One of the things I’ve been working on is trimming my grocery bill.   It’s the one area of our budget that is the easiest for us to let get out of hand.  A few convenience items here, a few treats there and suddenly the grocery bill is $100 more than we budgeted for.

After spending some time with my grocery receipts, and doing a little arithmetic, I found a few items to avoid purchasing if you’re looking to trim your grocery bill.  If you follow this list, you’ll not only leave the store with more money in your wallet, but you’ll improve your health, too.

5 Grocery Budget Busters to Avoid

Bottled beverages. Soda, juice and bottled water can really inflate the cost of your grocery bill.  Even when soda is on sale, it’s still expensive. While I love the taste as much as the next person, soda just isn’t good for you.  Juice should also be a “sometimes” drink – too much can cause tooth decay.  Save money on juice by buying frozen concentrate, or by slicing up fresh fruit and adding it to a pitcher of water at home.  You’ll also pay a premium for bottled water (which is often just municipal tap water anyway).  Opt for a drink straight out of the tap, or consider a water-filtering pitcher instead.

Prepackaged snacks.  All of those individually-wrapped snacks and single serving packs may help you control your portions, but they don’t help you control your budget.  Buy the larger packages and put them in reusable, individual containers to maintain portion control and save money on groceries.  Or better yet –  skip the prepackaged snacks which are often high in sugar, calories, and preservatives, and learn to make wholesome, healthy snacks at home for a fraction of the cost.

Bakery items.  There’s a huge mark-up on baked goods at  your grocery store bakery.  You’ll pay $2 or more for a loaf of french bread you can make yourself for about $.50.  Thinking of picking up cupcakes for your daughter’s birthday party?  You’ll spend $20 on a batch you could have made from home for less than $5.   Learn how to bake everything from breads to cakes at home, and you’ll save a fortune on your groceries.

Pre-washed and cut veggies.  It’s very handy to buy bagged salad and carrots that have been been cut and washed.  But is the convenience worth paying 3 times as much?  Spend a few extra minutes prepping your fresh vegetables when you get home from the store.  You’ll enjoy the convenience of having the item you want when you want it, but you’ll save money.

Disposable goods.  Disposable items like plastic bags, paper plates, paper towels slow cooker liners, cleaning wipes, and disposable razors, may make life easier, but they’re bad for the environment.  These consumable items are expensive and need constant replacing.  Opt for reusable items instead, and invest a little elbow grease instead of cash.

One thing I’ve noticed at the stores:  If a product claims to save you time, chances are it doesn’t save you any money.

You’ll need to decide for yourself if the convenience is worth the price.

What grocery budget busters do you avoid at the store?