18 Changes You Can Make to Save $200 On Your Monthly Grocery Bill

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3. Make Substitutes

When you write your list, put an asterisk against any items that’ll set you back a pretty penny. Then, once you get to the store you’ll know to seek out cheaper alternatives. For example, you can buy frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones, for frozen you can get 12 oz. for $2.29, but only 6 oz. of fresh for $2.99.

There are many benefits of buying frozen produce over fresh, including cheaper prices and longevity. There’s nothing more wasteful than buying something you hoped to use but had to throw away, when you could have instead bought its frozen counterpart for half the price.

Another idea is to buy iceberg lettuce instead of flour wraps for a cheaper and healthier alternative. Also, instead of buying expensive table sauces, you can make your own for less. For chili sauce, all you need are pantry items that you probably already have like tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice.