Grocery shopping: how to save up to 30% on the monthly haul

Food is one of the heaviest items in the Dominican family budget. The good news: it is also one of the easiest to optimize. With four simple habits, families can cut up to 30% from their monthly grocery bill without eating worse.

The four habits

1. Plan the week’s menu: decide what you will cook and buy only those ingredients. The “whatever” purchases of the moment are what inflate the bill.
2. Go with a list and not hungry: the list protects you from offers you do not need; hunger multiplies cravings.
3. Compare prices: the same product varies between corner stores, markets and supermarkets. Price apps and biweekly trips to municipal markets pay off.
4. Take advantage of season and store brands: seasonal products cost less and supermarket brands are usually 20-30% cheaper with similar quality.

The mistake that costs the most

Buying daily at the neighborhood corner store for “whatever is missing” is extremely expensive: small unit prices are up to 40% higher than bulk buying. Centralize your main shopping trip and leave only the minimum for day-to-day.

The key figure

30%. The average savings achieved by households that plan their monthly grocery shopping.