Our neighbor's simple advice cut our grocery bill by 30%

I was complaining to our neighbor Mike about how my grocery budget kept slipping, and he just said "stop buying anything with more than 5 ingredients unless it's dairy or meat." At first I thought he was being a snob, but I tried it for two weeks. I started buying plain oats, frozen veggies, and whole chicken instead of flavored packets and pre-seasoned stuff. It cut our weekly bill from $120 to about $84 at the Safeway on Broadway. Has anyone else tried a simple rule that actually worked better than a complex system?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor.paige12d ago

The 5 ingredient rule works because it forces you to avoid processed stuff with hidden markups. Those seasoned rice packets or frozen meals have way more margin built in than basic ingredients. I noticed the biggest savings in sauces and seasonings - a jar of pre-made pasta sauce costs double what you can do with a can of tomatoes and some dried herbs. It's kind of wild how stores jack up the price just for convenience.

the_drew12d ago

Oats instead of the instant packets really do make a difference, huh? My wife and I tried a similar thing this spring. We stopped buying any sauces or dressings and just made our own with vinegar and oil. Stuff like that adds up fast. You feel it at the register. Glad it's working for you.