10 Tips (And 1 Freebie) That Make Grocery Shopping Easier

Does anyone else just really dislike going to the grocery store? I never really enjoyed it to begin with, and I’ve enjoyed it even less so after being the main shopper for our family of 6 for almost 3 decades. But unfortunately, shopping for food and household supplies is a pretty crucial task, so why not make it a little easier on ourselves?

Today I’ll be sharing 10 tips that can help improve your grocery shopping experience. Whether you’re looking to save time, save money, or save yourself a headache, you’ll find the tips you need to do it in this post.

And don’t miss out on the special free printable I have for you at the bottom of this post!

10 Ways To Make Grocery Shopping Easier

1. Subscribe & Save

Try using Amazon programs like Subscribe & Save to get non-perishable items delivered right to your door. You can buy canned goods, snacks, toilet paper, breakfast cereal, trash bags, cleaning supplies, and more! You’ll have a shorter list when you go to the grocery store, so you can get in and out faster.

2. Get It Delivered

Check to see if any of your local grocery stores offer a delivery service or curbside pickup. You can take your time shopping online for the stuff you need, without the hassle and stress of being in the store.

Then you can swing by the store later to pick up your order or have someone bring it right to your door! These services do cost a few extra dollars, but you may end up saving money if you’re normally prone to impulse buys. ;-)

3. Keep Track As You Shop

Have you ever gone through the checkout line at the store, only to get shocked by how much your groceries cost? Avoid the surprise at the end of your shopping trip by keeping a running tally of how much you’re spending. It’ll help you make smart spending decisions, and you’ll avoid that unpleasant moment of shock in the checkout line.

4. Don’t Shop Hungry!

Plan your grocery shopping trips to take place after a meal, or at least an hour or two before the next one. If you shop when you’re hungry, you’re much more likely come away with food and snacks you didn’t plan on buying! Shopping when you’re satiated is good for your wallet, and it’s good for your waistline too.

5. Pick The Shortest Line

No one likes waiting in a long line at the checkout stand. According to math teacher Dan Meyer, it’s best to choose the line with the least amount of people in it, regardless of how full their carts or baskets might be.

His suggestions is based on the idea that it takes at least a minute or two to check someone out, even if they’re buying just a couple of things. Each item only adds about 3 seconds to the total checkout time, so a cart full of items doesn’t actually take that much longer to scan.

6. Go When It’s Less Busy

I like to plan my grocery shopping trips for less busy times, like weekend mornings or weekday evenings. I generally have a better, less stressful experience shopping if I’m not surrounded by crowds!

7. Make It Fun

Do whatever you can to make your shopping trips more enjoyable. If you’re big into audiobooks or podcasts, listen to one while you shop, or make a playlist of your favorite songs.

8. Branch Out

We all have our favorite food brands that we gravitate towards while we shop, but try branching out! You never know what’s out there in terms of quality and price unless you’re willing to give it a try.

9. Find The Best Deals

If you’re serious about saving money on your groceries, consider using a service like Deals to Meals. I’ve used Deals to Meals in the past to find sales, special offers, and deals at grocery stores in my area, and I really liked that they indicated how good each price was so I could decide when to stock up.

There are plenty of these sorts of services online and in app form, so find one you like and use it!

10. Always Make A List

I rarely go to the grocery store without a list. I’ve learned that if I don’t have a list, I come out of the store will none of the stuff that I did need, and all of the stuff that I didn’t. You can make your list even more useful by sorting your groceries out by category. You’ll be much less likely to overlook an item if you’re getting all of your produce items at the same time!

BONUS: Use My Free Printable Grocery List

Speaking of categorized grocery lists, I’ve gone ahead and made a printable one just for you! It has separate areas for different categories and departments, like produce, bakery, dairy, frozen foods, and more.

It’s free to download, and you can print as many of these lists as you need. I’ve been using it myself for a few weeks now, and it has made shopping a lot easier than it was when I used to make free-for-all grocery lists with no rhyme or reason to them! Download your copy of the list below.

What’s your best grocery shopping tip or trick?