Our Best Money-Saving Advice (on All Sorts of Stuff) from 2017 (2024)

  • Groceries
  • Shopping Tips

Lisa Freedman

Lisa FreedmanExecutive Lifestyle Director

Lisa Freedman is the Executive Lifestyle Director at The Kitchn. She has never met a cheese or a washi tape she didn't like. She lives in New York state with her husband and their pup, Millie.

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updated May 1, 2019

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Our Best Money-Saving Advice (on All Sorts of Stuff) from 2017 (1)

Thinking about a New Year’s resolution to help you save money in 2018? Heck, even if you’re not, these stories might come in handy. Here are the best posts we ran in 2017 about saving money on groceries and other items.

1. Learn the tricks and hacks for your favorite stores and sites.

Love Target, Amazon, and Costco? You’re in luck, because we have stories on how to save money on groceries at all three of those places.

2. Don’t spend money on stuff you’re going to regret.

There is no bigger waste of money than when we buy stuff, get it home, and then it either breaks, doesn’t work at all, or is just not good to start with. Duh, right? We’ve got a few suggestions on some things not to buy.

  • Buy This, Not That: Whole Foods
  • Buy This, Not That: IKEA Kitchen Supplies
  • 7 IKEA Groceries That Just Aren’t Worth It

3. Plan ahead for takeout.

Whenever possible, if you know you’re going to be having takeout for dinner, try to pick it up during the day to reheat later. Most restaurants offer super-good deals to draw in the crowds during the day and you can get the same meal for a fraction of the usual price.

Read more: My Smartest Tip for Saving Money on Takeout

4. Download this app.

There are a ton of grocery apps out there, claiming to save you time and money. Unfortunately, most of them (like a lot of apps) aren’t actually worth the time it takes to figure them out or the money it costs to use them. There is one, however, that is super easy and convenient to use — and it’s free!

Read more: This Grocery App Will Save You Time and Money

5. Don’t worry so much about coupons.

Much like potato chips, it’s hard to stop after just one coupon. While you can certainly save a ton of money if you have time to really work the coupon game, it’s not necessary. You can save some serious grocery dollars without clipping a single coupon.

More on Coupons

  • 10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries Without Clipping a Single Coupon
  • 5 Money-Saving Tips from a Coupon Clipper

6. Do some comparison shopping.

It doesn’t have to be anything too involved. For example, if you have two stores near you, check a few of your go-to ingredients to see which store is typically cheaper.

More on Comparison Shopping

  • Is It Cheaper to Shop at Amazon or Costco? The Answer Might Surprise You.
  • Which Has Better Prices: Trader Joe’s or 365 by Whole Foods Market?

7. Manage your budget.

It’s easier and more fun than it sounds. Promise.

Grocery Budget Tips

  • The Roast Chicken Budget Strategy: My Simple Trick for Keeping a Food Budget
  • The Key Steps to Making a Food Budget That Works for You
  • 5 Smart Tips for Managing Your Grocery Budget
  • This Is How Much You Should Spend on Food and Groceries

8. Take the shortcut.

There is no shame in the bagged salad. Or buying pasta sauce. If you need to save time or money — or both — it’s totally fine.

Read more: 10 Grocery Store Shortcuts That Are Cheaper than Doing It Yourself

9. Buy the cheapest sugar.

Sugar is ever consistent, always reliable — no matter what brand you buy and how much you pay. That’s what makes it your best bet for finding savings. You could spend $4.50 on a four-pound bag of granulated sugar, or $2 on something the same size from a different brand and you’ll get the same results when your recipe comes out of the oven.

More on Generic Pantry Staples

  • The One Baking Ingredient You Should Never Splurge On
  • 10 Pantry Staples You Should Buy Generic

10. Buy the budget booze.

There’s really no reason to break the bank when you’re buying booze for your bar cart — especially if you’re going to be using the stuff in co*cktails and mixed drinks (versus drinking it straight) or if you can find any of these top-notch budget bottles.

Shop for Inexpensive Alcohol

  • The Best Budget Bottles of Vodka, According to Bartenders
  • The 3 Best Budget Bottles of Tequila, According to Bartenders
  • The Best Budget Bottles of American Whiskey, According to Bartenders

11. Get inspired!

Want a new apartment? Or to quit your oh-so-terrible job? Throughout the year, we ran stories of real people who got their food budgets under control in order to make those things happen. Read their stories and then get inspired to make the change you want/need.

Learn How They Did It

  • How My Food Budget Is Helping Me Pay Off My Student Loans
  • How Cutting My Food Budget Helped Me Quit My Full-Time Job
  • 5 Ways to Save Money in the Kitchen When You’re Planning for a Big Move

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Our Best Money-Saving Advice (on All Sorts of Stuff) from 2017 (2024)

FAQs

What should be considered when setting a budget in EverFi? ›

financial goals, current expenses, and income.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

Those will become part of your budget. The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

How much money do you need to retire at age 50? ›

By age 50, you would be considered on track if you have three-and-a-half to six times your preretirement gross income saved. And by age 60, you should have six to 11 times your salary saved in order to be considered on track for retirement.

What is the only place you should keep your emergency fund money? ›

Bank or credit union account — If you have an account with a bank or credit union—generally considered one of the safest places to put your money—it might make sense to have a dedicated account where you can keep and maintain these funds.

What is the benefit of saving money in EverFi? ›

Saving money can help you meet goals. It's important to show off how much money you have. It's important to fill your money jar. Saving money is important for spending.

What needs to be considered when setting an effective budget in EverFi Quizlet? ›

Financial goals, current expenses, and income.

What is the 20 savings rule? ›

Budget 20% for savings

In the 50/30/20 rule, the remaining 20% of your after-tax income should go toward your savings, which is used for heftier long-term goals. You can save for things you want or need, and you might use more than one savings account. Examples of savings goals include: Vacation.

What is the 40 40 20 budget rule? ›

The 40/40/20 rule comes in during the saving phase of his wealth creation formula. Cardone says that from your gross income, 40% should be set aside for taxes, 40% should be saved, and you should live off of the remaining 20%.

How to budget $4000 a month? ›

making $4,000 a month using the 75 10 15 method. 75% goes towards your needs, so use $3,000 towards housing bills, transport, and groceries. 10% goes towards want. So $400 to spend on dining out, entertainment, and hobbies.

What is the average Social Security check? ›

Social Security offers a monthly benefit check to many kinds of recipients. As of December 2023, the average check is $1,767.03, according to the Social Security Administration – but that amount can differ drastically depending on the type of recipient. In fact, retirees typically make more than the overall average.

What is considered a good monthly retirement income? ›

As a result, an oft-stated rule of thumb suggests workers can base their retirement on a percentage of their current income. “Seventy to 80% of pre-retirement income is good to shoot for,” said Ben Bakkum, senior investment strategist with New York City financial firm Betterment, in an email.

Can I retire at 50 with no money? ›

Retiring with little to no money saved is not impossible, but it can present some challenges to your financial plan. Depending on where you're starting from, you may need to delay Social Security benefits, work longer, or drastically reduce expenses to retire with no money saved.

What is a millionaire's best friend? ›

It may sound like an intimidating term, but it really isn't once you know what it means. Here's a little secret: compound interest is a millionaire's best friend. It's really free money.

What is the most common mistake made with emergency funds? ›

Mistake #1: You haven't saved enough

Remember, you don't need three to six months of all your expenses, just “must-haves” such as your mortgage or rent, utilities, taxes, and insurance bills.

What are the factors that must be considered in preparing a budget? ›

The key factors to consider while preparing a budget include fixed and variable expense factors, projected workload, and changes in therapeutic modalities. The key factors to consider while preparing the budget include organizational strategy, structure, target difficulty, and budget emphasis.

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