In an attempt to trim the grocery bill and our waistlines, my roommate Kaitlyn and I have been buying groceries together for about a month and a half. At first I was skeptical of the ease of transition from single to double orders, but it has worked out wonderfully. So far.
We've uncovered some great ways to keep our bill to a minimum, and some are worth sharing:
1. Always plan. It's not enough to write a grocery list (although that is a good idea), I found that it also helps to plan out the meals you are going to eat for the week and purchase accordingly.
2. Research the sales. Luckily, we live a block away from a No Frills and can easily get our hands on the sale flier. We try to plan our meals based on what's on sale that week.
3. Know yourself. Kaitlyn and I are busy people, so we make sure to buy portable snacks such as fruit, carrots and granola bars. That way if we are hungry while we're downtown we're not as tempted to buy something quick.
4. Last chance items are a bargainers dream. Grocery stores throw out tons of food because it is past its expiry date, so they mark food down tremendously right before they have to throw it away. But it's no secret that the food usually lasts past the numbers on its package. We go straight to the last chance section if we know we are cooking meat within a day or two.
We both spend about $20 per grocery bill (unless my parents come up to Toronto), which is about the same as I used to spend on my own. Only now I have double the food. But what makes this food relationship work so well is that both of us are conscious of the other person. I make sure to eat only half of our peaches and she makes sure to take only half our stock of granola bars.
Milk, however, is a different story. Our cereal habits are a little different. Two cartons are always found in the fridge.
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