on the menu but we still have plenty to eat.]

The other thing that I can't believe I didn't try sooner is to shop at Aldi. It is incredible how cheap it is there, and their food is of very good quality. The only thing I've thrown out was their knock-off Cheez-its. Apparently nothing's like the real thing. I have yet to spend more than $70 on a trip... which it WAY cheaper than the grocery store I was going to (my average for a normal trip was probably $120 and around $25 for just running in for some things). And we aren't exactly holding out on buying things either - the last time I went, B came along and we ended up getting candy and ice cream.

The reason it took me so long to try Aldi even after on of our friends had been recommending it a long time is that I was afraid of change. I knew they had some different ways of doing things like not providing bags and not taking credit cards and having to pay to use a card. Those things freaked me out a little so I was nervous going the first time with a baby in tow. Here's the lowdown in case you're scared too:

1. Carts are outside the store. You need a quarter for a deposit to "rent" the cart. You just stick it in the deal on the handle and it releases your cart. You get your groceries, unload them, and then walk the cart back to the building to plug in your cart and get your quarter back. (This is supposed to save labor costs of people having to go around  the parking lot and bring the carts back to the building, therefore making your groceries cheaper.)
2. You have to either pay with cash or a debit card using your PIN. No credit cards allowed. (Credit card companies charge fees to merchants - a fixed fee each time a card is swiped plus a small portion of the sale. My dad as a grocery store owner himself hates this.)
3. There are no free bags for your groceries and you bag them yourself. If you forget your bag or need one, they have reusable or paper bags that you can purchase for a small amount. You will unload your groceries and the cashier will scan them and put them into another cart. Then you swap carts and walk over to the window where there is a counter for you to bag your groceries. I for one like this because I can group my cold stuff together and fill the bags to my liking.

Image from here

So if you're looking to cut out some expenses I would highly recommend doing at least one of these things. I think you will notice significantly lower grocery bills.