A Canadian Newcomer Asked Reddit How To Save On Groceries & The Replies Offered Solid Advice

If you're feeling the wrath of inflation across Canada, you're certainly not alone. A Canadian newcomer took to Reddit seeking advice on how to save money on groceries and the replies poured in with solid advice.

User Alternative_Role_384 took to the r/PersonalFinanceCanada subreddit to ask "How [can I] spend less on groceries?" Turns out, the newcomer asked on behalf of his family of two who emigrated from Europe and simply hasn't been able to grasp grocery shopping in Canada just yet.

"I compared our monthly spending to what people here claim to spend on groceries, and our spending is much higher, while we don't really eat that much or buy expensive food. I am trying to figure out why," they wrote.

Folks who know a thing or two about saving money on groceries came to the rescue, offering up some solid hacks and tips. Here are a few that just might save you some big bucks on your next grocery trip:

• "Go to Real Canadian Superstore, sign up for PC Optimum, and get a PC Financial Credit Card. That combo is pretty decent and hard to beat."

• "Buy bulk when there are deals."

• "Community garden, rent a spot. Herb pots on the patio (herbs are really expensive and easy to grow)."

• " I find the lowest places to shop are FreshCo/Food Basics, ethnic grocery stores and bulk runs at Costco. I was astounded at the price of food at Superstore, which used to be my go-to low-cost shopping place."

• "Use the Flipp app and compare store fliers. Shop where it's cheapest."

• "Flipp is also a good resource if you shop at chains that price match."

• "ONLY buy vegetables that are in season. If you go outside this rule you will pay tons more."

• "I tend to get groceries once a week, and get things like fruit and fresh vegetables, bread and so forth, plus anything on sale that week that I need such as canned food (tuna, pasta sauce) and rice/pasta etc. I leverage sales of meat by buying only when on sale, portioning out individual servings and freezing them in a chest freezer."

• "Check out Adventures in Groceryland, a YouTube channel that goes through how to plan, shop and cook to save money and build a pantry."

• "Costco, Walmart, Superstore, No Frills. If you don't notice a difference between those types of stores and a Sobeys, Safeways, Save On Food, or Co-Op I'm not sure why, it's pretty significant. In general, try to avoid those stores unless you are specifically shopping for sale items."

• "I shop at Costco one to two times a month for the majority of things in bulk. I do Save On Foods on the first Tuesday of the month as it’s 15% off."

• "Meal planning helped us a lot. My wife and I sit down and plan the meals for the week and make a list. We rarely deviate from the list. I like to make large batches of food on Sunday while watching football and freeze the individual meals for later. Costco and budget grocery stores (No Frills, Food Basics, Freshco) also make a significant difference for us.'

• "Pooping at work has saved me hundreds on toilet paper!"

• "Find out if you have a local discount store and try to shop there first for deals. Sometimes, smaller groceries or ethnic groceries will have some deals that are better than the big guys, check them out. Shop what's on sale. Get a cube freezer to stock up on frozen deals or buy fresh deals to freeze."

• "I took some time to build my pantry. Now, when canned/dry goods go on sale, I'll pick up a few to restock my pantry. Buy a food vacuum sealer. We buy meats in bulk (or in multiples if on sale) and freeze them. The vacuum sealer paid for itself very quickly."

• "There’s also 'Flashfood' app which has deals on stuff like meat that you have to eat or cook or freeze that day or the next day."

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