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Food is one of our biggest life expenses, aside from housing and transportation. If you’re looking for ways to save money (and really, who isn’t?), then your grocery bill might be a good place to start! Sometimes we get into the habit of buying the same things over and over again without stopping to consider better, cheaper alternatives. Here in this list below, we’ll share with you some things you should avoid during your next shopping trip, and what to do instead.

K Cups

We know, we know, K Cups revolutionized the at-home coffee game, but at what cost? Well, about $1 per cup. That doesn’t sound so bad, right? Compared to the cost of brewing a pot of coffee the old fashioned way, it’s actually about two to three times more expensive, per ounce. Of course, this all depends on the brand of coffee, the machine, etc., but generally speaking, brewing a pot of coffee in the morning is going to be about 50% cheaper than using K Cups. Luckily, there’s a way to get the best of both worlds! You can purchase a reusable K Cup to be filled with your own coffee grounds.

Instant Foods

We get it. The little oatmeal packets save time in the morning, and the packaged meal deals like instant rice and noodles can be tempting to purchase, but the extra cost really adds up in the long run. Plus, you might be surprised to find that doing the work yourself doesn’t take as much time as you thought. Let’s take a look at instant rice packets. They typically cost around $2, sometimes up to $3. A 5lb bag of rice, on the other hand, costs around $4.50. If you’re serious about saving money, it’s worth the extra effort to take the longer route when preparing food.

Name Brands

This one is a no-brainer. If you’ve ever shopped on a budget, then you’ll know the name brand items are always far more expesive than the store brands. But, did you know that according to consumer reports and blind taste tests, most store brand products are the same, if not higher quality than the name brand counterpart? Going store brand over name brand can save you an average of 25%, which may not seem like a lot for one item, but can definitely add up when your grocery bill is over a hundred dollars.

Bottled Water

Bottled water is convenient but costly. Not only that, but those plastic bottles are so terrible for the environment! Sure, you may think getting a 24 pack of bottled water once a week for $5 isn’t bad, but wouldn’t $0 be better? There are so many options for filtered water pitchers, filtered water bottles, and filters that snap right onto your faucet! We really have no excuse for continuing to purchase plastic water bottles. Yes, there’s the initial cost of the filter and the water bill, but you’ll still save hundreds of dollars a year.

Organic Avocados, Bananas, And Pineapples

Don’t get us wrong, we like to feed our family healthy, high-quality foods, but we have to be smart about it. Foods like strawberries, apples, and kale all get a heavy dose of pesticides, unless the label says organic. Because of the nature of these foods, they absorb a lot of those chemicals. Thus, it’s important to purchase the organic version. Foods with peels or shells, such as avocados, bananas, and pineapples, however, do not absorb the pesticides, thanks to their protective layers. Therefore, getting the more expensive organic version is a waste of money.

Watch the video below to find out what other big money wasters to avoid during your next grocery shopping trip!

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