How I Save Money by Spending More of it at the Grocery Store

I know that sounds a little confusing because most of the time I am looking for ways to save money at the grocery store. But lately I have been spending more money at the grocery on the "little things" to help save money in other areas of our spending.

Loose Leaf Tea

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For Christmas, we received tea infuser mugs. This has opened up my usually drab tea baggin' world. Wow, that sounds dirty, get your mind out of the gutter. Loose leaf tea is where it is at and there's no going back. It tastes so much better than the boxed and bagged tea I usually drink.

At our grocery store we have a wide array of loose leaf teas from matcha to peppermint and chai to breakfast teas. For the most part they are reasonably priced. They range from $19.95-$74.95 a pound. I know you read $74.95 a pound and think "whoa". Well, that's what I think, but tea doesn't actually weigh that much, and the little bit you need to last a week or two actually only comes out to about $3.

How does this save me money? Honestly, it keeps me away from the coffee and tea shops. I am not a huge coffee drinker, but I do love me some tea. Making it at home, especially when it tastes so much better, is easier and more cost effective.





Fresh Herbs

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Normally, I am an advocate for growing your own herbs, but that can't always be possible. Especially during the winter months.

Most bunches of fresh herbs can cost between $1-$3. It really isn't much but when you are watching your spending in the grocery store you know that it all adds up quickly. With that said, fresh herbs are still a quality purchase. They make your food taste better and when your food tastes better you are more likely to eat at home, possibly saving you hundreds of dollars a year.


Organic Produce and Meats

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While I haven't made a 100% switch to organic, I am slowly but surely trying to reach that goal. At our home we eat a lot of vegetarian meals. For the little amount of meat we do buy for the week there is a real conscience effort to buy organic. It's not always possible on a budget but I am happy if we are doing this at least half the time.

As far as fruits and vegetables are concerned, I try to go by the Dirty Dozen list and the Clean Fifteen, which ranks which food you should try to buy organic.

Spending more on organic meats and produce will hopefully save us money in the long run with maintaining a healthy lifestyle and not spending our time and money on health problems. While there is no warranty that eating healthy will save us from health concerns and costs, but it is something that we feel is worth the price.

Indulgent Splurges

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Cheese and chocolate are our indulgent splurges. I will never turn down some brie or a decadent piece of dark chocolate. While I don't buy these things every time I grocery shop the few times I do purchase them it's a special treat.

These little luxuries help us save money by giving us a chance to live a little while still trying to maintain our budget. The beauty of this is it works with your appetite. Bring home those bakery croissants or that fresh lobster, it's sure as heck cheaper than buying it at a coffee shop or seafood restaurant.

I know it sounds weird, but these tactics have helped bring down our spending in other categories of our budget. Especially in our dining out expenses which used to be the bane of our budget. So if spending some extra cash at the checkout line keeps more cash in my bank account I am all about it.

Do you guys have any indulgent splurges at the grocery store?

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